Get Ready For A.O.L.

[Hambone (Guest)]

According to rap pioneer Kurtis Blow, he and Grandmaster Flash have co-founded A.O.L. (the Alliance Of Legends), which boasts membership from Kool Herc, DJ Hollywood, Kool DJ Red Alert, Afrika Bambatta and Grandmaster Flash, the one who conceived the original idea. The pioneers aim to maintain the spirit of old school while making positive changes. "Our main objective is to lock down the old school and keep the tradition of the old school alive," Kurtis Blow told allhiphop.com. "We want to do a lot of old school jams every month."

Another one of A.O.L.’s missions is to lessen the generation gap between the old and new schools. "We are going to show the new kids love. That’s all you hear about, these old guys that are frustrated. ‘Aw man, we used to do it like this and (the new school rappers are) making all the money,’ he said. "Forget about that. Let’s support their shine so that they can come back and support us."

Concerned, he also said that the group sought to mend the rift between rap and "real hip hop." "A lot of the rappers today say that they are not hip hop. 'Fuck hip hop.' I heard somebody on a rap record say that," he said. "I hear hip hoppers say that ‘rap is not hip hop.’ That is so untrue. There’s a big gap."


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