Funky Four + One

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Funky Four Plus One (also known as Funky 4 + 1) was 'first' Hip-Hop/Rap group from The Bronx, New York, United States to receive a recording deal. They were notable for having a female MC, and were the first Hip-Hop/Rap group to perform "live" on a national television broadcast. Formed in 1979, the group was the first hip hop group to have a female MC, Sha Rock. Their most significant hit was the nine-minute "That's the Joint," which was sampled by the Beastie Boys on the song "Shake Your Rump." Their other notable recordings incuded the almost sixteen-minute "Rappin' and Rockin' The House", and Jazzy Jeff's recording of "King heroin", from which a beat was sampled for use in the theme of the "The Apprentice". The group never recorded a full studio album. They were the first hip hop group to appear on a national television show, Saturday Night Live, in a 1981 episode hosted by Deborah Harry (some have mistakenly reported that Run-DMC was the show's first rap appearance- in fact they were first to perform on MTV some years later). The original members were The Voice of K.K. aka K.K. Rockwell (Kevin Smith), Keith Keith (Keith Caesar), Sha Rock (Sharon Green), Rahiem (Guy Todd Williams). Rahiem later left the group to join Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five. Sha Rock temporarily left as well, and they were replaced by Lil' Rodney C! and Jazzy Jeff, who became the 'New' Funky Four and with the return of Sha Rock who became the Plus One More. User-contributed text is ava

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