Designed by
Unidentified
Subject of
Grandmaster Flash, American, born 1958
Blow, Kurtis, American, born 1959
Kool DJ AJ, American, died 2015
New York City Mission Society Cadet Corps, American
Furious Five, American, 1978 - 1989
The Cold Crush Brothers, American, founded 1978
The Fearless Four, American, 1977 - 1994
Soulsonic Force, American, founded 1980
Run-D.M.C., American, 1981 - 2002
Crash Crew, American, founded 1977
CD III, American
Treacherous Three, American, 1978 - 1985
Fresh 3 MC’s, American
Master Don and the Death Committee, American
The Fat Boys, American, founded 1982
Kid Nice MC's, American
The World's Famous Supreme Team, American, 1979 - 1991
The Force M.D.'s, American, founded 1981
Funky 4 + 1, American, 1977 - 1983
Disco Four, American
Whodini, American, founded 1981
Rock Master Scott and the Dynamic Three, American, 1981 - 2008
The B-Boys, American, 1983 - 1985
Awesome 4, American
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde, American, 1980 - 1987
Fantasy Three, American
Double Trouble, American
Finesse 4, American
Kevie Kev, American
Busy Bee Starski, American, born 1962
Sweet G, American
Kool Kyle, American
Fresh, Doug E., American, born 1966
DJ Starchild, American, died 2012
Spicer, Jimmy, American, 1958 - 2019
D'Bora, American
Spyder D, American
The Rake, American
Les Love, American
CMCC Warriors, American, founded 1937
The Roxy, American, 1978 - 2007
Printed by
Unidentified
Date
March 30, 1984
Medium
ink on paper (fiber product)
Dimensions
H x W: 8 1/8 × 5 3/4 in. (20.6 × 14.6 cm)
Description
A flier for “The International Heavyweight Rappers Showdown Part 1.” The flier is in portrait orientation and printed on white paper. It is covered top to bottom in black text in varying fonts and sizes and a black-and-white graphic. The small graphic is at the center of the flier: a bust pose image of Grandmaster Flash. Flash is depicted from the mid-chest up. He is facing the viewer and wearing a service-style cap and a patterned shirt. At the top of the flier is a reproduced masthead for the New York Daily News that reads [DAILY [graphic of a camera] NEWS / NEW YORK’S PICTURE NEWSPAPER]. Below is large, featured text that reads [THE INTERNATIONAL / HEAVYWEIGHT RAPPERS / SHOWDOWN COMES TO / NYC FEATURING $1000 / GRAND / PRIZE.]. Immediately to the left of the featured text is additional, diagonally oriented text that reads [PART / 1], and in the top left corner of the flier is a graphic of a diagonal black arrow with white, centered, block text inside that reads [SPORTS / FINAL]. Below the featured text is the centered graphic of Grandmaster Flash with text on either side of the graphic. The large and medium sized text on the left reads [DISCO MUSIC BY / GRANDMASTER / FLASH / AND / KURTIS BLOWS[sic] DJ / AJ]. The large and medium sized text on the right reads [CADET / HEADQUARTERS / 170 JEROME AVE BX / NO4TRAIN / $8 / LADIES HALF / PRICE TIL 11 / FRI / MARCH / 30TH / 8UNTIL[sic]].
Below the text and graphic are three lists of performers. The list on the far left is titled [GROUPS] and below are the following acts: [FURIOUS 5 / COLDCRUSH 4 /FEARLESS 4 /SOULSONIC FORCE / RUN DMC / CRASH CREW / C-D-3 / TREACHEROUS 3 / FRESH 3MCS / DEATH COMMITTE[sic] / DISCO 3 / KID NICE MCS]. The list at the center is titled [GROUPS] and below are the following acts: [SUPREME TEAM / THE FORCE MDS / FUNKY 4 / DISCO 4 / WHODNI[sic] / DYNMATIC[sic] 3 / B-BOYS / AWESOME 4 / JECKYL[sic]+HYDE / FANTASY 3 / DOUBLE TROUBLE / FINASSE[sic?] 4]. The list on the right is titled [SOLOS] and below are the following acts: [WATERBED KEV / BUSYBEE / SWEET GEE / STARSKI / KOOL KYLE / DOUGIE FRESH / STARCHILD / JIMMY SPICER / D”BURA[sic] / SYPDER[sic] D / THE RAKE / LES LOVE]. Printed below are competitor rules: [P.S. ALL MCS LISTED ARE INVITED TO COMPETE IN THE SHOWDOWN / MCS NOT LISTED CAN SIGN UP AT THE CADET HEADQUARTERS NOW / ALL GROUPS AND SOLOS MUST PAY $5 PER MAN ENTRY FEE / THIS SHOWDOWN IS A BENIFIT[sic] DANCE FOR THE CMCC WARIORRS[sic] / THE ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS CASH PRIZE IS GAURANTTED[sic] / 2ND AND THIRD PLACE WINNERS WILL RECEIVE 200.00 PLUS TROPHYS / THE PEOPLE AT THE CONTEST WILL PICK THE WINNER…………..].
At the bottom of the flier is information about The International Heavyweight Rappers Showdown Part 2 that reads [PART 2-ROXYS[sic] / PART TWO OF THE INTERNATIONAL SHOWDOWN / WILL BE HELD AT THE ROXYS[sic] ON APRIL 22 / EASTER SUNDAY AND THE GRAND PRIZE IS / 1,500 DOLLARS TO THE BEST GROUP OR SOLO MC]. The back of the flier has no text or inscriptions.
Transcription Center Status
Transcription Available
Place used
Bronx, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Advertisements
Type
fliers (printed matter)
Topic
Design
Disco (Music)
DJs (Musicians)
Graphic design
Hip-hop (Music)
Nightlife
Rappers (Musicians)
Urban life
Youth
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2020.38.1.6
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5a1205d8b-c02f-4cb5-b65d-b701e8e15464

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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