The Message

I suspect today's album is a case where you kind of had to be there. I understand its importance in terms of being a breakthrough for its genre, but it's more of a historical footnote than something I really want to listen to. The title track is really the only essential thing here. 2.5 stars.

3,5

The Message is gold. Absolute gold. Pure timeless synthy jamtastic slice-of-life socio-political commentary that still resonates today. “A child is born with no state of mind but if it’s Billy Joel it’ll have a New York State Of Mind. If they do 1001 they’ll be pleased to see Timeless by Goldie cause it has State Of Mind on track 3” The rest doesn’t hold up nearly as well but is still kind of fun in a ropey old-skool kinda way. Vocoder doldrums Scorpio is like EWF Let’s Groove without the Groove. Dreamin’ is the soul/RnB equivalent to ELO’s Beatles Forever in terms of how mushy and fawning a tribute it is, in this case to Stevie Wonder. That leaves She’s Fresh, It’s A Shame and Genius Of Love-sampling It’s Nasty as the more mid-range hip-hoppier cuts. 3.5 stars or should that be ha’s? A ha ha ha.

I don’t know where to start with this one. GMF&5 were pioneers in the early days of rap and hip-hop. This album is milestone in that evolution for sure. I remember so many things about this album and the time period. My sisters had the 12” extended cut of “It’s Nasty”, “Scorpio” was a frequent spin at the roller rink, and “The Message” may be one of the all time “classics” of rap music. This one deserves a high mark for “the message” and overall impact alone, but I’ll stop short of a top rating since it drags a little in the middle. Props for incorporating a kazoo.

No doubt these guys were overshadowed in the 80s with the likes of NWA, Run DMC, etc. But, props need to be given for their influence. This was a quirky listen that drags in the middle with some really cheesy love songs. Was hoping for a bit more.

Good for samples. Not great for an album. I was listening to this in the car with my son going to his basketball game. On the way home he asked if we could not listen to it anymore. Maybe I’m just not cool enough. 2.25

I expected some basic beats and samples...was not expecting a love song for Stevie Wonder. A couple "hey, this sounds familiar!" but overall weird AF and not great. 2.25/5

The Message звичайно легендарна пісня. Що по звуку, що лірично. Але сам альбом дуже дивний, якісь р'н'б номери, очікуване електро, але не те щоб прям класне. Як альбом, це не дуже добре постаріло.

Люблю цей альбом, є на вінілі. Я загалом не те щоб фанат хіп-хопа 80х, але грандмастер флеш це виключення, та і однойменний трек це така класика, що аж Філ Коллінс ріпофнув сміх в пісню дженезіс Mama. 3.5, але тут поставлю 4.

Rap has come a long way. That's all I can say.

One of the most important albums ever, if soley for its title track. However, this album is insanely diverse. They tried everything here just because they could, and for me it works every time. No matter what they do, I know it's a banger. "The Message" was both a pioneer in a genre and ahead of its time all at once, that beat still sounds like it came from the future

This is a tough one for me. 'The Message' is such a classic track. The rest of the album is all over the place, mostly stuff I wasn't into. It's hard not to recognize the importance of this album in music history though.

Whoaaaaa. What a real hitter. Totally a fun album. It's so easy to see how this was influential in the multitudes. Funk and disco influences. Early hip hop. Absolutely fantastic.

Each song is different from the last. This is an obviously early rap album which the Wiki claims to be experimenting in figuring out the album format with this emerging genre of music. Some of the tracks just absolutely do not hit. "Scorpio" just did not do it for me despite the Spotify plays being the third highest played on the album. Having tracks like "It's a Shame" transition into "Dreamin'" was also a hilarious transition in tone. Some of the rap flow is very clearly improv which makes this album feel real and alive, but also it carries with it an awkwardness. When I finally got to the album's namesake song "The Message" it was like a bucket of cold water waking me up from a nap. This song is fantastic and stands as this album's strongest song. It's powerful, unashamed, and a robust commentary on life in the 1980s inner cities for black Americans. This song alone brings up the whole album. Overall 6/10

funkopop

Some good songs

Favorite track(s): It's Nasty, Scorpio, The Message

If this isnt the definition of a classic then i don't know what it. A seminal album that is the hight point in the birth of a genre. The samples are so familiar its like an old photo and it still slaps on most levels. The weird Stevie Wonder track aside, this definitely needs to be listened to before you die

Understand this is very influential but primitive hip hop like just hasn’t aged well. However, obvious funk and electro influences here make for some enjoyable tracks, especially the title track

Definitivamente es el disco más divertido desde que empecé el juego, muy muy disfrutable y con varios temas clásicos del hip hop. Tiene un par de canciones R&B que le suman mucho. Me encantó!

8/10 - Unfortunately the full album wasn't available on Spotify or Youtube but the 4 songs I heard were definitely up there. The Message especially is a classic

Apart from the headline single there is a lot of bluster on this album. Historically important

I wasn’t impressed

very groovy, such a pleasant surprise. Includes a full on gospel song mid-album

Every song feels good. The collaborative performance is unrivaled. Top notch album start to finish.

It was okay.

A mix of funk and disco, with a health dose of narcissistic bravado, a characteristic of the genre. Dutch the Disco and the brass balls, and I might come back. As it stands, average all around. Won’t listen again.

it was fun! pioneer of the genre and overall a fun listen. didnt appreciate them edging me for almost 7 minutes with another one bites the dust

it was fun at the start but then i lost interest

Really cool to see a point in time of funk crossing over into hip hop, and seeing so many tracks that ended up being sampled endlessly.

Best Song: The Message. Iconic song with great samples and a great rhythm. Worst Song: It's Nasty (Genius of Love). This is the most dated of the marching/stomping style of rhythm that characterized this era. Overall: Maybe it does sound a bit dated, but goddamn if it isn't fun. Not something I could imagine listening to very often, but still a great jam while it's on.

Not really digging it

Title track is legendary, the rest of the album doesn't match it but you do see the roots of over 40 years of hip-hop that came after it.

Why is every song unavailable bro. Oh wait what is gracing my ears?? What is this melody?? Gives me downtown vibes. Yeah bang speak on it. Ooh what is this beat. Yeah ok. Get funky. What the fuck. I honestly don't know how to feel about this actually. Favourite: Scorpio Least favourite: Message II (Survival)

The peak of rap and hip-hop. After this eveyrthing is unbearable trash, except maybe Public Enemy.

This gets a 2 simply because The Message is kind of a classic (though overly long by at least 3 minutes). But otherwise, hip hop from this era just kind of... sucks. And those Stevie Wonder fan tracks? Ooof, so bad.

It starts off with some really cool funky beats and then they give you some disco and some electro and you start thinking to yourself "hey! this is pretty fun!" only for them to then betray your trust by making you listen to the worst Stevie Wonder tribute song you've heard in your entire life and then immediately right after a song about accepting our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into our hearts. With that being said, The Message is the best song in the entire album and you should go listen to it.

"Respect to the pioneers of rap, but this is some of the corniest music I have ever heard" c

The thing that stands the test of time is the production. So many recognizable beats and the ones that are new to me are electric and moving. Talented lyricists but some of the performance and style seem a bit hokey today. Enjoyable album, regardless.

Fun sampling. Later stuff better. Has 'The Message which is probably what you will recognize

This was a fun listen

A significant album that is little more than a museum piece now.

Fun time, good beats, really fun to say "oh hey, I know that sample".

At that time in music history a 4 Star performance

I think it’s cool for its time and genre. 6/10

This album makes me happy. I dig it.

