Funky 4 + 1

Well as you can see, I haven't been able to find real names and birthdays for the members of this group, so if you know any of them, send at e-mail my way at: nlclsl@hotmail.com.

DJ Breakout started out in the Bronx in the 1970's along with his then partner DJ Baron. The first MC who worked with Breakout was KK Rockwell. Keith Keith, and Sha Rock joined not too long after. The next person who joined was Raheim, but he left the group in 1979 to become one of the Furious Five. Lil' Rodney Cee and Jazzy Jeff (not the same Jazzy Jeff who was once teamed with the Fresh Prince), who were once members of the Magnificent Seven, joined.

The first record that the Funky Four Plus One made was on the Enjoy label and was called "Rappin' & Rockin' the House" in 1979. This record was over fifteen minutes long, even longer than the long version of "Rapper's Delight", and probably the longest hip-hop record.  However the group was disappointed with Enjoy's distribution and in 1980 Sugarhill records bought out their contract.  In 1980 the classic "That's the Joint" was released on the Sugarhill Records label.

Soon after that the group broke up and went on to other projects.  Lil' Rodney C and KK Rockwell, jaded from their experiences at Enjoy and Sugarhill Records, formed the group Double Trouble, which made their debut in the film Wild Style. Later the group signed a deal with Capital records under the name The Deuce.  Sha Rock, along with Lisa Lee and Debbie Dee, made up the group Us Girls; she then left the business in order to move with her husband who was in the Army.  Jazzy Jeff was signed to Jive Records, but he had trouble with the label (due partly in fact to the fact that DJ Jazzy Jeff was also signed to Jive).

Not a lot is written about the Funky 4 + 1, which is a damn shame because they have made a lot of contributions to hip-hop. Their work has been sampled many times, and Sha-Rock was one of the first female emcees on record that was actually a part of everything that was happening. In my opinion it is their lack of recorded material that keeps the Funky 4 + 1 from getting more props.

Pictures

They Funky 4 + 1, probably how they dressed for a show (39 KB)