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Last night I came across some video footage recorded in 1986 at the dawn of the Golden Age of Hip Hop. What you are about to view are documented interviews from a Dutch televison reporter, Marcel Vanthilt, of VPRO broadcasting. During this era, Hip Hop culture was making leaps in bounds in Europe as it was in North America. The intrigue in these nostalgic interviews is quite evident why our culture burst into an international phenomenan. To this very day, Hip Hop Culture is not just fully embraced in Europe, but it also blew up in Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, and the Middle East. Where ever there is a creative soul to be liberated on this planet, there is Hip Hop.

I would like to give props to AtomKraftTeddy for delivering to the world this very candid, honest collection of videos featuring a very young LL Cool J, Run-DMC, Grandmaster Flash, Doug E. Fresh, and Schooly D. The footage is not dressed up MTV Style. This is definitely what you see is what you get recordings to wet your appetite.

The funniest thing with LL’s interview is hearing his homeboy E-Love talk. For a long time I almost thought E-Love was a mute (other than rumors he wrote LL’s rhymes on the first album.) Overall, these five videos are great for aspring emcees to see the humble beginnings of our lyrical legends and Grandmaster Flash.

Enjoy!

LL Cool J interview with E-Love in Queens

Doug E. Fresh interview with DJs Barry B. and Chill Will in Harlem

Run-DMC interview

Schooly D at the historical Latin Quarter

The Legendary Grandmaster Flash interview