Run D.M.C. & The Boogie Down Productions
In 81' a filmaker by the name of Charlie Ahearn decided there should be a film about graffitti/b-boy scene exclusively in the South Bronx. The film would be called Wild Style. Fab 5 Freddy was a consultant/actor on the film. The B-boy nation was gaining momentum and so was hip hop. " The B-boy nation was caught in a farstian vise: Radio hits, tours, and mass media incursions brought in cash but also carpetbaggers vibes of poseurs, industry weasels, and art hustlers- the resolution was no longer theirs." - Alan Light. In New York City, a man by the name of Larry Smith was seeking artists who could produce a more aggressive approach vocally in rap. He instilled in Run D.M.C. and Whodini to make it happen. Three teens from the relatively middle-class community of Hollis, Queens, Run D.M.C immediately went to the head of the class with their debut recording "It's Like That" and "Sucker MC's" (Krush Groove).
Run D.M.C. consist of Run (Joseph Simmons), DMC (Darryl McDaniels), and their DJ, Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell). Straight outta Hollis, Queens Joseph Simmons' brother Russell Simmons help jumpstart their career. " Perhaps their distance from ghetto aesthetics allowed Run D.M.C. to pull off something their less advantaged forebears were too deep inside to see Either way, rap was no longer folk music; it was now a portable formal conceit and whoever could so it best would win." - Kurtis Blow.
In 84' they released their debut album and in '85 released their sophomore album King of Rap. After their 86' relaese of Raising Hell, the song "My Adidas," made it as a top 10 R&B single. Also in ' 86 Run D.M.C. remade "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith. It was the first rap single to hit Billboard's top ten. It was number four and on the R&B charts it was later went multi-platinum and shot up to number one. Tougher Than Leather was released in '88, the follow-up album to Raising Hell. While the new record did not maintain the same popularity as its predecessor, it obtained platinum status and spawned favorites "Run's House" and "Mary, Mary".Run D.M.C's aggressive style had been taken beyond by Boogie Down Productions and later N.W.A. With the ganster scene approaching D.M.C seemed to only be appealing to white listeners.
Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group from the South Bronx comprised of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock (who was murdered in 1987). The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for The cultural South Bronx, one of the five boroughs of New York City. With their debut LP Criminal Minds, they pioneered the fusion of dancehall reggae and hip hop. The Bronx is believed to be the origin of hip-hop, rival hip-hop group The Juice Crew were misunderstood to contain a claim in the song The Bridge that hip hop was directly a result of artists originating from Queensbridge. Boogie Down created diss songs like The Bridge is Over and South Bronx. This sparked one of the first notable hip hop wars as MC Shan, Marley Marl, Roxanne Shante and Blaq Poet all released songs featuring verses attacking members of BDP. After the death of Scott La Rock the Bridge Wars fizzled out an d KRS began to concentrate on consciously focused music.
Then There Was N.W.A.
A music label called Macola Records was being established. It was located on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood and major artists such as World Class Wreckin' Cru formed their own labels under Macola. There were mix shows by Uncle Jamm's Army and then by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella. The style of gangster rap emerged from Los Angeles. It proved to be the most notorious in the music business. "After the smoke clears, gangsta rap will be identified as the most influential style in all pop music in this decade." In the 90's gangster rap had taken over especially over the youth of the nation both white and black. Lyrics of black inner-city life and violence were being put on wax and it was a gamble if a record would get airplay. Crack had been introduced to L.A. giving it it's reconstruction. " It was an escape route from gang banging that established old school hip hop sensibilities in such gangster rappers as Boo-Yaa, T.R.I.B.E.,and Ice-T." - Eileen Southern.
Niggaz With Attitude. A fitting name for a self proclaimed "world's most dangerous group. N.W.A.'s supporters say the collective pushed hip hop to new levels of artistic freedom, unparalled by any American pop music since rock 'n' roll or bebop. N.W.A. consisted of rappers Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, and DJ Yella. After signing the group in '87, Priority Records had boasted their profits. By 1997 the company had sold a 50 percent stake to E M I Records for $100 million. N.W.A. was verry successful and had completely damaged hip hop. The group performed at skating rinks and the crowd loved their raw an uncut approach. It was all underground music, something people couldn't hear on the radio. N.W.A. rebelled against being radicalized unlike East Coast rappers KRS-One and Public Enemy. While everyone else rocked high top fades and recognized African heritage N.W.A. made other plans and reveled in their ignorance. After '87s N.W.A. and The Posse and '88s Eazy- Duz- It, Eazy- E's solo debut that was the follow up to Straight Outta Compton.
"Fuck The Police" was a song that got attention from everyone- including those who didn't even listen to rap. On the most controversial raps of '89 N.W.A. found themselves to be a notorious group and their album was selling like hot cakes. Police considered it disrespectful. Because of the song YO! Mtv Raps dedicated an hour to them. " Ice Cube was the first to discover that all that glitters isn't gold." - Nelson George. He found himself being unable to answer Pat Charbonet's (his future manager) questions about status of royalties and finances. While on tour '89 he asked to see his books. Jerry Heller was urgently requested by Eazy-E and had checks with the amount of $75,000 for each group member along with new contracts. Ice Cube refused to sign saying that he wanted a lawyer to look over the contract.
The group didn't see eye to eye with Cube and he left the group to work with Public Enemy's Bomb Squad. N.W.A. soon began to diminish. There was one particular incident where Marion "Suge" Knight approached Eazy-E making him an offer he couldn't refuse. He wanted him to sign a paper surrendering recording rights for Dr. Dre, D.O.C., Above The Law, Kokane, and Michel'le. Eazy-E refused but Knight had showed him a piece of paper with his mother's address on it. Eazy-E relented.N.W.A. was dead.
Conclusion
Next week chapter three, the women of hip-hop. Stay tuned...
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