Random Rap?NY Times Article
batmon
27,574 Posts
There's an article in today's NY Times about Obscure HipHop Compilations. Apparently cats are trying to collect/revive/document/highlight many acts from the so-called "Golden Era". My only concern with this is--- Not all hip hop from that era has merit. There was alot a doo-doo being made in the late 80's. Ask any record pool DJ back in the days. I understand alot of outsiders become custodians to the culture,but some stuff doesn't need to be appreciated. I notice some of the wants/trades even on this site make me say "What the Hell?".It's like somebody telling me that the number 54th ranked boxer should be thrusted up there with the the top 20 boxers. I know cats collect for a myriad a reasons, but shit is out of control. Let wack shit stay wack shit. I used to make tapes called specifically "wack tracks" just for fun/concept because of the abundance of trash on many albums/singles. I wouldn't think to bring that shit to a party a say "Check out this overlooked stuff". To each his own, and all that shit. Hindsight recontexturalizes.The art canon can always be challenged, but If a martian comes from another planet declaring that Tone-Loc is as good an Mc as Kool G. Rap, then I think "Houston---We have a problem!!".
Comments
DocBeezy might hear you
Exhibit A - Rappin' Duke - I thought it was corny when it 1st dropped, I still think it's corny some 15 + years later... Just 'cause somethin' is old don't mean it's good - and this can be applied outside of music/hip-hop - I'm all for payin' homage and respectin' the historical precedents, but some of this ish didn't get shine not b/c they were obscure and/or limited runs/etc., but simply 'cause they SUCKED...
Don't think obscure means good, but can't we just enjoy music based on its own merits? What do you specifically see as being wack? Do you see Tone Loc as an example of regional or obscure rap?
h
Rappin Duke was a novelty record. Im talkin about stuff that local djs didnt even play at local parties. Stuff that didnt get on late night nyc radio show back then. Rappin Duke is like "Because I Got High". Im talkin about MC "TRYANDRAP" who didn't get burn nowhere, and someone from Iowa labels it as worthy obscure rap.
Read the article. Im just responding to the article. Do you wear skippies or Nikes? Im sure you have taste boundaries.
Wack is the new jack swing song on the first Brand Nubian album. I wouldn't cop that if it was a single.
Wack is BIG BAD WOLF by LL COOL J.
Do you go to a museum and look for good things in bad pieces of art?
Ps.......I like Tone-LOc......dont get it twisted.
As long as you brought it up, why is "Random" attached to "rap" for the more obscure singles? This has always drove me crazy.
I mean a random rap 12" would be one that i picked out of my collection with my eyes closed, not knowing what it would be.
But these "random rap" singles seem like they were pulled out pretty intentionally.
but I dont know, if anyone knows, please to share with me.
Is there a link to the article?
thanks
h
The description is suspect/Media crap. I'm just wondering about the artists that are being ressurected. And the taste of the custodians.
But yeah, cats do go overboard sometimes, they think that this equation stand true:
Obscure+golden era=great rap.
I have no skills w/ the computer, so u might have to go to the New York Times/Arts&Leisure section.GOOGLE.
I was talking about that shit the other day, because I remember he came here and was on tour and did a concert. He performed that one song for about 30 minutes! The kicker was he did two shows. Lol!!!!!!! Just think, he went around the world doing that shit and got paid.
Great article. Nice to see Noz & cocaine blunts get some shine.
If this article was bigging up crap, I could understand complaints. Paul C, Freestyle Professors & Mao & Ivory are all good in my books. The Third Unheard was a not a bad comp either.
Peace
h
What's medium rare II? DUH!?!
does this strike anyone else as arrogant?
I understand the urge to document artistic endeavours from the past that have been 'overlooked', but this can be taken waaaay too far - where is the real relevance to future generations? I seriously wouldn't put obscure CT rap up there with the Dead Sea Scrolls...
---
aint scurred to give you a playlist either:
Hater Intro
Masked Demolition Lover - Choke (DJ Vesion)
Condition Red - Don't Get Caught Slippin
Dee Rock -Sexy Dexy Inst.
