80s Hip Hop Records That I Picked Up In New Orleans This Weekend

This weekend, I was in new Orleans for a wedding and managed to hit a couple of record shops on my free day. I was able to find some great scores- mostly hip hop stuff. Today, I share some of those finds with you!

Warp 9
"Beat Wave"
1983

Warp 9 was a great early electro\hip hop\ pop crossover group from the early 80s. They were a studio project turned live band that was the brainchild of Lotti Golden (a singer-songwriter turned producer who had a forgotten record in the late 60s and then later an 80s club hit) and Richard Scher. They had a great futuristic and catchy electro-laden sound."Light Years Away," was the first one I remember hearing, which I have probably shared before, as it's one of my favorites. Golden would go on to work with notable artists such as Diana Ross, Arthur Baker, Al Green, Taylor Dayne and Brenda K Starr. This particular cut also had help from "Jellybean,"probably best known for his work with Madonna.

The Evasions
"Wikka Wrap 2"
1988

The original Wikka Wrap is one of those early 80s novelty rap records that had become infamous for the artists that have sampled it, most notably C-list 90s rap star, Coolio in his 1995 hit song "1,2,3,4(Sumpin' New)." This song itself was a parody\interpretation of Tom Browne's hit "Funkin for Jamaica" and was a top 20 song on the UK charts and hit the top 20 R&B chart in the USA. It is an announcer imitating the host of a UK documentary news program, Whicker's World," one I was unfamiliar with until doing a little background research. I further found out that the artists eventually did the theme song for that very show in a later season🤔🧐🌍! I guess they tried to strike lightning twice with this late 80s sequel, which seems to use the same formula as the first but drenched in late 80s cheese.

The '06 Style
"Schoolhouse Rock\GIG-Get It Going"
1987

I had never heard of these guys but they were a group fraternity members in college and one of them, Tim Reid II is the son of actor Tim Reid, AKA "Venus Flytrap" from television program, "WKRP In Cincinnati," a sitcom from the late 70s\ early 80s that took place in a radio station. He might also be recognized from roles on "Simon& Simon" or as the dad in 90s twins sitcom, "Sister\Sister." The '06 style would go on to release a couple of "hip house" style that had a little more mainstream pop sound, but these two cuts are some pretty decent 1987 style hip hop.

Crash Crew
"Crash Crew"
1984

Crash Crew is one of my favorite early 80s groups and they are known for their vocal harmonizing and singing style that they often used, a style more popular in the early hip hop years. They were on Sugar Hill Records and this is their only full length record, a five song monster that I had never have seen in the shops, but this sealed repress was a must grab at $13, the most expensive item I found in the trip! Unfortunately, the Crash Crew only ever released a couple more singles later in the 80s and again in the 90s, so who knows what ever happened to them 😢. Enjoy their high-budget music video!

Thanks for reading...I hope you liked the jams!

....and just for fun, here is Tom Browne's classic, "Funkin' for Jamaica"

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