Music Monday 111 : Profanity in Music

Music Monday 111 :: Profanity in Music (circa late 80s/early 90s)

Recently I was hangin out w/some colleagues and the topic of 2 Live Crew's "Face Down ..." was mentioned (don't exactly remember how that came up in casual conversation among academics, but it did). Wow, all of a sudden a batch of memories came flooding to the surface.

Remember in the late 80s and early 90s and all of the crazy, profane music that was released? I was working in 'black radio' at the time and lots of rap music came through the radio station that we were unable to play on the radio due to FCC restrictions on profanity. Just didn't make sense to try to edit out all of the cuss words.

DJ Quik's debut album "Quik Is The Name" (1991)

Remember PMRC? Parents Music Resource Center? Tipper Gore? And their crusade to save the youth from evil lyrics in music? Ha. Good times indeed.

I won't provide a parental advisory sticker, but here's a short recap of some of the rappers who stand out in my mind that I listened to, but that we never actually played on the radio:

• DJ Quik 
• Too Short 
• 2 Live Crew 
• Sir Mix-A-Lot 
• Geto Boys

Closing out w/the now classic vid from Sir Mix-A-Lot "Baby Got Back."

Now that's a way to start the work week, right?

Music Monday 21 :: Run DMC 2009 Rock Hall Inductees

Music Monday 21 :: Run DMC

So the big day is approaching ... another hip hop group is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The first was Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Love that.

Saturday, April 4, 2009 is the day and it's exciting. I like all the fan fare that leads up to the induction ceremony. And it will be even more frenetic with this year's festivities taking place in Cleveland. Yay, for the northcoast.

Well, what can I say about the legendary Run DMC that has not already been said? I've never been a Run DMC fan; at least not like that. I have never owned a pair of Adidas. I did not "Walk This Way". You get the point. But of course, I like their music. Was crazy about Jam Master Jay too. I just got a thing for djs. Oh and I am sure that I have seen Run DMC in concert at least once.

The only thing that had me a bit miffed was that Run DMC is being introduced by Eminen at the induction ceremony. That just left me with a 'wtf' kinda feeling. And to learn that Run DMC wanted Enimen to introduce them just leaves me pale (and that ain't an easy thing for me to do, knowwhatimsayin?). Ya coulda got Rick Rubin. Russell Simmons. But that would be too obvious. Whatever fellas ...

Here's to Run DMC!

• Run DMC Official website
• Run DMC on Wikipedia
• Run DMC on MySpace
  

Rock Hall info:

• Information about the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Festivities
  

King Of Rock - Run DMC

What's you fav Run DMC song? Let's put that out there.
image borrowed from TheBoomBoxNYC

Music Monday 2 :: DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince

So it's only the second week of my Music Mondays and guess what? It's a hip hop throw back. Yeah.

My friends, Ericka and Dell, were talking about Will Smith pre-Will Smith = The Fresh Prince. I had mentioned his recent sit down w/Oprah and that he is such a likable guy. They concurred and Ericka went on to mention her fav Will Smith song - "Miami", which was indeed in the Will Smith era.

But I remember DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince like it was yesterday. I was trying to think of the song about girls and that would be "Girls Ain't Nuthin But Trouble". My other favs along w/"Parents Just Don't Understand" are all quite popular: "Nightmare On My Street" and "Summertime". I love the Kool and the Gang riff that flows through "Summertime" and the fact that the scene he describes in Philly was quite similar to a the summer hang out scene in Cincinnati - hangin out in Eden Park.



I like the story telling aspect of their songs. They always paint a picture for you. And you gotta love the vid. So comical. I thought it was comical back then and I think it's funny now as well. Oh, and the music. What is that from? A TV show. I think it's "Bewitched"...

So if you get a chance, check out the DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince Discography. You can check it out even if your memory is not shoddy like mine. Oh and do tell about your fav Jazzy Jeff/Fresh Prince/Will Smith jam.