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Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, an American hip-hop group formed in 1978 in New York City, consisted of Grandmaster Flash, Kidd Creole, Keef Cowboy, Melle Mel, Scorpio, and Rahiem. Prior to forming the group, Grandmaster Flash worked with various artists including Kurtis Blow and DJ Charlie Chase. The group's early success came from performing at local parties and live shows in the South Bronx. Their first single "We Rap More Mellow" was released under the name The Younger Generation. In 1980, they signed with Sugar Hill Records and achieved their first hit with "Freedom", which reached Number 19 on the R&B chart. The group's breakthrough came with the release of "The Message" in 1982, a politically charged song that became a cornerstone of conscious hip-hop. The accompanying album The Message solidified their mainstream success. In 1983, internal disputes led to the group splitting into two separate entities until a brief reunion in 1987 for the release of On the Strength. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five disbanded permanently shortly after. Their impact on hip-hop culture is undeniable; they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 and "The Message" was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2002.
