Song Of The Day Challenge- Day 5- A Song Everyone Should Listen To At Least Once In Their Life: “The Message”- Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. I wanted to pick a song that wasn’t a hit- “The Message ” only made it to #62 on the Billboard Hot 100. Something that just maybe everyone hasn’t heard before. While I am not a big rap fan I did like a number of rap artists in the 1980’s up until the early 90’s. The first rap album I ever bought was this one- The Message- by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. I had read about the song in a music magazine. The radio wasn’t playing it. At this point we didn’t have MTV. I was intrigued enough to go out and buy the album without hearing it- and I wasn’t disappointed. Overall the album is a good one but it was worth the price on the title track alone. The Message was a game changer in rap- it was the first rap song to provide social commentary. This song is over 7 minutes long but it never seems like a long song. When I go to rank my Top 10 songs of the 80’s no doubt it will be there.
slicethelife 
Good for you for recognizing this hit. I say hit because where I lived this was HUGE and is still referenced today.
I am sure I have never heard this on the radio but it is one of those songs which as you stated- is still referenced today. Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five were put in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007–on the basis of this song I believe.