The Fatback Band were pioneers in merging funk with early hip-hop and disco elements.

The track's clean, punchy production made it ideal for early hip-hop DJ techniques

Grandmaster Flash's usage in 'The Message' helped establish it as a foundational hip-hop sample

Run-DMC's 'Sucker M.C.'s' proved its effectiveness in raw, stripped-down hip-hop production

LL Cool J's 'Rock the Bells' demonstrated its versatility across different rap styles

The break's dance-oriented nature perfectly matched hip-hop's party and celebration roots

EPMD's 'It's My Thing' showed its continued relevance in sophisticated East Coast production

Nice & Smooth's usage proved its appeal to both old school and new school hip-hop artists

The Fatback Band's forward-thinking approach made them natural hip-hop collaborators

The track became a bridge between funk's dance floor origins and hip-hop's DJ innovations