1980 - Notable Releases
The most notable rap single releases of 1980 (alphabetical by artist name):Afrika Bambaataa & The Cosmic Force / Harlem Underground Band - Zulu Nation Throw Down
Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force - Zulu Nation Throw Down Volume #2
Barry & Demo - Another One Bites Rap
Barry & Demo - Your Magic Rap
Black Bird & Kevski - On The Go
Blowfly - Blowfly’s Christmas Party / Blowfly’s New Year’s Party
Blowfly - Rapp Dirty
Blowfly - The Incredible Fulk
Bo Kool - (Money) No Love
Bobby & Demo - Do It Right (Rap)
Bobby / Demo - More Ounce Rap
Bobby Mann - Body Rockin’ Rap
Brother D with Collective Effort - Dib-Be-Dib-Be-Dize / How We Gonna Make The Black Nation Rise?
Casper - Groovy Ghost Show
CC Crew - CC Crew Rap
Community People - Education Wrap
Count Coolout - Rhythm Rap Rock
Danny Renee & The Charisma Crew - Space Rap
Denyce Flip Isaac - Be For Real
Disco Dave & The Force Of The 5 MC’s - High Power Rap
DJ Hollywood - Hollywood’s Message
DJ Hollywood - Shock, Shock The House
Don Covay - Badd Boy
Don Juan & K. Dog - Jammin’ On The One
Dr. Love & Sister Love - Doctor Love & Sister Love Rap
Dr. York - Roll-A-Rock
Family Four - Rap Attack
Frankie Smith - Double Dutch Bus
Frederick Davies & Lewis Anton - Astrology Rap
Funky Four Plus One More - That’s The Joint
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Freedom
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Super Rappin’ No.2
Harlem World Crew - Let’s Rock
Harlem World Crew - Rapper’s Convention
Ikim & Bacardi - Funk Rap
Jackie “Small” Cochran - Summer Fun
Jimmy Spicer - Adventures Of Super Rhyme (Rap)
Johnnie & Michael Hill - Party Night
King Monkey - Badd Mann Dann Rapp
King Tim III - Charley Says! (Roller Boogie Baby)
Kool Kyle The Starchild & The Disco Dolls - Do You Like That Funky Beat (Ahh Beat Beat)
Kurtis Blow - The Breaks
Land Of Hits Orchestra / Little Starsky - Gangster Rock
Lonnie Love - Young Ladies
M. Brathwaite & W. Carter - Father Goose
Margo’s Kool Out Crew - Death Rap
Master Jay - We Are People Too
Master Jay & Michael Dee - T.S.O.B.
Max ‘N Specs - Don’t Come Stoned And Don’t Tell Trude
MC Rock Lovely - One Time Two Time Blow Your Mind
Mr. B - Rapper - Dapper - B
Mr. Fox - Smooth Talk
Mr. Magic - Potential 1980
Mr. Magic - Rappin’ With Mr. Magic
Mr. Q - Coming Home
Naomi Peterson - Sweet Naomi Rap
Nice & Nasty 3 - The Ultimate Rap
Nuri - Let’s Vote
Otis Williams - I Love The Way You Love Me
Outlaw Four - Million Dollar Legs
Phil-Marilyn & Marilyn - Buggs-B-Skate
Prince Blackman - Rockers Delight
Rappermatical 5 - Party People
Rappermatical 5 - Party People (Remix)
Rickie Clark - Ladies Rights
Ronnie Gee - Raptivity
Ronnie Jones & Disco Circus - Let’s Do It Again / Cosmo Rap
Sharod - School’n (Put Your Mind To The Message)
She / Clappers Revue - Ms. DJ Rap It Up! / Rap It Up Dubwise
Sound On Sound - The Incredible Hump
Sound On Sound Productions - Season’s Greetings
Sound On Sound Productions - Tribute To The Greatness
South Bronx - The Big Throwdown
Spoonie Gee & The Treacherous Three - The New Rap Language / Love Rap
Spoonie Gee Meets The Sequence - Monster Jam
Spyder-D - Big Apple Rappin’ (National Rappin’ Anthem)
Spyder-D - Rollerskaterap / Spinnin’ Webs & Rappin’ Rhymes
Sugar Daddy - Another One Bites The Dust
Sugarhill Gang - 8th Wonder
Sugarhill Gang - Hot Hot Summer Day
Sula - Jungle Rap
Super 3 - Philosophy Rappin’ Spree
Super Wolf - Super Wolf Can Do It
Super-Jay - Santa’s Rap Party
Sweet G - Boogie Feelin’ Rap
Tanya Winley - Vicious Rap
Teen-Machine - Teen-Machine Rap
The Big Mouth Band - The Box
The Chill Factor - Keep On Trying
The Disco Four - Move To The Groove
The Jackson Two - Oh Yeah
The Jazzy Three - The Rappin’ Spree
The Love Rapper - The Lover’s Rapp
The Marvelous Three & The Younger Generation - Rappin’ All Over
The Sequence - And You Know That
The Unknown Rapper - Election 80 Rapp
Treacherous Three - At The Party
Treacherous Three - The Body Rock
Trickeration - Rap, Bounce, Rockskate / Western Gangster Town
Xanadu / Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - Sure Shot / Do The Dance
Zoot II - Dr. Ice Rap
(links are to official videos or live performances of the named tracks)
List produced with the assistance of Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists and Spitfire’s Hip Hop On Wax database.
For a comprehensive list of Rap and related releases from the year with label and release info, Rap History has a very comprehensive 1980 database.