Sha-Rock
Sharon Green entered the world on the 25th of October 1962 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Her family moved her to the South Bronx during the earliest years of hip hop culture and rap music. She grew up within a community that would soon birth a new art form. Within the hip-hop community she has been referred to as the Mother of the Mic. This title reflects her status as one of the first female rappers or emcees.
Sha-Rock began as a local b-girl or breakdancer in the late 1970s. The group known as the Funky 4 + 1 featured Sha-Rock as the plus one member. They released their first hit with the 12-inch record Rapping and Rocking the House on Sugarhill Records in 1979. A follow-up track called That's the Joint arrived in 1980. As a pioneer affiliated with the Zulu Nation, she inspired a style of rapping made famous by Run DMC. Critics later noted how her unique delivery set her apart from other members of the crew.
Her vocal technique created what became known as the echo chamber style. Pop critic Robert Christgau reserved special praise for Green in his review of That's the Joint. He wrote that quick tradeoffs and clamorous breaks varied the steady-flow rhyming of the individual MCs. When it came to Sha-Rock, Miss Plus One herself, he asked who needed variation. This approach influenced notable rappers like MC Lyte and Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC. Her method proved that female voices could drive the rhythm of early hip hop.
On the 14th of February 1981 The Funky 4 + 1 appeared on Saturday Night Live alongside Blondie. Debbie Harry served as the lead singer for the headlining musical guests. The group was introduced as New York City street rappers from the Bronx. Their appearance reflected a local connection between uptown youth and downtown Lower East Side scenes. Graffiti art and music were represented with original hip-hop artists playing themselves in the 1983 film Wild Style by Charlie Ahearn. Fab Five Freddy and Ruza Blue curated acts at the Roxy NYC nightclub during this era.
In 2010 Green published a book about her experiences titled The Story of the Beginning and End of the First Hip Hop Female MC: Luminary Icon Sha-Rock. The text recounts her challenges of becoming an emcee and her time as a member of The Funky 4 + 1. On the 4th of August 2009 she received an award for Women in Hip Hop All Female Rapathon and All Pioneer Luminary MC Award. The ceremony took place at the Hip Hop cultural center of Harlem. She stated that everyone should embrace the culture and understand that Hip Hop is really not just about rap and profit. It is about peace, unity and having fun. Listening to music and enjoying one another remains central to her message.
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Common questions
When and where was Sharon Green born?
Sharon Green entered the world on the 25th of October 1962 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Her family moved her to the South Bronx during the earliest years of hip hop culture and rap music.
What group did Sha-Rock join as the plus one member?
The group known as the Funky 4 + 1 featured Sha-Rock as the plus one member. They released their first hit with the 12-inch record Rapping and Rocking the House on Sugarhill Records in 1979.
How did Robert Christgau describe Sha-Rock's vocal technique?
Pop critic Robert Christgau reserved special praise for Green in his review of That's the Joint. He wrote that quick tradeoffs and clamorous breaks varied the steady-flow rhyming of the individual MCs when it came to Miss Plus One herself.
On what date did The Funky 4 + 1 appear on Saturday Night Live?
On the 14th of February 1981 The Funky 4 + 1 appeared on Saturday Night Live alongside Blondie. Debbie Harry served as the lead singer for the headlining musical guests.
When did Sharon Green receive an award for Women in Hip Hop All Female Rapathon and All Pioneer Luminary MC Award?
On the 4th of August 2009 she received an award for Women in Hip Hop All Female Rapathon and All Pioneer Luminary MC Award. The ceremony took place at the Hip Hop cultural center of Harlem.