This 1977 NYC Party Mix Shows How The Earliest Hip-Hop Parties Sounded (Audio)

Thanks to the series “The Get Down,” many are newly fascinated with 1970s New York City and the genesis of Hip-Hop. DJ’ing, rapping, graffiti, and breakin’ came together harmoniously in an overall form of expression that reflected the complexities of city-dwelling at a specific time in fashion, music, visual art, government, and gang culture.

For “The Get Down,” which Nas executive produced (and contributed writing), series creators called upon Hip-Hop pioneers to teach the cast the ways of the ’70s. Grandmaster Flash and others were brought in to drive a feeling of authenticity. In addition to incredible photography archives and films like Wild Style, Rubble Kings, and Style Wars, there are other original relics of media available from those days.

Hass718 has compiled several ’70s dubs of party mixes and digitized them. Last year, Ambrosia For Heads shared a recording from a 1977 party at Elmhurst, Queens’ 127 Park. Now, here is Side B from that original cassette tape, as curated by Hass718.

Wonder What A 1977 New York City Park Jam Sounded Like? Press Play… (Mix)

In addition to reminders of multiple DJ responsibilities at live parties in the day, see: “I’ve got Colt 45 and Miller” plugs (6:30) to hustle some ice cold beer and “Raymond Thomas, please come to the turntables,” (24:00), this 40-plus minute set grooves. It is book-ended by Munich Machine’s “Get On The Funk Train” and Giorgio Moroder’s “From Here To Eternity.” Both tracks were brand new in ’77, showing just how fresh these DJs kept their record crates.

While no traditional Hip-Hop or Rap music is heard, Heads will hear the bass-lines and extensive percussion that encouraged dancers to get up and get down. This comes from Disco, Funk, and progressive Jazz cuts of the day. Many of the vinyl plates that controlled this particular party feature no words. These rhythms and break-downs would be the eventual place where MCs like Cold Crush Brothers, Coke La Rock, and “Chief Rocka” Busy Bee would spit their syncopated rhymes that defined the times.

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As a note, Moroder worked with Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, and Nile Rodgers on 2013’s Random Access Memories. That effort took the Grammy honors for “Album Of The Year.”