That same year, the song was released as a single by Profile Records, and featured in the hip-hop documentary film Style Wars (1983).

[1] Due to the rarity of its original pressing and the cover art by Basquiat, "Beat Bop" is among the most valuable rap records ever made.

[3] Basquiat befriended graffiti artists Rammellzee and Toxic and invited them to accompany him to Los Angeles while he prepared for his exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery.

[8] Basquiat had heard K-Rob rap at an event in the East Village and invited him to a recording session with Rammellzee.

"[9] Basquiat's friend, writer Glenn O'Brien, said: "His band Gray was really an interesting band — even though they weren't real musicians, they had this great musical sensibility, and I think that, in a way, 'Beat Bop' has a bit of that Gray sound to it, that sort of dub-space thing, a lot of space in the music, a lot of echo.

The lyrical abstraction present on "Beat Bop" is often praised; writing for The Guardian, Chris Campion commented that "people have been trying to decipher it ever since.

"[11] The vocals are delivered in a relaxed, chaotic and almost stream of consciousness manner, often overlapping themselves, with both rappers occasionally adopting fake voices.

Rammellzee's vocal delivery has been cited by AllMusic as a clear example of his "flights of wordplay, fantasy, and street surrealism.

Cory Robbins, founder of Profile Records, heard "Beat Bop" from a DJ named John Hall.

The front cover includes his crown motif, rough sketches of bones, an explosion (and within it, the word "bang!"

The single was repressed in 2001 by Tartown Records, the label that initially released it, with its original cover art retained.

[14] Due to Basquiat's fame, original copies sell for upwards of $1,500, making it among the most valuable rap records ever made.

[9] It has been cited as one of the essential records of old school hip hop, alongside more popular tracks like "Rapper's Delight" and "The Message."

"[2] The single has been described as a blueprint for the "apocalyptic, witty, and experimental" style of many modern hip hop artists, such as Antipop Consortium and El-P.[15] The track has even been thought to provide a stylistic basis for more famous groups, such as Cypress Hill and Beastie Boys.