Una coleccion medio floja de canciones muy sampleables 2,5

I feel like “Hip Hop” as a genre name fits this album more than any other rap album. Not really my style personally

This album’s got way more going on than just the title track. The vibe is classic early hip hop, raw and simple, but it still feels sharp, especially when it leans into storytelling and personality instead of just party stuff. “Scorpio” was a really cool track, that one stuck out for me, and “Dreamin’” cracked me up. I did not have a love song dedicated to Stevie Wonder on my bingo card for yesterday lol.

Наверное это мой ад

Вайбово. Такой хип-хоп меня не утомляет. The Message - глыба. Хоть я и не разбираюсь в такой музыке, и не помню точно в какой из 360 песен я слышал этот сэмпл, но точно слышал, и не раз. Он как будто уже вписан в глобальный ДНК. Наверно так же себя ощущают люди, которые вообще не слушают рок, и услышали Living on a prayer или Highway to hell - типа "я это точно где-то слышал сто раз, но не помню где, звучити как культовая вещь". Вообще дух 80х в такой музыке мне очень нравится, даже чел с магнитолой на обложке добавляет баллов этой атмосфере. Было неожиданно услышать пару треков в совсем не типичном стиле типа Dreamin', но ок, звучало тоже неплохо. Ждем Sugarhill Gang?

Пошли артефакты. Нравится как этот сэмпл tom tom club кочует из песни в песню.

Если со стороны хип-хопа заходить, то это больше музейный экспонат, чем хоть сколько-то интересный альбом для прослушивания в 2к26. К тому же это еще не прям от корки до корки рэп пластинка, но и фанко-соуловые номера не особо впечатляют. Короче можно обойтись месседжем, больше ловить здесь особо нечего.

Лучшая песня: понятно какая Худшая: Dreamin В паре песен отличная бас-гитара. То, что не хип-хоп, слушать было очень тяжело

приятный фанкрэп

Идеальный альбом для воскресной уборки. Мало, что знаю о раннем хип-хопе, но от некоторых электронных треков повеяло Kraftwerk, что не может не радовать. Также отмечу текст трека New York, New York - фильм «Сокровище» с Габи Сидибе нервно курит в сторонке. Добавлено в плей-лист: Scorpio, Message II (Survival), You are, New York New York

Стандартный хип-хопчик того времени - близко к фанку, но уже подобие читки. The Message иконичная, остальное ну пойдет. И всё ещё лучше мамбл-рэпа.

Why did I always imagine they were a two singles act? This was great. I liked the ballads too because it shows how tentative those first steps were for rap. Also Stevie deserves any tribute going.

Awesome vibe

It was fun. Definitely why I like this project. I've know about Grandmaster Flash and little bits about early hip hop, but never checked it out before. Probably not something I'll listen to much. But glad I did.

The first half of this album was fun and fresh. I think that Grandmaster Flash is iconic and has integrated with the like... fabric of culture itself, because so many riffs and lines were recognizable to me. But then the album slowed down into R&B and 7+ minute songs and lost all steam. R&B doesn't often catch my interest, and I didn't enjoy his voice enough to appreciate back to back slow songs after such high octane energy.

Very influential album. 3.5 stars

From the Vault #1 (January 5, 2026) Hey, me from the present here to deliver a friendly foreword. In a desperate bid to keep up with this list and to offset the pain and misery of rolling a hip-hop album, I have endeavoured to listen to some of the albums on this list ahead of their scheduled appearance, starting with all of the albums from my favourite genre. I've shuddered at the thought of how many hip-hop albums exist on the list, but now I finally have closure. Prior to starting this series of reviews, I had listened to 25 of the 85 included hip-hop picks. As of today, I've bumped that number up to a clean 72 albums (including the hip-hop albums I rolled before I could assemble a pre-written review for them). I should also mention that it's incredibly fortuitous that the first pre-written review I'm publishing just so happens to be for the first hip-hop album on the list. There was a 1 in 43 chance of that happening, so definitely not favourable odds. Anyways, I shall transport you to the immediate past, where the balding, smelly ape known as me from one-and-a-half months ago is about to deliver his opinion on this album: Here we are with the first-ever hip-hop album on the list. '82 seems like the time where hip-hop would establish it's footing. Grandmaster Flash is also a vaguely familiar name. Perhaps he's more prolific than this list lets on, though in all fairness it could go both ways - hip-hop artists typically have an ephemeral presence in the limelight. Guess I'll just have to give this one a spin. I'm surprised that this qualifies as hip-hop. This is just a dance album, isn't it? I suppose the vocals have that traditional hip-hop delivery. Anyways, this is a bit of a mixed bag. On the bright side, this length is great, there's a decent spread of styles and it has a good, bassy sound. The alternating vocalists is the best part of this album. I've always appreciated that as a unique quirk of hip-hop. "Improvise" by Jurassic 5 is more or less my favourite hip-hop song because of this. On the other hand, this is cheesy as shit, especially down the middle. The instrumentals are generally pretty restrictive and minimal, and what the hell was with that electronic track? The soul pivot was a real jarring shift, too. Overall, it's fine, but this sadly lost me as it went along. I've heard "The Message" before, as I'm sure everyone else has. Good song. The synths are pretty good, even if they are a little minimal. It ultimately does a good job at complementing the songwriting. The vocals are the strongest aspect, however. They build and transition between different tempos pretty effortlessly. Book time. "...an important milestone in hip-hop's history, displaying the key elements of lyrical delivery". Samples old funk songs among a bunch of other genres. Established the general theming and aesthetic of hip-hop music. More of a singles act. Yup, this definitely earns its stripes. I cosign this inclusion.

Album is significant in the history of rap music. But, it struggles a little when the music becomes more r&b focused. The more upbeat, rap songs, are decent. 3/5 Might listen again

Про страдания черных в гетто в Нью Йорке Прикольно, звучит плотно и чисто Есть хит Почти как kool and the gang 3.1

Ugh. It had some cool parts but outside of that really nothin I’ll come back to.

Some funky parts I enjoyed, but a lot of it fell flat.

I'd obviously include the title track in a book of "1,001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die." The album, however... 2.5/5

Fun Old Skool East Coast Hip Hop. Dope samples, danceable grooves.

Some classics on this which were nice to find. Not sure its my favourite rap style but the music and beats were good fun

Oh this brought me so much joy

Funky social commentary

This seems like kind of a hopelessly naive form of hip-hop all these years later, but most of the songs are fun to listen to.

This album sounds like an early attempt to hip-hop music. It has interesting beats, groovy bass lines - I like that. I don’t like those drum machine beats which sound childish to me. However, many song were in soul genre and it was pleasure to listen to. Not to mention iconic Message song instrumental.

So cheesy and so fun

Ah good old historical rap. We have strayed so far from this sound and genre in modern rap that it needs to be examined as a sepertate genre. This is a great historical piece of music, the high quality production in samples. Clever rhymes and the start of the masses hearing about black plight in song. I appreciate this for what it is and what it was, Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel became icons and phenoms. Respect.

6/10

Bangin the whole album through

It’s a wonky album! Enjoyed the first couple of tracks, but then the experimental electro of Scorpio was less tolerable. The Stevie wonder tribute was confusing but then we finish with the all timer The Message.

