The 1982 Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five single famous for “Don’t push me” is “The Message.”
Its refrain—“Don’t push me ’cause I’m close to the edge”—became one of hip-hop’s most recognizable lines. Unlike many earlier party-oriented rap records, the song delivers stark social commentary about poverty, stress, crime, and limited opportunity in New York City’s inner-city neighborhoods.
“The Message” was released by Sugar Hill Records on July 1, 1982. Duke Bootee and Melle Mel wrote the song, while producer Ed Fletcher and Sylvia Robinson helped shape the recording. Grandmaster Flash was central to the group’s identity, but the track’s vocal narrative is led especially by Melle Mel.
Listeners sometimes confuse the single with the group’s debut studio album, which was also titled The Message and arrived later in 1982. The song’s influence extended far beyond its chart position: in 2002, it became the first hip-hop recording selected for the National Recording Registry.