12.30 - Happy 34th Bday to Asher D & Daddy Freddy’s 1988 LP (Music Of Life/Profile), “Ragamuffin Hip-Hop”!
“Ragamuffin Hip-Hop” was the first and only album released by the Jamaican born but UK formed DJ duo. In addition to being a dope album, it is important because it is believed to be the first full length album blending UK/Jamaican DJ toasting styles with hip hop beats. (If you know if another, please share in the comments.)
“Ragamuffin Hip Hop”, the song, and later the album, were released in the UK on indy label Music Of Life Records. That label started by packaging US hip hop in compilations for the UK market. The success of that encouraged the label owners, Simon Harris and DJ Froggy, to find local hip hop talent for the English market. Music Of Life would be critical to the development of UK hip hop and would eventually license some of its music to US labels for distribution. Profile Records would become one of those labels.
Daddy Freddy had been releasing material as a solo artist in the UK since 1984. Simon Harris signed him to Music Of Life and teamed him up with Asher D. Their partnership would be brief, but, critical.
“Ragamuffin Hip Hop” became popular in the UK in 1987, but, caught the ear of Profile Records’ owner Corey Robbins after legendary New York DJ Mr. Magic started playing it on his WBLS hip hop radio show. Magic had discovered the song at the New Music Seminar.
Asher D. and Daddy Freddy would both pursue solo careers after “Ragamuffin Hip Hop”. While neither would have international success again, they blazed a trail for the reggae/hip hop fusion that would come in the early 1990’s.
I could not confirm the actual release date or month of this album. Only that it was released in 1988 in the UK. The version pictured here is the 1989 Profile US vinyl release - it had been released on CD and cassette in the US in 1988. If you have more details, please share them.
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