Arthur Baker - Arthur Baker presents Breaker’s Revenge – Original B-Boy and B-Girl Breakdance Classics 1970-84 [2LP]

Format: 2 x LP, gatefold sleeve with extensive sleeve notes
Catalogue No.: SJRLP553
Barcode: 5026328005539
Release Date: 14 Jun 2024
Genre: Hip Hop/Breakdance

“What I truly loved about early Hip-Hop was that the music thrown down by ‘Bam,  Grandmaster Flash, Jazzy Jay and Kool DJ Herc was genre-less, multi-cultural, music from  all ends of the world. This is the definitive collection, including all the classics (other than a  couple that alas we couldn’t get the rights to), and some real hard to find obscurities.”  Arthur Baker

Compiled by legendary producer Arthur Baker, ‘Breakers Revenge’ is a near-definitive collection of  original Funk, Soul, Latin, Disco and Electro classic tracks from 1970-1984. 

These tracks, a combination of classics and obscurities, have all since become legendary to Breakdancers everywhere. First played at South Bronx block parties, community halls and park jams in  the 1970s and 80s, spun endlessly by the first three major hip-hop DJs – Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash  and Afrika Bambaataa – and found in the record crates of any DJ of note ever since. 

Seminal funk and soul tracks such as Dennis Coffey’s ‘Scorpio’, The Jimmy Castor Bunch’s ‘It’s Just  Begun’, James Brown’s ‘Get on the Good Foot’, The Mohawks’ ‘Champ’ sit side-by-side here with the  ground-breaking, classic electro of Afrika Bambaataa’s ‘Planet Rock’, and Arthur Baker’s own definitive  ‘Breaker’s Revenge.’

Breakdancing has come a long way from its New York roots to its respected position as an art form  today where, for the first time ever, it is to be featured in the Olympics held in Paris this August 2024. 

The ‘breakbeat’ remains at the very heart of hip-hop, the mercurial funk, soul and disco tracks, always  100% guaranteed to get B-Boys, B-Girls and Breakdancers moving at any block party, with the  percussive breakdown of each track the pinnacle soundtrack to any dance/battle between Breakdancers  of any note.

Similarly these tracks have been sampled many 1000s of times over by every hip-hop artist and  producer of note. KRS-ONE, Marley Marl, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Public Enemy, Eric B, The Fugees, Outkast,  Mos Def, Main Source, Jungle Brothers, LL Cool J, De La Soul and, well, everyone! 

Compiler Arthur Baker played a pivotal role in hip-hop history when in 1982 he produced Afrika  Bambaataa’s seminal ‘Planet Rock’ (as featured here), introducing electronic instruments into hip-hop  for the first time ever and in the process created electro. After ‘Planet Rock’, Arthur Baker went on to  remix or produce every major artist of note –from New Order to the Rolling Stones, Al Green to the Pet  Shop Boys.

This Soul Jazz Records vinyl release is presented  as a deluxe gatefold double vinyl with two  bespoke inner sleeves and download code, and  the double CD comes in a digi-case with full  notes and booklet. Both formats come complete  with an introduction by Arthur Baker, extensive sleevenotes, including a track-by-track  breakdown by hip-hop historian JayQuan,  and striking images from photographer  Sophie Bramly.

1. Dennis Coffey and The Detroit Guitar Band - Scorpio
2. The Jimmy Castor Bunch - It's Just Begun
3. B.T. Express - Energy Level
4. James Brown - Get On The Good Foot
5. Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock
6. Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa
7. Esther Williams - Last Night Changed It All
8. The Mohawks - The Champ
9. Herman Kelly & Life - Dance To The Drummer’s Beat
10. Spanky Wilson - Sunshine of Your Love
11. James Brown - Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose
12. Candido - Soulwanco
13. Arthur Baker - Breaker's Revenge
14. Manu Dibango - The Panther
15. Abaco Dream - Life and Death in G & A
16. The Jackson 5 - Dancing Machine
17. Mongo Santamaria - Cloud Nine
18. Edwin Starr - I Just Wanna Do My Thing
19. Badder Than Evil - Hot Wheels

More From This Artist: Abaco Dream Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force Arthur Baker B.T. Express Badder Than Evil Candido Dennis Coffey and The Detroit Guitar Band Edwin Starr Esther Williams Herman Kelly & Life James Brown Manu Dibango Mongo Santamaria Spanky Wilson The Jackson 5 The Jimmy Castor Bunch The Mohawks