![]() ![]() These folks would speak of our progress and also of how much road we had left to go. ![]() It was then we began to see the music that had lent itself to this genre repurposed for the younger generation, born into a world where Black people could vote and Jim Crow had not been experienced firsthand. The famous record breaks of Herc's day had become cutting, sampling and looping to create a bigger sound for the lyrics to inhabit. Soon the scholars were followed by the whiz kids (think A Tribe Called Quest), devoted not just to smooth and snappy lyrics but also great beats. Hip-hop is a snake-like creature that gets into all the cracks and crevices and a city that touted five separate boroughs of distinct cultures could never just stop at one level. The message was delivered in many ways, from aggressive to almost cartoonish. (the tracksuit-wearing funnymen) and Public Enemy's Chuck D (a philosopher in his own right). But even the scholars had company: KRS-One (the militant intellectual) and Run-D.M.C. And just like that, we became the sound of the streets. With metaphors and philosophies, these men stood tall and long, reaching their arms out to talk about life in the city and the values that kept them 10 toes down. His first album with Eric B., Paid in Full, was named after an infamous posse in the city. Rakim's lyricism enforced the idea that we were responsible for really telling a story and giving a glimpse into Black life. Through them, we began to see the potential for more. ![]() & Rakim, the godfather of lyricism, expanded the idea of rap itself - it wouldn't just accompany dancers and parties it would be its own form of song. But soon the scholars would enter the picture. There was no need for the lyrics to make sense when they were accoutrement. Like the matrons of the vogue balls of the time, they were the emcees, keeping the dancers energized and giving the people something else to cheer about. With no idea of how far it could go, these groups performed for pure enjoyment. We heard about different experiences from Cindy Lee, the drag-chanson project of Patrick Flegel a series of music/performance art hybrids from Natalie Sharp aka Lone Taxidermist anonymous Swedish collective Goat and Jerusalem In My Heart, a film and music happening by Radwan Gazi Moumneh and Erin Weisgerber, which attempts to project Arabic musical references for reception into a western context.What started with the b-boys and b-girls simply dancing to beat breaks soon became rapping with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, alongside The Sugarhill Gang. In the first part of episode 2, called 'What's Behind The Mask?', we spoke to four musicians about how identity and persona play a role in their work, whether through legit alter-ego’s or just digging into the self as a raw material. ![]() In the second episode of ‘The Big Playback’, host Margaret Munchheimer talks to four different musicians about the shifting relationship between Art and Identity and who in some way explore the self as a medium, through persona and performance. Le Guess Who? presents ‘The Big Playback’, a conversational, in-depth podcast about all things music. Podcast: listen to Part 2 of the episode 'What's Behind The Mask?' ![]()
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