- Jun 8, 2004
- 3,210
- 64
Firstly, let me initiate this post by saying that it was my generation that took great R&B records, and began the trend(now a full-blown phenomenon)of rapping over the instrumental breaks in those records... That was the early 1970's, and we "stole" that artform from the great African American DJ's, like Frankie "the Chief Rocka" Crocker, who broadcast over AM-RADIO, WWRL-1600, and later at WBLS-FM, 107.5 NEW YORK... Frankie Crocker, of course, had "stolen" this idea from the countless Black legends of the airwaves, who started this trendof hip, smooth, rhythmic eloquence way back in the 1940's, when African Americans showed white radio station owners that there was a tremendous, untapped and neglected, economic market in Black America... Those great smoothies and fast-talkers like, the Great Al Benson of Chicago, Eddie O'Jay of WLIB New York, and Hal Jackson of Washington, paved the way for "Hollywood" Crocker and The Cool Gent Herb Kent of Chicago, to become legends whom they name streets after(smile!) Jack "The Rapper" Gibson of Atlanta, Georgie Woods of Philadelphia, and Douglas "Jocko" Henderson of Baltimore/Philly/New York, are absolutely legends in the business of radio, and it was these cats whom the early rappers patterned themselves after. It was these wizards who first began the practice of rapping "over" a record, and on instrumental breaks...
Back in the day, they rapped over music made with REAL instruments, and albums oft contained tremendous instrumentals, such as those made by MFSB, the Salsoul Orchestra, Love Unlimited Orchestra, Grover Washington's classic, Mr. Magic, or Kool&TheGang's, Summer Madness... Brothers often used those riffs in their street presentations of the baby they were bringing to birth, and they often played the entire record - not just short verses of the song... Back then, also, there was no shortage of Black Musicians to fill our lives with their gift... As a lyrical riff from Kool&TheGang said, "we're scientists of sound, mathematically puttin' it down!" Today, with so much use of sampling, and the absolute trashing of Jazz and the Blues by African young folks, I wonder if there are competent musicians around to continue the great musical legacy of African Americans???
This aint no riff on young folks... It is about comparison and contrast... No generational thing here, as I know my parents hated Earth Wind & Fire and The Jackson Five like I can only tolerate my children's music... I'm just wondering if our community has lost something precious because of our dependence on machines and fast-food music??? If we go back to those albums which most of Rap is sampled from, you begin to understand that a little piece of a pie can never quite measure up to the WHOLE Pie, which would include wonderful instrumental music made by and for African people... I hope I didn't ramble here, as my question is, have we lost something special by not producing the great musicians in our communities, as we once did???
Peace!
Isaiah
Back in the day, they rapped over music made with REAL instruments, and albums oft contained tremendous instrumentals, such as those made by MFSB, the Salsoul Orchestra, Love Unlimited Orchestra, Grover Washington's classic, Mr. Magic, or Kool&TheGang's, Summer Madness... Brothers often used those riffs in their street presentations of the baby they were bringing to birth, and they often played the entire record - not just short verses of the song... Back then, also, there was no shortage of Black Musicians to fill our lives with their gift... As a lyrical riff from Kool&TheGang said, "we're scientists of sound, mathematically puttin' it down!" Today, with so much use of sampling, and the absolute trashing of Jazz and the Blues by African young folks, I wonder if there are competent musicians around to continue the great musical legacy of African Americans???
This aint no riff on young folks... It is about comparison and contrast... No generational thing here, as I know my parents hated Earth Wind & Fire and The Jackson Five like I can only tolerate my children's music... I'm just wondering if our community has lost something precious because of our dependence on machines and fast-food music??? If we go back to those albums which most of Rap is sampled from, you begin to understand that a little piece of a pie can never quite measure up to the WHOLE Pie, which would include wonderful instrumental music made by and for African people... I hope I didn't ramble here, as my question is, have we lost something special by not producing the great musicians in our communities, as we once did???
Peace!
Isaiah