Jelly Roll Morton

It's easy to draw a line from the early social objections to jazz to those same modern day objections to hip-hop, but it's hard to compare Duke Ellington to Mobb Deep. Unless you're talking about "The Murder Ballad."

"The Murder Ballad," in seven parts, was performed by Jelly Roll Morton and recorded by Alan Lomax (of Smithsonian fame) in 1938, and makes 50 Cent look like a fucking pussy. Parts five through seven, which have all the graphic women's prison sex, to come later.

Jelly Roll Morton - The Murder Ballad Part 01

Jelly Roll Morton - The Murder Ballad Part 02

Jelly Roll Morton - The Murder Ballad Part 03

Jelly Roll Morton - The Murder Ballad Part 04