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Hip Hop’s Origin Story, Told by the Legends Who Lived It

Before hip-hop was a global industry, Kurtis Blow remembers building the culture in a New York where “we had nothing.”

NashostKurtis BlowguestRev RunguestRoxanne Shantéguest

Oct 31, 202624mWatch on YouTube ↗

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CHAPTERS

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Chapter summaries

Nas sets the stage: honoring Kurtis Blow’s legacy
Nas opens by framing Kurtis Blow as an early architect of the culture and positions the conversation as a tribute centered on legacy rather than just hit records. He expresses personal gratitude and awe at sharing the stage with his heroes.
- •Nas credits Kurtis Blow with helping make history before hip hop became a global business
- •Nas calls the moment a celebration of an “architect” of the culture
- •Nas explains the focus is legacy, the movement, and what Kurtis Blow carries forward
- •Nas expresses admiration for the pioneers he grew up watching and imagining through the “radio”
Building a culture from nothing: early names, early purpose
Kurtis Blow describes the earliest days as a grassroots scene that didn’t even call itself hip hop. He links the culture’s emergence to a need for joy and escapism amid social trauma and hardship.
- •Kurtis Blow says they didn’t call it hip hop; it was “rocking,” “breaking,” “burning,” and “partying”
- •He situates the era as coming out of the civil rights movement and a traumatic period of assassinations and protests
- •He describes the environment of the Bronx in the ’70s with burning buildings and neighborhood degradation
- •He emphasizes they built the music and culture “from the ground up” with nothing but love of music
Escapism and the dance-floor roots: disco as the foundation
Prompted by Nas, Kurtis Blow explains how central disco and dancing were to the moment that birthed early rap. He characterizes hip hop as a “mutation” of disco—specifically, “ghetto disco.”
- •Kurtis Blow describes club sound as immersive, with bass felt through the body
- •He calls disco “so very important” and ties it to nightlife, fashion, and dancing as a weekly release
- •He says hip hop came out of that era of dancing and club culture
- •He labels early hip hop a “mutation of disco,” adding: “ghetto disco”
A fake ID and a mission: studying every disco in New York
Kurtis Blow recounts getting a phony ID at 16 so he could enter clubs and learn directly from the city’s DJ scenes. He lists clubs he attended and explains he was researching different styles to become a DJ.
- •He says he got a fake ID on 42nd Street in 1975 to get into clubs
- •He describes visiting many discos across New York City as part of his research
- •He frames the club circuit as his training ground for DJing and performance
- •He recalls encountering DJ Holloway and being struck by the microphone work and crowd energy
From Harlem emcee beginnings to first jobs and battles
Kurtis Blow traces his early emceeing in Harlem to 1974 and describes learning by impersonating a radio personality. He recalls The Wham as his first job and mentions nearby battle spaces that helped shape the scene.
- •He says he started emceeing in 1974 in Harlem at The Wham
- •He credits inspiration from a radio figure he calls Hank Spann on WWRL “Super 16”
- •He describes The Wham as an old police station location and references local battle culture nearby
- •Nas underscores the moment as “real history” of New York and hip hop
Getting discovered and strategizing success: meeting Russell Simmons
Nas asks how Kurtis Blow got discovered and signed, and Kurtis Blow answers with a story about meeting Russell Simmons in college and demonstrating his DJ/MC skills at a packed Harlem party. He also explains a communications-based strategy: build a track record outside the city, then return with proof.
- •Kurtis Blow says he met Russell Simmons in college in 1977 and brought him to a Harlem block party set
- •He describes orchestrating call-and-response routines and performing over “Good Times” for Russell
- •He recounts studying communications and learning to build credibility via a “track record” in smaller markets
- •He notes the competitive environment with many MCs in the late ’70s
Night Fevers Disco and the rise of “Little Joey”: flyers, breakfast, and mentorship
