David Corio's early hip-hop Memory Tape

Photo Credit: David Corio / Getty Images

Today’s memory taper is David Corio, from London. His work, along with the work of Janette Beckman, is being featured in 'Beat Positive' – a new exhibition at the Getty Images Gallery that includes rare photographs from two of the first London hip hop events at The Venue in 1982 and 1984’s Hip Hop Jam on the Southbank.

David and Janette first discovered hip hop in 1982 while on assignment for music magazines such as NME, Melody Maker and The Face. Their portraits of Public Enemy, Run DMC, Slick Rick, Salt-N-Pepa, Whodini, Grandmaster Flash, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah and the Beastie Boys, along with many others, are considered classics of the genre.

David and Janette both picked a selection of tunes for this memory tape – and we selected a few to spin on the show:

• Grandmaster Flash – The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash
• Brother D – How We Gonna Make The Black Nation Rise
• Public Enemy – Fight The Power
• Salt-n-Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex
• Guru feat. MC Solaar – Le Bien, Le Mal

DAVID’S SELECTION

1 James Brown – Get Up Off Of That Thing
“James Brown and his band the JB’s have had a massive influence on hip hop and they have been sampled thousands of times.”

2 Public Enemy – Rebel without a Pause
“They were one of my favourite groups to photograph and I had a mad time shooting them on a foggy morning in Hyde Park on their first day in London.”

3 Spoonie Gee – Spoonin’ Rap
“I didn’t hear this record until the early 80s but I loved the sound. It is really minimal but his voice and the rap rides the rhythm so well.”

4 Boogie Down Productions with KRS-1 and Scott La Rock – The Bridge Is Over
“The tune is best known for starting a conflict between The Bronx where BDP were from and the Queensbridge Estates in Queens including MC Shan, Marley Marl and Roxanne Shante where they would feud on record.”

5 Roxanne Shante – Roxanne’s Revenge
“I photographed Roxanne when she was 19 and she had great confidence, style and the largest earrings I have ever photographed.”

6 Biz Markie – Nobody Beats The Biz
“Great humour and a brilliant beatboxer.”

7 Brother D & The Collective Effort – How We Gonna Make The Black Nation Rise (Agitate, Educate, Organize)
“A great tune with a powerful political message that’s as relevant today as when it came out 30 years ago.”

8 Eric B & Rakim – I Know You Got Soul
“I met Eric B & Rakim in their hotel room for a photo shoot and Eric B never said a word or moved for the entire session. Fortunately Rakim was a bit livelier – great on the mic too”.

9 Arrested Development – People Everyday
“I went to Atlanta to shoot Arrested Development and was really impressed with their vibe. They were so different to the NY style of hip-hop with a southern country mind-set and more peaceful laid back vibe."

10. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five – Adventures of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheeels of Steet
“A record that samples Queen, Blondie and Chic’s ‘Good Times’ all in the first 30 seconds. This was a revolutionary sound and still sounds fresh today.”

JANETTE’S SELECTION

1 Slick Rick – Children’s Story
“Just a great story – Ricky is a master of the rhyme!”

2 Salt n Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex
“I first photographed Salt n Pepa before they even had a record - they were the first female rappers to address sex and answer the guys.”

3 Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five – The Message
“When I came to NYC I was living in what is now Tribeca. The words of this song really resonated with me - they were running round in my head as I walked down the street every day.”

4 Coolio – Gangster’s Paradise
“I was in L.A driving down a freeway when I first heard this song - it had that West coast feel - I went out and bought it on cassette the next day.”

5 Guru MC Solar – Le Bien Le Mal
“I love this song from the Jazzmatazz album - fusing Guru's jazzy production with MC Solar's french rap. I photographed Gang Starr for 'No More Mr Nice Guy' record cover.”

6 Public Enemy – Fight The Power
“When Spike Lee's movie 'Do The Right Thing' came out in the long hot summer of 1989, 'Fight The Power' was on the soundtrack. It seemed to express everything that was going on - Chuck D is the political voice of rap.”

7 Eric B & Rakim – Paid In Full
“Classic hip hop delivered by the legendary Rakim.”

8 Beastie Boys – No Sleep Till Brooklyn
“A Beastie classic, and a great description of band on the road.”

9 Naughty By Nature – Everything’s Gonna Be Alright
“Great lyrics about a life in the ghetto, and it samples ‘No Woman No Cry'”

10 Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance
“Neneh kicking it - the song captures for me British style and hip hop in the 80's. Samples the Rock Steady Crew and McLarens' 'Buffalo Girls'.”