The sound is incredibly dated; I feel like hip-hop albums from this era (80s) sometimes sound even more ancient than music from medieval times would... Also, these songs largely don't even sound like they belong in the same album together. "Scorpio"'s vocoder techno-pop sound was apparently innovative for its time but today sounds tired and generic. "It's Nasty" is alright but relies on a sample that I've liked better in other songs. The two ballads "Dreamin'" and "You Are" are genuinely bad, with the latter sounding like a filler song from a Christian album. The title song is certainly the highlight, but I wouldn't listen again. The stuttery closing song "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash..." is baffling; it's anchored around a bassline from Queen but Grandmaster Flash adds voices that continually interrupt each other. The result for me is that the song sounds kind of startling to listen to, and not in a good way.

As a kid of the 80’s, I loved the vibe of this album. I could listen to this one at least once a week and be cool with it.

How long did it take for Stevie Wonder to file a restraining order against the group after he heard "Dreamin'"?

This album was kind of strange and not at all what I was expecting. It was fun though. Love how funky a lot of it was. It’s Nasty with that Genius of Love sample is great. I also liked It’s A Shame. The Message of course is a classic. I thought Dreamin’ was a little odd though. It was written for Stevie Wonder and it’s kind of…idk, intense? I’d be curious to know the context behind why they wrote that song. Were they friends with Stevie? Did Stevie help them in some way? Did Stevie know they wrote that song or are they just weirdly obsessed with him? Lol. I have no clue but it felt out of place. I did like how it was written in Stevie’s style though. The following song You Are also felt out of place because there was no beat/funk going on. The vocals were really pretty though. Overall the album was an interesting journey.

Soo much fun, tracks 1 &. 2 are amazing

The album art alone deserves a 10. This album is funky and fun. It’s got some great hip hop and soul roots, what a combo. The music feels dated but I’m sure at the time it was not, and there are still some highlights throughout. This album goes all over the map from rap or hip hop to soul and even gets a bit gospel, pretty awesome to experience. Finally, ‘The Message’ is iconic of course.

Funky as hell at the start, bit of a slump in the middle but pretty solid

A very funky start. Good brass. Energetic. Nice. Track 2 has nice production and samples. The rapping is not my thing here but it makes sense as it's a very early hip hop album. A Bit too long. Track 3 does even less for me. I can imagine it being very refreshing when it came out, but today it's not something i can see myself going back to. Track 4. Is actually nice. Once again the rapping technique is very primitive. But I get it, off course. I appreciate the deserved Stevie Wonder nod on Dreamin', but I don't find this one essential. Track 6 while quit beautiful, I don't find fitting in the context of the record. And the speech in the middle is not my thing. The closer is decent with good production and better rapping. Maybe a bit too long aswell. I appreciate the inclusion of this album here. I like hearing the start points of genre and think it's important. But personally I didn't enjoy this one very much. It's unclear to me artistically. A 2.4, 2.5...

70. beginning and end were great

80s hiphop! So cooool

Just great

Its crazy to me how identifiable the 1980s are in every kind of media that came out of that time. I'm sure someone could argue that its true for any decade, but something just stands out so so much about any 80s music, movie, etc.

Very 80s. Couple of standout tracks

Not the worst listen but can’t help but feel it’s a bit dated.

Very old skool and not an unpleasant listen but doubt I will listen again. Interesting that hip hop has developed so much since the early 80s, I think I prefer the funk influenced early days.

An enjoyable if clearly dated album. Liked the robot voice song the most. Love the fact that Grandmaster Flash invented the slip mat, that’s weirdly cool.

Annoyingly not available via Apple Music in Australia, but available on Spotify. Honestly, this is just the best!! This must have sounded like it came from another planet back in 1982, with only a few other examples of rap out there at the time. The album features a strong theme of what life is like on the mean streets of New York in the early 80s, with a bangin’ soundtrack to go with it. I don't know where hiphip went wrong more recently, coz when I listen to this stuff, it seems like something I should be listening to all the time.

Great old school rap album! I love finding where other artists get their samples from! Lol 🤣

Fun album, paved the way for a lot of what was to come. Iconic tracks sampled in many future hits.

History

Side A is an untouchable example of funk, early hip-hop, and electro. Side B slows down for some R&B ballads I'm not crazy about but then closes out with the title track, which is nothing short of genre-defining. It's possibly the first example of hip-hop, at this stage mostly party music, that focuses on darker themes and emphasizing the growing socio-economic disparity of it's time. To say this album was influential is a gross understatement of it's place in history.

An absolute classic of a hip-hop album, but whilst I can appreciate a lot of the effort, some of the tracks towards the middle sort of lose the feel of the album.

Enjoyable, and definitely classic, but it doesn't do enough for me to move out of the three-hole.

I know this is a classic, and I know it marks the birth of commercially viable rap, and there's some good songs on here, but no thanks to the R&B. It keeps it at a three, for sure.

Worth hearing but besides the title track and one or two others there isn’t enough to bring me back. There are too many stinkers.

3/5 - Ultima I and Wizardry defined the computer role playing game genre in the early 80s. There'd be no Baldur's Gate 3, Skyrim, or Disco Elysium without those works. That doesn't mean I want to go back and play them for more than a quick laugh at how clunky games used to feel. The rating is purely for influence; have no desire to spend time here.

I enjoyed it but then it was kind of overwhelming me

piacevole da ascoltare, ma sembrava più una compilation e la canzione robotica scorpio mi ha fatto venire mal di testa, anche se l’idea era figa

5/10… electro funk / hip hop / *1982

Excellent piece of Rap history!

Pretty bland

Much more funk and RnB than I expected. Terrible couple of middle songs and it gets kinda corny in parts, but damn most of these songs are still great listens. The Message is worth a star alone. I'm kind of a sucker for early analog synths so I actually loved Scorpio and the general production of this album. Love the ending track too and how all the samples bleed together.

😞👎🏻

nope

She's Fresh - What an absolute banger to begin, this song is so fun and eccentric. It's a great tone setter, my guess is that this will be a feel good, head-bopping, and very unserious album. The overall message from this song so far is she's fresh, get fresh, Love ya mother and dance like a fool. Again, incredibly fun and an amazing punchy, fruity instrumental It's Nasty (Genius of Love) - Classic! The instrumental is immediately recognisable. I just can't help but smile. If what they're saying is true, that contemporary society condemned their music, society must have been miserable. There's some nice bars in this song too, definitely feeling inspired as most have in the past. Scorpio - Completely different vibe, like a Dalek getting freaky to some drums and techno and I'm here for it. The drums are nasty on this song, couldn't help but stank face. Getting really strong images of them mixing this in this studio and it's really hard to pick up on a discernible genre, it just feels good. What it lacks in lyricism, it makes up for in just pure funk tenfold. It's a Shame (Mt. Airy Groove) - Getting a lot more RnB, Soul vibes from this and is definitely my favourite so far. Again, the message is obvious but then again may have been profound in a time of under-representation and a collective consciousness of prejudice. Definitely my favourite so far, I feel like I know the chorus after half a listen and the vocals are incredible in the adlibs throughout the chrouses. A pretty fucking great song. Dreamin' - At first, I was skeptical, the first 10-20 seconds or so had shaky vocals and quite a thin instrumental but it really picks up and completely proved me wrong, this song is cohesive, soulful to the point I feel like I'm floating. I'm not envious of Stevie Wonder because of his musical talent or extensive success but because this song was written for him, somebody better make a song for me like this because it's beautiful. You Are - By far my absolute favourite, this song has the magic of a childhood imagination and the maturity of adult love. I don;t subscribe to the ideas of Christianity but this song is a reminder of how beautiful the impacts of religion can be. The orchestra in the background is indescribably beautiful. This group are multi genre hit makers with a deep understanding and passion for not just the music they create but music as a whole. The Message - Extended Version - Again, a absolute banger, considering I've always considered hip-hop from this time as lyrically adolescent due to the relative lyrical talent we have now like JID or anyone from the Dreamville label but I was gladly proved wrong, as throughout the rhyme schemes and flows were incredibly impressive, I will never underestimate old school hip-hop ever again. The cadence of these artists is their biggest technical strength in my opinion, so much confidence in their message really articulates an authentic experience of struggle. Message 2 (Survival) - I've never heard an instrumental like this, I'm just absolutely blown away by how multi-faceted this group is, the furthest I ever went back was N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton and I never knew what I was missing out on. The message is more profound with this song and is about how the progression of capitalism has caused communities to descend into individuals who develop their own survival tactics to cope with everyday stresses caused by society and the people they once belonged to a collective with. Definitely the most conscious so far. New York, New York - The guitars on this song are instantly captivating, I was under the impression run DMC were the first to incorporate elements of rock into hip-hop but, again, I'm pleasantly proved wrong. This song has such a strange dynamic, the instrumental is so fast paced and encourages me to dance but the lyrics depict such a depressing and brutal reality. I admire their ability to express such hardship through what seems to be such a different tool. The Adventures of Grandmaster Himself - Sounds almost exactly like J DIlla record, and I fucking love it. What an amazing mix, it's an organised chaos with so many distinguishable elements that work so cohesively. There's literal farts followed by laughing children and I couldn't help but bop my head all the way throughout, they could mix a hospital toilet and it would still be a banger. Overal Thoughts - At the start I thought this would be an unserious feel good disco-hip-hop album but one song after another I would be proven wrong in a different way. This album was such an enjoyable listen. It was conscious, soulful, brutal, beautiful, feel-good and just plain incredible.

