Paul Brothwood: The Jubalaires, Noah and Rap History
A gospel performance ahead of its time
The Jubalaires were an African-American gospel vocal group known for close harmonies, storytelling and rhythmic vocal passages.
“Noah” retells the biblical story through alternating lead vocals and group responses. The lead lines follow a tight rhythm, with repeated phrases and carefully timed rhymes driving the performance forward.
The recording has the structure and energy of gospel music, but parts of the vocal delivery sound familiar to anyone raised on rap and hip-hop.
That resemblance has introduced The Jubalaires to new listeners decades after the original performance.
Was Noah the first rap recording?
“Noah” is regularly described online as the first rap song. That description makes a strong headline, but the history is far older and more complicated.
Rhythmic speech, rhyme and musical storytelling existed long before 1946. African oral traditions, spirituals, gospel, blues, sermons and talking performances all contributed to techniques later heard in rap.
The Jubalaires did not invent those traditions. They recorded a striking example of them.
A better description of “Noah” is an early forerunner of rap. The performance shows that rhythmic, rhyming vocals formed part of African-American music long before hip-hop developed as a recognised movement in New York during the 1970s.
Why the Bassic remix works
The Bassic remix adds a stronger bass line and modern beat without burying the original voices.
The remix does not create the track’s rhythmic character. It brings forward something already present in the 1946 performance.
That is why it feels so natural. The timing, delivery and interaction between the voices already provide a foundation for the added production.
The modern beat helps listeners hear “Noah” through a different set of musical references. A performance recorded during the 1940s suddenly feels connected to music produced generations later.
Meeting Oritsé Williams
The photograph of me with Oritsé Williams has no direct connection with The Jubalaires. It represents one reason I enjoy writing about music.
Artists, recording methods and audiences change, but rhythm, harmony and storytelling continue to pass between generations.
Oritsé founded JLS with Aston Merrygold, Marvin Humes and JB Gill. Their music belongs to a different period and style, yet their success also rests on vocal harmony, rhythm and connecting with an audience.
Meeting artists gives me a greater appreciation of the work behind a recording. Listeners usually hear the finished track. The artist has already dealt with rehearsals, arrangement, performance, recording and the pressure of placing creative work before the public.
Music across generations
The most interesting part of “Noah” is not the argument over whether it was the first rap recording.
Its importance lies in how clearly it connects different periods of music. Gospel harmony, spoken rhythm and group response sit inside a recording made decades before rap became a commercial genre.
The Bassic remix makes that connection easier to hear. It respects the original performance and gives its rhythm more weight.
Listening to “Noah” today shows that musical styles rarely appear without a history. New artists take existing ideas, reshape them and introduce them to another generation.
That continuing exchange is what makes music history worth exploring.
Listen to The Jubalaires
Original 1946 performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpUsQq4Kv90
The Jubalaires, Noah, Bassic remix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byV9vym38aU
Further reading
Paul Brothwood | Being a Project Manager at Three Years Old
https://www.paulbrothwood.co.uk/2024/10/being-project-manager-at-three-years-old.html
Paul Brothwood | Chartered Environmentalist
https://www.paulbrothwood.co.uk/2026/06/paul-brothwood-chartered-environmentalist.html
About Paul Brothwood
Paul Brothwood is an Operations Manager and Chartered Environmentalist with interests in leadership, operational improvement, motorcycle travel, music and cultural history.
https://www.paulbrothwood.co.uk/2026/08/about-paul-brothwood.html
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