He became an MC in his own right around 1977, and changed his name to Kurtis Blow (as in a body blow) at the suggestion of his manager, future Def Jam founder and rap mogul Russell Simmons. Blow performed with legendary DJs like Grandmaster Flash, and for a time his regular DJ was Simmons’ teenage brother Joseph — who, after changing his stage name from “Son of Kurtis Blow,” would go on to become the first half of Run-D.M.C. Over 1977-1978, 
