Oh, by the way.. MC battling began in East Harlem!
I, the original MC STARCHILD from Jefferson Housing Projects, use to rock-shock for hours in Jefferson Plaza. (115th st. 3rd./ ave / Jefferson Housing Projects / 2nd half / Plaza). This was before the MC’s were MC’s. Back when there were only DJ’s!

Hip Hop started as a hobby for those of us who loved music, dancin', and hangin' out with friends. At first, we use to point the speakers out of the window so that everybody who was in front or back of the building could listen while we played/socialized down below. The crowd grew as we blasted that new R&B, Funk, Soul and Dance Music. Back then, I was a big fan of nursery rhymes & comic books. I would listen for hours while I drew super hero's and imagined that I was them... As for the music, of course I liked the jams but always felt that there was somethin' missing when the break part came on. So, I wrote some nursery rhymes and decided to say them over the break part while my first DJ & downstairs neighbor, Andy Bradley, who I bestowed the name, "Grand Master And" use to spin the records. I decided to use the name, "STARCHILD" because I like Parliament-Funkadelic (Mothership Connection, circa 1975).

On Mothership Connection, Starchild first appeared (inspired equally by Sun Ra's "Black Noah" and Jesus); he is a divine alien being, who came to earth from a spaceship (his arrival is "the Mothership Connection") to bring the holy Funk (with a capital "F": the cause of creation and source of energy and all life), to humanity.

The crowd below was lovin' it. Shortly afterwards, we decided to take All the equipment downstairs to the Plaza where we would do our thang' as the children played... The word spread quickly, and before you knew it, people were coming from miles around to see & hear us rock. Unaware of we had begun, we simply did it for the love of our friends who came to hang out, dance, and support our new game.

O-OOO, BUSTED!
Wasn’t that you on the sideline with the 'boom-box' on Play-Record!?

OLD SCHOOL HIP HOP ALERT!
G-MONEY CREW from East Harlem were the first to rocked valor hats, jeans, white t’s, and shell toe addidas.. no laces, suit jackets, and shades on...

This revelation comes directly from Abraham, aka ACE; leader of the G-MONEY CREW. “ That was our gear.. that’s how we did it”. Remembering the Queen’s Armory debacle where the Sugar Hill Gang was a ‘no show’, Ace recalls all eyes were on the G-MONEY CREW as they arrived in a big-fat Limo and was escorted to the VIP section. This and other social appearances/events continued to draw lots of attention both from new comers to the hip hop scene and fanatics alike. The G-MONEY CREW help to turned a lot of straight kids into Hip Hop addicts with high doses of Style & Finesse and kids were always left feignin’ for another show.. for their next appearance.  Ace also recalls seeing world famous rappers, RUN D-MC, in attendance! “They were sitting in the balcony (stage left / audience right).” 

ACE and the rest of the G-MONEY CREW are flattered, but would love to see and/or hear that they help to give ‘style identity’ to one of our most gifted rap groups..

RUN D MC, holla back. It’s time to give credit where its due.

Jam Master J, RIP.