Review: Kurtis Walker, known as Kurtis Blow, made history as the first rapper signed to a major US record label, Mercury, in 1979. His debut single, the fun and festive 'Christmas Rappin',' sold nearly half a million copies. It was followed by 'The Breaks,' the first rap single to go Gold with over a million copies sold. His self-titled debut album in 1980 led to international performances in Europe and Japan and helped to spread hip-hop globally. Kurtis Blow's prolific career includes fifteen albums and hits like 'America,' 'If I Ruled The World' (famously later sampled by The Fugees and Nas), and collaborations with The Fat Boys, Run D.M.C., Sheila E., and Kool & The Gang. This double vinyl collection rightly celebrates his influential legacy.
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