Ray Charles - "Rap is not music"

The Clash were one of the first rock groups to crossover into rap for they predate Blondie by 6 months.  "The Magnificent Seven" was a hit on Black radio in NYC, particularly the "Dirty Harry" remix.  That was back in the day when you artists didn't get releases for original source material.

Of course Lou Reed was the original wrapper ....

Just out of curiosity I´d like to hear the OP´s or @stager´s take on Norwegian Black Metal. Their takes will be refreshing for sure.

@northman “Of course Lou Reed was the original wrapper ….”
Not sure if you’re joking.

1926: “Talking Blues” - Chris Bouchillon
1926: “Can’t You Wait Till You Get Home” - Frankie Jaxon
1929: “Atlanta Strut” - Blind Willie McTell (still one of the great ‘rap’ lines, ‘she look-a like a lump of laaaaawd-have-mercy’)
1929: “Automobile Ride Through Alabama” - Red Henderson
1931: “Frankie Jean” Memphis Minnie
To name a few from the ‘20s and ‘30s.

Of course there are a ton of rap-y songs by blues, gospel, and country artists in the ‘30s and ‘40s, there’s the majority of Woody Guthrie’s oeuvre, there’s “Who Do You Love” by Bo Diddley in ‘55, and a bunch of early-‘60s Bob Dylan songs, right up until ‘65’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues.”
 

@tylermunns, I'm not joking about Lou Reed at all, but he probably was. He did a song called "The Original Wrapper" (sic) on his 1986 album Mistrial. I love Lou but that album wasn't his finest hour.