We hear at the New Times camp are die fans of all things old school. So as I came across this stellar footage of Teddy P doing his thing (while still walking I might add) from 1979, it seemed appropriate to share it with the blogosphere.
He's undeniably looking good and as he belts out this jam, it's hard not to sing along.
Enjoy.
While we’re on the subject of old dance jams, here’s another classic: “Security” by the Beat Club, which dropped around ’87 or ’88. This classic record had both that tinkle-tinkle that linked it both to freestyle and electro in these parts and the emerging early rave sound in England – which gave it massive legs, even cracking the Top 75 singles chart in the U.K.
Besides those amazingly creepy percolating bass and synth lines, what’s even more awesome is that Beat Club hail from Miami, made up mostly of the husband-wife team of Ony Rodriguez and Mirey Valls. They later formed their own label, Electrobeat , and still release music. The latest: a Beat Club full-length album, Minimalista, officially released this past January and available for download (for just $6.99!) on the web site.
The first, oh, decade’s history of the Beat Club is summed up in this 1995 article from Miami New Times. The band’s Wikipedia page also claims that this year should see a promotional tour by the group, but there’s not exactly a wealth of information on the Electrobeat site, and the label’s Myspace page seems to have been deleted.… Well, let’s hope they pop out of the woodwork again. -- Arielle Castillo
Since it's Throwback Tuesdays, I'm in the mood to take it wayyyy back to the Bridge Wars of the mid '80s in the dawn of hip-hop's golden years.
This originally was a battle of the boroughs. Queens rappers MC Shan and Marley Marl came out with a track called "The Bridge" that posited hip-hop culture in New York was strongest in the borough of Queens. Billing themselves as the Juice Crew, which consisted of Big Daddy Kane, Marley Marl, MC Shan, Roxanne Shante, Mr. Magic, Biz Markie and others, they were considered by many to be the most respected crew in hip-hop at the time. So when "The Bridge" dropped in 1985 it was a major hit but it did spark some controversy.
Led by KRS-One, Bronx rappers Boogie Down Productions begged to differ. And in 1986, BDP dropped this video below sparking one of the first real rap wars.
As if that wasn't enough, BDP followed up with this joint below to help folks remember what part of New York hip-hop really got started in. It's just a couple of fun tracks to listen to on an overcast Tuesday.
Here's an oldie but goody from Detroit R&B crooner Dwele. He's been featured recently on Kanye's "Flashing Lights" and Common's "The People" singing hooks--which makes you think that Chicago MC's have a soft spot for him. A lot of the love he gets from the hip-hop community has more to do with his strong singing ability, sleepy falsetto, and his connection to the late great J Dilla.
Dwele's been existing on the fringes of neo-soul super stardom for a few years now and here's the track that really got his career moving forward.
Coming out of left field, here's an old school video from Parisian international super star Manu Chao. Around the world, Manu is the man, but he doesn't gain nearly as much recognition here in the U.S. It's not totally clear why that is, but the more that gringos travel abroad and hear about him, the more his legend tends to spread stateside. His lyrics are multilingual, his music is multicultural and you never know if he's going to break out in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, or whatever.
Some folks will remember him from his early Mano Negra days when the band was based in Spain and scaring the shit out of the political right in that country.
Anyways, here's a video off of his landmark album, Proxima Estacion: Esperanza, which was released in 2000. Enjoy.
So technically, it's hard to call this track a "Throwback" since the album only came out in 2006. But the video itself is totally retro, and weird, and some shit that only Madlib and his Stones Throw affiliates could put together.
You have to just watch it. Explaining all the zany Bollywood symbolism is futile. It sure is fun to watch though.
British bands in the '80's had a strange sense of style.
Of course, that's a relative statement, but I was reminded of it when I came across the video from the Fine Young Cannibals and their international hit, "She Drives Me Crazy" from 1989.
I don't know what happened to the band after this song crossed the pond but it brings back memories.
So 2 Pac's name has been in the news a lot lately. The L.A. Times goofed up a story regarding his assault at the Quad Studios in 1994 and even had to issue a retraction. And Puffy or P. Diddy, or whatever the hell he calls himself is doing everything he can to detach himself from Pac's robbery/shooting.
With all the talk about Pac circa 1994, it's strange that nobody is really even talking about the music he was making back then.
Here's an old school jewel from MC Breed and 2 Pac from '93 that was a personal favorite when it first came out.
With the First Annual Freestyle Awards just wrapping up in Miami last week, it seems right to give freestyle artists some love here at CrossFade. I personally watched Lil Suzy, Debbie Deb, Freestyle Evolution and other's rip things up at the award show last Wednesday night. A lot of these folks still have plenty of talent and it made me want to dig up this old gem.
Here's the original "Take Me in Your Arms,"video from way back in the day.
--Jonathan Cunningham
You know, I do agree with some of the readers who have been writing in saying that Jay-Z could have played a bunch of different tracks during his two night stint here in Miami that would have made the concerts better. I've got personal favorites that never game out but that's the way it goes. He's gotta satisfy all of his fans...and we all know a lot of his "fans" didn't come on board till well after Reasonable Doubt dropped.
But no "Dead Presidents." I dont' know how he missed that one.
So we're bringing it to you Throwback Tuesday style
This one takes me back to the last year that Slum Village was still together as a group and promoting videos for Fantastic Vol 2. Jay Dee was already working on Common's Like Water For Chocolate album and doing beats for a slew of other hip-hop heavyweights but Slum as the world officially knew them were still together.
The video itself is a trip and how they convinced Gary Coleman to be in it is a mystery. Shout outs to Gary Coleman for finally getting laid by the way.
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So Mad Cobra didn't really have much of a career outside of this track, but for a short while this tune ran dancehalls around the globe. Since it's throwback day, don't be afraid to sing along to this one.
MC Lyte will probably always remain one of the most underrated MC's of all time. Of any gender--not just because she's female but rather hip-hop enthusiasts tend to forget about her too easily. But what a lot of critics and award shows never acknowledged was that during the '80's and early '90's, Lyte was one of the best story rappers in the genre. On par, or better, than Slick Rick, Nas, Too $hort, Kool G. Rap and anybody else who laid claim to being a story rapper.
She was fresh back in the day and this is easily one of my favorite tracks from her long list of throwback classics. And with the exception of Nas, unlike most of the artists on that list above,
Lyte can still freestyle and flow with the best of em.
Here's some more Dilla for ya since it's Throwback Tuesdays. A classic Madlib beat with Dilla and Frank N Dank killing their verses off the Champion Sound LP.
It's Throwback Tuesdays here at CrossFade and we're going way back with some vintage Bobby Dylan. This was always one of my favorite early music videos and its great to see the original bald head slick AKA Allen Ginsberg in the background enjoying a cameo.
