Boogie Down Productions

Formed in The Bronx, New York in 1986 by rapper KRS-One (Lawrence Parker) and DJ / producer Scott La Rock (Scott Sterling) along with producer Lee Smith, Boogie Down Productions (BDP) was one of the most influential hip hop / rap groups of all time. The later addition of rapper / DJ / producer D-Nice (Derrick Jones) created the group’s ‘classic’ line-up. Mixing hip-hop – a genre that some say originated from The Bronx - with dancehall reggae and several other genres, BDP caught the attention of hip hop fans with their original beats and gritty lyrics. BDP’s ground-breaking early rhymes would heavily influence the Gangsta Rap genre. BDP’s first official single, “South Bronx,” was released in 1986 and was followed that year by “Say No Brother (Crack Attack Don’t Do It” and “My 9mm Goes Bang.” BDP – KRS-One and Scott L Rock - released their debut album, Criminal Minded, in early 1987. The album – which featured assistance from Ced-Gee (The Ultramagnetic MCs) – would eventually reach number 73 on Billboard’s R&B / Hip Hop Albums chart. Shortly after the recording of the album, KRS-One and La Rock added D-Nice to the group and introduced the short-lived trio line-up to the masses. On August 27, 1987, Scott La Rock was murdered during a confrontation and the musical and lyrical trajectory of the band was changed forever. Continuing under the name Boogie Down Productions, KRS-One’s lyrics moved away from violence and became more politically and socially conscious. The second BDP album, By All Means Necessary (1988), was even more successful than their debut, reaching number 18 on the R&B / Hip Hop Albums chart and number 75 on the Billboard 200. It was followed by Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop (1989), which climbed to number 7 on the R&B / Hip Hop chart and made the Top 40 on the Billboard 200. Edutainment (1990) was equally successful but after the release of their fifth album, Sex and Violence (1992), KRS-One retired the band name and continued a very successful career under his own name. The group’s influence on hip hop and rap is undeniable and their musical legacy has been kept alive with the release of several compilation albums including A Retrospective (2000) and Blast Master Tapes: Best of the B-Boy Sessions (2006).