The Message

Awesome album, not my favorite genre though, otherwise it'd be higher.

Message indeed

Good enough groove and funk and then there's the HipHop part ruining it.

Last 2 tracks are all time classics. Rest of the album is a bit dated, but i’ll let it slide since it’s a foundational hip hop album

I think I might give this 4.5 stars, because I do think one or two of the R&B numbers are not quite up to the level of other parts, but there is a lot more variety to this album than I thought, and the funk and at least som of the R&B songs are good and make for a nice flow throughout the album. And, of course, "The Message" still holds up as an amazing song. It's a solid beat, and even though the rhymes are primitive compared to today's hip-hop, they hold up better than some other stuff from that time and genre.

Cool vibes and moves, The Message is an excellent song. So old hip-hop is not always my cup of tea, but these guys were interesting listen to.

Seminal work that laid the groundwork for so much that came after.

I was surprised by this album, but it was vital and funky and energetic. I loved it.

It's a classic and glad I listened to it in full, that being said I doubt I'll ever listen to it again.

The good parts are really really good, the rest of it is… well, dated and kind of bizarre at times. Surely that Stevie wonder song is some sort of parody? What a mixed bag

It feels weird that there was stuff on this album that I didn't expect. It's like, come on: this is old school hip hop. One of the first hip hop albums ever released, I'm sure. I knew what I was gonna get here: a bunch of "My name is [x] and I'm here to say"-flow partytime MC raps, followed by a strongly political song at the end — not "Public Enemy political," but still. I wasn't gonna old this up to the standard of Kendrick Lamar, or even Run-DMC. I knew what I was gonna get! Or at least I figured, anyway. So you can imagine my surprise when I pop on the first song and it's, like... Basically New Jack Swing? Which, yeah, has a lot of rapping and hip hop influence in it, but... Hm. Then a few minutes later "Scorpio" hits and, goodness, this is hard-boppin' electro. Which, OK, STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON ended with a little of that — and this is **leagues** better than that was — but... Hm. And then we get to the two songs right before the title track, and, goodness, is this The Jacksons? Did The Jacksons pop by to sing a couple of songs? Like, this is full-on piano R&B. This owes more, by its own shout out, to Stevie Wonder than it does to DJ Kool Herc. What **is** this? It sure is strange to hear these styles thrown in there. After all, the most R&B I'd expect to hear on any hip hop album is, like, the hook, at most. It threw me for a bit of a loop to hear these come up. And yet, despite how my "Hm"s and "What **is** this?" would make me sound, I actually really liked all of this. I mean, go back to the top and take a snippet out of what I expected: "partytime." That's what this is all is: party music. A hip hop groove to get funky to, an electro beat to get loose to, and some R&B to really get your moves on to. Like, seriously, give these guys credit; they can do a damn fine Jacksons. And seriously, "Scorpio" bops **so hard**. If I were Arabian Prince, I'd be embarrassed that I couldn't make "Something 2 Dance 2" as good as this. Top it all off with "The Message", not only one of the first rap songs with something to say (as far as I'm aware), but with some of the catchiest and most iconic lines of early hip hop... Seriously: "DON'T PUSH ME 'COZ I'M CLOSE TO THE EDGE" and "It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I keep from going under." Excellent, excellent. The worst thing I can say about it is that it reuses the "Genius Of Love" sample from earlier, but, hey, it's a good sample — like I'm gonna complain. So, shucks, in general I really ain't got nothing to complain about. I suppose there's the fact that this album isn't on Spotify, and that's hardly the album's fault, now is it? I mean, I wanted a good time, and I got a good time. Like I'm gonna go too hard on 'em when they've done that much for me.

Despite a random veer into more piano-focused tunes in the later half of the record, this is still some hella good old-school hiphop. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. Going into this, I only knew the title track, so imagine my surprise when this album kicked off with a sort of Jackson 5-esque R&B/soul cut. It’s hard to classify this as a rap album, because it does feel like more of a R&B album where Grandmaster Flash & friends happen to rap on some of the tracks, some of the time. It is definitely old-school hip-hop though, and I’m very glad the album does enough to stay fresh & energetic; I really did expect this to be 35 minutes of stuff similar to “The Message”, with some rather minimal production & less of the established blending of funk & rap that would come to define the genre. Hell, the “Genius of Love” sample on “It’s Nasty” immediately threw me for a loop – that might be one of the earliest examples of sampling in hip-hop ever, given that the original track only came out a year earlier. Super fun track, too. Scorpio is cool as shit; a bit long, sure, and a little bit of “human” presence would’ve done wonders to break up the monotony of the modulation, but it’s a remarkably unique blend of electronica and talkbox work for 1982. “It’s a Shame” has a few awkward production tricks, and the vocal intensity feels a little high compared to the lyrical content, to the point where it almost feels a little condescending, but I’ll give it a pass for 1982. Dreamin’ is a little awkward, given that we’re not THAT far removed from “Songs in The Key of Life” at this point in time, & “Hotter Than July” had come out 2 years before. He was (& still very much is) alive, so the tribute feels a bit strange. In a way, I’m almost reminded of all the LeBron parody songs trending online right now, but this is far more earnest. Is it glazing? Yeah, probably – you don’t write the lyric “I dream about you Stevie, you make me wonder” unless you’re going for remarkably cheesy praise. I think it’s a bit long for what it is, but I adore Stevie Wonder, so I think it’s fair enough to shoot your shot on wanting to meet the guy like this. I do think though, that if you’re gonna do a Stevie Wonder tribute, you have to have a harmonica solo. Sort of criminal that there wasn’t one; felt more like an Earth, Wind & Fire cut at the end of all that. “You Are” is painfully fine – for my ears, lots of vocal & instrumental flash instead of lyrical substance for a gospel track like that, though that opening piano is beautiful. I might be a bit hypocritical given that one track on the Christina Aguilera album we got recently, I do think it just sort of circles the platitudinal bases, with the spoken word interlude there as a sort of anchor. “The Message” solidified its place as a rap classic for me here – I’ve never fully given the lyrics their due on that track, but they’re excellent, & the skit at the end is a very direct snowball trail to get to “Fuck Tha Police” just 6 years later. I now have a way better understanding of this album’s place as an influence on hip-hop, & there is a pretty direct throughline to get from this album to the rest of 80s rap to come. There’s also a lot of R&B standards that would come into vogue the more the genres overlapped; it wouldn’t surprise me if the usage of “Genius of Love” here inspired Mariah Carey’s usage of it on “Fantasy”. Overall, it’s a pretty good 37 minutes, and any shortcomings I have with it can be sort of wiped away by “it’s 1982” – at worst, I think this is a 3, bare minimum. It’s a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5 because I sort of admire it for what it is, and some of the cheesier stuff on this sort of won me over.

