Search - Grandmaster Flash :: Definitive Groove

The best compilation available for the rap/hip-hop pioneers

Kevin H. Dudley | Roanoke, VA (USA) | 08/02/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 2 disc compilation from Rhino (part of their Definitive Collections) is the best compilation available for the rap/hip-hop pioneers Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel & the Furious Five.



It features 23 tracks and what's nice is that they put the album verions of all of the songs on here instaed of any single mixes which in turn almost maxes out each disc.



Disc one with 11 tracks covers from 1980 to 1984 and clocks out at 74:48 in length.



Disc two which has 12 tracks and clocks out at 73:38. It starts out with a track from 1983 and then covers from 1984 to 1987. The last 2 tracks on disc 2 are listed as "extended scratch mixes" and are better than the original versions in my opinion.



All of the tracks have been brilliantly remastered and sound like they could have been released yesterday.



Like the rest of the entries in Rhino's Definitive Collection, each track is listed with complete source information along with all chart annotations. There's also a great mini-bio of the group that follows their journey throughout the 80's.



One thing that I particularly liked is that they included their track from the Miami Vice show called simply "Vice". So you get all the hits on here along with other tracks that you might have never heard before.



I would recommend this set over the single disc greatest hits from 1994 due to the much improved sound and the deeper selection of material.



Highly recommended for people wanting to see where rap/hip-hop came from."