Rap pioneer was caught with the drug after a pat-down at Los Angeles International Airport.
By Mawuse Ziegbe


Kurtis Blow
Photo: Bill Pugliano/ Getty Images

Legendary MC Kurtis Blow just caught a tough break: The rapper was busted with marijuana at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday (December 2).

The rap pioneer was caught with a small amount of weed as he went through a security screening around 5:45 a.m., according to E! News. After a body scan uncovered "an anomaly" in his clothing, the MC was subjected to a pat-down, which revealed a bag of pot.

The Harlem spitter, who was born Kurtis Walker, had less than an ounce of the drug, so he was slapped with a misdemeanor citation and the weed was confiscated.

Since kicking off his career in the '70s, Blow has been lauded as a hip-hop pioneer, with a slew of firsts under his belt. He is credited with becoming the first rapper to release a major-label album, and his signature 1980 single, "The Breaks," became the first hip-hop song to be certified gold. He is also credited as the first to head out on a national and international hip-hop tour while the culture was still in its infancy as a mainstream force. While hip-hop artists hawk everything from sneakers to beer these days, Blow was the first rapper to sign an endorsement deal.

Aside from helping to push hip-hop from a local New York City movement to a global phenomenon, Blow's legacy as a rap game-changer endures. Contemporary hip-hop stars still turn to his catalog for inspiration. Case in point: His track "If I Rule the World" was covered by Queens MC Nas.

With his music career behind him, Blow has since turned to religion, helming services at his Hip Hop Church in Harlem.





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