Klassisches Hip Hop Album erwartet, aber hier und dort dann doch normalen "Soul" oder gehört? Hat mich n bisschen rausgeworfen

Ganz okay :-)

I'm sure it is very important in the history of hip hop... The title song is strong, but rap has evolved and improved a lot since this. 2.8

This album is hip-hop at its finest. It’s an incredible mix of funk and soul, with lyrics that remain just as relevant today as they were upon release. Every track has something to offer, making for a compelling and timeless listen. I absolutely loved every song on this album—except Scorpio. Even the two unexpected soul tracks in the middle, which seem to pay tribute to Stevie Wonder, were a pleasant surprise despite their different tone compared to the rest of the album. Favourite Songs: The Message and It’s a Shame are absolute standouts. Least Favourite Song: Scorpio felt a bit out of place—like something from a spoof Doctor Who soundtrack. Album Artwork: I love the cover; it perfectly captures the essence of the era.

It was cool, I listened to most of it but not my favorite

Didn’t have access to the full album but enjoyed the songs I did have access to. Especially loved New York New York and loved the Message. Lyrically and sonically empowering and gave a window into the time it was

good funky record, good raps

Some bangers and stuff that is later sampled to great effect, but some of it just feels corny.

Certainly unique or different in its musical approach, but nothing I care much about.

3.75

It'sLikeAJungleSometimesItMakesMeWonderHowIKeepFromGoingUnder Great lyrics in this groundbreaking album. Liked Songs Added: The Message

Not sure if I'm giving it 5 stars because it's that good or because it's so much better and varies than almost all the hip-hop that had followed.

What an absolute joy this was.

It's all great and funky but not really an album in my opinion. Love it, but I can't really give it a 5. It's 5 songs, sure it's 35 minutes, but that is the barest of minimums for an album. Even spotify doesn't seem to think it's an album.

That was fun

FUNK

When this hits it is an absolute blast but when it misses, it misses huge. The songs that work make the rest forgivable though. This is an album worth hearing.

Wild the difference between this and modern hip-hop. It was fine, but probably not something I would come back to.

Objectively great for it's era and such a groundbreaker.

Stilbildande album. Går inte tycka det är dåligt.

I dig it but that Stevie Wonder song was kinda weird.

Ehhhhhh. Funk is just not for me I’m SORRY. Also my greatest moment of interest was when I spotted a Hamilton reference so that says it all.

Funky AS HELL

Not my favorite but I respect the history

## In-Depth Review of *The Message* by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five Released in 1982, *The Message* by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five stands as one of the most influential albums in hip-hop history. It marked a turning point for the genre by introducing socially conscious themes and storytelling into rap music, shifting its focus from party anthems to poignant commentary on urban life. Below is a detailed review of the album, covering its lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and an evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. --- ### **Lyrics** The lyrics of *The Message* are its most defining feature. The title track, written primarily by Duke Bootee and Melle Mel, paints a vivid and harrowing picture of inner-city struggles. Lines like “Don’t push me ’cause I’m close to the edge” encapsulate the frustration and desperation felt by individuals living in poverty-stricken environments[1][2]. The song delves into themes such as crime, unemployment, systemic oppression, and mental health issues, culminating in a tragic narrative where the protagonist succumbs to suicide in prison[2]. Other tracks on the album explore lighter topics, such as partying and relationships, but none match the gravity of "The Message." For instance, songs like "She's Fresh" focus on romantic attraction with playful lyricism[5]. While these tracks showcase versatility, they lack the depth and resonance of the title track. --- ### **Music** Musically, *The Message* blends various genres into a cohesive soundscape. The title track's beat is slow and pulsating, creating a noir-like atmosphere that complements its stark lyrical content[1]. Influences from funk, disco, electro, and dub are evident throughout the album. Tracks like "Scorpio" stand out for their innovative use of early electronic sounds and synthesizers[3][5]. However, some songs lean heavily into R&B or gospel influences ("Dreamin'" and "You Are"), which feel disconnected from the rest of the album's tone. This eclectic mix can be both a strength and a weakness—it showcases versatility but sometimes disrupts the album's cohesiveness[5]. --- ### **Production** Produced by Sylvia Robinson at Sugar Hill Records, *The Message* features crisp production that was groundbreaking for its time. The instrumentation on the title track is sparse yet impactful, allowing the lyrics to take center stage[1]. Robinson's ability to blend diverse musical elements—funky basslines, electronic effects, and rhythmic beats—helped establish hip-hop's potential as a genre capable of addressing serious topics. However, some critics have noted that parts of the album feel like filler material designed to capitalize on the success of its singles[3]. Tracks such as "You Are" lack the polish and innovation seen in "The Message," detracting from the overall experience. --- ### **Themes** The central theme of *The Message* is social commentary. The title track addresses systemic issues such as poverty, crime, racial inequality, and urban decay with unflinching honesty[1][2]. It serves as both a critique of societal structures and a call for awareness. Other songs explore themes like love ("She's Fresh") and escapism through partying ("It's Nasty"), providing moments of levity amidst heavier subject matter[5]. While these lighter tracks offer variety, they can feel out of place given the weighty tone set by "The Message." --- ### **Influence** *The Message* is widely regarded as one of hip-hop's foundational works. It shifted rap's focus from DJ-centric performances to lyric-driven storytelling, paving the way for socially conscious artists like Public Enemy and KRS-One[1][4]. Its impact can be heard in countless songs that followed—both in terms of lyrical depth and musical experimentation. Moreover, tracks like "Scorpio" influenced early electro music while establishing hip-hop's ability to incorporate diverse sounds[3][5]. The album also inspired modern artists across genres; its beats have been sampled extensively in hip-hop classics like Ice Cube’s “Check Yo Self”[5]. --- ### **Pros** 1. **Groundbreaking Lyrics:** The title track’s vivid storytelling and social commentary were revolutionary for hip-hop. 2. **Innovative Production:** Sparse yet impactful instrumentation allowed lyrics to shine while incorporating diverse musical styles. 3. **Cultural Impact:** *The Message* redefined hip-hop as a platform for addressing societal issues. 4. **Versatility:** Tracks range from socially conscious narratives to party anthems and experimental sounds. 5. **Timelessness:** The themes addressed remain relevant today. --- ### **Cons** 1. **Inconsistent Quality:** Some tracks feel like filler material compared to standout songs like “The Message” or “Scorpio.” 2. **Disjointed Tone:** The mix of serious themes with lighter party tracks disrupts cohesion. 3. **Limited Group Contribution:** Despite being credited to Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, much of the work was driven by Duke Bootee and Melle Mel; Flash himself had minimal involvement in creating "The Message"[4]. 4. **Outdated Elements:** While innovative at its release, certain production choices may feel dated to modern listeners. --- ### **Conclusion** *The Message* is an essential album in hip-hop history that transcends its flaws through its cultural significance. While not every track matches the brilliance of its title song or experimental highlights like "Scorpio," the album remains a powerful time capsule of early 1980s urban America. Its influence on subsequent generations cannot be overstated—whether through its socially conscious lyrics or innovative production techniques. Ultimately, *The Message* is both a masterpiece and an imperfect artifact of its time. It deserves recognition not only for what it achieved but also for how it shaped hip-hop’s evolution into a genre capable of addressing complex realities while entertaining listeners worldwide.

Uneven

Kedvenc/Favourite: She's Fresh Nagyon élveztem ezt az albumot, funky volt, fun, könnyen hallgatható. Elteszem későbbre is, látom magam olyan hangulatban, amikor szívesen táncikálok majd rá. Nem veszik magukat túl komolyan, és ez jól is áll nekik. I really enjoyed this album, it was funky, fun, easy to listen to. I will save it for later, I can see myself in the mood for dancing to it. They don't take themselves too seriously and it suits them well.

