Various Artists - Wild Style: 25th Anniversary Edition

Signals from a lost world; loud, proud and vastly expanded

No amount of old school repackaging can convey the excitement and sheer freshness of hip-hop’s crude beginnings in the South Bronx parks. Wild Style was the first glimpse the world got of block party culture, graffiti raids and the roots of the vibrant new music which had risen out of the burnt-out ruins of the South Bronx like a modern urban blues. In the 30 years since its birth, hip-hop has grown into a glossy big-bucks shadow of its former funky self, rather like the city which spawned it. This soundtrack is a beautiful reminder of how it all began, and a rare look at a long-lost world. The original album was released on Blondie’s Animal label, with Chris Stein bringing in Fab 5 Freddy as musical director. The roll-call is like a who’s-who of hip-hop pioneers, including Grandmaster Caz, Cold Crush, DST and Grand Wizard Theodore. The music is basic, scratched-up funk, the rhymes flowing, often volcanic and oddly innocent. Stein’s trio provides music too, expanded as instrumentals amid another CD of offcuts. With dialogue snippets, the atmosphere is electric. A million miles from the panto-pantaloons of Fiddy and co, Wild Style boasts a positive message and should be compulsory in schools.

Mr Bongo | MRBCD 055

Reviewed by Kris Needs
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