Today’s rappers owe a lot to Kurtis Blow. He was the first rapper ever signed to a major label. He also helped make hip hop ‘tolerable’ for mainstream media, which oftentimes labeled rappers as thugs and criminals. The 61 year old was far from a thug and he made that known with his family friendly records. Lyrics such as, “Basketball is my favorite sport/ I like the way it dribble up and down the court,” became defining themes for 80s culture. Fast forward to now though, and Kurtis Blow has a TOTALLY different career that most fans never even knew he was interested in. He’s come a long way since his hip hop heyday, but let’s just say that he hasn’t strayed too far from his roots.
He Was Once The Clean-Cut Non-Cursing Rapper
Kurtis Blow once prided himself on an incredible feat in hip hop: At the time, he’d recorded over 200 songs and did not utter one curse word in ‘em. That coincides with his current occupation.
But Years Later, He Had A Run-In With The Law That Contradicted His Current Job.
Busted For Weed
In 2010, TMZ reported that Kurtis Blow caught a weed citation after TSA found weed in his pocket at the LAX airport. Though nothing’s wrong with a cuss word and a lil’ weed, this didn’t look good for his present day gig.
Added: Blow said TMZ was “bugging” but we couldn’t tell if he was denying the claim, or ‘fessing up: “What is this I hear ’bout me being busted for weed at the airport? Not true. Isn’t weed legal in California? TMZ is bugging.
Now See The Job That His Weed Citation Could’ve Tarnished…
He’s A WHAT Now? Here’s His Current Normal Line Of Work
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We can now refer to him as Rev. Blow, because in 2009, he became an ordained minister. He founded the Greater Hood Memorial AME Zion Church in Harem, NY; and teaches what he calls Hip Hop church: “It’s a format for any nondenominational church that caters to the youth and the hip-hop nation— worship, praise and prayer. Sermons with swagger. You can find it in 60 to 70 churches around the country. People come to church looking for Kurtis Blow, but they leave with Jesus,” said Blow.
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