3.3 2x cool

Mixed feelings on this. I think it had some iconic bass lines and catchy hooks but I didn't really enjoy it much. It feels like a goldmine of samples

That was epic! I only ever heard the track the message. Finally hearing the rest of the album was a treat

Has some fun moments, but overall falls short. I really appreciate the early foundation this set for hip hop, but it doesn't do a whole lot that feels fresh or interesting. However, it is cool that the group is clearly made of talented musicians. There are some fantastic performances on this thing. The songwriting and structure just leaves a lot to be desired. 7/10

Disco-Rap that sounds like the most 80s music ever I didn’t have a bad time listening, in fact I thought it was kinda funny. Title track was pretty decent at least

Fun album. Not my cup of tea but I can definitely hear why this album is on this list. Sounds groundbreaking for the time. But honestly I had no idea if there were similar bands from the early 80s. As this being the year 82, I didn't imagine there would be an album like this from that era. Like this kind of hip hop-funk crossover. 4 stars couse it features a sample of Queen (Another Bites the Dust). My favorite band in the World.

Love it! I can see Nancy Regan saying "Won't you please think of the children!" Its come a long way from here!

I liked "The Message" but didn't particularly find any of the other songs memorable

Radosna, melodyjna i dość mało rapowa. Fajnie słuchać podwalin tego, co mamy teraz. Raczej do niej nie wrócę, ale kilka kawałków naprawdę wpadało w ucho. Nawijka była dobra, a sample ciekawe. 7/10

Definitely a classic but it’s not my type of music

There were a couple of misses on this album (Scorpio and Dreamin). She's Fresh and It's Nasty felt like it just kept going and could have had a little more substance but they did make me want to dance. Overall it was a good album and a good mix of funk, hip hop and rap. It really starts the evolution to 90's rap, which makes the samples and lines used by current rappers more important. Calling out one song, New York, New York...this one had some really important points like poverty and impact on people in the city. Also the difference between the extreme wealth vs. poor, and mental health impacting people. It did loose me a little when we talked about the wife leaving the husband or the transgender community. How is it we can all get so easily distracted by what the real problem with poverty is and create scapegoats (women, transgender) instead of looking at the big issues.

This is an interesting mix of old skool rap, dance, R&B. Sock it to me, I love my mother. Scorpio is pretty cool in an 80's robot kind of way. I like the groove when the guitar and bass are vibe'n on It's a Shame but it feels a little like a public service announcement. Kids are starving, bombs are dropping, rich people are greedy, let's scratch some records. Dreamin' : I wonder if Stevie Wonder was weirded out when he heard this song. Cuz you know he did, and I would totally be weirded out. You Are doesn't feel like it fits on this album but okay, God bless you. The Message - classic 80's rap. New York New York appears on the 2010 expanded edition and ends with a mother throwing her newborn baby in a garbage can. Overall I think this is a pretty interesting album if you are looking for old skool rap. I like the funk bass playing and the 80's synthy sounds are cool. It's a 3.5 for me but not quite a 4.

Early rap has a pioneer thrill to it. It feels like a hot summer day in New York City in the early 80’s and everything is about to explode into the biggest party you’ll ever see. It’s all in front of you. This album in particular feels thoroughly groundbreaking with its cool Soul, early Rap, 80’s synth manipulations and use of samples like Genius Of Love and Another One Bites The Dust. On Dreamin’ when he said “this one goes out to Stevie Wonder…because he’s the greatest” I said out loud YES! He IS!! I mean it’s such a simple and sincere sentiment to express their love for that legendary musician. The world needs more love fests like it. After repeated listens, this record holds way the hell up. 5 stars!

This album is super fun. It's a nice mix of celebrating their music and themselves, addressing societal/cultural issues, and even honoring women (and also Stevie Wonder)! All in a funky fresh, totally early 80s way, and every song sounded different. Great listen!

Quite liked

Fun album, I feel like it's on the cusp of a 4, but doesn't quite get there. Extended versions at the end were all good.

The Message song is a classic (but leads my mind to GTA Miami 😆), the album hasn't aged well though and goes pretty R&B cheesy in places

Seminal for a lot of artists/groups that I listen to regularly, but not enough going on here to entice me to revisit this album often. The Message is still a banger.

This is not something I would listen to ever but I guess it's ok in a bland, boring sort of way. 2 stars or D+.

The instrumentals were pretty cool (even if they went on a little long) and the lyrics didn't quite hit for me, so I guess it averages out at a 3.

The Message alone is worth four stars.

Great hit. Weird deep tracks

Real old school. An OG. More funk than I realized. Dug it.

Good album, though couple of tracks don’t feel like they belong here (Dreamin’ and You Are). The rest are great though.

I tend to enjoy older hip-hop far more than newer one. Very groovy, no bullshit and straight to the point. This was back when hip-hop was either about partying or social commentary, and before devolving into hedonism and gang life. Key tracks: The Message

Decent. A few catchy tunes. I greatly appreciated the song dedication to Stevie Wonder.

Truly pretty great. Sometimes early hip hop can sound a bit cheesy but this still slaps as the kids say. I do think having 2 slow jams back to back interrupts the flow of the record, but they’re still good songs. Definitely a list highlight

Hey, I’m surprised too. This was great. The energy, the messages, everything. So good.

Pretty solid. Second song was meh, otherwise good!

Old school! I like the beats and some of the things he says are insightful and creative. The delivery is kinda nursery rhyme ish by my modern sensibilities but I can recognize that as a personal preference.

Some solid hip-hop! The Message is a classic. That melody on It's Nasty sure is familiar!

Pretty good but didn't make me ooh and ahh

I liked this.

I dig it.

This album is super fun. It's a nice mix of celebrating their music and themselves, addressing societal/cultural issues, and even honoring women (and also Stevie Wonder)! All in a funky fresh, totally early 80s way, and every song sounded different. Great listen!

Maybe would listen again. I dig this, but I don't LOVE it. The Message is of course a classic, and the rest is pretty good. Some of hip hop culture REALLY has not aged well, though. And by that I mean the rampant homophobia.

5/10 Not at all what I expected, which was a seminal early hip hop album. Instead it was a mostly heartfelt (Christian?) soul album that happened to have 2 or 3 classic monuments of rap. A major problem for me is that the title song, an epic about poverty and racism, is just straight-up homophobic. Don’t care if it “was of its time”, it doesn’t sit right with me. Best: It’s Nasty

Groundbreaking artists. "White Lines" is probably their best track, but they didn't really release albums...

I was surprised to find out that the album had such saccharine ballads, let alone any ballads at all, that are seemingly RnB influenced and remind me of something in the vein of the '70s Isley Brothers.

Dammmmn this was an album completely dof then what i listened to but i loved it Super good oldies r&b

Blind album and artist. This album was super fun to listen and hear. I absolutely love this era of hip-hop with the turntables and sampling creativity, and it is definitely a great listen.

It's OK. Like I always say about early rap albums - it's incredibly anachronistic to the point where it's almost sweet. I was into it at first, then it got a little repetitive.

Was looking forward to listening this, but was disappointed. Found it a bit child like. The message was the best track.

