About this item

Compiled by legendary producer Arthur Baker, ‘Breakers Revenge’ is a near definitive collection of original funk, soul, latin, disco and electro classic tracks from 1970 to 1984.

These tracks, a combination of classics and obscurities, have all since become legendary to breakdancers everywhere. First played at South Bronx block parties, community halls and park jams in the 1970s and 80s, spun endlessly by the first three major hip-hop DJs - Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa - and found in the record crates of any DJ of note ever since.

Seminal funk and soul tracks such as Dennis Coffey’s ‘Scorpio’, The Jimmy Castor Bunch’s ‘It’s Just Begun’, James Brown’s ‘Get on the Good Foot’ and The Mohawks’ ‘Champ’ sit side-by-side with the ground-breaking, classic electro of Afrika Bambaataa’s ‘Planet Rock’ and Arthur Baker’s own definitive ‘Breaker’s Revenge.’

Breakdancing has come a long way from its New York roots to its respected position as an art form today where, for the first time ever, it is to be featured in the Olympics held in Paris this August 2024.

The breakbeat remains at the very heart of hip-hop - the mercurial funk, soul and disco tracks, always 100% guaranteed to get B-Boys, B-Girls and breakdancers moving at any block party, with the percussive breakdown of each track the pinnacle to any dance / battle between breakdancers.

Similarly, these tracks have been sampled many times over by every hip-hop artist and producer of note. KRS-ONE, Marley Marl, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Public Enemy, Eric B, The Fugees, Outkast, Mos Def, Main Source, Jungle Brothers, LL Cool J, De La Soul and, well, everyone.

Compiler Arthur Baker played a pivotal role in hip-hop history when, in 1982, he produced Afrika Bambaataa’s seminal ‘Planet Rock’ (as featured here), introducing electronic instruments into hip-hop for the first time ever and in the process creating electro. After ‘Planet Rock’, Arthur Baker went on to remix or produce every major artist of note - from New Order to the Rolling Stones, Al Green to the Pet Shop Boys.

Both formats come complete with an introduction by Arthur Baker and extensive sleevenotes, including a track-by-track breakdown by hip-hop historian JayQuan, and striking images from photographer Sophie Bramly.

“What I truly loved about early hip-hop was that the music thrown down by ‘Bam, Grandmaster Flash, Jazzy Jay and Kool DJ Herc was genre-less, multi-cultural, music from all ends of the world. This is the definitive collection, including all the classics (other than a couple that alas we couldn’t get the rights to), and some real hard to find obscurities.” - Arthur Baker

TRACK LISTING

Dennis Coffey And The Detroit Guitar Band - Scorpio
The Jimmy Castor Bunch - It's Just Begun 
B.T. Express - Energy Level
James Brown - Get On The Good Foot
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock
Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa
Esther Williams - Last Night Changed It All
The Mohawks - The Champ
Herman Kelly & Life - Dance To The Drummer’s Beat
Spanky Wilson - Sunshine Of Your Love
James Brown - Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose
Candido - Soulwanco
Arthur Baker - Breaker's Revenge
Manu Dibango - The Panther
Abaco Dream - Life And Death In G & A
The Jackson 5 - Dancing Machine
Mongo Santamaria - Cloud Nine
Edwin Starr - I Just Wanna Do My Thing
Badder Than Evil - Hot Wheels
Johnny Bristol - Lusty Lady *

* = CD Only Track