Walker was raised in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City. He attended CCNY and Nyack College, studying communications/film and ministry.\n', '

In 1979, at the age of twenty, Kurtis Blow became the first rapper to be signed by a major label, Mercury, which released "Christmas Rappin\'". It sold over 500,000 copies, becoming one of the first commercially successful hip hop singles. Its follow-up, "The Breaks", also sold over half a million copies. He released ten albums over the next eleven years. His first album was Kurtis Blow, while his second was the Top 50 pop album Deuce. Party Time featured a fusion of rap and go-go. Ego Trip included the hits: "8 Million Stories", "AJ Scratch", and "Basketball". His 1985 album, America, garnered praise for its title track\'s music video. From this album, the song "If I Ruled the World" became a Top 5 hit on Billboard\'s R&B chart. By 1983, he moved into production.\n', '

Besides his own work, Kurtis has been responsible for hits by The Fat Boys and Run DMC. Run began his career billed as \'The Son of Kurtis Blow\'. Lovebug Starski, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Full Force, Russell Simmons and Wyclef Jean all have been produced by, or collaborated with, Walker. Former label mates René & Angela had their R&B chart topping debut "Save Your Love (For #1)" was gift rapped by Kurtis. Along with Dexter Scott King, Walker produced his most meaningful production "King Holiday", a song to celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday, released in January 1986.\n', '

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