Fun album, but undeniably goofy.

funky grooves but they get old quickly. i found myself waiting for end halfway through each song.

The Furious Five - my own nickname for Len’s wives 11-15! They were a right angry bunch! No wonder he didn’t make it to wives 16! 4.0

Surprisingly great piece of 80’s hip hop. I honestly thought everything before 1989 would have been corny beyond repair but this was fantastic.

I want to first to lavish Doug Wimbish, eventually of the band Living Colour, who plays bass across this 1982 album. I also want to point out how much 80s funk, R&B, soul, and even gospel exists on this album between Scorpio, considered among the greatest early electro tracks, and The Message, considered among the greatest early hip hip tracks. There's also this cheesy but somehow incredible platonic love song to Stevie Wonder, Dreamin', followed by a gospel song, You Are. I just love that the album is so thoroughly Black, that the musicians and various producers and programmers are exploring an expanded pallette of styles, and that it all sort of works.

Definitely a trailblazing album and deserving of its place on this list. However, it isn't very good. Takes a weird turn in the middle too with some more ballad-esque songs. Regardless, this is the birth of hip hop and I'm glad the genre got better with time. 4.25/10 (2.125/5)

Molto simpatico e groovy

Alveg skemmtilegir sprettir hér, helst ballöðurnar sem ég er ekki að dansa við, en svona prótóhiphop nær bara ákveðið langt. Þarf ekki að hlusta oftar en tvisvar.

Such a solid album

Cool and funky album. Standout songs: Shes Fresh Its Nasty The Message

groovy you are is a gem

No va

Loved this album so much more than I thought I would! Thanks, 1001albumsgenerator.com !!

Strange mixture of brilliant and quite frankly, a little disturbing

Seems like a pretty important album in the evolution of hiphop, specifically that Grandmaster Flash pioneered the setup for using turntables, scratching, extending breaks, etc. I recognized the title track. I also recognized the tune from "It's Nasty" mostly from Mariah Carey's song, though I learned the original was by Tom Tom Club (Genius of Love), a band that emerged from Talking Heads - so many interesting things! This album has more variety than I anticipated, e.g. I didn't expect the soul/ballad tracks (Dreamin, You Are).

Sort of all over the place, likely because it was so early on for rap as a genre. When it's good, is quite good. But, it's just as often corny or cringe inducing.

Surprised by the handful of R&B songs that were more cheesy than good. But the classics hold up, and the samples are legend.

The title track is a stone cold classic, but the rest kind of flails around. It makes sense being the cutting edge of hip hip

Wow, on est beaucoup plus proche des plus grands albums funk que du hip-hop de dépanneur! L’utilisation minimal de sampling instrumental et de drum loop et la présence d’un incroyable bassiste dans le groupe donne énormément de groove et de profondeur à la musique, qui déborde de fun. Honnêtement, avec une couple de réécoute, ça mériterait une place dans les 5 étoiles.

I'm confused, but I like the song! Could not find the album...

This album was fun and it was funky, both positives. But for a short album such as this, I expect/hope that the vast majority of songs are great. Sadly this album only had like 2 great songs and the second one was pseudo religious and that’s always a huge turnoff for me personally. So overall I thought the song that worked was great but if an album is being carried by ONE song, it has to be one of the greats, and sadly “it’s nasty” is good but not one of the greats.

Well now - this is distinctly NOT country diner! Thank you, algorithm, for the palate cleanser! Only 7 tracks, but what an array! Title track is a classic and a clear standout. For 1982, Scorpion was totally rad. And then, mixed in between some old skool rap and a gospel ballad, there's Dreamin'... talk about an awkward man crush - but I still can't say I hated it!

Loved this. There were a couple of duds that will hold me back from giving it a 5. I did appreciate how every song felt like it had its own mood. Lots of fun. I will revisit this.

Wow, this album slaps but it's also sort of heartbreaking that a lot of the topics these guys rap about are still so prevalent in today's world 40+ years later. Every song has such a weight to it but man they groove.

Definitely some early sampling and rapping. I don’t know enough of the genre to know this albums importance, but it was fun.

The Message is an all-timer. The rest isn’t nearly as great but there’s still some fun to be had. The Stevie Wonder track was good and a funny homage. You Are is so similar though, and I have to ask, why are there two Stevie Wonder songs?

The message (song) is a classic. The rest was kind of whatever to me

Thoroughly enjoyable old school hip hop! But samey after a while but still enjoyable!

Fun, great samples from this album. Old school rap

Je sais très bien l'importance de cet album sur la scène musicale, particulièrement sur la scène hip-hop. Malheureusement plusieurs aspects de cet album ont très mal vieilli et ça donne quelque chose qui est un peu dur à passer au travers. Même The Message est un peu trop longue pour son bien. 5/10

Første hiphop album - virkelig fedt! Åbenbart første gang man i hiphop rappede om andet end bare damer og bling og lir. Inspireret kunstnere som NAS og Kendrick Lamar det er disco funk hiphop

This album helped set rap/hip hop up for success. The fun they're having, the beats they created, the samples they used, and the influence they had must be recognized. Mariah Carey, Tom Tom Club and others made a career of sampling "It's Nasty" and "The Message". That's rap royalty right there. The songs and the vibe are so much more fun than today's mumble rap and gun toting nonsense. They set the stage for Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J and so many others to break through and create a genre of their own. The influence cannot be denied but the album isn't top to bottom great, "It's A Shame", "Dreamin'" & "You Are" are almost unlistenable. Overall I enjoyed the trip to yesteryear and hearing then what would become the cornerstone of rap/hip hop for years to come. Top 1001 for Influence

If we are being charitable and including "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel", which is maybe the most important recording of the last 50 years, but which wasn't originally part of this album, there are 3 incredible songs here: that, "Scorpio" and "The Message" Unfortunately the rest is basically filler. It was early days, they were figuring things out. It's fine.

The message is a good track but this album is so 80's corny hiphop that I can't get into it at all.

jammin

Fun

The album that birthed a thousand genres. Was going to give it a 2 for my genuine likeability (there's a lot of singing!, not historical significance, until I heard Wheel of Steel. Holy shit. Pure hip-hop. Frenetic, futuristic, poppy and experimental at the same time. Mind-blowing to think of how influential it is.

2.5 stars. Super influential but very inconsistent.

This was alright - neither particularly good or bad in my opinion

Interesting album! I liked it for the uniqueness!

Heavily enjoyed this. Great samples, great writing, super funky, just awesome. The release date of 1982 makes it clear that this was super fresh at the time of release, and surely served as a big influence for future hip-hop and R&B acts. Fave tracks: She's Fresh, It's Nasty, Scorpio, The Message

This album stared out super strong and was even considering giving it a 5. The first two songs are funky and a lot of fun, and I love any song that samples Genius Of Love. Track three was fine and reminded me of Robot Rock by Daft Punk. But then track four was really lame. And track 5 was a pretty bad ode to Stevie Wonder, and then track 6 is a wannabe Stevie Wonder song. At this point they really lost me. The message is good and the last song with all the samples was fun, but at this point I think the album is too flawed to gain any points. High 3.

