Kurtis Blow

About Kurtis Blow

Kurtis Blow is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer, widely recognized as a pioneering figure in old school and East Coast hip hop. Born Kurtis Walker, he made history as the first commercially successful rapper and the first to sign with a major record label, Mercury Records, in 1979. His 1980 single "The Breaks" became the first certified gold record rap song. Blow was also the first hip-hop artist to film a commercial and to bring rap to Europe. Beyond his groundbreaking music, which includes hits like "Christmas Rappin'", "If I Ruled the World", and "Basketball", he has produced for other artists such as The Fat Boys and Run-D.M.C. In recent years, Kurtis Blow remains active in the hip-hop community and beyond. As of April 2026, he serves as the executive director of Hip Hop Alliance, working with SAG-AFTRA to advocate for fair wages and benefits for artists. He was unanimously elected Chairman of the Universal Hip Hop Museum in 2016, which is slated to open in October 2026 in the Bronx. Blow has also been the Guest MC for "The Hip Hop Nutcracker" national tours. In June 2021, he launched "The Breaks" as the first classic hip hop NFT collection, designed by his son, Michael Walker. An ordained minister, he founded the Hip Hop Church in Harlem and discussed it in July 2025. He is also scheduled to headline the SUNY Old Westbury homecoming concert on October 4, 2025, and has discussed a new remix of his song "Basketball". In April 2024, Kurtis Blow was inducted into the National Hip Hop Museum.