Mus 17 midterms 1

The Dozens

Competitive trading of insults that are rhymed

Bo Diddley Say Man

Trash Talk (Dozen) with percussionist in the band. Older Sounding song with piano and shaking sound in the background

Toasts

Stock tales or stories that are told in Rhyme

Pigmeat Markham “Here Comes the Judge”

Literally says judge and Pigmeat every few sentences. Lots of breaks in the song and very drummy song.

Last Poets “When the Revolution Comes”

Very Repetitive and repeats the word of “Revolution". This song literally only has percussions (bongos and cowbells).

Black Arts Movement

When African American artists became more explicitly politically active within their work. Also an organization with this name founded in 1965. The name also refers to a wider range of artists in all disciplines who worked through community workshop and co-operative groups to articulate a new sensibility 

Parliament - P Funk “Wants to Get Funked Up”

Very Groovy song. DJ Style/DJ Talk breaks before the groove.

Big Youth “Can you keep a secret”

Harmonica in the song. Jamaican accent with hard to understand English.

King Tubby/Augustus Pablo “King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown”

Really trippy, echoey, reverby song. No lyrics at all.

Talkover

Radio DJs in Jamaica developed flamboyant on-air personalities while talking over the music

James Brown “Give it up or Turn it loose”

Really Groovy/Funky song that makes you want to move. Building up the rhythm layer by layer in this song. No real lyrics in this song, just grunts and vocal sounds.

Chic “Good Times”

Really iconic song that is sampled by other songs here. Instantly recognizable bassline.

Disco

Like hip hop, it was more of a social practice or context than a musical style per se, especially in its early days. Djs realized that you had to keep the music going so that the party lasts longer.

Eddie Kendricks “Keep on Truckin”

Various instrumental breaks. This song focuses on extending/building up the rhythm. Higher pitched vocals.

Scratching

Supposedly invented by accident by Grandwizard Theodore. DJ manually spinning the record while it was audible.

New York in the 1970s

A series of social and economic pressures converged to make the city hit rock bottom in the 70’s: “White flight” to the suburbs, Mass relocations of people within the city due to public works projects, The influx of heroin, Stagflation.

Sugar Hill Gang “Rappers Delight”

Based on “Chic’s Good times” (has the same bassline or sounds the same at some times). The first RAP single.

Funky 4+1 “Rappin and Rocking the House”

Multiple MC’s trading raps/going back and fourth loosely including a female rapper. Considered the first real RAP single.

Treacherous Three “The New Rap Language”

Super fast rapping (for its time). 3 MCs here (Kool Moe Dee, LA Sunshine, and Spoonie Gee). Dense drums/bassline.

The Sequence with Spoonie Gee “Monster Jam”

Female group vocals. Lots of Clapping in the mix.

Lovebug Starski “Live at the Fever”

Almost entirely about moving the crowd with a lot f call and response to the “audience.” Nonsense syllable vocalizing.

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five “The Adventures of…”

Cuts and samples between songs like Monster Jam and Good Times. Slight distortion sounding due to all the cuts. DJ scratching.

Grandmaster Melle Mel “The Message”

Iconic synth line (that one coi leray song). Social conscious lyrics.

Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force “Planet Rock”

Song incorporates a futuristic sci-fi feeling. Electro rap style. Robot like vocals at some parts of the song. Sounds like a nerd song.

Rammellzee, K Rob “Beat Bop”

Minimalist beat with this weird sound that plays sometimes. An experimental weird song. Echo and reverb vocal at parts.

Utfo “Roxanne, Roxanne”

A sung hook: “Roxanne Roxanne.” Some Scratching sounds and sampled drum machines. This song started a whole string of answer records.

Roxanne Shante “Roxanne’s Revenge”

Sounds like a young female child rapping/freestyling. Sounds similar to Roxanne Roxanne (sounds like they also have this drum machine and scratching sound)

Slock Rick and Doug E Fresh “La Di Da Di”

No instrumentals! Only beatboxing and voices.

Run DMC “Its like that”

Very stripped down beat: drum beat, keyboard stabs, and scratching. Lyrics follow “the message” without being explicitly political.

Run DMC “Rock Box”

Rapping over Guitar Riff/Rock instruments.

LL Cool J “Can’t Live Without My Radio”

Sampled saxophone sounds. Pretty aggressive drum machine and boastful/flexing vocal energy.

Eric B and Rakim “Paid in Full”

Almost monotone/serious rapping. Describes the act of rapping while rapping. A toast type of song.

De La Soul “Me Myself and I”

Very electic vibe. Very catchy. Mentions “De La” often

Native Tongues

Loose collective of artists who embraced a more open ended notion of what hip hop might be.

A Tribe Called Quest “Bonita Applebum”

Laidback, relaxed, chill vibe.

Stetsasonic “Talkin All That Jazz”

Upright acoustic bass sample. Group rap song. Talks about sampling. Jazz sample

Jungle Brothers “Straight out The Jungle”

Combined rapping with house music. Stripped back guitar when the artists are rapping.

Queen Latifah “Ladies First”

2 female rappers here.

5 Percenters

Splinter group of the Nation of Islam that was an American Movement

X Clan “Heed The Word Of The Brother”

Explicitly political rap lyrics. Zap-synth bass. Based on party songs. c

Eric B and Rakim “Follow The Leader”

Unique Gritty, dark Bass and that little bright “piano” sound played at times. Metaphors are complex (the gangster theme).

Public Enemy “Don’t Believe the Hype”

Very Short and chopped sampling. High pitched squeak sound in the rapping.

Public Enemy “Fight the Power”

Lots of dense layered sampling. Aggressive drums.

Boogie Down Productions “9mm Goes Bang”

Lyrics talks about his 9mm gun. Jamaican sounding rap voice.

Schoolly D “PSK”

Unique, reverby drum machine. Antagonistic vocal delivery. PSK: Park Side Killers from Philly

LA in the 80s

Rise of gangs, influx of Crack, LAPD’s almost complete militarization of daily life in some parts of LA

ICE T “6 N the Mornin”

Identical flow to Schoolly D. Toasts/storytelling style about being a gangster.

Eazy-E “Boyz N The Hood”

Simple drum machine. First big LA rap hit. Bright/high “do do do” sounds and some guitar in the background.

NWA “Straight Outta Compton”

Very Gangster rap with lyrics being violent. Hard hitting boom bap rap. Aggressive scratches

NWA “Fuck Tha Police”

Song literally talks about the police and the disrespect between them and the police. Very aggressive rapping.

DJ Quik “Jus Lyke Compton”

Combination of funk and R&B styles. Bouncy bass along the rap.