Guardian Music — October 1980: Number 6 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of R&B and hip-hop musicKurt Walker has a number of claims on the history of hip-hop. Under the moniker Kurtis Blow, he was the first rapper to sign to a major label, Mercury. H... more info

Guardian Music — 1984: Number 8 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of R&B and hip-hop musicThe Def Jam label holds an almost mythical status within hip-hop. How come? After all, it was far from the first to put out rap music and, though it released num... more info

Guardian Music — 1984: Number 9 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of R&B and hip-hop musicHip-hop had planted roots on the west coast by the early 80s but it was stylistically in hock to the east coast. When Ice T released Body Rock he was already 25.... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — Basketball and rap music have been intertwined since the days of Kurtis Blow. As the shibboleth goes: Rappers want to be ballers, ballers want to be rappers, and occasionally, Shaquille O' Neal accomplishes both. Then again, it helps when you... more info

AllHipHop — The Black Eyed Peas have been hired to perform at the Estate of Russian billionaire Ramon Abramovich on New Years Eve. The Peas will head to St. Barts, where the group will party and perform with Abramovich, on his 70-acre, $90 million dollar private... more info

Culture Bully — Prior to the released of Blow's classic track "The Breaks," "Christmas Rappin'" was released as the first rap single on a major label. It was only after the song's success that mercury went forward with the release of his now legendary single. more info

Perez Hilton — OMG! This is crazy! When rapper, Kurtis Blow, went through security at LAX on Thursday morning, TSA officers said that they saw "an anomoly" (lol) in his pants. A pat down followed, which led them to find the weed that was in his pocket! Since it wa... more info

ContactMusic — Rap pioneer KURTIS BLOW has been fined for drug possession after airport security guards found a stash of marijuana on him during a body scan in Los Angeles.The hip-hop... more info

411 Mania — At LAX... more info

E! Online — While they have yet to catch any would-be terrorist, those TSA body scanners did manage to weed out poor Kurtis Blow. The legendary MC was popped this morning at LAX for possessing a... more info