Coke La Rock, born April 24, 1955, in the vibrant East side of the Bronx, stands as a foundational figure in hip hop history. Raised significantly by his grandparents due to his single mother’s demanding work schedule, La Rock’s early life in the bustling streets of the Bronx set the stage for his pivotal role in music history. It was at a night school center at the age of 15 that he crossed paths with Clive Campbell, later globally recognized as DJ Kool Herc. This meeting sparked a legendary partnership that would ignite the hip hop movement through their groundbreaking parties in the Bronx.
The seminal moment, often cited as the genesis of hip hop, occurred on August 11, 1973, at a “Back To School Jam” hosted by Kool Herc’s sister, Cindy, at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. Flyers, simple index cards spread by word of mouth, announced an event that would become legendary. This party is widely regarded as the birthplace of rapping over DJ sets. Coke La Rock, dressed sharply in new Adidas and sporting a fresh haircut, took the microphone and began to shout out friends and energize the crowd as Kool Herc masterfully played “breaks”—the instrumental, dance-inducing segments of records.
Coke La Rock performing at Sedgwick Avenue, Bronx, the birthplace of hip hop.
La Rock’s innovative style of speaking rhythmically over beats drew immediate comparisons to the Jamaican tradition of “toasting.” Toasting, characterized by talking or chanting in a monotone melody over a rhythm, was a familiar sound in Jamaican music culture and became a key influence on La Rock’s MCing. Despite often improvising his lyrics and never officially recording during hip hop’s initial explosion, Coke La Rock is universally recognized as hip hop’s very first MC. His spontaneous energy and crowd interaction laid the blueprint for MCs to come.
The moniker “Coke La Rock” itself emerged around his fifth or sixth party. Interestingly, the name was inspired by a dream about dealing cocaine in Mexico. Despite a religious upbringing attending church every Sunday, La Rock navigated the realities of his environment, acknowledging a past involvement in selling marijuana and heroin in his neighborhood. He openly recalls earning substantial amounts, sometimes between $1200 and $1700, from these activities at successful parties. He even received offers to promote other drug dealers and their products through shout-outs on the microphone, reflecting the raw and unfiltered environment of early hip hop gatherings.
By 1975, Coke La Rock’s reputation as an MC was firmly established. Smaller, but incredibly influential clubs began to emerge across the city, including the Black Door, Ecstasy Garage, Harlem World, and the famed Disco Fever (later featured in the movie Krush Groove). These venues, and the Bronx itself, became synonymous with the burgeoning hip hop scene, earning the borough the nickname “The Boogie Down Bronx.” Kool Herc and Coke La Rock were at the heart of this cultural explosion.
Coke La Rock in the Bronx, a pioneering figure of early hip hop culture.
However, the vibrant energy of these early hip hop parties was often punctuated by violence. In a regrettable turn of events in 1977, DJ Kool Herc was stabbed at The Sparkle club, highlighting the dangers that sometimes accompanied the scene. Witnessing the escalating violence, Coke La Rock made a significant life decision. In 1979, he stepped away from the rap scene to focus on raising his son, Dante, prioritizing family life over the increasingly turbulent music world.
DJ Kool Herc and Coke La Rock, the dynamic duo that pioneered hip hop music.
Decades later, in 2008, Coke La Rock made a return to recording, releasing his first official track, “Hello – Merry Christmas Baby!” for a Sedgwick and Cedar holiday compilation. Further cementing his legendary status, he was inducted into the Counterculture Hall of Fame at the 23rd High Times Cannabis Cup in 2010. While his initial active period in hip hop was relatively brief, Coke La Rock’s impact is undeniable. His legacy as the original MC, the voice that first rhymed over breaks, endures, providing the bedrock for all MCs and rappers who followed.
Coke La Rock, hip hop's first MC, photographed in a contemporary portrait.
Notably, Coke La Rock is credited with originating iconic phrases that have permeated hip hop culture and beyond, including “You rock and you don’t stop,” and “Hotel, motel, you don’t tell, we won’t tell.” The latter phrase gained even wider recognition when it was immortalized in Sugarhill Gang’s groundbreaking single “Rapper’s Delight,” though La Rock himself did not receive formal credit for its use. Despite this, his contributions to the very fabric of hip hop remain foundational and his place in music history is secure as the original voice of the MC.
Coke La Rock in a close-up shot, highlighting his enduring influence on hip hop culture.
Video Interviews
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_Q4UHKUFuk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqi-_g894ss
Lyrics:
“There’s no story that can’t be told
No horse that can’t be rode
No bull can’t be stopped
And ain’t a disco we can’t rock”
“If a Freak is unique
Then that’s the freak you seek
Then I guess before you go
The freak will be on the bo
As long as the music is not stopping
The rocks are dropping
The champagne is flowing
The freaks will be going
Hotel motel
You don’t tell
I won’t tell.”
Cited Sources
[1] http://www.thafoundation.com/coke.htm
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] http://nymag.com/anniversary/40th/50665/
[5] http://www.thafoundation.com/coke.htm
[6] http://nymag.com/anniversary/40th/50665/
[7] Ibid.
[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deejaying
[9] http://www.thafoundation.com/coke.htm
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] http://www.sc73.com/about/
[14] http://nymag.com/anniversary/40th/50665/index1.html
[15] http://www.cincystreetdesign.com/1520_Sedgwick/index.html
[16] Ibid.
[17] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_La_Rock
[18] http://www.thafoundation.com/coke.htm
[19] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_La_Rock
