On this day in 1983, the trailblazing rap trio Whodini, then consisting of Jalil and Ecstacy, without Grandmaster D, released their self-titled debut album, Whodini, on Jive Records.
Primarily produced by British synth-pop innovator and Grammy-nominated composer Thomas Dolby, the project didn’t make major waves commercially at the time. Still, it made its mark on the charts. The electro-funk single “Magic’s Wand” climbed to No. 11 on the Dance Club Songs chart and peaked at No. 45 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs list. Meanwhile, the haunting Halloween-themed “The Haunted House of Rock,” produced by Willesden Dodgers, reached No. 27 on the Dance Club chart and No. 55 on the R&B chart.
Clocking in at just under 45 minutes, the eight-track LP defied the norms of early 1980s music, when longer albums were the standard. But in hip hop’s early full-length album era, Whodini delivered extended tracks that helped set the tone for rap’s crossover appeal and evolution.
Respect is due to Jalil, the late Ecstacy, and eventually Grandmaster D for helping lay the foundation of hip-hop as we know it. Their early work continues to influence the culture to this day.