Saddler's family migrated to the United States, and he grew up in the Bronx. He became involved in the earliest Queensbridge, New York DJ scene, attending parties set up by early luminaries. Learning from Pete Jones and Kool Herc, he used duplicate copies of a single record and two turntables but added a dextrous manual edit with a mixer to promote the break (a point of isolated drum rhythm) - the ordinary playing of the record would be interrupted to overlay the break, the break could be repeated by using the mixer to switch channels while the second record was spun back. The speed and dexterity needed showed why Saddler was called Flash, although he got the nickname in school due to the fact that he hung around with another guy named Gordon (from Flash Gordon). He also invented the technique initially called cutting, which was developed by Grand Wizard Theodore into scratching (AMG).
Flash played illegal parties and also worked with rappers such as Kurtis Blow and Lovebug Starski. He formed his own group in the late 1970s, after promptings from Ray Chandler. The initial members were Cowboy (Keith Wiggins), Melle Mel (Melvin Glover) and Kid(d) Creole (Nathaniel Glover) making Grandmaster Flash & the 3 MCs. Two other rappers briefly joined, but they were replaced more permanently by Rahiem (Guy Todd Williams, previously in the Funky Four) and Scorpio (Eddie Morris, also used the name Mr. Ness) to create Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five. Soon gaining recognition for their skillful raps, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five pioneered MCing, freestyle battles, and invented some of the staple phrases in MCing. They performed at Disco Fever in the Bronx beginning in 1978.
Signed to Sugar Hill Records in 1980 by Joe Robinson, they released numerous singles, gaining a gold disc for "Freedom," and also toured. The classic "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel," released in 1981 was the best display of their skills (combining elements of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust", Chic's "Good Times" and samples from Blondie's Rapture), but it was their least successful single at the time. The group's most significant hit was "The Message" (1982), which was produced by in-house Sugar Hill producer Clifton "Jiggs" Chase and went platinum in less than a month. Flash sued Sugar Hill in 1983 over the non-payment of royalties, and in 1984 the group split between Flash and Mel before disintegrating entirely. Flash, Kid Creole and Rahiem signed to Elektra Records while the others continued as "Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five." (Mel notably appeared on Chaka Khan's I Feel for You). They reformed in 1987 for a charity concert, to release one album and then fell apart again. There was another reunion, of a kind, in 1994, although Cowboy died in 1989 from a drug overdose due to the effects of his crack cocaine addiction.
What If feat. KRS One
Grandmaster Flash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No Herc, No Flash, No Band, No Change, yo (?)
No DJ's, No grab, No breakers, No MC
What would the state of dope world truly be?
No throw your hands, no screaming, no noise no DJ's cutting
No be-Boys, no be-Girls, No graffiti, No nothing
If Hip Hop was never born? let me make this clear
It's not about a salary it's all about reality,
And Hip Hop is the reality that creates all these saleries.
HIP HOP, HIP HOP, HIP HOP
It's in the academies,
Hauled from the streets of the hood every family
But what if Hip Hop didn't exist?
There wouldn't be this, there wouldn't be Chris,
Or a Public Enemy with a black power fist.
No Queen Latifa, no Will Smith either,
There would only be tight jeans, tight suits and black sneakers.
No Tango hats either, no bandana headdress, no TV's in the headrest
Who would be a big mess, trust me
Drew it, without rap I'd be saying this here in country music.
We be no stars, imagine be-Boying over acoustic guitars,
Not the sixteen bars.
FEEL ME!
The art of sampling as well as cutting and scratching.
It's all ours.
But really think about it.
FEEL ME!
What if Hip Hop was never born, yo?
No Herc, No Flash, No Band, No Change, yo (?)
No DJ's, No grab, No breakers, No MC
What would the state of dope world truly be?
No throw your hands, no screaming, no noise no DJ's cutting
No be-Boys, no be-Girls, No graffiti, No nothing
What if Hip Hop was never born? let me make this clear
Just a thought if it (?)
So what if Hip Hop was never born?
Never (?)
Never forever wrong,
Never criticing our songs?
What if Hip Hop was never here?
Never that flavour in your ear,
Never that thing that make you want to say OH YEAH!
No street millionaires, no billionaires.
No Russell, No Diddy, No Wayne, No Chamillionaire
Let me get this clear, today you have a real choice,
Because of Hip Hops existence you have a real voice.
But what if Hip Hop never came around to the boogie down,
Never touched Herc and it touched another sound.
You wouldn't know about James Brown, Pull in the Funkdelic, the radio and still have a play in the sound. (?)
It's like wearing the same gown as a model,
Stepping off the runway and go eat out at McDonalds.
