KLASSIC KUTS: Outer-Space Groove with Street-Level Heat
Some records don’t just drop — they warp time as this classic did in 1982. The Jonzun Crew hit orbit with “Pack Jam (Look Out For The OVC)” — an electro-funk bomb that sent shockwaves through dance floors, roller rinks, and early hip-hop circuits. It wasn’t just music; it was futurism, with a beat so mechanical and slick it sounded like robots learning how to groove.
Formed in Boston by brothers Michael, Soni, and Larry Johnson (later known as the hit-maker behind New Edition and New Kids on the Block), The Jonzun Crew had a vision — space-age funk dressed in sci-fi threads. Alongside Gordy Worthy and Steve Thorpe, they built “Pack Jam” on live synths, electro drums, and vocoder vocals — a signature sound that gave early ’80s electro a heartbeat and a swagger.
Michael Jonzun once described their music as “space music” — not street rap, not disco, but the sound of future kids dancing under neon stars.
“Pack Jam” eventually broke charts too — hitting No. 13 on the U.S. R&B chart and No. 36 on the Dance chart. But those numbers only tell half the story; the real chart was the street, and on that scoreboard “Pack Jam” scored a perfect ten.
The Jonzun Crew cemented themselves as pioneers with the release of their debut 1983 album release “Lost in Space”. Their style — live-synth funk with robotic charm — laid groundwork for what we now call electro-funk, early rap-electro hybrids, and even techno.
Decades later, “Pack Jam” the 12″ remains a collector’s must — proof that the best records don’t just age, they evolve.
If you want to taste where hip-hop, electro, and futurism met, press play on “Pack Jam” — and watch your world lift off.
