This day in Hip-hop throws back to its roots, highlighting the day that Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force birthed their classic record, Planet Rock: The Album.
Released in 1986, the album catalogued a laundry list of previous singles, which showcased the combined forces of Bambaataa's high-energy beats and innovative sounds, fusing with the likes of the Soulsonic Force ensemble's electro-funk styles—and the finished product was nothing short of defining a modern renaissance back in its time.
Detroit techno meets Miami bass, pushing for a distinct, electronic brand of dance music which became evident through hit-singles like “Searching for the Perfect Beat”, “Who Do You Think You're Funkin' With” which featured Grandmaster Melle Mel, not to mention the timeless single, “Renegades of Funk”, which was later covered by rap rock supergroup, Rage Against The Machine in an era still to come.
The album also featured their groundbreaking single of the same moniker, “Planet Rock” released four years prior, and yet, went to become acclaimed as among the pioneering hits in the Hip-hop genre, not to mention garnering multiple accolades, such as Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
The album in itself gained its rightful on the print, 1001 Albums You Must Before You Die,as well as inclusion on Slant Magazine's “Best Albums of the 1980's”, but forever acclaimed in Hip hop history as a timeless classic, ushering in the generation of sounds that followed.
By Jods Arboleda for RAPStation.com