We was the models, and society was McDonalds
Comnplete with a presidential clown, McRonald.
But really...
What if Hip Hop was never born, yo?
No Herc, No Flash, No Band, No Change, yo (?)
No DJ's, No grab, No breakers, No MC
What would the state of dope world truly be?
No throw your hands, no screaming, no noise no DJ's cutting
No be-Boys, no be-Girls, No graffiti, No nothing
What if Hip Hop was never born?
Let me make this clear,
Just a thoughtif it(?)
Now that would be something
No scratching, no cutting
Now Listen,
No cars driving by with the boomin' systems,
No prison coz non of us would be in 'em,
No one would be advertisng that rap to our children.
Sure there be murder, and thugs and drugs
But they be on the low, and hardly heard of,
Except if you watch the news.
See,
If there was no Hip Hop in society,
Then there would be fewer alternative views.
See we not about to lose.
Real Hip Hop, is like real estate,
It's never going to move.
I'd be singing the Blues literally,
If I didn't acknowledge and cultivate the Hip Hop living in ME!
So what's It going to be I ask!
Hip Hop wasn't even supposed to last
So I gotta laugh when I look at Flash!
Yeah Grandmaster Flash is on the tracks,
But where would we be without the cut and the scratch?
SO I ask!
What if Hip Hop was never born, yo?
No Herc, No Flash, No Band, No Change, yo (?)
No DJ's, No grab, No breakers, No MC
What would the state of dope world truly be?
No throw your hands, no screaming, no noise no DJ's cutting
No be-Boys, no be-Girls, No graffiti, No nothing
What if Hip Hop was never born? let me make this clear
Just a thought (?)
The song “What If” by Grandmaster Flash featuring KRS-One contemplates the hypothetical scenario where hip-hop music never existed. The lyrics reflect on the impact that hip-hop has had on society, particularly in creating opportunities for people to express themselves artistically and gain financial independence. The chorus poses the question, “What if Hip Hop was never born?” and suggests that without the genre, there would be no DJ’s, MC’s, breakers, graffiti artists, or be-boys and be-girls. The lyrics also suggest that society would lack the alternative perspectives and voices that the genre has provided and that without hip-hop, society would be less diverse, less expressive, and less creative.
The song also touches on the origin of hip-hop and how it began on the streets of the South Bronx. It references the contributions of iconic figures like DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash, who pioneered and popularized the genre. The lyrics suggest that without these pioneers, society would lack the unique sounds and styles that hip-hop culture has contributed to music worldwide. The chorus repeats the question, “What if Hip Hop was never born?” emphasizing the importance of the genre and the role it has played in shaping the cultural landscape.
In summary, “What If” explores the cultural significance and relevance of hip-hop music in current-day society. The song reflects on the history of the genre and the important role that it has played in empowering voices, creating avenues for artistic expression, and teaching critical life skills such as entrepreneurship and financial independence. The lyrics suggest that without hip-hop, society would be less diverse, less expressive, and less creative.
Line by Line Meaning
What if Hip Hop was never born, yo?
Imagine a world in which Hip Hop music never existed. What kind of world would this be?
No Herc, No Flash, No Band, No Change, yo (?)
Without the pioneers of Hip Hop such as Herc and Flash, the entire genre and culture of Hip Hop would not exist.
No DJ's, No grab, No breakers, No MC
The key elements of Hip Hop, including DJing, breaking, and MCing, would not exist without the origins of Hip Hop.
What would the state of dope world truly be?
What kind of world would exist without the influence and impact of Hip Hop culture?
No throw your hands, no screaming, no noise no DJ's cutting
Without Hip Hop, there would not be the infectious enthusiasm through throwing your hands, creating noise, and DJ cutting that is seen in Hip Hop performances.
No be-Boys, no be-Girls, No graffiti, No nothing
The subculture of Hip Hop including breakdancers, graffiti artists, and the unique identity created by Hip Hop would not exist.
If Hip Hop was never born? let me make this clear
The artist emphasizes the importance of Hip Hop culture and questions how the world would be different without it.
It's not about a salary it's all about reality,
Hip Hop music is not about the monetary gain or financial success, but about relaying real and honest experiences.
And Hip Hop is the reality that creates all these saleries.
Hip Hop culture and music can shape and impact society to the extent that it can create jobs and help shape and mold the popular culture.
HIP HOP, HIP HOP, HIP HOP
Reaffirming the importance and significance of the Hip Hop culture and genre.
It's in the academies,
The study of Hip Hop culture and its many facets is prevalent in academic circles.
Hauled from the streets of the hood every family
Hip Hop's roots are in the underprivileged communities and neighborhoods, where it impacted families and entire generations.
