Blowfly

Before there was Kool Keith, Old Dirty Bastard or 2 Live Crew - before there was hip hop, for that matter - there was Blowfly, performing X-rated songs with a funky groove. Born 61 years ago in Cochran, Georgia, Miami's Clarence Reid has recorded more than 40 albums during his illustrious career. He got his nickname as a child when his grandmother, after hearing him sing dirty versions of then popular songs - like "Suck My Dick" for "Do The Twist" - proclaimed, "You is nastier than a blowfly."

In reality, there's a split personality involved in this man's music: there's Blowfly, the outrageously garbed creator of trash classics such as "Shittin' on the Dock of the Bay" and "Porno Freak," and then there's Clarence Reid, who recorded dozens of records and penned hits for the likes of K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Gwen McRae, Betty Wright, and Sam and Dave while inventing the famed “Miami Sound.”

Many people cite Blowfly as being the first rapper with his 1965 self-pressed "Rap Dirty" record, which was re-recorded for disco giants T.K. Records after the smash success of Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight." Blowfly himself credits the "soul talking" Southern radio DJs of the '50s and '60s as the pioneers of rap, but he is without dispute the first rapper to have a song banned, after an Alabama record store was busted for peddling "Porno Freak." Blowfly was also sued by the President of ASCAP for his "What a Difference a Lay Makes." (The music publishing honcho also happened to be the composer of the popular "What a Difference a Day Makes.")

Blowfly's sounds are a staple of modern-day hip hop. His music has been sampled by many rappers, including The Jurassic 5, (whose hit “Quality Control” is backed by the outro from Weird World Of Blowfly) Ice Cube, DMX, Atmosphere and Puff Daddy.

In 1991, Blowfly hooked up with Fishbone and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist/wild man Flea to record "Shake Your Thang" (clean) b/w "Shake Your Ass" (X-rated), both of which are included on the soundtrack of Blow's legendary film, The Twisted World of Blowfly. The resulting relationship led to a series of shows with Flea and the Fishbone at Club Lingerie in Hollywood, Ca and multiple “Nuttstalk” tours with Fishbone over the next decade.

In 2003, Blowfly was interviewed by Miami-based journalist/drummer Tom Bowker for a cover story in the Broward-Palm Beach New Times. When asked why he hadn't played a Miami-area gig in 20 years, Blowfly replied: “I don't have a band down here." Bowker answered: "Want one?" Two months later, Blowfly’s new band played Bowker’s bachelor party and never looked back.

In May 2005, Bowker and keyboard player Mr. Lock (ex-everything for the Otis Redding progeny funk combo, The Reddings), guitarist Chris Chavez and a bassist by committee – hooked up with punk icon Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles label and released Fahrenheit 69 -- Blowfly's first album dedicated to new, original material since 1988’s Blowfly for President. Guest artists included: Afroman (of "Because I Got High" fame) Slug (MC for underground rap kings Atmosphere), and Bay Area electroclash freaks Gravy Train!!!! Fahrenheit 69 was hailed by the media as a filthy masterpiece, most notably by the LA Weekly, who sang Blowfly’s praises in a year-end think piece, while lamenting that otherwise, 2005 was the year: “Hip Hop forgot its dick could fly.”

After over thirty years of rapping nasty rhymes and turning soul standards into hilarious sex jokes – 2006 finds blowfly with his freakiest and funniest record yet: Blowfly’s Punk Rock Party! Kicking off with the anthem “Punk Cock Is Rock,” Blowfly and his leaner, meaner band of hardcore deviants take you on a journey through Punk History – leaving a filthy trail no one can imitate. Punk standards by the the Ramones (“I Wanna be Fellated”), Black Flag (“VD Party”), and the Clash (“Should I Lay This Big Fat Ho”) are forever perverted by the Porno Freak-- joining tunes formerly by Turbonegro, Billy Idol, The Offspring, Devo, Antiseen and Rocket From The Crypt. Punk Rock Party guest Jello Biafra helps out by flinging mud on the Dead Kennedys grave with guest appearances on two renditions of “R. Kelly In Cambodia.” 19 songs deep and 12 inches long – Blowfly’s Punk Rock Party is an album that wet dreams were made for.

Over the years, Blowfly's seen a lot of his contemporaries fall by the way side. His survival can partially be credited to the fact that while Blowfly is totally whacked in the head, Reid is a God-fearing, Bible-carrying Christian. "I never drink, never smoke, and I never use drugs," confesses Reid. "I may go to hell, but it won't be for those things!"