Funky Four Plus One
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Funky Four Plus One (sometimes written Funky 4 + 1) was an early hip hop group. Formed in 1979, the group was notable in that it was one of the first hip hop acts to contain a female MC in Sha Rock. The group is notable for being the first hip hop act to appear on a national television show when they went on Saturday Night Live in 1981, on an episode hosted by Deborah Harry. Because season six was widely-panned by SNL fans, many have purposefully forgotten this appearance and mistakenly name Run-D.M.C. [who appeared on season 12 episode hosted by Malcolm Jamal-Warner] as the first rap group SNL has had on the show). The group managed this without actually releasing a full length album.
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[edit] Members
Original members were Keith Keith (Keith Caesar), Sha Rock (Sharon Green), KK Rockwell (Kevin Smith), Rahiem (Guy Todd Williams) and Jazzy Jeff see note 1 (Jeffrey Myree). Later Raheim left the group to join Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five and was replaced by Lil' Rodney Cee (Rodney Stone).
[edit] Career
With the addition of Lil` Rodney Cee,then Jazzy Jeff,the group became the Funky Four,with D.J. Breakout and Baron. None of the group were older than 17 when they signed with the Enjoy label,opening that imprint`s account(in rap terms)with"Rappin` And Rocking The House". This utilized the Cheryl Lynn break,"Got To Be Real",over which a 16-minute rap commentary was placed. The drums were programmed by Pumpkin,arguably rap`s first production hero,and it was an impressive overall introduction.
Shortly afterwards they switched to Sugarhill, adding the Plus One More suffix. In addition to this cast D.J. Mark The 45 King would act as Breakout`s record boy, locating and passing records up to the decks as his D.J. requested them. They made their debut for Sugarhill in[[1980] with "Thats The Joint", a song arranged by jazz-funk organist Clifton Jiggs Chase. Their performances at Bronx house parties included full blown dance routines.
After a clash with the Cash Crew, their career petered out. Lil` Rodney Cee and KK Rockwell would go on to be partners in fellow under-achievers, Double Trouble. At which time Rodney Cee would marry Angela(Angie B)Brown of Sequence fame
Jazzy Jeff went off to have a solo career.
[edit] Released tracks
- That's The Joint
- Rapping & Rocking The House
- The Mexican
- Do You Want To Rock
- King Heroin
- Square Biz
- Feel It
- Superstars
[edit] References
- http://www.jayquan.com/funk4.htm
- http://www.jayquan.com/funk4int.htm
- http://www.myspace.com/funkyfour
[edit] Notes
1. Note that Jazzy Jeff from Funky Four Plus One is not the same artist as DJ Jazzy Jeff from DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. In fact when Jazzy Jeff was setting up a solo career after Funky Four Plus One split up around 1983 he sued Jive Records (who had subsequently signed DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince) and won a lawsuit against over the rights to the name Jazzy Jeff.