For some reason 6 out of 11 tracks are not available on this album on Spotify. Regardless, this album, while hugely important at the time is very very dated by todays standards. If you enjoy simple A/B rhymes then boy will you enjoy this. Just listen to The Message and move on.

80s cheese. Dreamin was especially cheesy.

01) She's Fresh - 6,5 02) It's Nasty - 7,5 03) Scorpio - 7,5 04) It's a Shame (Mt. Airy Groove) - 7,5 05) Dreamin' - 7,0 06) You Are - 6,5 07) The Message - 10,0 TOTAL: 7,50 (75/100) Current ranking: 205/413

cool. would like to relisten

2.5

Well, not every record starts a new genre (or milestone-validates the existence of same), so there's that. And it's apparent that the invention and energy that's a hallmark of hip-hop was there from Day 1. The excess, too. The R&B inflections (the love song dedication to Stevie Wonder) is surprising, and the gospel nods and new wave-adjacent synths are also notable listening decades out. While this record is like the equivalent of the Battle of Hastings in terms of musical history, it's still worthwhile musically – indeed, quite interesting and enjoyable and substantive, too – and very much worth listening to.

I wasn't familiar with the name of the band. But I already knew the song The Message. I don't like hip hop. But I do like funk. And this really is a pretty funky hip hop album. It was fun in parts. The album probably won't appear in my daily stream, but it was quite interesting. 3/5

This is what I like to call a jukebox album, where the songs aren’t necessarily unified by one sound but are a variety of genres and styles. The first two tracks are good dance floor fun with an old-school hip-hop style. Then the album takes a surprising turn into what feels like proto-techno with “Scorpio.” A couple tracks later there are a pair of Stevie Wonder-inspired soul songs (one of which explicitly praises Stevie Wonder). I think the results are hit or miss. Of course the real reason this album is on the list is “The Message,” a classic early rap song. It holds up great! The flows still sound fresh and the beat is fantastic. There are days when that hook gets stuck in my head out of nowhere — “Don’t push me, cause I’m close to the… edge!”

This is a wild album. It's impressive, it's cool and badass, and it's also at times perplexing. It feels like throughout there isn't one clear or obvious stylistic direction and it hurts it sometimes when listening. "It's Nasty" and "She's Fresh" are fun funky typical early hip hop tracks, "Dreamin'" is a classic R&B track with an amazing (and at times a little "too much") bass line, and "The Message" is more rap than hip hop focused. It's definitely enjoyable and a really fun listen.

4*s. Good tunes

Rap, blechhh. 1/5

A fun album. Definitely nostalgic

Album 624 of 1001 Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message (1982) Rating : 3 / 5 Hip-Hop is not my thing but this was alright. Certainly some tracks I recognized. Would be near the top of my hip hop albums, for sure.

Some bits interesting but not a big fan

There is so much here. It was the culmination of a lot of things and the beginning of a new era. On top of that, it’s a great listen. I’m giving it 4 stars for the album itself, and an additional star for influence.

It was alright, it was fun as a novelty, a point in time of the development of a world-strangling genre. Worth acknowledging the ground breaking thing that it was, but also worth acknowledging that it mostly isn't that much fun to listen to. Still, it was better than I expected. I found it interesting that the back half had actual singing, and the music was still basically funk. 3 for making me think without being too annoying, but also 3 for not really being that arresting

This starts a little slow, but overall an amazing album. Crazy to think about what this was and what it inspired when it was first released.

These early hip hop/rap albums are a tough listen. Some good stuff on here but it’s not cohesive yet. It’s 1982 and a genre is still trying to develop. With 3 stars I’m acknowledging the album as an early pioneer more than the overall content provided.

I don't think I have ever listened to this front to back. Should be a good one though!

As all over the place as this album was, from Herbie Hancock adjacent synth weirdness to Stevie worship, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Love all of the great bass lines. 3.5/5

Just ok, but better than most early hip hop for me. Some doesn't come off as hip hop at all though. 3/5

Doesn't feel like it was quite a hip hop album already. She's Fresh and The Message are true rap songs and my clear favorites on the album, but the rest of the album is much more late 70's funk-like. A shame Message II is only on the extended edition of the album, because its one of my favorite songs here.

So happy my headphones didn't connect on the train to work and then my phone froze and this was blasting out for many more seconds than you'd hope. But it was good fun! A nice variation of blues, rap, ballad. Warm and full of life

I generally like Grandmaster Flash and the Message is a banging tune, as well as some of his other 'hits' but I did find the album as a whole to be a bit repetitive and not that exciting. But overall he's a great DJ and culturally he has had a huge impact on his genre, quite a legend.

It's hard to judge this solely on its merits, as it's like a Tiktaalik just having left the water and starting to crawl, on its journey from fish to land animal. Dreamin' and You Are seem really out of place on this album. The rest is fun, especially the title track.

I couldn't listen to the whole album. Not the kind of music I enjoy.

"The Message" is a slightly frustrating record for me. It's very dated but a hell of a lot of fun. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five demonstrate what was happening in music when soul and funk were merging into early hip hop. The electro subgenre never really took off, but the marriage of rap and electronic music in the early years was really interesting and there are some great examples here, like "Scorpio" and "The Message". The frustrating thing for me is that they couldn't commit to it fully. The attempts at soulful ballads are fairly boring in comparison and the album could have been a lot stronger without them, albeit a bit short. A few lull points aside, I love this album. The lyrics are mostly positive (aside from a very unfortunate homophobic remark). That album cover is locked into a very particular time and place, but I don't care. It's great.

So much fun to listen to. I recognized some sounds from other songs -- like the talking heads one that goes "I'm in Heaven." I saved a few tracks. It reminded me of "Colt 45" with the call and response type singing.

I was not ready for how diverse this album would sound - som street disco, a serenade to Stevie Wonder, a political dig at the prison system, a gospel ballad and a choir of kazoos just to name a few. Oh and some pretty cool samples. Pleasantly surprised!

3/5. This album is hilarious. There is a perfect blend of surface level serious lyrics, so direct about the problems of the world, and yet saying nothing. Themes about God being our savior and how there is greed in the world but that we got to stick together. It's so basic it's funny. The music is pretty good, first few songs are good, drags so hard in the middle, and then the message and the adventure saves it. A whole song about Stevie Wonder is crazy and despite singing about loving each other, using gay slurs seems to be alright. This is a weird one and I don't think it's great, but I'll put it on for a good laugh. It gets a 3 because some of the songs are still really good. Best Song: The Message, The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel, She's Fresh

Come on now.

I enjoyed the funky beats in the first two tracks but the next four were tough to get through. The final track is obviously hugely influential and I love the beat but didn't enjoy the track as a whole as much as I thought I might.

It's a 3.5 for me, I really appreciate the mixing in the first few tracks. Not a massive fan of early hiphop but thinking about the work and precision that went into cutting samples back then baffles me. It's a shame the album fades into a ballad album with a weird homage track to Stevie Wonder else it could have pushed a 5 star from me!

Was disappointed that so much of this album was blah, except "The Message" and "It's a Shame" that was sampled from The Spinners song by the same name.

Diversity

Really nice album. I enjoyed that travel to days of old-school hip-hop when it still had many common things with funk.

Oh ja, so geil

Tune

Quintessential funk! Terrific music from the guys who allowed it to evolve.

