The First Rap Song

[hornet61]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

"King Tim III (Personality Jock)" is a 1979 song by the Fatback Band from the disco album XII. Released on July 25, 1979,[1] several weeks before "Rapper's Delight" (which is widely regarded as the first commercially released hip hop song), this song is often cited[2] as the beginning of recorded hip hop. The title refers to vocalist Tim Washington.

The song was originally the B-Side of the 7-inch single, with the A-Side "You're My Candy Sweet" a mid-tempo disco song. However the song stalled at #67 after 4-weeks on the R&B chart and was replaced the following week with "King Tim III (Personality Jock)" on the chart. It peaked at #26 on the R&B chart and stayed on for 11 weeks.

1.^ Publication date of "King Tim III" as given in the copyright registration of the 7-inch single. Its copyright was registered on August 29, 1979. The publication date of "Rapper's Delight" as given in its copyright registration was August 25, 1979, and its copyright was registered on September 24, 1979.
/end wiki quote

I'd say this makes the first actual Rap record without morphing the definition to include the various other spoken word or rhythmicly spoken forms mention here (it could be said that Skat singing is a form of rap, but that wouldn't make it be accepted by the tyical street DJ, I used to tease a few lesser DJ's and say Devil Went Down To Georgia is a Country rap, but again, those things could get you shot at in certain places at certain parties)

yes, the copyright dates are in favor of King TIM, and the chart debut dates are in favor of King Tim.....great good job DJ Kraze on the research. And I am with you , as the term Rap was designed and intended to mean , in the book of music Geneis..KING TIM Is AD and there is no BC..

 

[Bongwater]

We've gone back to the '40s. Now get a shovel because it goes down FURTHER through the layers. Back to the '20s when "scat" singing was in vogue and a part of the jazz age.......

 

[Tom Wells]

More complication.
What is Aerosmith's "Walk this Way" if it's not rap?
It's certainly not straight-forward rock n roll. I want to say it was '76 or '77.

 

[flytrap]

Nobody has mentioned early "rap" from Pigmeat Markham (Here come de judge), Johnny Cash,and this is stretch, but some people consider the band Reunion's "Life is a Rock" to be an early rap tune. Some trace the beginnings of modern rap to the New York blackout of 1977. According to wikipedia, back in '77 during a blackout looters robbed numerous store stealing stereo equipment including turntables. a short time later these turntables turned up on street corners etc with records being spun, with people playing around with DJ'ing and rapping over records and eventually break dancing. Even George Jefferson from "The Jefferson's" is sometimes mentioned as an inspiration for rap. There was an episode where George and his housekeeper where trading insults at each other in the form of rhymes and in the end one of them runs out of things to say and say's "Yo mama". some say this was what inspired rap battles and trash talking your opponent. These insult rhymes is often said to also come from a poem called "Signifying Monkey" which told the story of a foul mouth monkey who kept trash talking a lion and eventually got what's coming to him. Comedien Rudy Ray Moore used to do a routine on the Signifying Monkey. I know this all seems like a stretch, but I've read this stuff on Wikipedia in the past. And of course nobody on Wikipedia would ever make anything up! lol

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

"Rapping" as such could go back before that. I have an old 1950s commercial for either Cheerios or Wheaties where the announcer just speaks in quick rhyming lines with light cymbal beats in the background.

I had a relative tell me that there was even a "rap" during the Abbott & Costello film "Buck Privates" (40s?).

"Rap" is certainly subjective....This could be a long thread.

cd

The better to sew your britches...

 

[hornet61]

Nobody has mentioned early "rap" from Pigmeat Markham (Here come de judge), Johnny Cash,and this is stretch, but some people consider the band Reunion's "Life is a Rock" to be an early rap tune. Some trace the beginnings of modern rap to the New York blackout of 1977. According to wikipedia, back in '77 during a blackout looters robbed numerous store stealing stereo equipment including turntables. a short time later these turntables turned up on street corners etc with records being spun, with people playing around with DJ'ing and rapping over records and eventually break dancing. Even George Jefferson from "The Jefferson's" is sometimes mentioned as an inspiration for rap. There was an episode where George and his housekeeper where trading insults at each other in the form of rhymes and in the end one of them runs out of things to say and say's "Yo mama". some say this was what inspired rap battles and trash talking your opponent. These insult rhymes is often said to also come from a poem called "Signifying Monkey" which told the story of a foul mouth monkey who kept trash talking a lion and eventually got what's coming to him. Comedien Rudy Ray Moore used to do a routine on the Signifying Monkey. I know this all seems like a stretch, but I've read this stuff on Wikipedia in the past. And of course nobody on Wikipedia would ever make anything up! lol

George and his maid Florence would often partake in the Black tradition called "The Dozens", which musically can also be traced back to Bo Diddley record "Say Man", perfect example of Dozens to music. Red Foxx was no slouch either, when it came to dozens...Rap is a product of the late 70's by definition (term coined), certainly the roots can be traced back as far as any example can be quoted. IMO usually those were traditionally classified as "Spoken Word"...this is like my statement that Doo-Wop was coined in the early 70's and is now retro-fit back to the dawn of time..

 

[Tom Wells]

Scary. I wuz just playing "Say Man".

 

[hornet61]

Scary. I wuz just playing "Say Man".

Jerome - "I've been trying to figure out what you Is."
Bo-"I already figured out what you is, you is the thing I throw peanuts at"

 

[GridLeakBias]

Nobody has mentioned early "rap" from Pigmeat Markham (Here come de judge), Johnny Cash,and this is stretch, but some people consider the band Reunion's "Life is a Rock" to be an early rap tune. Some trace the beginnings of modern rap to the New York blackout of 1977. According to wikipedia, back in '77 during a blackout looters robbed numerous store stealing stereo equipment including turntables. a short time later these turntables turned up on street corners etc with records being spun, with people playing around with DJ'ing and rapping over records and eventually break dancing. Even George Jefferson from "The Jefferson's" is sometimes mentioned as an inspiration for rap. There was an episode where George and his housekeeper where trading insults at each other in the form of rhymes and in the end one of them runs out of things to say and say's "Yo mama". some say this was what inspired rap battles and trash talking your opponent. These insult rhymes is often said to also come from a poem called "Signifying Monkey" which told the story of a foul mouth monkey who kept trash talking a lion and eventually got what's coming to him. Comedien Rudy Ray Moore used to do a routine on the Signifying Monkey. I know this all seems like a stretch, but I've read this stuff on Wikipedia in the past. And of course nobody on Wikipedia would ever make anything up! lol

George and his maid Florence would often partake in the Black tradition called "The Dozens", which musically can also be traced back to Bo Diddley record "Say Man", perfect example of Dozens to music. Red Foxx was no slouch either, when it came to dozens...Rap is a product of the late 70's by definition (term coined), certainly the roots can be traced back as far as any example can be quoted. IMO usually those were traditionally classified as "Spoken Word"...this is like my statement that Doo-Wop was coined in the early 70's and is now retro-fit back to the dawn of time..

The Dozens is a contest of personal power: wit, self-control, verbal ability, mental acuity, and toughness. Among African Americans it is also known as "sounding", "joning", "woofing", "wolfing", "sigging", or "signifying", and can be traced back [in the U.S.] to as early as 1939. It really got tough when one would start with "Yo Mama." 8)