Nice, but didn't blow me away.

this was excellent, i wish i'd discovered it earlier

1/29 Classic old-school hip hop. Really the only type of rap that's tolerable to me

Way more diverse than I would have expected from only knowing The Message, White Lines and Adventures of..., unfortunately it wasn't for the better

The 80s rap is great. And old school vibe but it doesn't sound dated. It then has songs that are paens to Stevie Wonder and a bit schmaltzy for my tastes. The spoken word bits won't be to everyone's tastes. The Message is a great song and although the album does make a lot of it, they don't overdo it.

Lotta horns Peak bass work

varied album with much to enjoy and standout track that spawned a genre

One of the first full albums of rap I ever heard other than The Sugarhill Gang. It takes me back to a simpler time and people lining up to get something good played at a party. Seminal in so many ways.

Really enjoyed the funk-backed tracks. The love song to Stevie Wonder was a bit over the top, but there were some real insights to be found throughout. Overall 3.75/5 would definitely listen again

Not bad

Some tunes. Simpsons: Yes

Good shit. Was meant to light Grandmaster Flash at a gig but his flight got cancelled because of a storm. Easy money.

Mocno naciągane 3. Głównie za odę do Steviego Wondera, bo to przyjemny kawałek, na który Wonder sobie zasłużył. Plus za zharmonizowanie tylu różnych głosów. Myślę, że równie często chwalę w swoich recenzjach mieszaninę stylów, nazywając to eklektyzmem, co ją ganię, nazywając chaosem. Wydaje mi się, że trudno osiągnąć balans w takiej konstrukcji albumu (plus trzeba być naprawdę dobrym muzykiem w wielu gatunkach) i tutaj wydaje mi się, że ta sztuka się nie udała. "Scorpio" mnie niesamowicie denerwowało, ten wczesne przejawy hip-hopu też mi nie siadły. Dodatkowy plus za pozytywny, lewicowo-chrześcijański przekaz, lubię to w czarnej muzyce tego okresu.

I struggled to find all the songs on this album, so I did the best I could with the Wikipedia tracklist. Starting off with She’s Fierce, such a fun track. I also loved Its Nasty. There were a lot of cool little bass moments in there, and the use of the kazoo made me laugh. All the different artists fit together well. In the Adventured of Grandmaster Flash on the wheels, the sampling of Another one bites the Dust was actually pretty well done. I hate to say this, as it’s an alright track, but the vocal effects on Scorpio gave me a headache. Now for the title track! I have the extended edition playing. This is honestly quite good so far. I quite like this guys flow. Message 2, which I believe was only on an extended edition, was also pretty good. New York New York, which I believe is another bonus track, was a bop. The lyrics were so good on this track. I really enjoyed all the songs I tracked down from this album. Overall, 6/10, 3.5 ⭐️. Enjoyed it, thought it was fun, but not something I will probably ever listen to again! 23/1089

This album is awesome, incredible beats

Fun 80 hip hoppy album with clear messaging.

I was dancing the whole time definitely a vibe .

Hip hop tracks = absolute 5s Soul tracks = mediocre 2s Average 3.5, upped to a 4 because the single 'The Message' was one of my first hip hop loves.

It has a track worth listening, the rest ain't that interesting or compelling. I don't know why exactly but I was very underwhelmed

misclicked listen and rate later

As important as this album may have been for the history of hip hop in terms of shifting hip-hop towards social realism and commentary, I cannot say I enjoyed this album very much. To be fair I think this is just due to it being a product of its time. Although the production is stellar and I actually appreciate the minimalistic style, the performances from the rappers themselves in my opinion leave a lot to be desired. Awkward deliveries and stale lyricism is often carried by really nice chemistry of the group. I know for a fact without this we wouldn’t have people like Kendrick Lamar, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

I enjoy it well enough for a bit, but the songs just get repetitive and drag on after a while.

While the title track is a significant part of Hip-Hop's early development. the rest of this album doesn't hold up very well. The R & B ballads are painfully dull and entirely skippable. I'm also getting kinda sick of hearing "Genius of Love."

Has all the elements to be a great record, yet it ends up disappointing. Boring and lyrics often seem kind of naive. I guess the album is only worth it for the title track. Won't hear again.

The song that started it all. A rap song with social construct and positive raw message for the world and telling the clueless how the black and latino minoritiy communities have to live day by day. This is a game changer and made rap what to people to look. Song is great message is clear and the beat is also amazing.

More like Grandmaster trash.

É um álbum ok.

While I don't enjoy funk as much as I do other genres, I can see how this album has been so influential. "The Message" and "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash" are songs I immediately recognized for their hooks and I could also identify sounds that they sampled such as in "It's a Shame" and sounds they made that would become samples later in history like in "It's Nasty"

Despite the mediocre slower songs, this album has some bangers. Now should the last song count? It was apparently not on the original track list. Probably not, but the three singles buoy this album. Top tracks: "The Message," "It's Nasty," "She's Fresh," "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel"

--She's Fresh...oh hells yeah. fat ass bass makes me feel good. runs out of steam half way through --It's Nasty...hard to go wrong sampling "Genius of Love" --Scorpio...robot rock --It's a Shame (Mt. Airy Groove)...funky bass line. not much else --Dreamin'...cheesy af. I honestly can't tell whether or not this is a joke --You Are...also cheesy af. I guess it's not a joke --The Message...classic. Duke Bootee and Melle Mel announcing the era of the emcee --The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel (UK only release?)...hot stuff comin' through. this hits real nice

I think they like Stevie wonder but don’t quote me on that. The album was for the most part either mid or bad. I honestly didn’t even really like the title track like I heard others saying. And that one song with the robots (end me ) think it was Scorpio.