Seems like this is only a "must listen" if you really want to explore the roots of hip hop, but for the most part it's like a snapshot of people figuring out what hip hop is going to be.

This one was better than I thought it would be

Tosi erilaista mitä odotin, tää olikin hiphoppia. Osa kappaleista funkkia ja soulia. Scorpio taas tosi electro. Monipuolista. Its Nasty:stä on otettu Big Dick Energy sample. The Message on Check Your Self biitti :D Parhaat: The Message, Its Nasty, Its a Shame

Interesting as a piece of music history. It blends 70’s funk and hip hop. I didn’t like it but it’s interesting

I thought I would like this more than I did.

Pretty fun album. The title track is by far the best, but all the more electro-synth funk-old school hip hop tracks are cool. The Stevie Wonder ballads are pretty blehhh though. 3.5/5

Not a big rap fan, but “The message “ and “White lines” are excellent.

Wow, I hadn't realized how many of these I already knew.

A friend of mine had this album at college, so this is a trip down memory lane. Not all of it holds up but overall a pretty good album IMHO

They shouldn't have used the Extended Edition, which might mislead a new listener to think this important historical album and song was released in 2010 instead of 1982.

Meh

Fun. Liked it. Will listen again in the mood for the mood.

Fun and nostalgic.

Pleasant surprise from a hip-hop album. It had a few great moments, especially with the electro infulences and the great basslines.

Genius of love sample!! New York New York has some out of pocket lyrics

Was hoping to like this a bit more than I did. The beats were funky and enjoyable but they did not get me hooked for the most part. However it IS genuinely brilliant in spots. I definitely see how this was inspirational and influential. Definitely worth a listen at least once in your life time.

To me this album is all about the song The Message, which was the first great hip hop song. The hook to that one is excellent. However overall I think this album doesn't hold up in terms of beats and flow. It was too early in hip hop's evolution

Maybe this album was more important when it was released, but it didn't really do anything for me as a full album. A couple tracks are bops, but the album as a whole just feels slapped together with no real sense of direction. Good bass grooves though

This album is certainly interesting, and it's nice to see how far hip-hop has come. Unfortunately, hip-hop has come a long way, and the album is clearly pretty old fashioned and basic.

Not what i was expecting with the love ballads. Overall doesn't really hold up. 2.5 probably

This was not bad! Not really my thing, but perfectly fine to listen to while working.

This one is very influential for Hip Hop. The title track for this album is iconic to say the least, it’s one of the best parts of the project (aside from a certain line in that song). There’s also some nice funk and soul influences here. The first two songs are probably the best examples of this, they’re catchy and fun to listen to. Most of this album is nice and fun to listen to! It’s rather short and doesn’t really overstay its welcome. Its lyrics are actually pretty cool, the main example being the title track. Its performances are pretty good as well! You can tell they were having fun making this. That being said, I think some tracks are rather weak. Scorpio is a bit weird, even for me. This album has its faults, but it still has a few good songs to be found. It’s pretty nice for the most part.

The Message is a classic song of course, and Scorpio is a great electro track. A few other songs are less special, so this is not a 5-star album for me.. but I can see why it is included in this list (even though my vote would have been for Jam on Revenge or Escape).

Sounded okay. I'm sure it is a very influential record, but I will not likely return to it, except maybe for the title song.

About 2.5 good, nearly classic, songs, but the rest is not compelling.

Super cool hip hop with great samples, but knocked down a star because of the random preaching in the middle and the homophobic slurs

One of the most important albums... EVER! "The Message" is the amalgamation of everything, EVERYTHING that came before it -- the music, the meanings, the emotions, and the ideals. "The Message" is the turning -- when discovery became a science, and the science became the purpose, and the purpose fueled generations.

clearly inspirational and foundational for hip hop. Also a damn good album.

It's Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The godfathers of modern rap. It's hard to go wrong with this.

4.0

p486. 486. 4 stars. Not a fan of hip-hop/rap, but this hits a sweet spot. It's dated well, doesn't outstay its welcome and contains one stone cold classic in the title track. Point deducted for the worrying homoerotic "tribute" to Steve Wonder.

a bit boring sadly

“ Blacks and whites don't realize that they're really pink and brown” Very funny album. They seem to really like stevie wonder. Not much replay value though. “The muffled screams of a dying baby” *epic saxophone riff*

Album started super strong. I thought this was going to be a good time. Enter it's a shame and dreamin and we lose all the energy. The message is iconic but it's 4 minutes too long. Message II couldn't get us back to having a good time and then NY NY finished us off with another song that was 4 minutes too long.

This is a great album. It covers early rap with the signature turntable scratching as well as R&B and Soul. This caught me off guard with how good it was.

Now this is a classic. It's fun, it's reflective, and it's more than the regular hip-hop-hip-hip-hoppity of this genre of hip hop (no shame to the Sugarhill Gang).

Blast from the past with cool samples and fly rapping. 'The Message' (the one from Happy Feet) alone is enough to make this a classic. The Stevie Wonder tribute song 'Dreamin'' is a nice touch, but loses a lot of power when the follow-up track 'You Are' then really sounds like a cheap Wonder knock off. Rather unnecessary.

Definitely more fun and funky than furious. The title track is legendary and the humour on especially the ode to Stevie Wonder is still intact. But while I acknowledge the important of it, I am just now blown away by The Message in 2024.

The birth of hip-hop was so cheesy, and fantastic. Laid the groundwork for some amazing artists.

I'll tell you what: all hip hop albuns should sound like that!

Influential for a genre I dislike very much.

Definitely feels dated nowadays, but you cannot deny the charm and the style. Flash and the crew make even the most mundane things look cool.

Dreamin was good I'm surprised its one of the least streamed songs. I didn't like scorpion. The rest of the album was okay, lots of iconic beats.

Robot voice song was good Check yourself before you wr- Oh, never mind Only saw the release date after the listen, had no idea it was so old. Doesn't change my rating, but it is impressive

never heard the full album before but it has not aged well I like the message and the other songs I've heard in gta but man this album was kinda harsh on the ears

Strong finish some duds in the middle, overall enjoyed it

Enjoyed this, some classics on there

I liked the soul stuff it used to build on top of

Pretty good, a few strong tracks

Very dated, but I enjoyed this way more than the other rap/hip-hop on this list.

Kinda dated but great things about it.

Not for me

A lot of funk and soul mixed in, I was expecting awkward rhyming over basic beats and samples. Pretty good album and historically important but not something I want to listen to again.

Haven't listened to this in quite a while. It's a bit dated, but holds up pretty well and has obviously had a major influence on hip hop since it was released. Fantastic sampling and instrumentals. "Dreamin'" and "You Are" are pretty terrible though.

Sick Favs: It’s nasty Scorpio Dreamin The message 😳😳😳😳🔥🔥🔥🔥🫶🫶

I enjoyed this a lot Standout tracks: - She's Fresh 5/5 - The Message 5/5

Classic.

Old School Hip Hop is always a ton of fun. Really had a great time re-visiting this and everything about that has been so ingrained in hip hop since it came out.