Kurtis Blow and Rev Run describe the early Rush Productions ecosystem and how Rev Run (then “Little Joey”) worked his way in by helping however he could. They reminisce about promotion, family-like closeness, and Kurtis Blow taking him under his wing.
- •Kurtis Blow says he and Russell opened Night Fevers Disco, where he met Run (Joey)
- •Rev Run says he cooked breakfast and put up flyers on Jamaica Ave as early work
- •They describe Rush Productions promoting Kurtis Blow, with Russell and Kurt connected through college
- •Rev Run explains he did whatever it took to be around, and Kurtis Blow mentored him
DJ-to-MC evolution: gear, show structure, and creating signature callouts
Rev Run and Kurtis Blow detail how both started as DJs and how their live show format worked. Rev Run shares how getting paid enabled him to buy turntables and how he developed callouts like scratching Kurtis Blow’s name, which later evolved into Run’s own stage identity.
- •Rev Run emphasizes Kurtis Blow was a DJ before being a rapper, blending both roles
- •Rev Run says he earned $35 a show and used it to buy turntables (Quantas)
- •They describe a performance sequence: DJ warm-up, then mic work, then cutting up the intro to start the show
- •Rev Run explains inventing the “Kur- Kur- Kur- Kurtis Blow” callout and later adapting it for “Run”
Protecting Joey and seeing Run-DMC emerge: ‘my heart’ and ‘Krush Groove’
The conversation turns emotional as Kurtis Blow describes feeling protective over Joey at a young age and watching him grow into Run-DMC. Both reflect on their bond and connect it to how their relationship was portrayed in the film Krush Groove.
- •Kurtis Blow says he remembers Joey at 13 and used to protect him from Russell
- •He says “couldn’t nobody touch him,” comparing it to Krush Groove
- •Kurtis Blow calls Rev Run “my heart,” and Rev Run echoes gratitude and feeling lucky
- •They mention touring together and making Krush Groove together
‘This is my house’: stage attitude, comedy influence, and tour stories
Rev Run explains where his famous on-stage line came from, crediting Eddie Murphy’s comedy and encouragement from Jay to use it on stage. They also trade stories about mic-dropping antics on tour and how Kurtis Blow handled the consequences.
- •Rev Run attributes “This is my mother-effing house” to an Eddie Murphy joke and stage encouragement from Jay
- •He describes an early period of performing with aggressive energy—throwing mic stands and acting wild
- •They recall a sound man asking Kurtis Blow to stop Run-DMC from breaking microphones by dropping them
- •Kurtis Blow says he paid for the broken mics and didn’t stop the behavior
From rap outsider to big stages: touring with legends and meeting icons
Nas asks what it was like being the rap artist on big tours with major acts, and Kurtis Blow recounts experiences around major touring environments. He mentions playing with Bob Marley and describes meeting stars like Michael Jackson and Prince, including a memorable photo shoot scenario.
- •Nas frames Kurtis Blow as an early rap artist on tours with big bands unfamiliar with rap
- •Kurtis Blow mentions Marvin Gaye and calls Bob Marley “the big kahuna” in that context
- •He recalls a moment preparing to DJ at the Garden when Bob Marley was playing
- •He describes meeting Michael Jackson and meeting Prince, including a photo shoot where Prince drew massive attention
‘If I Ruled the World’ tribute and the ‘Paid in Full’ honoring
Nas reflects on how Kurtis Blow’s music uplifted communities during hard times and describes redoing “If I Ruled the World” with Lauryn Hill as homage. Kurtis Blow recounts hearing the track, praising it, and Roxanne Shanté closes by framing the moment as recognition of love, contribution, and being “paid in full.”
- •Nas says Kurtis Blow told an uplifting story about the Bronx that differed from the news narrative
- •Nas describes the boldness of “If I Ruled the World” and says Kurtis Blow “did rule the world,” motivating his remake with Lauryn Hill
- •Kurtis Blow recounts repeatedly listening to the cassette in his car and telling Sony it would succeed with normal promotion
- •Roxanne Shanté defines what “Paid in Full” represents—love of hip hop, accomplishment, passion, and contribution—and congratulates Kurtis Blow as an honoree

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