B.O.S. - The Mic Terrorist (Ran's Funky Touch)
Frozen Explosion - Cold Kickin
Top Secret - It's a Warning
OC - Word Life (Celory Remix)
Rodney O & Joe Cooley - Nobody Disses Me
The Ultimate Choice - How I'm Livin
IRM Crew - I Dream of DJs
Positive Sound - We're Def
B Ice Cool - Toothache
Funkmaster Wiz - Bellvue Patient
MC Jay - Slow and Mellow
MC Breeze - Your Craniums Cracked
Born 2wice - Child 4 Freestyle
Heartbeat Brothers - Time to get Paid
Nu Reign - Coolin
G Slim & Them - Let the Knowledge be Born
Koas & Mystro - Call for Revolutionaries
Big L - Devil's Son
Diamond - Best Kept Secret (45 King Remix)
Gangstarr - Code of the Streets (Kenny Dope Remix)
The Microphone Prince - Rock House / Loose J and the Masters of Wax - Sissapella
Noel Rockwell - The Wop Sensation (Remix)
MC Clay Luv & DJ Leader 1 - Silver Suckers
MC Candy Man - Money Talks Inst.
Jewel T - Ride the Crossfade
West Coast Crew - Jealous People
Sir Fresh & DJ Critical - Sir Vere
Lifers Group - The Real Deal (Thumz Mix)
RC Nucleus - Liquid Music
Mr X & Mr Z - We Drink Old Gold (Thumz Mix)
Chrissy C - Get Fresh Boy
Percee P & Ekim - Lung Collapsing Lyrics
Super Lover Cee & Cassanova Rud - Romeo
Business Partners - So Smoove
Hardnoise - Untitled Inst.
Antoinette - Take it from the Top
Queensbridge Outro
That's humble magnificent Edan-speak methinks, there is no real relevance in record geekery. I find this random rap thing mighty interesting as I was playing with Legoblocks when those records came out. Sloppy White what what what !
Blurry private mind garden you have.
He has a mighty collection.
If you collect rare records, you sorta put 'em out of circulation.
He works at a recordlabel that puts out re-issues & compilations, hence the music is back in circulation.
Props to Jon for the article, because I think this random rap shit is an interesting phenomenon, more on the collecting tip than on the good music tip. I'm completely with Batmon on this though: around 11 or 12 years ago I started trying to find all of the records that I heard on Red Alert, Operating Room, Awesome 2, etc. when I was a little kid, records ranging from Sugar Bear to "They Call Me Puma", "Champion of Love", etc. To me these weren't "random" records, they were actually kinda underground radio hits that I heard over and over again when I was like 7 or 8 years old. I hate seeing these records lumped into the "random rap" category by ignorant dudes who were into raves or Pavement two years ago. I mean some (if not most) obscure records are obscure for a reason: because they sucked and no one wanted to hear them. I see shit going on ebay now that is really like beat third-rate copycat rap from Deleware or whatever and fools are salivating over because it's "rare". So? I think it's dope that dudes like Tom Delay are trying to put out CD's and shit that put people on to cuts they might have overlooked, but alot of fools are getting carried away and trying to annoint new "classics" that never were.
but even on the party tip...... ever heard phil most chill's "on tempo jack"??? tracks like that make you want to buy those comps you're talking ill about. ask phil how much he's charging for an original 12"
is the name of this forum btw, not crate digging gets dissed.
An old Red Alert Kiss-FM cassette I used to have had him mixin' Bobby Jimmy's 'Big Butt' (which was unusual at the time given its Southern California origin) w/ Midnight Star's 'Curious' - evident back then that the standard criterion for judgin' was the quality of the music - as it should be now as opposed to the obscure factor... I remember when I used to be part of Steve Fournier's Rap Pool of America (based out of H-Town) and would get sent all sorts of unheard of independent labels and joints - a lot of 'em weren't good back then and sure haven't aged well since (when I occasionally pull some out to listen now)...
I'm desperately trying to find some tapes of Red playing R&B. I have him doing doubles of "Curious" (funny you should mention it") on a tape, righ before it cuts off. Reminded me of how hyphy he was with the RnB records. I have good quality hip-hop portions of his show on CD to trade if anyone is interested.
I wish I still had some of those cassettes - Marley + Magic on 'BLS, Alert + Chuck Chillout on Kiss; I used to have some Latin Rascals radio material as well where they just went off on the edits...
Just a short note/clarification -
Bobby Jimmy (small independent Macola-distributed label)
Midnight Star (S.O.L.A.R. which was a considerably larger outfit)
Red's filter -> just GOOD sh*t...
I'm w/ Bat though - yes, it's nice to have some of those titles for historical posterity, but as certified, unequivocal JAMS? Uh, no... Funny what the contrast is b/w not bein' there in that time + place and havin' lived through it...
that, if anyone is rewriting history, it's jay, not me.
I think I might have just come up on some of these. They used to get buck with it!