How Cliff Richard invented hip-hop.

Tenuous but true. Ready? Here goes…. Cliff’s backing group, as everyone knows, were The Shadows. They had a huge instrumental hit in 1960 with Apache. In 1973, the Incredible Bongo Band released this exuberant cover version. At around 2.20, it features a bongo drum break. This caught the attention of DJ Kool Herc who was running block parties around The Bronx in the mid-70s. Herc was the first DJ to concentrate on the “breaks”, manipulating and scratching to create a whole new sound. This sound became known as hip-hop. The break that started everything was the one in this version of Apache, which can be traced straight back to Sir Cliff. I wonder how this celibate septuagenarian and devout Christian feels about starting a global phenomenon that glorifies guns, gangstas, “bitches” and “hoes”. I bet he’s secretly proud.