First Ever Rap Record

[spinner 0]

I believe The Fatback Band are credited with releasing the first ever rap record ( pre Sugarhill Gang ). But I have a copy of "Here Come The Judge" by Pigmeat Markham which I bought in 1968.

 

The words are spoken, they rhyme and are delivered over a driving backbeat.

 

Sounds like rap to me.

 

Does anyone know if this is credited as the real first ever rap reord?

[buskersball 0]

I believe The Fatback Band are credited with releasing the first ever rap record ( pre Sugarhill Gang ). But I have a copy of "Here Come The Judge" by Pigmeat Markham which I bought in 1968.

 

The words are spoken, they rhyme and are delivered over a driving backbeat.

 

Sounds like rap to me.

 

Does anyone know if this is credited as the real first ever rap reord?

 

 

Pigmeat Markham (April 18, 1904 - December 13, 1981) was an African American entertainer. Though best known as a comedian, Markham was also a singer, dancer, and actor.

 

"Pigmeat" was born as Dewey Markham in Durham, North Carolina. He was sometimes creditied in movies as David "Pigmeat" Markham. Markham began his career in traveling music and burlesque shows. For a time he was a member of Bessie Smith's traveling review in the 1920s. Later, he claimed he originated the Truckin' dance which became nationally popular at the start of the 1930s. In the 1940s he started making film appearances. In 1947 he had a hit with "Open the Door, Richard".

 

Starting in the 1950s Pigmeat Markham began appearing on television, making multiple appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show.

 

His boisterous, indecorous "heyeah (here) come da judge" shtick, which made a mockery of formal courtroom etiquette, became his signature routine. Markham would sit at an elevated judge's bench (often in a black graduation cap-and-gown, to look more impressive), and deal with a series of comic miscreants. He would often deliver his 'judgments,' as well as express frustration with the accused, by leaning over the bench and smacking the accused with an inflated bladder-balloon. He had hit comedy recordings in the 1960s on Chess Records, and saw his routine's entry line become a catch phrase on the Laugh-In television show, as did his phrase Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls.

 

Ironically, Markham's most famous routine was 'discovered' by the general public only after Sammy Davis, Jr. had performed it as a guest on Laugh-In. Due to the years of racial discrimination in the entertainment world, Markham had almost exclusively performed on the "Chitlin' circuit" of vaudeville, theatres, and night clubs and appeared in several race films; thus, he was not widely known by white audiences.

 

The success of Davis's appearance led to Markham's opportunity to perform his signature Judge character during his one season on Laugh-In. Archie Campbell later adapted Markham's routine, performing as "Justus O'Peace," on the country version of Laugh-In, Hee Haw, which borrowed heavily from the minstrel show tradition.

 

Thanks to his Heyeah come da judge routine, which originally was accompanied by music with a funky beat, Pigmeat Markham is regarded as a forerunner of rappers. His song "Here Comes The Judge" peaked at number 19 in both Billboard and the UK singles chart in 196

[spinner 0]

That seems like a "yes".

 

Interestingly, Shorty Long had a version out at the same time but with a completely different treatment.

[Gary 0]

Wasn't there some sort of comment some time ago on TV that Blondie (Deborah Harry) had the first "rap" song with "Rapture"? Certainly the song featured alot of tuneless, monotone, talking (about aliens eating cars and bars etc), over a beat - so it could qualify, although I'm not sure that anyone should really be blamed...well... :ads:

[spinner 0]

Wasn't there some sort of comment some time ago on TV that Blondie (Deborah Harry) had the first "rap" song with "Rapture"? Certainly the song featured alot of tuneless, monotone, talking (about aliens eating cars and bars etc), over a beat - so it could qualify, although I'm not sure that anyone should really be blamed...well... :ads:

 

 

Don't know. But, since that would have been around 10 years after Pigmeat Markham, I think not.

 

 

[Secret Disco 0]

I thought Grandmaster Flash was credited with the first rap record.

[buskersball 0]

I thought Grandmaster Flash was credited with the first rap record.

 

No sugarhill gang....however there's also The Last Poets...not exactly disco but certainly hard rap (very Black Panther) ...they were a black poetry/arts/band in the late 60s and very influential on modern rap IMHO

 

[stevemarshall 0]

The first Rap record, ummm now there's a question, as Rap as we know it orig came from the Jamaican Sound Systems of the 1950's and 60's

 

Prince Buster wasn't the first DJ to rap on a record, but he was certainly one of the first! along with U Roy

[Ian Stewart 0]

No sugarhill gang....however there's also The Last Poets...not exactly disco but certainly hard rap (very Black Panther) ...they were a black poetry/arts/band in the late 60s and very influential on modern rap IMHO

 

 

Now there's a band

 

[stevemarshall 0]

agrees with Ian

[buskersball 0]

agrees with Ian

 

Anybody ever play them at a wedding??? :joe:

 

[Secret Disco 0]

I thought Grandmaster Flash was credited with the first rap record.

 

 

AAaaaaah !!!!! this is where i'm getting my wires crossed......I knew Grand master flash was in there somewhere("The First MC was probably Cowboy aka Keith Wiggins from GMF&TFF").

 

http://www.digital-daydreams.com/enc/histo...story.php?id=44

[Ian Stewart 0]

Anybody ever play them at a wedding??? :joe:

 

In fact I have a couple of times

 

[bedfordft 0]

you could try Gary Byrd and The Crown a great 12" in its day Gary was also a DJ for Radio 1 on a Sunday night.