Pretty fun. it’s nasty and the message are good songs. I lost my mind at scorpio

Good peaks but pretty bad valleys

Ok, good bear n some I didn't know were originally from here

Ikkje mitt nye favorittalbum

Pretty fun album, dreamin was really bad though Will I listen to again: 35%

Obviously important historically, and the title song is pretty impressive for its commentary and the foundation it lays for the genre. Still, it’s a very dated album. Some might describe the primitive techno song or the generic schmaltzy soul ballad as showing the album’s variety, but they added zilch for me. I wouldn’t listen to this again.

A very solid listen. Certainly it’s “dated”, but it’s also easy to see how it’s so influential, especially the title track. Most tracks are closer to disco than I expected and I didn’t hate it.

#4/1001🇺🇸 Mixed feelings on this having only heard the title track before. The hip-hop / electro tunes are more interesting for me, but i'm not so keen on the 2 more soulful ones on side two. Its an important document of the evolution of music in the early 80s and deserves its place on this list, but doesnt feel like something i need to come back to again and again.

Another reason why I'm doing this list. I never would have given this album the time of day before and I was just enchanted by it. Some cringe lyrics? Yup. But man, the beats are just infectious. 5/5

6.5/10

Worse than I thought it was going to be, but I had high-ish hopes.

Of course I'd heard The Message before but none of the rest. This is a real mixed bag of styles. Some of it just sounds so dated and cheesy (and reminds me, weirdly of Ditch rap duo MC Miker G & DJ Sven - guess this was part of their influence). Definitely listenable and deserves credit for the last track.

Meh. Kinda samey but good vibes

Hip Hop, 52 eme album => 2/5 Plus funk et varié que les autres albums de ce type déjà écouté, même si certains morceaux paraissent long. Pour une fois je suis allé au bout.

Dit is zo'n invloedrijk album waar je anno 2026 eigenlijk helemaal niks mee kunt. Het is goed dat het er was, maar dit klinkt van geen kanten. Enorm gedateerd, kitcherig en bij gebrek aan een beter woord aardig 'corny'. Het is wel funky, dat zal m'n compagnon wel als dikke plus opgeven. The Message is wel een iconische track en als je GTA Vice City hebt gespeeld herken je hem waarschijnlijk wel. Maar verder krijg je op dit album anno 2026 heel weinig waar voor je geld. Van mij hoeft dit album dan ook niet in deze lijst. Ik hou het op een enigszins zure 2 sterren.

Overflowing with the 80s hip hop vibe. Some songs were really fun and funky, some were not as enjoyable to me. Decent album all around

Can't deny the power of old school hip hop — whether it's She's Fresh, It's Nasty, or The Message, this record has definite highs. It's a Shame that there are listeners who will balk at the early 80s hip-hop turntablism and breakbeats from New York, New York. I don't care if some of this was purported "filler" to package a single as an album; so much of it rises above that lyrically and musically. And, sure, there are a couple dips when they stray from the party-vibe (but): You Are, Dreamin' if you don't think we're being sly as Scorpio up in this joint.

I can see how groundbreaking this might’ve been at the time, but I am unfortunately not unc enough to understand or appreciate that. The singing on some of the tracks is great and I enjoyed the more substantive messages on some of the songs. Good stuff.

In my personal (bad) opinion, hip hop didn't get good until Rakim. But 4 stars for the history and the had to be there sort of thing going on here.

funky

I mean the band that this album is coming from has me really hopeful. They sound like they’re gonna be super groovy. At only 8 songs taking up 45 minutes, this album kind of has to deliver. I’m not looking forward to every song being almost 5 minutes or longer. The way this is the only album from this artist is crazy. This band is not super popular? I’m confused why this album was on this list to be listened to. She’s Fresh - 3 Yesss funky horns. FRESH. I fear I’m going to get bored, it’s a lot of repetitive writing. I like the jazz bass and the horns are so fun but it’s a lot of yelling FRESH in different lines. Very jazzy with hip hop. It’s Nasty - 3.5 I think this one sounds the same as the last one? It’s got that bouncy hip-hop vibe with a similar style of ad-libs and callouts. I’m not sure what instrument I’m hearing like 2 minutes in, but I vibe. I also like how this one calls out a kind of hypocritical nature that Black artists face, where people thing the music they’re making is inherinently “nasty” but it’s not and people just need to listen to the fun vibe. I feel like this song has been sampled before cause some of it is sounding familiar. Scorpio - 1 Funky synth and voice modulation. It’s lasting way too long. Is the whole song going to sound like this? Their doing another “roll call” section, I stg there has been one in every single song. I did not enjoy that. There was no dynamic anywhere and the entire song was that modulated crap. It’s a Shame - 2 Already a step up from the last song. I don’t love this callout and response style of singing these guys do. Is this a commentary on social issues too? Dreamin’ - 2 Stevie Wonder love? This is prob my favorite one in terms of instrumentation and style so far because it’s in a easy listening vibe and it’s got a sweet message kind of. Okay the Stevie Wonder thing was cute, but now it seems kinda weird…”We believe anything that you see” is a strange line to me. I actually think I am dnf-ing this song. I get that they’re manifesting and showing adoration but it just feels like a super random yet specific song that I’m just not loving. You Are - 2 This song is the least streamed on the album. UGH I feel like I’m starting to become biased because I’ve not loved the last couple songs. But I’m boreddddd The Message - 7.5 maybe 8 Title track!! It better be good too cause this album has kind of not been. I’m not even that hopeful cause it’s freaking 7 full minutes long. I like the way he said “rrrats”. This one has flow I fuck with it. This song really hits home that if it’s not one thing its another and its just hard to LIVE bro. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I kind of think this song needs to be as long as it is to contribute to the narrative. This is the only song on the album that seemed to get any sort of traction I’m kind of confused why this album as a whole was suggested. Getting a little graphic with some added police violence at the end here but this song is by far the best part about this album. The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheel of Steel - 4.5 Hating the cuts. But the samples in this one go kinda crazy like the Queen riff? Lets go. Very interesting tempo. And you guessed it, another roll call section. Idk if this was intended but the DJ cutting sounds so disjointed on this track. Oh and the last 4 minutes of this track is going to be a instrumental DJ set. Ooh this sample traveled in between my ears though and I like when they do that. Ok I read about how this track was kind of foundational for DJs and producers now and how this track mixing all of these different songs (using 3 turntables I guess) from a live set was pretty revolutionary for the producer and sound mixing aspect of it all. So, after reading about it a little more, I respect it. Idk if I would ever listen to it again though.

I'm only on the first track.. uhhhhhh what is this The message is good tho

Side 1 is great. Side 2 is two very sappy filler songs and then one classic.

Whoa! I've obviously heard some Grandmaster Flash in the context of pioneering works of hip-hop. But I wasn't prepared for how fresh this sounds. 1980s hip-hop often sounds impressive but dated as hell. That's not the case here, partly because hip-hop is only an embryonic presence on this record, nestled inside some killer funk, electro, and soul tracks (even some jazz late on the record). Electro tracks like "Scorpio" aren't too far from what I expected, but the fully-fledged soul ballads were a big surprise. "Dreamin'", which is a groovy proclamation of love and respect for Stevie Wonder, is great. Overall, I love the whole record, in its eclectic blending of genres, and it gives me an even richer appreciation for hip-hop's pre-history. 5*

Influential to the hiphop genre. Almost everybody’s heard ‘The Message’. I was surprised by the amount of funk and soul on here, I thought it was going to be an album full of dated rap music. But I was pleasantly surprised.

Oh Hell Yes

Great album to start 2026! Very funky, had a lot of fun with this one.

