TOWN LOVE is an online art museum dedicated to celebrating the vibrant past and present of Northwest Hip-Hop. You can browse by artist or browse by year.

This gallery page is organized to highlight the creative work of

Tag: Big Boss Cross

As you scroll, items are sorted from most recent to earliest.

A film about Northwest hip-hop from

The Emerald City Beginning

The Emerald City Beginning was released in 2020 as the first episode in a planned, upcoming series about the origins of hip-hop in the Northwest. The show was created by E-Dawg and Rubik: two Town OGs who certainly have all the right credentials to deliver an authentic portrait of ’80s Seattle.

They sit down with Sir Mix-A-Lot, Nasty Nes, and J-Skee. The centerpiece interview is with James “Captain Crunch” Croone, legendary emcee of The Emerald Street Boys. “Nobody could out-bop him,” says J-Skee about Croone’s skills on the mic. “They were sophisticated. They had no weaknesses,” adds Mix.

Captain Crunch tells the story of how The Emerald Street Boys met: Sweet J stole a rhyme from Sugar Bear, or that was the rumor, and they went off to fight him. In 1982, Seattle-King County Visitors’ Bureau had a contest to find a new nickname for Seattle, and “The Emerald City” was chosen. The Emerald Street Boys were originally named so as to take advantage of the newfound tourism buzz.

You’ll learn about some other of the artists from the mythical start of Seattle rap: Silver Chain Gang, Frostmaster Chill, Big Boss Cross, Chelly Chell, and Supreme La Rock. And you’ll learn how clueless the East Coasters were (and continue to be) about the Northwest. When Nasty Nes first brought Mix-A-Lot to NYC, the record execs said rap from Seattle was impossible, in a place “where there are only horse-drawn buggies and green grass.”

The Emerald City Beginning was created in and features appearances from:

Did we get it wrong? It happens. Send us an email and let's get it corrected right away!

A film about Northwest hip-hop from

Party Invader

West Seattle’s Big Boss Cross released his rap single, “Party Invader,” in 1986. The song is six-and-a-half minutes of electro techno-funk beats fronted by an ever-more creative series of rap boasts.

In the early ‘80s, Chris “Big Boss” Cross was in a group with Gary Jam, called Jam Delight. Later, he released a cassette called “Pimpin’ Wit Me,” which created enough buzz to convince California’s Macola Records to distribute “Party Invader” all across the country.

In the song, we learn that Big Boss Cross is a devastating force. He’s got “computers in the background.” He’s invincible. He’s “the rap messiah of the mixing board.” He’s “hotter than fire.” “A solid gold player in Rappinhood.” His “rhymes are never off tempo.” Some of these bars are truly entertaining. The B-side of this record features just the instrumental beats should you wish a break from the boasts.

Party Invader was created in and features appearances from:

Did we get it wrong? It happens. Send us an email and let's get it corrected right away!

A film about Northwest hip-hop from

Come To The Party

Along with Terrible Two, Jam Delight can certainly make a case that they were Seattle’s first rap group. In late summer of 1981, Jam Delight bested the Terrible Two at Lateef’s in one of Seattle’s first documented rap battles. Then in 1984, Big Boss Cross and Gary (sometimes spelled Garry) Jam recorded and released “Rhyme One Time (For God Almighty)” on TLP Records. By 1985, Scratch Master K had become Jam Delight’s DJ, and the trio regularly practiced at Scratch Master K’s apartment in Lakeshore Village.

During these practice sessions in 1985 they recorded three songs. The first is “Come To The Party” by Big Boss Cross. This funky seven minute freestyle extravaganza shows the easy style of this Seattle rap pioneer. Cross throws lots of familiar old-school phrases into his lyrics, while K lives up to his name scratching “Body Work” by Hot Streak up and down to the beat. “If you want to know why I rock it so good, ask me why, I’m in Hollywood,” Cross boasts.

The second track is by Gary Jam and it is called “Ready And Set.” In this tour-de-force, Jam runs through his bars methodically and perfectly on beat. “The one and only rapper Gary Jam I am a ruler. I’m so cold crush I’ll freeze a California Cooler,” he says, referring to the alcoholic beverage brand that was popular at the time. Jam is a true rap technician on the mic and his verses flow like Snoqualmie Falls. Once again K is fast on the cut, this time interposing Malcolm McLaren’s “D’ya Like Scratchin” against the obscure beat of a 1985 Dynasty & Mimi B-side titled “The Bugging Animal Farm.”

The last song “Can I Cut A Rhyme?” is performed by both Cross and Jam together. This track shows their fun interplay with each other, and the chemistry that made them true Seattle legends. “We’re ready to fight all the sucker MCs, bring each and every one of them down to their knees,” warns Jam. Then Cross reminds that, “We will rock this party from day to night, we are the devastating crew we’re called Jam Delight.”

The following year, Big Boss Cross went on to release “Party Invader” on Macola Records in California. According to Glen Boyd in the Rocket, by 1987 Gary Jam was pursuing a singing career rather than continuing with rap. In 2016 Cross passed away, and ten years later Scratch Master K found the original cassette single and released the tape for the first time in 2026. This is that old-school Seattle rap that you have been looking for! Written by Novocaine132

Come To The Party was created in and features appearances from:

Did we get it wrong? It happens. Send us an email and let's get it corrected right away!

A film about Northwest hip-hop from

Rhyme One Time (For God Almighty)

According to the excellent half-hour YouTube program titled “The Emerald City Beginning – Episode 1,” hosted by Rubik and E-Dawg, perhaps the earliest rivalry in Seattle rap belongs to Jam Delight vs. The Terrible Two. In the video, Captain Crunch recalls teaming up with fellow Terrible Two member Sugar Bear for the first battle in 1981 against Garry Jam and Boss Cross who were Jam Delight. Jam and Cross were the victors that day at Lateef’s nightclub and Terrible Two subsequently decided to regroup as a trio called Emerald Street Boys.

The two members of Jam Delight continued making music together, and in 1984 they wrote and recorded this incredible Seattle rap song titled “Rhyme One Time (For God Almighty).” Instead of Jam Delight, they called themselves Rhyming Gospel Sensations. The song begins with a bouncy Harold Faltermeyer type of keyboard melody, and then Garry Jam (Gary Gilmer) and Big Boss Cross (Christopher Cross) take turns rapping about their faith. The lyrics are clever and heartfelt, including gems like, “Before you eat dinner you need to say grace.”

“Rhyme One Time (For God Almighty)” came out on Douglas T. Green’s Seattle record label called TLP Records, which listed an address at 25th and E. Cherry. Garry Jam went on to make a very humorous song called “Snot” with Sir Mix-A-Lot and Daddy Rich the following year. He also made a solo track called “Funky Fresh Beat Of The Drum.” Big Boss Cross recorded a track in 1986 titled “Party Invader.” Both Jam and Cross are pioneers in Seattle rap history, and hopefully, more and more of their work will become available. Cross passed away in 2016, rest in peace. Written by Novocaine132

Rhyme One Time (For God Almighty) was created in and features appearances from:

Did we get it wrong? It happens. Send us an email and let's get it corrected right away!