[ptmusic]

I remember hearing Rapper's Delight back in about '80 too. And a few other really early rap songs - I grew up in NYC - it's possible I heard some stuff before Rapper's Delight, but unlikely.

I got really into it in the mid-80's in college: my roommate was a "New Yorican" from the South Bronx and he'd bring a new mix tape back from the ghetto after every vacation. So we'd all get into all the "freshest jams." Plus, of course, there was the first Run DMC album (I'm DMC in the place to be / I went to St. John's University...), the first Beastie Boys album, and some other gems like Eric B. and Rakim, LL Cool J's early stuff, Doug E. Fresh....

In the 90's I ended up working for Death Row Records. Now I don't get into rap as much any more; it's probably partly me, and probably partly the music, but rap just isn't as fun as it used to be (with a few notable exceptions).