Today I learned that “Don’t push me ‘cause I’m close to the edge” is not originally from Happy Feet. Highlights: She’s Fresh, It’s Nasty, Dreamin’, The Message

A lot of this isn't quite hip-hop. But the the standout is, of course The Message. So what the hell happened to rap/hip-hop after this? Ah yes it got taken over by the foul mouthed whining tossers from da hood. So sad. 3½

Honestly enjoyed it more than I expected for hip-hop/rap in this era. It was good and has some things that seem to stand up today. I also like the softer songs in rap albums, which tend to be less popular. This had a couple of those.

I had never listened to this before today.

Some of this is excellent, other bits weren't as interesting, but over all good

Lots of good music hear. Some did not resonate, but even as an OG rap album it still had a fresh quality to it.

Klart den bedste af de meget tidlige hiphop albums vi har haft. De havde en fest

Fanger den der tidlige hip hop ånd ret godt hvor rap lissom bare er et af elementerne. Men synes det var temmelig blandet kvalitet.

Great sounding and feels like it's way before its time.

This album deserves a 5 for its historical significance. It's listenability over 40 years later is another thing entirely. It's fine, but nothing noteworthy by today's standards. I'm thinking of a 4 after considering all of the above.

Cool

This is certainly funky. There are some good songs and some not good songs

Really cool old hiphop. You can clearly hear where they have influenced later musicians in hiphop and maybe even some in electronic music with the beats and synth use. A fun listen but not music that age well enough to be something I would listen to today.

Pull up to the unction we're genuinely enjoying this album and soaking in it's fun, infectious energy. These guys escape some of the entrapments that come with how corny rap from this era sounds all thanks to how into it they clearly are. So much character in their deliveries, fun little innuendoes and some great instrumental ideas for their time. "Scorpio" had to be a genuine club BANGER for it's time. Can't argue with their homage to Stevie Wonder on "Dreamin'". He really is the greatest. Maybe I'm a sucker for artists overt tributes to their heroes, but this was a highlight. Then "You Are" came on, and continued to widen the emotional scope of this relatively brief project. I will have to ding this thing a bit, "It's Nasty" and "The Message" are wholly repetitive. Not horrible, but they're functionally so similar. Anyways, the sampling on the closing "Wheel Of Steel" is steller. I'm not sure how they were doing it back then or with what hardware (just turntables and maybe an 8 track recorder or something?), but it's a lovely ode to sampling that holds up to this day. Sleeper 4 for sure. Probably overlooked in the zeitgeist of great albums from the 80's

this is really great except for the techno ish one. and fantastic band name

A bit uneven but these guys get bonus points for being pioneers. 3.5

Ground zero for the rap explosion. Scott Hauser and I had it on cassette. Fun Stuff

REP ALBUM NAPOKON 1982, mnogo je bitan bio dj tad, MC-evi (reperi) su sluzili uglavnom kao hajpmeni i hip hop je bio vise dance oriented, ovo je jedan od albuma koji je zapoceo promenu, nije savrsen realno je 7/10 ALI THE MESSAGE (PESMA) goated jedna od najboljih pesama ikada, zapocela conscious rap trend, i komentarisanje drustva blabla najsemplovanija pesma ikada tipa

Good.

Further proof that I’m a lover of funk and didn’t even know it. Great first listen although I had heard “The Message” before. Some may point to cheesiness but I think the whole thing is fun. 5/5

this was a very strange album, there was an entire song dedicated to stevie wonder, and i love his music too but they were infatuated with that man, the message was peak and was def my fav song on the album, i didn’t love this album and it was kinda weird at times, but overall it was pretty fun

Grandmaster Flash, Kidd Creole, Keef Cowboy, Melle Mel, Scorpio, and Rahiem changed the world. And while the album is more known for just a single song, it proved that Rap could be a legitimate music business.

Not one I would have expected to like, but I was having a good boogie along to this one.

It's not as great to listen to classic Hip-Hop when literally everyone else has sampled your tracks in every other genre...

Better than expected, too long. First two tracks and last two tracks are good

Just one song I didn’t like. Diving into the Wikipedia’s of the Furious Five was fun

Lots of classics and a range of interesting stuff on here but I just don’t see myself wanting to listen to any of it again

Hip hop legal, porém 2 pq só tem quatro músicas no spotify, porém escutaria mais de boa...

Pretty nice rap album, good vibes. 4 stars

I knew they were creative samplers but I did not expect this. This was great. Really enjoyed it on first listen.

Iconic title track and on the whole enjoyed it More than most 80s rap albums. Fo sho, the Stevie inspired songs arent great, but probably no worse than what Wonder was putting out himself in this decade.

Maybe I was expecting a seminal album here, and was set up forcefully disappointment , but this was one of the most underwhelming listens I’ve had in this entire experience so far. The rap sounds very dated, which I can excuse, but the Stevie Wonder style so B-sides are on the whole goddamn awful. Poor.

Grandmaster Flash is such a cool dude. I went to a presentation where he showed how he created his sound. This album is the epitome of that. It sounds dated, sure, but it's still great. I'm fascinated by "Dreamin," which sounds more like an Anri song than anything American. Super important album, and deserves a listen.

“The Message” is of course an early hip-hop classic, and socially conscious to boot. I’ve waited 40 years plus to hear this whole album. It’s a bit of a gem, showcasing many different styles on this tight album that bridges the ‘70s and ‘80s, including funk jams with full instruments, soul numbers that consciously pay homage to Stevie, a fantastic early electro track in “Scorpio” and of course The Message. The guys can sing and rap (in that sweet, unsophisticated rhyme structure of the very early 80s.)

Day711 - things i learned listening to this : sylvia robinson was a genius, keef cowboy and kool moe dee aren’t the same person even though they sound identical , dreamin and you are shouldn’t be on this album

The Message is an all timer but the rest is pretty meh

A foundational, classic record. Set the stage for the hip-hop wave that followed, and still did it better than most. Just a great album. The Message is still the same 40+ years later.

3.5 stars

Well, now I know what a " fag hag" is.

Man, those dudes have range!

Funk, Hip-Hop

Love this album and the message is such an iconic rap love , literally a master of his craft

So old school I felt like I was a club in Brooklyn in 1979 about to breakdance on a piece of cardboard. I was impressed with the variety of ideas beyond the Message. Super fun. Look the music now sounds kinda simplistic compared to what modern hip hop produces. But still a fun time capsule.

Another album had to listen to on YouTube

There were some real fillery mushy ballads in the middle of this otherwise very solid album that really dragged it down.

never boring, never overstays its welcome, fresh and tight in a way modern hiphop seems to have largely abandoned

Two of the songs on here are songs I know but never remember the names of, so I enjoyed re-learning them again and am sure I will forget them again. Solid and fun short album, meaningful, important, etc etc

Does this sound horrible with 2025 ears? Maybe. But I love this shit because there was no blueprint for this type of music back then. They were just vibing and creating based off of limited inspirations at the time and they came out with classic records so I can’t be mad that every track doesn’t sound as good 40 years later.

This was a lot more funkadelicy than I anticipated. Lots of very famous beats, in cases more famous elsewhere, but still this is a good time. 4/5

Well... I have enjoyed most of the 80s/early 90s NY hip hip I've listened to through this project but this was not one of them. It reminded me of some other music of that era that I don't think has aged very well and I can't tell if it is meant to be serious or a little tongue in cheek which I don't think is a good review.

Pretty corny at times, but fun and funny in a good way.

