Well, we're about 10 full years into hip hop's history and I finally topped 1,000 songs. The 1000th song to be loaded was a 1989 song from UK artist Overlord X called "Kick Bag." It's been an educational journey to this point, to say the very least. Knowing what I already know of 1990 hip hop, this is a major turning point. Not that 1988 and 1989 weren't nice, but this next year is when the releases come rampant and nearly everything's dope. It's going to be a serious headrush. To resist moving right into 1990 is a serious test of patience and personal control.It's interesting some of the things I've learned along my way. Names like Steady B and Just-Ice are now household. I parade the Dismasters everywhere I go swearing they're the illest I've ever heard. Silly me: I thought "I Got a Man" was Positive K's first record. I knew the drum break from "Funky President" was instrumental, but damn, everyone looped those drums. MC Lyte was actually doper than I originally thought. Mellow Man Ace was actually not so corny. Tone Loc's Loc'd After Dark is ill, b'lee dat. Run DMC's career really did end in the 1990's. Now I know why no one knows who the hell Rev Run is. Stetsasonic, I hate to say it, was a bit overrated. 3rd Bass, however, was extremely underrated. I've always held this as truth, but it's no more evident to me as it is now. Willie D is dope. Scarface is dope. Bushwick had no business going solo--ever. The Dust Brothers were fantastic hip hop producers--mainly on the strength of Loc'd After Dark, Stone Cold Rhymin' and Paul's Boutique. Cymande was one of the freshest funk bands ever and heads will sleep on them eternally. Treacherous Three were dope. Kool Moe Dee was not-so dope. In fact, after about three songs of Kool Moe Dee in succession, he's hardly listenable. Heavy D was nice, but got played on that early New Jack Swing ish. New Jack Swing is the devil's music. It's horrible. Hip hop was lucky to survive it. Stezo's Crazy Noise is classic. Nice & Smooth were dope before Ain't a Damn Thing Changed. Dennis Coffey and Bob James are the creepy uncles of hip hop. People slept hard (and still do) on the first Gangstarr record. As fanatical and, sometimes, forgiving as people are with Gangstarr, I'm not sure how that record gets so overlooked. Big Daddy Kane's It's a Big Daddy Thing is so fresh it makes me want to just stunt and do B-boy poses all day.
Hip hop needs to bring the dancers back. And I ain't talking about Superman, you stupid cornball.
No comments:
Post a Comment