This is the Genesis of rap and hip-hop for me. I haven't heard this album in 20 years and had forgotten just how good and fresh it really was, it managed to convey the social issues at the time without having to drop into a plethora of bad language and antagonistic Rhetoric, Only reason I didn't give her a 5 out of 5 because some of the tracks on the album are a little weak and maybe don't fit with the message that was being conveyed by this album

When featuring the mastery of the turntable as an instrument, this literal groundbreaking album sets all new levels for what would be come Hip Hop. You can almost forgive Flash for some of the dated, cringey soul-influenced songs that do not resinate any longer. 4.5/5

awesome

Hmm I don't know, I can appreciate early hip hop and record scratching, but The Message (track) was the only song that really jumped out here. And the two ballads in the middle were so slow and long that I had to skip one. I'm sure this was formative, but I wouldn't listen to it again or really recommend it. 2.5/5 Listening notes: Classic 80s hip hop here. "It's Nasty" with the Genius of Love sample, hell yeah. Lots of 80s robot voice. Dreamin: a ballad for Stevie Wonder? Wanted to skip this one after a while You Are: another ballad.. sotof a "You are so beautiful to me" cover? Ok now it's a christian inspiration track.. this is boring. ok I'm skipping. The Message: ok now we're talking!! classic sample and lyrics. "it's like a jungle sometimes makes me wonda how I keep from going unda" "don't push me cuz i'm close to the edge, i'm tryin not to lose my head" Final track: just a classic journey through turntable scratching and mixing. Lots of returning to the classic Good Times beat. and wait.. is Another One Bites the Dust sampling Good Times too?? Had to check - no just "strongly influence by" hah.

Favorite Track: The Message

an album of two halves here Clive. On the one hand some founding rap beats (Message, Nasty, Fresh and electro banger Scorpio); on the other some lame r and b/soul - the rest. So three it is.

…. no

Old skool hip hop hitting hard still.

Great album, glad to listen to it. The Message was a nice surprise to end the album. I had heard the song plenty of times but had no idea what it was called, who the artist was, or anything about the musical group. Listening also helped me note another nod in Hamilton to foundational hip hop. It's A Shame was a depressing but realistic look at the problems in our world. Still as relevant today as it was 40 years ago...

Starts as a funk and R&B album and ends the album with three hard tracks pioneering the birth of conscious rap. The music is good, and the lyrics are fantastic. 4/5!

Like Run-DMC they are the foundation of rap and hip hop to come. Never heard any songs on this before besides the title track and that was probably a shortened radio edit version. Has 3 bangers and a couple weird slow-jams that I thought were being an ironic joke but I guess in 1982 (the year of my birth ugh) this was serious. Gains the 4th star for 'The Message' and it's influence

This album really caught my attention with that power funk opener. I like this one better than many rap/hip hop albums.

Classic old-school hip-hop.

The album is unavailable so I listened to a few that belonged there, it was ok, I appreciate it is not just rapping. 3.5

9.5/10. Early hip hop is so fun!!!!! The beats and vocals were both great. I would love to join the crew in the album cover. :)

Great early hiphop. Plenty of groove, funk and actually interesting lyrics.

One of the rare cases of innovative, historical landmark type of music on this list where the music is actually still enjoyable to listen to. It’s brilliant

Not bad, except for the unexpected sermon near the end

Funky and fun, like a house party. Samples will echo into hip hop.

Skate Center throwback. A lot of fun, but feels more dated than i remembered (even though several artists have sampled and freshened up over the years.

Golden age of hip hop

Nice sound some dates but overall ...

definitely dated now since hip hop has changed a lot since then(hell even 6 years after this released, it had changed leaps and bounds), but its still a really cool record, very transitional with the combinations of singing and rapping.

Really fun album. One of the foundations of rap. Honestly not as Corby as I feel it gets called sometimes. See killer beats that still hold up too

Never heard of these guys. But I sure love the early 80s hip hop sound. Yeah this is good stuff! creepin up to 5...4 stars.

Was already tired of it by the second track honestly. Maybe its just fatigue from having to listen to 2 disco adjacent albums back to back; but besides a few tracks here and there, something about the dated disco rap style here just didn't click for me.

This album is a bit different than I was expecting, mainly because of the soulful ballad You Are that comes toward the end of the album. It's a primitive version of hip-hop to be sure, but it's honestly more mature than I was expecting. Grandmaster Flash was already establishing advanced mixing techniques by this point, and the team of rappers he assembled was second to none at this point. Much of the sampling would not fly today, but it was how things were done at the time 4/5 A true early hip-hop masterpiece

Wayyyyyy good, I like the intermixing of proper soul/funk, with some foundational hip hop tracks. I think they knew they had something, but a full hip hop album was not ready to be accepted yet

Some great tracks, some ridiculous tracks.

This was quite silly. I see the vision though. Some of it was good. I impressed some people at work by listening which felt good.

The faster songs were fun but I thought the slow ones dragged it down a bit.

I'm not a fan of rap. Me enjoying this album quite a lot might come down to how little of it is actually rap by current standards. There is more funk on here than actual rap, and good amounts of soul and pop music too. These elements are often really well done (such as the Stevie Wonder inspired track) and blend together very well. Rating this 3.5 stars but rounding it up because it was an unexpectedly positive listening experience to me.

Liked it way better than I thought I would but it's so repetitive that it would be hard to listen much more

Super fun, groovy, not too serious. Not a huge fan of scorpio.

Honestly, it's not the best album I listened to, nor the greatest hip-hop of all time. But few albums go beyond their music, and this one is one example.

The album was nice, not awesome, but it was the beginning of a musical genre and kept the funk roots of the predecessors that this was built on. I thought it was average and would listen again, but not in the regular rotation. I give it a bonus start for the historical nature of the album.

The Message is just iconic. I actually enjoyed the rest as well. A little preachy and more religious than I was expecting.

Down for some 70s funk. this is going to be lovely to listen to. I can only imagine what this was like when first released in the 70s.

Surprised by this one. Wasn't expecting to enjoy it as hiphop isn't usually my thing, but enjoyed She's fresh, It's nasty and the Message (which I'm positive has been sampled elsewhere). Standout track for me was Dreamin', a tribute to Stevie Wonder. Hated Scorpio, which was like listening to Ross from Friends' 'Sound', hence only 3 stars overall. Album let down imo by Scorpio, which sounded like the music Ross in Friends makes...

Great for its time. Weird disco song in the middle messes with the flow of this.

Solid beginning and end with some nonsense in the middle. 3.5

A masterpiece of rhyme and rhythm. The beats are fresh and the flows are fantastic.

BROKEN GLASS EVERYWHERE!!

"Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five" despite there clearly being SEVEN PEOPLE on the album art. Which one is it, huh?! They are clearly trying to hide something from us. I will not stand for it.

I respect how influential this album, but I don't think it makes it good. There are some cool beats but it's whatever. I would never listen to this when later 80s and early 90s groups improved on it vastly. Giving this a 1 but I understand why it was on the list

My name is Matt and I'm here to say, The Message rocks in a major way. Dated? Sure. Influential? Without a doubt. Iconic? Meeeehhh Most of what we hear on this record is pretty forgettable, but it's hard to ignore the concrete being poured here that would form the foundation of the most popular music genre for the next 30 years.

