New York City To Save Hip Hop's Birthplace: Cincinnati's King Records Remains Ignored And Funky

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Gawker calls it good news the City of New York is stepping in and saving from destruction a Bronx building at 1520 Sedgwick. That's the spot where DJ Kool Herc "first started throwing parties and cutting records in 1973, leading eventually to those sweet, hip hop sounds." Sadly, an Ohio music shrine with equal or greater import is living in funk and has yet to hear that it will never face the executioner's song. So far, there's been nothing done in Cincinnati -- despite much talk at City Hall over the years -- to officially preserve the old icehouse that was the home of King Records. More than 500 hits came out of the building where Syd Nathan's long gone indy label gave birth to stars, dance crazes like The Twist and the sound of funk. Nathan is in the Rock Hall and his bio is here. James Brown got his start at King in March 1956 -- 52 years ago this month with Please, please, please.

Cincy mag has an article, registration required, about the need to save the site on the city's east side. Here's the teaser: "The King Is Dead, Long Live the King Who gave the world “Good Rockin’ Tonight”? Where did James Brown birth The Funk? How did Bootsy Collins get it on? It all happened right here, baby. On a side street in Evanston, King Records transformed music forever. Bragging rights are fine, but where’s the hall for our fame? We make the case. " Maybe somebody can e-mail the whole article?