Rhino US Vinyl & CDs

Review: As part of the ongoing celebrations of hip-hop's 50th birthday this year, many of its greatest records are back in print. This one is one of the most universally well-known, a formative record that set an early blueprint. Originally landing in 1982, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five's The Message will always be best known for its title tune, which was one of the earliest tracks to have a potent social commentary as it depicts the stress of living day-to-day with inner-city poverty. The album as a whole is a great capsule of those exciting early times.