Beat Street (album)

Beat Street is the seventh studio album by the Canadian pop rock band Prism. It was originally released in 1983 on the record label, Capitol, two years after Prism's successful album, Small Change. It was the last of two Prism studio albums featuring the lead vocalist Henry Small, who had replaced Ron Tabak after his forced departure in 1981. It features high-profile guest backing vocalists, including the Eagles' co-lead vocalist Timothy B. Schmit, Toto's lead vocalist Bobby Kimball and Chicago's lead vocalist Bill Champlin. The album is notably the band's first album not to feature their guitarist and founding member Lindsay Mitchell. The album was their last recording of original material until they officially reformed in 1987-88. In that incarnation of the band, Small was replaced by Darcy Deutsch.

Beat Street is more of a solo album by Henry Small than a Prism album as it features no other members of the band apart from guitarist Paul Warren, and it relies heavily on session musicians. The album was the last recording of original material under Prism's name until they officially reformed in 1987-88. They reformed without Small who was working on Who bassist John Entwistle's solo album "The Rock" which featured Small singing the lead vocals on all of its eleven tracks.

Beat Street

Beat Street is an American 1984 drama film featuring New York City hip hop culture of the early 1980s; breakdancing, DJing, and graffiti.

Plot

Set in the South Bronx, the film follows the lives of a pair of brothers and their group of friends, all of whom are devoted to various elements of early hip hop culture. Kenny Kirkland (Guy Davis) is a budding disc jockey and MC, and his younger brother Lee (Robert Taylor) is a hardcore b-boy who dances with Beat Street Breakers (the New York City Breakers). Kenny's best friends are Ramon (Jon Chardiet), a graffiti artist known by his tag, "Ramo", and Chollie (Leon W. Grant), his self-styled manager/promoter.

The film begins with the main characters preparing for a house party set in an abandoned apartment building, where Kenny is the featured DJ. An uninvited Lee and his breakdancing friends crash the party, and nearly get tangled into a battle with a rival troupe, the Bronx Rockers (the Rock Steady Crew). The battle of mostly words is broken up by Henri (Dean Elliot), a squatter who lives in the building and is befriended by Kenny, Chollie, Ramon, and Luis (Franc. Reyes).

Beat Street (soundtrack)

Beat Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Volume 1 and Beat Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Volume 2 are soundtrack albums for the 1984 drama film of the same name. It was released in 1984 by Atlantic Records. Both albums were produced by Harry Belafonte, a calypso artist best known for his 1956 hit "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", and prolific freestyle music producer and remixer Arthur Baker, who collaborated with music artists including Freeez, Afrika Bambaataa, New Order.

Both albums even entered the Billboard 200 and R&B Albums charts and stayed there in the same year.

Description

The soundtrack contains music mainly from old-school hip-hop artists including Grandmaster Melle Mel and the Furious Five, Jazzy Jay, Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic and Treacherous Three featuring beatbox pioneer Doug E. Fresh but also various electro/boogie musicians such as Freeez, The System and Juicy.

The album was certified gold in the same year.

Track listing