Super dated. There's some fun elements here but did I enjoy it? I found myself skipping to the next song for the entire album.

I guess it’s more positive than gangster shit. Catchy in places, downright cringey in others

It's mainly just a lot of fucking around. Which we all know is important, but doesn't make for that good of a listen. Being a bit generous because of how great The Message is.

Classic foundational rap!

If they removed Scorpio from the album it's an easy 5 stars

it was so boring I forgot it was on.

Just a bit of fun. Not taking itself seriously. I like that sort of thing. I quite liked it, but it not really something for the regular.

I think what makes album great is their timeless appeal. Although this album when it came out was groundbreaking and influential, it doesn’t work in the 21st century.

Ei taas ollu huono, mutta ei kyllä kummosta. Aika taustametelinä meni koko albumi. Ei jättänyt suurempaa jälkeä

Hyvät bassot ja pari aika legendaarista biisiä. Laitetaan nelonen sen suuremmin analysoimatta

Oli tässä paikoittain ihan yritystä, mutta ei se kuitenkaan ihan lähteny.

Tää nyt menee näihin ensimmäisiin hipetihoppeihin ja menohan on sen mukasta. Mesitsi on ennestään tuttu veisu ja se on kyllä hyvä se. Sillai tässä nyt sitä suuntaa ylipäänsä varmaan haetaan itseilmasun osalta ja lopputulos on vähän sekava. Osan ajasta kovaa meininkii ja osan sitten aika "kiva juttu hei" -tasoo. Posin puolella kuitenkin ehottomasti ja yks biisi on viis kautta viis mutta sitten koko rieska se mitä kuuluu koko ajan antaa eli joo. Kiva kuulla hei koko albumi tätä menoo kun ei oo aiemmin saanut aikaseks.

Ei nyt oikein lähe tämäkään. Kuuntelin ensin töissä vähän sivukorvalla, ja sitten vielä uudestaan kotona ajatuksella, mutta ei kyllä missään nimessä herännyt innostusta kuunnella kolmatta kertaa. Tosi junnaavaa ja itseään toistavaa huttua. Kai tää on joku suunnannäyttäjä ollut, mutta ehkä vähän liian funkkimeininkiä itselleni. Ei nyt sentään vituttanut, niinkuin Panteran kautta, niin mennään kahdella tähdellä.

Funk is born.

Very cute

Meh.

Lowkey really good vibes very enjoyable

Chunky, funky, and such foundational sounds that shaped hip hop.

Precious and wonderfully produced hip-hop album

The best part of this was the piano work in You Are. I didn't love the breathy vocals and it just wasn't my type of music.

Can't deny the influence of this, but certainly sounds like a product of its time. Hip hop in the early 80s can't help but feel a bit cheesy now but this was certainly important, and the title track is one of the cornerstones of the genre. Some of the rest of it is kind of uneven though - some fun party jams (It's Nasty) but some utterly awful ballads (the Stevie Wonder song). Hard for me to go too high with this rating but still respect it a ton.

Twas' pretty good, hip-hop is new to me, and it was pretty fresh and a good introduction. Didn't finish all the songs, unfortunately.

This is also an important album, even if it’s not my hip hop cup of tea. More disco-inflected than I was expecting, and also more fun than I expected. The Stevie Wonder song was cheesy, but I was still pleasantly surprised by the album overall.

Way way ahead of its time for 82, not as much rapping as I thought - kinda post disco soul

Funky

one of the first major rap bands. i enjoyed the first couple of songs but all in all it was only OK.

WOW!!! Did not know there was music our there like this in 1982!! This was crazy. It was so many genres coming together at once. This was a fun crossroads between me hearing all kinds of influences like the Temptations, Sly and the Family Stone, Steve Wonder, to all the artists that I can tell used this template into the future. I loved how the whole time I just felt like I was either at a party, or just sitting in the living room with those 6 guys. It was such a fun album. Every song was unique. I never got tired of listening to it. Seemed way ahead of its time. It was also interesting that they were sampling popular songs that came out within a year of THIS album!! The sampling was clearly primitive but obviously built the foundation for lots and lots of artists to follow. This was a gem.

Not my cup of tea. But glad it was on the list and enjoyed listening to it (once). Jam on it

It was a fun listen.

Didn’t realize how funky this album was. Knew its place in hip hop history (and “the message” is still great) but was a bit taken aback at how much funk there was. Very much a transitional record. Also dug “the adventures of grandmaster flash” for the scratching and was that Debbie harry rapping? Beats are pretty good if dated.

Maybe it's just because it's from the early 80's, but I thought this was good. Not something I want to listen to over and over, but I wasn't ignoring it and hoping it would be over soon.

Is “It’s Nasty” the first track to sample “Genius of Love”? It’s gotta be towards the top of the list. It’s actually pretty transformative as far as that sample goes. Legacy rap that’s also fun to listen to. Obviously it doesn’t sound a lot like what rap these days - it’s pretty indebted to 70s funk and R&B and early 80s pop (even some gospel) - but you can hear the genre evolving by the song. The title track in particular is a cornerstone.

two classic innovations - rest is a transitional set - have to give a 3 b/c its impact

Some great songs but some dross too

Funky, disco-y at times with a solid hip-hop flair. Not my favorite album we've heard yet but pretty good.

Not my genre but I enjoyed it for most part

Had been a while since listening to this album, unquestionably one Hip Hop's earliest classics and had forgotten how little rapping there is. And yet the incredibly creative production show's the album to be a defining precursor to more rap centric hip hop rather than just another disco album. Every listen of the standout title track still reminds me why it is one of hip hop's most quintessential blue prints.

One of the very first hip hop albums! Its importance and influence is huge, but it's far from perfect. The massive standout is The Message, maybe the first political hip hop song with a super iconic and funky beat. The first 2 songs are quite good too. I like the groove of She's Fresh and It's Nasty is a bit primitive, but still a fun rap song. Now since it was 1982 they couldn't just make a full album of rap songs, they had to put some bullshit poppy smooth soul songs (Dreamin, You Are) which kinda suck. The other 2 songs are fine but sound a bit basic and haven't withstood the test of time. It's a fun and interesting listen, but not consistent at all. I'm leaving 3 stars for the cultural impact

Pretty good early hip hop. It's kind of weird to listen to now since hip hop has come so far in the past 30 or 40 years. So different from the modern stuff. This album is something I would listen to just to get some perspective on the genre and it's evolution which has been pretty amazing to listen to over my lifetime. I kind of wonder if these guys knew what they were starting when they made their first beats and lyrics so long ago.

Not what I was expecting. Cool to be able to trace the origins of various genres through this exercise, but I won't voluntarily go back to this one. The Message is cool and Genius of Love is great, but not sure they added a lot to that one.

The message is good. Usually when I like a rap song from this era it’s just because I like the sample, so not sure how much credit they should get. This kind of rap feels like it’s from 100 years ago.

Impressive. Im surprised by the staying power of this. I recognized 3 or 4 tracks instantly - shes fresh, its nasty and the message Sound wise, it feels like Earth Wind And Fire with a set of new percussive tools. I personally dig the group effect of having a ton of rap styles thrown at you. 3.5 stars and rounding up

Some of these lyrics are so bad they’re good. The music and sampling is legitimately fun - has a bit of a Kendrick vibe at times, lyrics aside of course. Arrangements and overall funkiness saved this, like it a lot more than the other cheesy 80s rap we’ve heard.

8/10

I get that it needs to be on the list because of it’s influence on Rap but I feel like it’s been given enough of its due.

