Kurtis Blow makes rap music. He makes songs with words and beats. He was a big star. He helps make music for others too. He loves his work very much. Do you like to hear music?
Kurtis Blow is a famous rap star. He was the first rapper to sign with a big music company. He made many songs that people loved to hear. One song, called "The Breaks," was a very big hit.
He also helps other singers make their music. He has made many albums in his life. He even worked on a show on Netflix.
Kurtis loves his music and his work. He is also a minister in a church. He helps lead worship with music.
He helps lead a museum for hip hop music. This museum will open in the Bronx soon. It is a special place for music history.
Kurtis Blow is a famous American rapper. He is also a songwriter and a producer. He was the first rapper to sign with a major record label. This was a big step for hip hop music. His song "The Breaks" was a huge hit. It was the first rap song to be certified gold. This means it sold a lot of copies.
Kurtis has made 17 albums in his career. He also helps other artists make their music. He worked with groups like Run DMC and The Fat Boys. He even helped make the song "King Holiday." This song celebrated a new U.S. holiday.
Kurtis does many different things. He has acted in films. He has worked on radio shows. He also travels to perform for troops. He is a minister in a church in Harlem. There, he leads worship with music.
He helps lead the Hip Hop Museum. This museum will open in the Bronx in 2026. He also started a group called The Bboy Committee. This group helps with the dance part of the museum. They celebrate break dancing and other styles.
Kurtis Blow is a famous American rapper and songwriter. He is also a record producer. He was the first rapper to sign with a major record label. This was a very big deal for hip hop music. His song "The Breaks" was a huge success. It was the first rap song to be a certified gold record. This means it sold many copies to people everywhere.
Making music is a big job that Kurtis does in many ways. He writes songs and produces music for other artists too. He helped create hits for groups like Run DMC and The Fat Boys. He even helped make the song "King Holiday." This song celebrated the very first Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1986. He also works as a DJ and a worship leader.
Kurtis grew up in Harlem, which is in New York City. He went to school at CCNY and Nyack College. He studied film and communications while he was a student. In 1979, he was only twenty years old. That is when he signed with Mercury, a major record label. His first big song for them was called "Christmas Rappin'." It sold more than 400,000 copies.
Throughout his long career, Kurtis has released 17 albums. Some of his famous albums are named "Deuce" and "Ego Trip." His album "America" was praised for its music video. He also worked on many films and documentaries. One famous series about hip hop is called "Hip-Hop Evolution." He even traveled to the Middle East to perform for troops. He played seventeen shows for them in 2002.
Today, Kurtis helps keep the history of hip hop alive. He was elected Chairman of the Hip Hop Museum in 2016. This museum will open in the Bronx in October 2026. He also started a group called The Bboy Committee. This group includes people who created break dancing. They help with the dance section of the museum. Kurtis also serves as a minister in Harlem.
Kurtis Blow, born Kurtis Walker on August 9, 1959, is a pioneering American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He holds a significant place in music history as the first commercially successful rapper. He was also the first hip hop artist to sign with a major record label, Mercury. His work helped move hip hop from a local movement into a global industry. One of his most famous achievements is the single "The Breaks." Released on his 1980 self-titled debut album, it became the first certified gold rap song.
Walker’s career involves many different roles within the music industry. He began as a performer, writing and rapping his own songs. Later, he transitioned into music production, which means he helped oversee the making of songs for other artists. He worked with major groups like Run DMC and The Fat Boys. In fact, Run DMC’s members were originally billed as "The Son of Kurtis Blow." He also collaborated with many artists, including Lovebug Starski, Full Force, and Wyclef Jean.
His musical discography is quite large, consisting of 17 released albums. His early work includes the debut album *Kurtis Blow* and the R&B album *Deuce*. He explored different styles, such as the fusion of rap and go-go music on the album *Party Time*. His album *Ego Trip* featured hits like "8 Million Stories" and "Basketball." In 1985, his album *America* received praise for its title track music video. His song "If I Ruled the World" eventually became a top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Walker’s impact is often seen through the success of the songs he influenced. His single "Christmas Rappin'" sold over 400,000 copies in 1979. His follow-up, "The Breaks," sold more than 840,000 copies. Even decades later, his music continued to influence new artists. In 1996, the rapper Nas released a version of "If I Ruled the World" that reached number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. That version eventually went double platinum. Additionally, the group Next used samples from "Christmas Rappin'" in their 1998 hit "Too Close."
Beyond music, Walker has used his platform for social and cultural work. He has spoken out strongly against racism and participated in the "Sun City" record for Artists United Against Apartheid. He worked with organizations like Rev. Al Sharpton’s Action Network and Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Operation Push. In 1986, he produced "King Holiday" to celebrate the first Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He also served as a host for documentaries like *Das Leben Amerikanischer Gangs*. He was also a producer for the Netflix series *The Get Down*.
Walker’s life also includes deep connections to faith and community. He became an ordained minister on August 16, 2009. He founded the Hip Hop Church in Harlem, where he serves as a rapper, DJ, and worship leader. He has also worked in radio, hosting shows on Power 106 and Sirius Satellite Radio. In 2002, he traveled to the Middle East to perform seventeen shows for military troops. He even brought hip hop to the performing arts stage as the Guest MC for *The Hip Hop Nutcracker*.
Today, Kurtis Blow is dedicated to preserving the history of his culture. In 2016, he was unanimously elected Chairman of the Hip Hop Museum. This museum is planned to open in the Bronx in October 2026. He also formed "The Bboy Committee" to support the museum’s dance section. This group includes original creators of Bboying, also known as break dancing. By teaching and preserving these traditions, Walker ensures that the roots of hip hop are never forgotten.
Where will your curiosity go next?
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.