The break beats from the cult classic flick are being released in a seven disc set
As one of the first films recording the hip hop lifestyle, Wild Style documents the beginning of the movement, and became a cornerstone in spreading the message in its first years.
Directed by Charlie Ahearn, the film features icons of the period. Pioneers like Fab Five Freddy, Lady Pink, artist Lee Quinones, The Cold Crush Brothers, Queen Lisa Lee of Zulu Nation, the Rock Steady Crew, the still popular Grandmaster Flash, and graffiti artist Zephyr are just some of the names included.
Instead of choosing the breakbeat singles popular at the time of the movie, Ahearn had Fab Five Freddy commission the tracks for the film. Over a one week period in 1981, the Wild Style breakbeats 12″ was recorded, and given to the DJs in the film. The pressings were limited to 100 white label copies, and were used by most of the live performers in the film. The soundtrack has been described by AllMusic as “one of the keyrecords of early 8os hip hop”.
Out of the 13 breakbeats on the record, only about 5 were used in the film, which left eight to be scattered to the unknown since there was no commercial run of the record.
But today, UK’s FACT Magazine reported that star-DJ Kenny Dope obtained the original reel-to-reel tapes used in the recording process. He then went on toremaster and extend the tracks beyond the original minute-long runtimes for what will be the set’s first official release. Kenny’s Kay-Dee Records has teamed with reissue specialists Get On Down for the debut of the label’s “Book Series” and will release the product Wild Style Breakbeats as a set of seven 45 records. The records are joined by a 28-page line note book that doubles as a “casebook”. The set is due out August 12.
-Curt Cramer (@CurtisRemarc)
