Search - DJ Charlie Chase :: Cold Crush Brothers Vs Fantastic Five Battle 1981

A hip hop classic you must own!

Andre M. | Mt. Pleasant, SC United States | 12/14/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is truly a classic of the genre form the days of live oldschool hip hop and one of the best live recordings of ANY genre! The interaction with the crowd, the clever rap takeoffs on Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again Naturally" and Queen's "We Will Rock You," etc. will enthrall the hip hop fan. The young Darryl McDaniels (DMC of Run DMC) was greatly inspired by this recording and it's easy to see why (compare Run DMC's 1983 live recording "Here We Go" to this and the similarities are obvious). The fun here is infectious! For the record, it's okay for your kids aside from some minor profanity in the intro and one prodrug rhyme in the midst of this (interestingly, another rhyme elsewhere in the proceedings warns against drug abuse). That aside, listen to this, imagine that you and your friends are at the Harlem World Disco on July 3, 1981 and PAAARRRTY!"

EPIC; HISTORIC; LEGENDARY...

EyeGetzRaw | NY USA | 09/27/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...none of these words seem to do enough justice for this CD. Let me start by saying this...if you do not have a true appreciation for music history, particularly Hip Hop history, then you may not understand the significance of this disc. The performance captured on this CD is from one of the most fabled MC battles in Hip Hop history...The CC4 vs. The Fantastic Romantic 5 at the Hip Hop mecca known as Harlem World on July 4th, 1981. While neither of the crews turn in their finest performances, this battle is a stellar example of the essence of "pre-wax " Hip Hop. In the days before recording contracts and music videos, live performance was THE main vehicle of the Hip Hop artist. Even before Rakim asked the question, the aim was always, "how can I move the crowd?" The cats with most innovative answers usually prevailed and these two crews were among the giants. Making this disc even more impressive is the reworking of the music by Charlie Chase. The CCB DJ actually interpolates the breakbeats used in the original performance...IN THE ORIGINAL PATTERNS THEY WERE MIXED AND SCRATCHED...so that the performances don't sound like they were pulled from an old worn cassette (which, of course they were!!!). Although this process can not save the quality of the vocal performance, it does enhance the thump factor and certainly was well worth the effort. If you want a glimpse of Hip Hop in its infancy, or if you just want to preserve the history of the culture, this album is an absolute must!!!"