Blurb from Wax Poetics:
In celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th year, we’ve teamed up with London based ‘Classic Material’ to present a chronologically themed series of mixtapes celebrating the history of recorded Rap music, mixed by Chris Read. Bridging the gap between the disco rap of the early 80s and the early sample based hip hop of the mid to late 80s (featured on the mixes posted in this series to date) is a rich groove of drum machine led rap tracks characterised by the raw stripped down sound of bass heavy 808 kicks and snappy hand claps. But somewhere else in the melting pot of music released in that same era is the unlikely blend of fast paced electronic beats, funk, rap and leftfield European electronica that formed the Electro scene of the day. Whilst 80s Electro sub-genres are plentiful, this mix doesn’t concentrate too heavily on any one of them; West Coast dancefloor cuts from the likes of Egyptian Lover rub shoulders with European pioneers Kraftwerk and other US Electro Rap and Electro Funk. Cover art pays homage to Street Sounds iconic 80s ‘Electro’ compilation series.
Track list:
1. Technofunk – Mirda Rock
2. Grandmixer DST & The Infinity Rappers – Grandmixer Cuts It Up
3. Ultimate 3 MCs – What Are We Gonna Do?
4. G.L.O.B.E & Whiz Kid – Play That Beat Mr. DJ
5. Two Sisters feat G.L.O.B.E – B Boys Beware
6. Dynamix II – Give the DJ a Break
7. Nairobi – Funky Soul Makossa
8. Tyrone Brunson – The Smurf
9. A Andre – Back to Love (Remix)
10. Sentinel Fly – Jam the House
11. Egyptian Lover – Egypt Egypt
12. Kraftwerk – Tour De France
13. G Rockers – Fantasy Machine
14. Arabian Prince – Fantasy