Remembering Bobby Robison - 1917-2011

Remembering Bobby Robinson [1917 _ 2011] Bobby Robinson, the founder of one of the 1st rap labels, Enjoy Records, and the first record man to sign a bonafide Hip-Hop acts from the streets of the Bronx. In the 1970s, Robinson produced some of the first hip-hop music records for his "Enjoy" label and had considerable influence and success in that genre through the mid-1980s. He achieved another success in 1979, when he recorded Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five's first record, "Superrappin'", an innovative record which was very influential in hip-hop's early years. A local hit among New York area hip-hop fans, the music industry, however, was not ready for the new sound, and the record failed to hit nationwide. Robinson then went on to commercial success with other old school hip hop artists, including Pumpkin and Friends, the Funky Four Plus One More, Spoonie Gee (Robinson's nephew), and Kool Moe Dee with the Treacherous Three. Robinson chalked up yet another success when he produced Doug E. Fresh's "Just Having Fun (Do The Beatbox)", which introduced beatboxing to the record-buying public. He also founded or co-founded Red Robin Records, Whirlin' Disc Records, Fury Records, Fire Records and Enjoy Records. Bobby Robinson's catalog is represented by Downtown Music Publishing Robinson died on January 7, 2011 at the age of 93, after a period of declining health.