On Mon, 19 Feb 1996, John Schauer wrote:
> It's always silly to argue origins, but..... This seems like a simple test to
> see whether rap was brought whole-cloth from Jamaica.
> 1) Are there any pre-1980 Jamaican recordings that most people today would
> recognize as "rap"? No
> 2) Are there any pre-1980 American recordings that most people today would
> recognize as "rap"? There are dozens including Jimmy Spicer, the Sugarhill Gang,
> etc.
>
I won't flame you about the Jamaica-Rap connection. It's an established fact.
But, the litmus test of "Are there any recordings...?" is silly.
Hey, did John Coltrane really play Clarinet in High School before picking
up the alto (even before the tenor!)? Nope, there were no recordings.
Later,
Tim From Buffalo