Artist
Kurtis Blow
One of the first solo hip-hop artists to achieve commercial success, signed by Mercury Records in 1979. His single 'Christmas Rappin'' was among the earliest rap records released by a major label, proving that hip-hop could exist beyond independent labels like Sugar Hill. He helped establish the template for the solo rap artist, paving the way for the MC-as-star model that would dominate hip-hop by the 1990s.