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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

This song is about cocaine, urging listeners not to do it while making the case that drug laws in the US are racist and unjust, since poor black kids tend to get much harsher penalties for drug offenses than white businessmen. It was the first hit rap song about drugs.

This was one of the first socially conscious rap songs. Groups like Public Enemy and KRS One emerged later in the '80s with rap songs that usually had a political message of some kind. Chuck D of Public Enemy even called rap "The black CNN" for its ability to reach a young black audience. The socially conscious style gave way to rappers in the '90s who seemed more concerned about their cars, jewelry and women.

Grandmaster Flash is a DJ, and in the early days of Hip Hop, they were considered more important than the MCs who rapped over their beats. The band was known as Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five, but they broke up before this was released. Grandmaster Flash went to court with Melle Mel, who was the rapper, over rights to the name "Grandmaster." As a result, this song is officially credited to "Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel."

The track is based on an obscure dance song called "Cavern" by the group Liquid Liquid, who were on the same record label. Melle Mel wrote the lyrics.

"A street kid gets arrested, gonna do some time. He got out three years from now just to commit more crime. A businessman is caught with 24 kilos. He's out on bail and out of jail and that's the way it goes." This lyric refers to car manufacturer John DeLorean, who in 1982 became involved in a scheme to save his company from bankruptcy using drug money. He was arrested by the FBI for trying to buy 24 kilos of cocaine, but successfully defended himself against the charges as he proved his alleged involvement was because of entrapment by federal agents.

This was released on Sugarhill Records, who became the first label with a rap hit they released "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang in 1980. Sugarhill Records was formed by Joe and Sylvia Robinson, and Sylvia helped produce this track. This was the last hit for the label.

Big Audio Dynamite sampled the same bass line for their first single, "The Bottom Line," in 1985. (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England)

Duran Duran recorded this with Grandmaster Flash on their 1995 album of covers called Thank You. Duran Duran's cover peaked at #17 in the UK. The Thank You album was voted Worst Album Ever Made in 2006 by Q magazine. Duran Duran bassist John Taylor confessed in an interview with Q: "Thank You was my idea. I don't think I have ever been allowed to forget that. We are used to the press, especially the intelligentsia, being sceptical but we were savaged. Eaten alive!"

NYU film student Spike Lee directed an unofficial video for this song. It featured an unknown Laurence Fishburne.

Comments:

This is one timeless song, as relevent today as it was when it was released.
- Mike, Santa Barbara, CA

ONE OF THE BEST TUNES OF THE 80s LETS BRING IT BACK ONE MORE TIME. IAN. MANCHESTER, UK.
- Ian, Manchester, United Kingdom

The song's message is as relentlessly true as its hook and intensity. It's gospel truth no matter who you are. "Cus if you get hooked baby, it's nobody else's fault. So don't do it."
- Seth, Freehold,

Why do I remember this song from the "Beat Street" movie soundtrack?
- neil, toronto, ON

During recording of the anti-cocaine single "White Lines (Don't Do It)," Flash and Mel had a falling out. Also, despite the group's success, Flash had not seen much in the way of profits, so he left Sugarhill Records and took Kid Creole and Rahiem with him to sign a deal with Elektra Records. The rest of the group stayed as Melle Mel and the Furious Five, and achieved nearly instant success with the single "White Lines." The popular anthem was ironic, as Flash himself had become a freebasing cocaine addict.
- Pete, London, United Kingdom

Good song, I also liked Grandmaster Flash's other big UK hit "The Message"
- Dave, Cardiff, Wales

This song said something that needed to be said.
- Mike, santa barbara, CA

First-I love this song Second-I love when they are singing it on Shaun of the Dead (one of my favorite movies)
- Joey, corpus christi, TX

I first heard this song last weekend at my family reunion. At first, I didn't pay attention, and no one else did, but when I heard the sniffing sound and "FREEBASE!" I knew then! Hilarious! I caught the tune and realized that dude hit "White Girls" off the same joint....I give GMF an A+ for this song, considering the era in which it was made. Might have to use this tomorrow at the party!
- B-Bucketz, Lanham, MD

While a good song, it can't possibly compare to "White Girls" by Mighty Casey.
- Tom, Rochester, NY

This is a tune that any self respecting music lover must own!
- Daffy, London, England

I believe this song is actually credited to "Grandmaster and Melle Mel," rather than "Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel".
- Alex, Albany, NY