Lovebug Starski & The Harlem World Crew – Positive Life (Vocal) // Positive Life (Instrumental) (Tayster Records) 1981. Another classic by the Little Starski, this is one of the last party records ever recorded and it definitely goes out with a bang. In fact, the backing track is so insanely tight and funky that I have included the instrumental flip for your listening enjoyment. It really stands on its own. But back to the vocal track which is kind of a weird one. Always one to experiment with different voices (he sounds like a different person on each one of his early recordings), Starski seems to be incorporating actual characters into his wordplay with this one. Two years before Rammelzee versus K-Rob do the Beat Bop, at that. With that said, nobody will ever mistake Positive Life for art-house rap. This is a party record pure and simple. The Lovebug was one of the great boasters in the early hip-hop game. It doesn’t exactly reach the heights of Dancin’ Party People, which I posted way back in 2006 (it’s been that long?!?!?) but it comes close. I love the breakdown around 5:28 when the excellent Tayster house band starts to noodle around in the groove. This whole thing is so loose and fun, I defy anyone not to enjoy this.
Hardcore Podcasts
September of 2010 I put together eight Hardcore Podcasts. You can check them out here if you are interested. For more insight into how I came up with the years 78-90 for the First Wave you can read about The Hardcore Superiorty Myth.
Man, that Dancin’ Party People – one of the best rap songs ever? Certainly one of my favorites.
I am in total agreement. I think Dancin’ Party People and Beat Bop are probably my two favorite hip hop songs.
I’m a bit late here, but I finally got around to listening to this. I agree that “nobody will ever mistake Positive Life for art-house rap”, but there is a little bit of a nod to stuff outside the party record scene. They use the hook of the Police’s “Voices Inside My Head”. It’s the part with the horn section playing longer notes. Granted, the Police weren’t exactly an art-house band by the time this came out, but it’s kind of a deep cut. It shows that Lovebug and Crew had their ears to the ground.
Thanks for sharing it!
Fantastic to see the love being spread in these posts! Hip-hop for life!