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{{Infobox musical artist
| Name                = Kurtis Blow
| Img                 = Kurtisblowalbum.jpg
| Img_capt            = Blow's Debut album
| Img_size            = 
| Background          = solo_singer
| Birth_name          = Curtis Walker
| Alias               = 
| Born                = [[August 9]], [[1959]]
| Died                = 
| Origin              = [[Harlem]], [[New York City]], [[United States|US]]
| Instrument          = [[Keyboard instrument|Keyboards]], [[Singer|Vocals]]
| Genre               = [[Old school hip hop]]
| Occupation          = [[Rapping|Rapper]], [[Record producer|Producer]], [[Disc jockey|DJ]]
| Years_active        = 1979 to 1988
| Label               = [[Mercury Records|Mercury]]
| Associated_acts     = 
| URL                 = 
| Notable_instruments =
}}

'''Curtis "Kurtis Blow" Walker,''' (born on [[August 9]], [[1959]], in [[Harlem]], [[New York]]) is one of the pioneer [[rapping|rappers]] in the recording industry, and [[hip hop culture|hip hop]]'s first [[mainstream]] [[celebrity|star]].  "The Breaks" (1980) is one of hip hop's undisputed classics, with its catchy [[disco]] tune and rapping style. Blow was influenced by [[DJ Hollywood]].  

He became an MC in his own right around 1977, and changed his name to Kurtis Blow (as in a body blow) at the suggestion of his manager, future rap mogul Russell Simmons.  Blow began his career in [[New York City]] in the mid-[[1970s]], when he was a [[breakdance]]r until switching to [[Disc jockey|DJ]]ing under the name Kool DJ Kurt and then finally rapping. He was the first rapper to record a full length [[album]] on a [[major label]] (1979). This occurred after recording "Christmas Rappin", his first single; during this time, "[[Rapper's Delight]]" by the [[Sugarhill Gang]] became the first hit for hip hop. The whole field was derided as a fad, though, and thus there was much resistance to signing Blow.

He has appeared in the [[feature film]]s ''[[Krush Groove]]'' and ''[[The Show (film)|The Show]]''. [[Bob Dylan]] appeared on Kurtis Blow's 1986 album, ''Kingdom Blow''. And in 2004, he recorded the song "Hey Everybody" with [[Max C]] and [[Bomfunk MC's]] for their album, ''[[Reverse Psychology (album)|Reverse Psychology]]''.  He also co-wrote songs with [[The Fat Boys]], including their signature songs, "Fat Boys" (1984) and "The Fat Boys Are Back" (1985).

<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:kurtisblow2.jpg|frame|Curtis Walker]] -->
Kurtis Blow also became the first hip hop [[musician]] embraced by the mainstream advertising industry with his appearance in a [[Television advertisement|commercial]] for the [[soft drink]], [[Sprite (soft drink)|Sprite]].

He is currently a DJ on [[Backspin 43]], which is the [[old school hip hop]] station on the [[Sirius Satellite Radio]] service.  According to an interview with I Suppose Productions, he is also currently a theology major working to enter the ministry.  According to Blow, "Man's real [[telos]]... the real purpose in life, is to serve God."

==Discography==
* ''[[Kurtis Blow (album)|Kurtis Blow]]'' (1979) (Mercury)
* ''Deuce'' (1981)
* ''Tough'' (1982)
* ''Party Time'' (EP) (1983)
* ''[[Ego Trip (Kurtis Blow album)|Ego Trip]]'' (1984)
**features "Basketball" and "If I Ruled The World" as well as an appearance by [[Run DMC]]
* ''Rapper in Town'' (compilation) (1984)
* ''[[America (Kurtis Blow album)|America]]'' (1985)
* ''Kingdom Blow'' (1986)
* ''Back by Popular Demand'' (1988)

==External links==
*[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Kurtis+Blow Kurtis Blow at Discogs]
*[http://ohhla.com/anonymous/kurt_blw/ Lyrics]
*[http://www.sirius.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Sirius/Page&c=Channel&cid=1104779639871&s=person DJs on Backspin 43 (Sirius Satellite Radio)]
*[http://rhino.com/Features/liners/72851lin.html Kurtis Blow Presents: The History Of Rap, Vol. 1]

[[Category:1959 births|Blow, Kurtis]]
[[Category:African American musicians|Blow, Kurtis]]
[[Category:American rappers|Blow, Kurtis]]
[[Category:African American rappers|Blow, Kurtis]]
[[Category:Living people|Blow, Kurtis]]
[[Category:People from New York City|Blow, Kurtis]]
[[Category:Rappers known by pseudonyms|Blow, Kurtis]]

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