Spending an entire song glazing Stevie Wonder is absurd. I guess those Lebron song parodies had some historical merit. The Message is a classic that hits on some good lyrical themes and the production throughout the whole album is funky and danceable. This early 80’s hip hop just hasn’t aged all the best in comparison to more modern stuff. Still fun though, and any time a song samples Genius of Love it is most appreciated.

I get that this was an important album for the formation of Hip Hop, but it's just not a great, polished album.

The second half of this record redefined my childhood. The video for The Message was revolutionary. We were seeing the culture from our area hit the mainstream. We watched a new generation of NYC kids transform American art. 40+ years later and this is still resonating around the world. That deserves a place at the top.

R&B, Rap, Dance, 1982 -> 2

cinematic portrait of black street life She's fresh It's nasty Scorpio

Not as much rapping as I was assuming, much more in the funk/soul realm than later hip hop. Pretty good album overall

Unfortunately I am very susceptible to the “my name is X and I’m here to say” style of rapping

6/10

The Message er en anthem som har hatt en innflytelse på popmusikken som knapt kan overdrives. Likevel er det ikke til å komme unna at hip hop før Eric B. & Rakim egentlig var ganske dritt, og at vi må over på 90-tallet før det virkelig ble bra. Jeg er helt med på at The Message er med i lista 101 singler du må høre før du dør, men LPen er en historisk artefakt som bør granskes kun av hip hop archeologer. Fett albumcover, da.

Er ikke tvil om at dette er viktig, men som album er det ujevnt. Tittelsporet er såklart den største bangeren, men «She’s Fresh» har også mye for seg. Utover det prøver de seg på veldig mye forskjellig, og det er kanskje ikke rart da sjangeren var så pur-ung. Så det er noen singler som fortsatt sitter, og det kommer de til å gjøre i mange år til. «Scorpio» høres ut som en Kraftwerk-parodi som gikk litt forbi Kraftwerk. Så er det plutselig kasta inn to svisker som teknisk sett er greit fremført, bare veldig mid skrevet. Men det er gøy å høre albumet med historisk perspektiv. Det gir for eksempel veldig mening at de som har framført norsk parodirap fra 80-tallet har hørt dette og ikke for eksempel Rakim eller Public Enemy. Norges første rappelåt er visstnok en Crispo-reklame hvor de rapper over beaten til «The Message». Jeg måtte søke den opp på Youtube da jeg var ferdig med originalen og jeg er litt trist over at jeg tenker på Crispo når jeg hører noe som egentlig skal være viktig.

Dette er et album man hører at de som lagde det hadde det gøy mens de lagde det! Jeg hadde bare hørt the message før jeg satte på skiva, og er overraska over hvor godt humør og hvor funky dette er. Its a shame og The message er to høydepunkter.

R&B, soul, a little disco—and clearly the sweet baby child that will grow up to be hip-hop. This album is a treat.

I remember hearing The Message either on the radio or TV, I think. This would have been in 1982, and I would have been around 8 years old. I feel like I’ve known the lyrics, “Don’t push me ‘cause I’m close to the edge. I’m tryin’ not to lose my head" since birth. When I saw my next album was The Message, I was interested in seeing what the other songs sounded like. I was very surprised, or maybe shocked is the word. The song The Message is one of the first rap songs that wasn’t just about bragging. It was about how hard it was in the streets for young black men. It was a social message you could dance to. It’s definitely the father of gangsta rap. But The Message was track seven on an eight song album. Track one was She’s Fresh which starts out with a horn section leading into a dance song with no rapping. What? It sounds like a reject from the Commodores album that had Brickhouse on it. It’s not bad, but it definitely isn’t The Message. Hmmmm. Track two is a song called It’s Nasty which is the music from Mariah Carey’s Fantasy, but they’re rapping about how they’re freaks and you better lock up your daughters and wives. Okay, now we’re back on track. You have to grade these early '80s rap songs on a curve because we’ve heard so much since then, but it’s a solid track. Nothing great, but if you needed a dance track, it would work in a pinch. Now, track three is a song called Scorpio and it’s a banger. This was one of the best early electro tracks. It gives off Rock It vibes from Herbie Hancock. It’s a very cool track and I imagine it really blew some folks away in 1982. The album goes on to devolve into mediocre singing and clunky rapping. There’s a tribute song to Stevie Wonder called Dreamin' that is so cringe, you have to hear it to believe. The singing is not good and the lyrics sound like they were written by a middle schooler who had a month to come up with a song, but waited until the night before to start working on it. Whoa Stevie, that's why (that's why) when we dream of you (dreamin') We believe anything that you see Whoa, whoa, whoa, that's why (that's why) it's because of you (of you) We would like your dreams (our dreams) turn to reality (reality) Later in the song, someone asks Grandmaster Flash if he thinks they’ll ever meet Stevie. I can picture Flash patting the little guy on the head and saying, Maybe one day, sport. Maybe one day. So once you get through the junk, you get to The Message and it just kills all the other tracks. You can feel the grittiness and realness in the lyrics. The other songs seemed try-hard from a group of kids who were trying their best to make music that was popular 10-15 years before 1982. What I think happened is, the group released The Message as a single, it blew up, and they needed an album. So, they cobbled together seven other songs and put out a rushed album just to get some product out in the stores. You might think I’m going to tell you to skip the album titled The Message and just listen to the song titled The Message, but no. The album is so crazy and weird and not good. I think you need to hear it. I may even go back and listen it it from time to time when I need a good laugh. Oh! I almost forgot! They have a Jesus song on the album called You Are. It's so weird to have a song about loving Jesus after a song called It's Nasty which brags about how freaky they are in bed. It's like they asked all their friends from different genres to submit a bad song to put on the album. I guess they thought a rising tide floats all boats. I'm beginning to really turn around on this album as I listen to it again. Forget everything I said before this and listen to The Message, the album, by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

Important album but I would never listen to it again. Some of the songs were just weird… was there a live ballad for Stevie Wonder?? Did a slow jam break down to a spoken religious sermon ? At times it sounds like two completely different albums mashed together! Some of it was good 2.5 stars !

A classic and still so relevant.

Favorite Track: The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel

so dope what the helly

Synth out the gate! Lots of simple lyrics and hype energy, in a classic funky alt 80s way. I've heard "It's Nasty" before for sure. Scorpio is a bop. I'm sensing some early Daft Punk in the vocals.

Dated, but influential

5 stars on pure importance. Obviously a fair bot dated etc

Only fun is allowed!

Surely relevant for hip hop, but sounds silly to me.

This doesn’t feel like a full album it has a couple slow ballads grafted onto some of the great rap/electronic songs of the 80s.

Decent album. Scorpio sounds like the best Daft Punk song I’ve never heard.

Like being transported to NYC in the early 80s

This is actually quite bad. A 3 because the Message is one of the best songs ever.

Des précurseurs. Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge.

J'ai décidé que j'allais catégoriser en 3 les types d'album pour me simplifier la tâche - album corvée - album découverte - album que je connais déjà Ceci est un album corvée

Bien aimé ça, du bon early rap. Un peu « uneven » avec la chanson un peu electro Scorpio et les 2 chansons RnB sirupeuses avant la chanson titre. Mais les tounes de rap un peu de party étaient très entraînantes!

6.5

Masterpiece in hip hop music.

Well, that was a bit of a surprise. Obviously, I remember "The Message", but the rest of the album was a surprise. Some Kraftwerk-adjacent stuff (Scorpio), some soul (Dreamin') and some repurposed Genius of Love (It's Nasty.) Well worth a listen.