Vinyl albums- Public Enemy, Duke Ellington, McFadden & Whitehead
Music is a universal language. Jazz, rhythm and blues, rap, gospel, house, soul, rock and roll, disco and go-go. Some of these styles of music are a fusion from multiple genres. While some don’t want to admit that, just read the credits and you will discover. Groups that you thought might have been considered a “black” group, have some origins from other cultures.
Nonetheless, June is Black Music Month or African American Appreciation Month. President Jimmy Carter declared it in 1979. However, it wasn’t until 1998 that it was officially acknowledged.
Music has a way of getting a message across in song. Some people use it as a way to express their feelings. A way to release and purge. Music also brings about feelings of happiness. Others use it as a way to promote consciousness or bring awareness to the injustices going on in the world. Music has a way of uniting and bringing people together, no matter where you come from. It is so uplifting to hear the right song and it gets you singing along or dancing.
It amazes me how much music has changed over the years. New styles and artists emerge. Languages change too. Meaning the way artists enunciate in their music, sometimes you can’t understand a word. Some songs sound like the chorus is just on repeat and not many lyrics to it.
The one thing that I noticed is that songs in today’s time are much shorter. Back in my day, songs were an average of 8-12 minutes. Today, songs are averaging less than 5 minutes. To me, that is a snippet! Oh well, what do I know right?! Music can make you dance, cry, sing, smile and so on.
It’s Women’s History Month. Let’s talk about a female hip hop and funk group who was pivotal in these genres of the music.
What do you get when you add Angie B, Blondy and Cheryl the Pearl? Drumroll please… meet The Sequence. A trio of women from South Carolina who performed a fusion of hip hop and funk music. Angela Brown, Gwendolyn Chisolm and Cheryl Cook made up the first female group to release songs under Sugar Hill Records.
The most notable song by the group is “Funk You Up”, which came out in 1979. You may also remember the song, “Monster Jam with Spoonie Gee”. In the 90s Angela Brown aka Angie Stone later joined the music group Vertical Hold before going solo in 1999. She has also performed in theater, TV and movies.
Angie Stone-Mahogany Soul Album
Gwendolyn “Blondy” Chisolm and Cheryl “The Pearl” Cook released a single in 2011 titled, “On Our Way to the Movies”. The Pearl also wrote songs for the Sugar Hill Gang and scores of other artists. She went on to start her own company called Black Bottom Entertainment.
The Sequence is very important in the history of women, music and hip hop. Their first single topped the music charts for three weeks and went Gold. Other artists have sampled their music. Even though the hip hop genre is more prominent in NY, The Sequence held their own and made their mark being from the South. They have helped to lay the foundation for subsequent female hip hop groups and solo MCs, that we know and love.
The influence of The Sequence can still be felt and heard, even today. Give them their due for what they have laid down for women groups who came after them. For whatever reason, The Sequence has not been given the credit they deserve. When I think of The Sequence I think of a trio of inspiration and talent.
If you are from the Jersey or New York scene and of a certain age, then you know there was a lot of great music from those times. Also, some movies influenced and helped bring recognition to the hip hop culture of the 80s and 90s.
Think back to Krush Groove, Breakin, Juice, Beat Street, Wild Style, New Jack City just to name a few. Back in the days of the 80s and 90s we also had break dancing, roller skating, and a host of other things that came together with the music. I mean skating with 4 wheels, 2 in the front and 2 in the back. Not the in-line skates. We listened to music on a beat box- a big radio that had a handle on top to carry around on the block or to take outside and sit on the steps. Also, we had what was called a walkman- which was a portable music player. We played music on cassette tapes and vinyl records. CDs came on the scene later on down the line.
When I think back to hip hop music of the 80s and 90s these names come to mind:
LL Cool J-14 Shots to the Dome
MC Lyte-Lyte As a Rock
3rd Bass-The Cactus Album
De La Soul- 3 Feet High and Rising
Chubb Rock- And the Winner is
EPMD- Strictly Business
Channel Live ft. KRS One- Mad Izm
Big Daddy Kane-Ain’t No Half-Steppin’
Mobb Deep-Survival of the Fittest
Cypress Hill-Black Sunday
Special Ed-I Got It Made
Big Pun -Still Not a Player
Queen Latifah-All Hail the Queen
King Sun- Righteous But Ruthless
Mad Lion- Take It Easy
Salt N Pepa-Hot Cool Vicious
Lil Kim-Hard Core
Foxy Brown- Ill Na Na
Brand Nubian-One For All
Nice and Smooth-Nice & Smooth
Run DMC-Tougher Than Leather
Onyx-Bacdafucup
Method Man- Tical
Public Enemy-Don’t Believe the Hype
Fat Joe- Jealous One’s Envy
DMX-It’s Dark and Hell is Hot
Mary J Blige-What’s the 411?
Missy Elliott- Supa Dupa Fly
The Notorious BIG- Ready to Die
Craig Mack- Flava in Ya Ear
The Lox- Money Power Respect
Nas- It was Written
Eric B and Rakim-Paid in Full
Jay Z-Reasonable Doubt
Snoop Doggy Dogg-Doggystyle
Tribe Called Quest-Bonita Applebum
KRS One-Return of the Boom Bap
Dr. Dre- The Chronic
Eminem-Slim Shady LP
Back in those days there was a sense of community. You could go out for the day with your family and hear some good music in the street. People would be on the train and bus with their boom box and you can jam all day long, no matter where you went. In Washington Square Park in NYC, you would see people out there skating, some with their headphones on and others listening to people playing music on buckets with their sticks. Families just out taking in the sounds and sights.
Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ was another place where you could go and chill with your family. Take in the view of the water, Staten Island Ferry and Lady Liberty. You could also find good street food back in those days too. Think Sabrett Hot Dogs and Grape soda.
Another place to go to hear good music was Exchange Place or the Waterfront in Jersey City. Also, on the water. It was much smaller but still you could get a good vibe and hear people playing music out there too.
Lastly, Central Park in NYC you could go there and walk around. Hear music, see people on their skates and riding bikes. Just having a jam session all day.
You didn’t even have to get on the train or bus, you can go on the block and hear some head bangers. If the music wasn’t coming from somebody’s radio you would hear it in cars driving by. It was an experience back in the 80s and 90s.
If you don’t know these artists, please look them up and listen. A lot of this music is still relevant today.
Hip hop music today is not the same. There is a lot of what I call “mumble rap”. Not to say that there aren’t some new artists out there that are good but it is just not the same.
RESPECT
Rest in peace to the ones who left their stamp on the Hip Hop Music Culture:
Jam Master Jay
Prodigy
ODB- Ol’ Dirty Bastard
Craig Mack
Biz Markie
Biggie
2 Pac
Big Pun
Phife Dawg
DMX
My memory is only but so long, so no dis to anyone that I forgot. If you can think of someone not on the list, leave a comment and let me know.
