Though it became a recurrent theme in the '90s, tracks from the old school rarely dealt with the cold reality of life on the streets. One of the first tracks to push rap from novelty songs into social commentary was Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five's "The Message," with its chilling prophecy, "Don't push me 'cuz I'm close to the edge, I'm tryin' not to lose my head/It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under." It sure didn't hurt that the production was a gem too, bringing in elements of dub, electro, and R&B to appeal to almost everyone listening to urban radio in the early '80s.
The Message
Duke Bootee / Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five / Grandmaster Melle Mel / Melle Mel
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Song Review by John Bush
Appears On
| Year | Artist/Album | Label | Time | AllMusic Rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
1994 | Rhino | 7:02 |