Marc on Music

I think we’ve talked a little bit about music in the past, or maybe it was just about our top 10 list on our iPod, not quite sure. I’ve often wondered how in the world I ended up being such a big fan of rap. I think I’ve got it narrowed down to a few particular events…

I think the first rap song I really loved was “Jam on it” by Newcleus. It came out in 1983, but I have no idea when or where exactly I was exposed to it. I have recollections of listening to it over and over, not because I owned it, but at one time I was going to the weight room at the high school (that is funny in and of itself) and Joe Logan had it on tape. We played that song over and over and over. I loved it, and I guess that’s when I first got the bug for good rap. Amazingly, I remember asking for a Newcleus tape for Christmas sometime later and Mom and Dad actually got me one! In retrospect, I’m shocked that they did. Rap has never been Dad’s gig!

The next thing was the movie “Beat Street” and specifically the song “Beat Street Breakdown” by Grandmaster Melle Mel and the Furious Five. Ed, you may remember going to watch that movie with the Rogge clan (I still kind of think of them as the hillbilly family on the Simpsons). We all went to the Oelwein theater to watch it, and again, I’m amazed that they played it in Oelwein. I love that song – it’s on my favorites list on the iPod and I still listen to it often. I wish I could find the track because I would love to do it on the next Baldwin karaoke album!

Last but not least was “Walk this Way” by Run DMC and shortly thereafter, the entire “Raising Hell” album. That single and album came out in 1986 and I think it was the first tape that I bought with money from my job at Super Valu. I had to order it through Samar Music because they didn’t even carry it (a rap tape in Oelwein?) By that time, I already had a thirst for rap, and that album was like an ice cold Mountain Dew on a hot summer day! I could not get enough of it. I still believe that “Peter Piper” is the GREATEST rap song of all time. “My Adidas”, “Dumb Girl”, “You Be Illin’”, “Is it Live”… there isn’t a bad song on that album.

Incidentally, “Licensed to Ill” by the Beastie Boys was released at about the same time. I didn’t know much about them other than “Fight for Your Right to Party”, but I traded tapes with Kevin Wright on the bus trip to Disneyworld (I gave him "Raising Hell" and he gave me "Licensed to Ill") and that’s when my love affair with the Beastie Boys began.

On a side note, rap has gone sour over the years. I can’t put my thumb on it exactly. Crunk is junk, I know that. There is still some stuff I like (Jay-Z) for example, but on the whole, it all blows. I can’t even stand to listen to rap/R&B stations on the radio. It’s not worth it to hear one good song every 45 minutes.

That’s my rap story.