A snapshot of its time—for better and for worse—The Message is delivered loud and clear for all those willing to hear it.

A fun, upbeat album! Knew a few of the songs too, quite enjoyed this one 4 ⭐️

Really good album, and you can hear how it influenced hip hop. “The Message” is iconic. Hadn’t heard much else from them besides the title track, but was overall really impressed. Didn’t care much for “Scorpio” or “You Are” but the rest of the tracks are amazing. This is an album where you can tell from the first few beats of the first song that it belongs on the list.

The only song I didn’t really enjoy was Scorpio. It’s a Shame was probably my favorite.

Did not age well

Even though the legendary message is on here this cant escape dated 80's sound

Was thinking this was going to be a 2 star but The Message and The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash brought it up to a weak 3.

Liked this quite a bit, even the tracks with no recognizable samples. Surprisingly, I knew of “The Message”, but had never heard of it. Wild that this came out in 1982. The producer on this, Sylvia Robinson, the founder and CEO of Sugarhill Records, had a hit with “Love is Strange” in 1956, a lovely track that had an even lovelier cover version by Everything But The Girl.

I knew The Message (the song) was good, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed the rest of this too

Pioneers they may be... But some of this is really bad. Low 2.

The title track and really the whole album are defining examples of early hip hop and Sugarhill Records as a whole, but this is also probably the best electro-funk (or just “electro”) album of all time. The song “The Message” itself is a masterpiece and sets a really high bar of quality. The rest of the album is phenomenal though, with the intense electro of “Scorpio”, the excellent sample of Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love” on “It’s Nasty” as examples.

The furious five created the term Hip-hop, the use of the term MC for rappers, and defined what the genre could be on the complete other side of the gangsta style. Old rap can sound a bit goofy nowadays, but the album still hits.

High 4. Loved this one

Unique sound and messages. The love letter to Stevie Wonder is interesting.

Wow, I really might need to look into more 80s R&B? This was such a great time!

An interesting mix of styles and a number of elements that seem well before their time, seeming to predict much later developments in rap. Many of the lyrics leave me in a state of confusion. Can a song that says, of Stevie Wonder, "when we dream of you, we believe anything that you see" be something other than, if not parody, at least joking? Other songs seem so over the top as to surely be parody, but apparently that is not what the intended. It's hard to square. Overall, well executed, funky and listenable.

Doesn’t hold up great, but still has some Juice. behind it.

So I found “The Message” to be an incredibly odd album, but it was an interesting journey to be sure… Had heard a few songs from this album, but was not aware they were from this one – so it was all new to me until those tracks came on… First thought was how exceptional the audio quality of the recording was – as that is not a given in the world of rap, especially in the early 80’s… Second thought was, the top vocalist delivered some awesome vocals, and I really appreciated his style – as he was head and shoulders above the other singers on the album… “She’s Fresh” opened the album just fine, nothing exceptional – but fairly well done for what I thought was going to be the 80’s version of a late 70’s funk album… Then “It’s Nasty” came on, and the familiar keyboard riff that I always thought was created by the Tom Tom Club comes on… Nice touch, and really helped the track – but turns out – they Grandmaster Flash just lifted from the Tom Tom Club’s 1980 track “Genius Of Love”… C’est la vie, but rap sorta does that – and it is a great riff, but would have been more impressed if Grandmaster had created it… “Scorpio” & “It’s A Shame” were fine, though pretty dull – but I guess the synthesized lyrics must have been inventive for 1982… Maybe not – but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt… Then it was as if someone scratched their fingers across a chalkboard, and the decent vibe of the album came to an abrupt stop… “Dreamin” was apparently a song they felt they needed to record as an homage to Stevie Wonder… Sure Stevie probably deserves some love – but NOT like this, and I doubt that Mr. Wonder appreciated this dreadful excuse of a song… Words cannot even begin to describe how truly horrific this actually is… As my good friend Keith is fond of saying, “…That is fucking terrible…” That was followed by another miserable effort called “You Are” – which was some sort of religious dirge… Not like some old-time church experience, just an awful preachy, “…do you accept Jesus Christ as your savior…” sort of experience… I didn’t need that experience… It was clear on those two truly awful tracks, that the artist felt REALLY compelled to record them… Sorry – but this little detour came pretty close to totally ruining the entire album for me… And then we got to “The Message” – which I have always held in high regard, just don’t think I even knew the exact title… Love the vocals, love the backing track, love the lyrics – and overall, it’s just a magical song… Also really appreciated the genuineness of the lyrics…. Just describing the experience, no bragging about how “fire” their rhymes were, no glamorizing “thug life” – just authentic portrayals of a unique life experience… So well done all-the-way around… The last track “The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel” was just a fun a way to close the album… Enjoyed all the snippets of tracks that mentioned “Flash”, as well as the Queen backing track for a good portion of the song… Probably would have given this an easy 3 if it weren’t for the dreadful tracks in the middle, so that bumps it down to a 2.50… However, “The Message” seems like it was such an incredibly influential track – I’ll go with a 3…

Placed in context probably higher. But it just doesn't hold up, the message is a powerful song though

the beginning of the hip hop movement.

Soft rap. Good album 7/10

Was familiar with the title track, and was expecting more of that type of early hip hop, but The Five came out of nowhere with a surprisingly varied mix of funky disco grooves. 4 pairs of platform boots with goldfish in them.

This has to be up there for one of the corniest records ever made. And I mean that in both a good and bad way. On one hand, it's a fun and goofy album that slowly gets more serious and ends on a real high note. On the other hand, I feel like so much of the album feels dated and bloated. Definitely worth listening to the title track, but not much else worth staying for

This is definitely a transition album, music evolving in real time. Half this album is basically funk, a few tracks of R&B, one track with electronic dance synth with robot vocals, and three tracks of early hip hop. "It's Nasty" samples the Tom Tom Club, as the group raps over the backing track. "The Message" is the highlight of the album, a true hip hop classic. It was "covered" in the 90s, lyrics altered but overall very similar. Most of the songs are about the troubles of the inner city, trying to bring the situation to light. I don't know if this album brought rap into the mainstream, but it definitely influenced and propelled the next group of rappers in the mid 80s. A historic and groundbreaking album for rap and hip hop

Half of it is blocked in canada so it's harder to judge but it's kinda fun! not my style of music though.

Perfect Album one of the greatest on this whole list definitely near the tippy top

Grandpa rap lol

Haha oikeasti viihdyin tämän parissa. Todella funkit taustat, joista yllättäen pidin, ja laulupainotteisempi räppi toimi myös. Ja siis hauskat sanoitukset tietty. Kolme puol ainakin ansaittu niillä! Positiivinen yllätys.

Kyllä, he huvittelevat ajoittain vain omaksi ilokseen - mutta aina hyvässä hengessä ja huumorintajuisesti. En ole varma, kuinka avartavia räpit ovat, mutta biitit ovat ohittamattomia.

I recognised at least four parts of songs that have been sampled. I enjoyed the drum machine work on this. I also appreciate the old school style of rapping, talking about rough lower class living but with a positive attitude.

Full respect for the classics, I really love The Message and Message 2 (Survival), but as an overall album experience, I wasn't feeling every song unfortunately

Really enjoyable, old school as heck but great beats.