RAMMELZEE
Beat Bop
1983
Beat Bop is a hip hop single by American artists Rammellzee and K-Rob. Originally released in 1983 on the Tartown record label, its chaotic, abstract sound has influenced many artists, including the Beastie Boys. With a cover designed by Jean-Michel Basquat, the single, which became extremely rare in its first original copies, was nicknaimed the Holy Grail of rap records. It also appeared in Tony Silver’s documentary Style Wars, dedicated to hip hop culture.
Together with Rashiyah Elanga, Invernomuto, Ishion Hutchinson and Zadie Xa, Rammellzee (1960 – 2010), is one of the artists featured in the exhibition dedicated to the legendary Jamaican musician, visual artist and Upsetter Lee Scratch Perry. On view until 4 September, THE ORBZERVER includes twelve works by Perry, exhibited in Rome for the first time, together with contributions from multidisciplinary creative figures, who together make explicit the complexity of the Jamaican artist’s influence.