But what if Hip Hop didn't exist?
The artist continues to pose the hypothetical scenario of a world without the existence of Hip Hop culture.
There wouldn't be this, there wouldn't be Chris,
Without Hip Hop, certain artists like Chris Brown would not have gained mainstream success and been able to shape popular culture.
Or a Public Enemy with a black power fist.
Groups like Public Enemy that used Hip Hop as a powerful political and social tool would not have been able to exist and influence society.
No Queen Latifa, no Will Smith either,
Hip Hop helped create a platform for artists like Queen Latifa and Will Smith to gain mainstream success and impact popular culture.
There would only be tight jeans, tight suits and black sneakers.
Pop culture, fashion, and style would be vastly different without the impact and influence of Hip Hop culture.
No Tango hats either, no bandana headdress, no TV's in the headrest
Hip Hop culture revolutionized fashion and style, and these staple accessories seen within Hip Hop would not exist without its impact.
Who would be a big mess, trust me
Without Hip Hop, popular culture and society would be in shambles and unorganized.
Drew it, without rap I'd be saying this here in country music.
Even the artist recognizes that Hip Hop influenced his career and without it, he would not be in the same position or achieved the same success.
We be no stars, imagine be-Boying over acoustic guitars,
Hip Hop's influence is so prevalent that even music genres like country would be struggling and unable to gain widespread success without the relevance that Hip Hop created in pop culture.
Not the sixteen bars. FEEL ME!
Even the traditional elements of music composition like the 'sixteen bars' are redefined within Hip Hop culture.
The art of sampling as well as cutting and scratching.
Hip Hop culture revolutionized music production and gave birth to techniques like sampling, cutting and scratching, which are still used today.
It's all ours.
In essence, Hip Hop culture is intertwined with the values and experiences of the artists and their communities, making it a truly personal and unique creative expression.
But really think about it. FEEL ME!
The artist is urging the listener to really consider the impact and significance of Hip Hop culture and the countless contributions it has made to society and popular culture.
Now that would be something
The artist speculates on what the world would be like without Hip Hop culture, implying that it would be vastly different and devoid of creativity.
No scratching, no cutting
Without hip hop, the production techniques that created the unique sounds for Hip Hop music and culture would not exist.
No cars driving by with the boomin' systems,
Without the influence of Hip Hop, the popular trends in music and car culture would be vastly different.
No prison coz none of us would be in 'em,
Hip Hop helped shape and influence criminal justice reform, leading to a decrease in crime and incarceration rates.
No one would be advertisng that rap to our children.
Hip Hop helped make music more accessible to all communities and introduced a new culture that bridged gaps and shared experiences.
Sure there be murder, and thugs and drugs
Hip Hop culture does not solely represent violence, but is a diverse reflection of society and the experiences of those that create it.
But they be on the low, and hardly heard of,
Without Hip Hop's influence, society would be more divided and cultural differences would not be as celebrated and impactful.
Except if you watch the news.
Unfortunately, the media often sensationalizes the negative aspects of Hip Hop culture, creating a skewed perception of it in society.
See, If there was no Hip Hop in society,
Hip Hop's influence and impact on society is vast and affects many aspects of popular culture and social issues.
Then there would be fewer alternative views.
Hip Hop culture created a platform for alternative voices and perspectives to be heard and celebrated, leading to a more diverse and open society.
Real Hip Hop, is like real estate,
Hip Hop is a valuable and influential expression of culture that has significant roots in society, similar to real estate.
It's never going to move.
Hip Hop culture will continue to be a valuable and impactful part of society, even as it evolves and changes.
I'd be singing the Blues literally,
The artist is acknowledging the impact that Hip Hop culture has had on their own career and life, and how it has provided a path for creative expression and success.
If I didn't acknowledge and cultivate the Hip Hop living in ME!
Hip Hop culture is a deeply personal expression of the artist's values and experiences, and has shaped who they are as an individual and artist.
So what's It going to be I ask!
The artist is questioning where society and popular culture would be without Hip Hop's influence and impact.
Hip Hop wasn't even supposed to last,
Hip Hop culture started as an underground subculture and was not initially taken seriously by mainstream culture, but has since become an immensely popular and influential genre.
So I gotta laugh when I look at Flash!
Grandmaster Flash, a pioneer of Hip Hop culture, is recognized and celebrated for his contributions to the genre, even though Hip Hop was not meant to last and has endured to become a significant cultural movement.
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Abkco Music Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DARRYL CARTER, LINDA COOKE, CURTIS JACKSON, CURTIS JAMES JACKSON, BOBBY WOMACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind