Monday 17 June 2013

1988 Rap Week part one



On Saturday while cleaning up the house I had an urge to listen to some old school Rap and Hip-hop, first of  all I dug out Adventures on The Wheels of Steel by Grandmaster Flash which was given the Max seal of approval and I was instructed to play it again, so to keep the peace I did what I was told. After this I gravitated towards the cupboard that houses 12" singles that aren't post 1990 dance tunes and started pulling out some singles. Eric B & Rakim, nice followed by a bit of Roxanne Shante, then a bit of Public Enemy  and so on but after about the 4th or 5th record I realised that they were all from 1988. It appears that I was heavily into my hip-hop in 1988, mainstream granted but hip-hop none the less.

As I played these tunes an idea for a week long series came to me and so this week I will be mostly playing hip-hop. For those of you under the age of forty, there will be no bitches, or hoes referred to, no talk of popping caps or of firearms at all, violence will be eluded to but more through a blistering verbal assault as opposed to the physical kind.

First up, is a 12" single I remember buying from Woolies and playing very loud to my then girlfriend just returned from unsuccessfully emigrating to Australia, who was less than impressed by this sort of music. An absolute belter of a jam built upon a Lyn Collins sample from 1972. I have posted this before but it is brilliant.

Rob Base & D.J. E.Z. Rock - It Takes Two

7 comments:

e.f. bartlam said...

That one's on heavy rotation...along with Dj Kool, Let Me Clear My Throat.

Eric B and Rakim...untouchable.

Were you ever a fan of Brand Nubian/Gran Puba?

Unknown said...

Ah yes the adventures of grandmaster flash...blew me away as did the undertones...and many others....all heard for the first time on Peel. God bless him ! Those really were the days, when we would be pestering our local record dealer the next day to procure those wonderful sounds we had discovered on the airwaves. And today for our children all is just a click away.

Swiss Adam said...

Yes indeed, tune.

drew said...

Abramson, I have said it before, it is far too easy to access music now, it makes it less than it should be.

Adrian said...

A tremendous tune, but now forever coloured by its use on My Name Is Earl (great programme)

drew said...

Adrian not aware of the My Name Is Earl connection

drew said...

e.f. - Eric B and Rakim for me also

Quite liked Grand Nubian