Various Artists – Wild Style (Various Artists) [CD]

Animal Records – founded by Chris Stein of Blondie fame – only ever released one album in it’s brief early-80s history, but what an album that was. Wild Style remains the most seminal soundtrack in hip-hop history, a snapshot of the scene as it evolved from the streets to the recording studio. But it’s not just a vital document, it’s also a damn good listen. The line-up is a who’s who of those who stood out from hip-hop’s nascent block party days. The Double Trouble pairing of Rodney Cee and KK Rockwell, The Chief Rocker himself, Busy Bee, the mighty line-ups of both The Cold Crush Brothers and The Fantastic Freaks. The music captures the free-form, roaming nature of the film – it’s rough at the edges, it’s occasionally amateurish, but it’s completely, utterly glorious.The original Animal tracklisting, of which this is a reissue, is full of recurring sounds and motifs, all of them co-produced by Chris Stein and Fab Five Freddy, stepping away from breakbeats to produce a sound that reminds you of them, while being totally unique. The epic drums are courtesy of Lenny ‘Ferrari’ Ferraro, a Vietnam vet and punk drummer whose career spanned stints backing Aretha Franklin and Lou Reed.Over time, those sounds – the Charlie Chase and Grand Wizard Theodore scratches, the indelible lyrics – have become hip-hop touchstones, endlessly sampled and referenced, the bedrock of so much music to follow. That’s because the soundtrack perfectly encapsulated the essence of the film, the scene and hip-hop’s emergence from The Bronx to the attention of the wider world. Presented in this reissue with the original artwork, it remains the blueprint.

Tracklist:

1. Grand Master Caz ; Chris Stein – Wild Style Theme Rap 1
2. The Chief Rocker Busy Bee vs Lil Rodney Cee ;D.J. Grand Wizard Theodore – M.C. Battle
3. The Cold Crush Bros vs The Fantastic Freaks – Basketball Throwdown
4. Kevie Kev, Master Rob, Prince Whipper Whip, M.C., Rubie Dee, Dota Rock, D.J. Grand Wizard Theodore – Fantastic Freaks At The Dix
5. Grand Wizard Theodore ; D.J. Kevie Kev Rockwell – Military Cut-Scratch Mix
6. Grand Master Caz, JDL, Easy AD, KG, D.J. Charlie Chase, D.J. Toney Tone – Cold Crush Bros. at The Dixie
7. Double Trouble, Rodney Cee, K. K. Rockwell – Stoop Rap
8. Rodney Cee, K. K. Rockwell, D.J. Stevie Steve – Double Trouble At The Amphitheatre
9. Grand Master Caz ; Chris Stein – Wild Style Subway Rap 2
10. The Chief Rocker Busy Bee, DJ AJ – The Chief Rocker Busy Bee, D.J. AJ At The Amphitheatre
11. D.J. Grand Wizard Theodore ; Kevie Kev Rockwell – Gangbusters Scratch Mix
12. Rammellzee ; Shock Dell ; The Grand Mixer DST – Rammellzee And Shock Dell At The Amphitheatre ^1.13

UPC: 7119691282718
Label: Mr Bongo
Release Date: 6.17.22
Format: CD