So the moment when the downtown NYC No-Wave Scene and the rap/breakdance/graffiti scene from the Bronx and elsewhere met in the early 1980’s is pretty interesting. Probably the most famous export of this moment was “Rapture” by Blondie with its “Flash is Fast, Flash is cool” vibe. However, the meeting of Basquiat the painter and Rammelzee the grafitti artist on “Beat Bop” should be equally well known in a perfect world. The only other LP I know of Basquiat being involved in was the only LP by the Offs. I love “Beat Bop” — be warned….its a long 10mb download. To the open minded listener, its well worth it.
Rammellzee was an important player in the initial crossover of hip-hop culture to the mainstream. He participated in hip-hop’s earliest phases, though the bizarre edge his aggressively fanciful inventions brought to the original hip-hop style has been somewhat blunted by the dominance of the gangsta pose and its supposed “reality.” Though he performed and recorded as an MC, Rammellzee achieved greater fame as a visual artist, with exhibitions in fine art venues of both North America and Europe. He began his art career “bombing” New York City subway trains, but the subway system influenced more than his artwork. Dynamite D, a conductor who rhymed boasts of the superior condition of his super clean D-train over the train’s intercom, is named by Rammellzee as an early rap inspiration. Partnered with MCs Shock Dell and Jamal, Rammellzee participated in early hip-hop sound system battles, where he developed the “W.C. Fields” and “Gangsta Duck” voices originated by Jamal. Rammellzee employed the “Gangsta Duck” on “Beat Bop,” a dense dialogue with K-Rob, nominally produced by the late painter Jean Michel Basquiat, and released on Profile Records. “Beat Bop” was the result of some improvised role playing, with Rammellzee playing a pimp and K-Rob in the character of a schoolboy. The resulting rap is the best and most sustained example on record of Rammellzee’s flights of wordplay, fantasy, and street surrealism. He also appeared in the film Wildstyle and can be heard on the soundtrack LP of the movie. Though mostly concentrating on his visual art, he has collaborated on several progressive hip-hop projects, most often with Bill Laswell. ~ Richard Pierson, All Music Guide
Rammelzee vs K. Rob - Beat Bop
Tags: oldschoolhiphop, Rap
You can get this song on the “New York Noise” comp.
Well this song Just sums up the whole seen for me - coming out of the Bronx NY.
I love this song - to be honest if I had a top ten life songs I recon this one would have to be number one. I suppose it was a most influential song that impacted me as a kid and I still love it today. I suppose this was because of my first hand experience of living in the South Bronx for a short while. I Went over from the UK in about 86. I was a graffiti artist back then.
Jamske — This song is definitely in my top ten life songs. No doubt.
Good Rap - Trueschool @ freakshit…
Keep keeping on…nice stuff!…
this song also completes the first Ego Trip CD compilation which i highly recommend for those interested in delving into the unknown real history of rap. it can also be heard during the end credits of the post-mortem Basquiat vehicle “Downtown 81″ which is a great movie for those who are interested in the early ’80s downtown scene. DNA, James Chance, Fab Five Freddy, and unbelievably, an unknown Snuky Tate each make appearances.
links:
http://www.amazon.com/Ego-Trip-Big-Playback/dp/B00004SCDW/sr=1-1/qid=1158275296/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-3940815-2151143?ie=UTF8&s=music
http://www.amazon.com/Downtown-81-Edo-Bertoglio/dp/B00006GF6H/ref=sr_11_1/104-3940815-2151143?ie=UTF8
by the way, great post, never saw that cover before. is there any doubt where B-Real got his style now?
Have loved this song ever since seeing it in the documentary “Style Wars” as an impressional teen back in the day. Was fortunate enough to get a first-hand taste of the early 80s scene at the tender age of 11. Grew up in Queens, started writing graffiti and for some reason some of our parents encouraged it, taking us to gallery openings at the Fun Gallery and other long gone downtown hole in the wall art spaces. Really was a pretty cool confluence of punk, post-punk, new wave, hip-hop and the downtown art world though it didn’t last long.
[...] Yello - I.T. Splash / Gluehead 7inch (1979) Rammelzee vs K-Rob — Beat Bop [...]
Thanks
People say that rap is a dead form. I tend to believe different, I believe it’s just evolving, and staying current. Prime example is what we’ve been doing over here… Check out Kryptik - V.I.P ft. Crooked I. Just google it, I don’t wanna spam a link. against night
Hip hop is my life, man.
Thank you very much for this!
yo Mickey wassup! i dig your music, saw you in NY with Cool Kids. very cool article though