SOUNDTRACK: G.L.O.B.E. & WHIZ KID-“Play that Beat Mr DJ” (Double Dee & Steinski Payoff Mix) (1985).
The original of this song (1983) was simply the drums and simple keyboard riff. The “Payoff Mix” done by Double Dee & Steinski added the incredibly dense layer of samples that really make this song interesting (actually the samples are more interesting than the rap).
The samples included:
- Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five
- Play It Sam…Play “As Time Goes By” (Avalon/As Time Goes By) by Humphrey Bogart (dialogue spoken from the movie Casablanca)
- That’s the joint – Funky Four Plus One
- Take the Country to N.Y. City by Hamilton Bohannon
- Don’t Make Me Wait (Acapella) by Peech Boys
- Stop! In The Name Of Love by Diana Ross and the Supremes
- Rockit by Herbie Hancock
- Situation 12″ by Yazoo
- Starski Live at the Disco Fever by Lovebug Starski
- World’s Famous, Hobo Scratch, D’Ya Like Scratchin’ and Buffalo Gals by Malcolm McLaren
- Apache by Incredible Bongo Band
- Tutti Frutti by Little Richard
- Last Night A DJ Saved My Life by Indeep
- I’ll Tumble 4 Ya by Culture Club
- Speech by Fiorello La Guardia from Reading the Comics – July,1945
Double Dee & Steinski went on to make some other great mashups (and these sound amazing since they were done circa 1985). I particularly like Lesson 3.
Here’s the one that made them famous:
[READ: November 23, 2014] Hip Hop Family Tree 2
This volume picks up right where the previous one left off in 1981.
First we meet Doug E. Fresh who, devoid of records, starts the trend of beatboxing. We also see The Sugarhill Gang doing a rap over the song “Apache” (while dressed like Native Americans).
The book bounces back to California (Oakland this time) where we meet Too Short, a great high school rapper who is interested in making money from his skills. We also see a young Ice-T doing his gangland thing
Then it jumps back to Rick Rubin whose love of punk and metal (these goings on are happening at the same time as Black Flag is trying out a young Henry Rollins, and Bad Brains are in high gear–and often times the crowds mix amiably) fuses with his love of rap. he really wants to be able to capture the rawness of the live sounds of both types of music onto a record (enter the Beastie Boys). And, strangely enough (although perhaps it should be expected), Malcolm McDowell enters the picture. We also see Fab Five Freddy making “Change the Beat” which includes a since-very-heavily sampled “Freshhhhh”
On the art side of things we see Keith Haring, Basquiat and Rammellzee (who I have never heard of) starting to take off (and Freddy getting big time gallery shows). A lot of this book is also taken up with Charlie Ahearn’s years-in-the-making documentary (with some scary impromptu scenes), Wild Style. Eventually it is released and becomes hugely successful in New York City.
Then comes the advent of Tommy Boy Records and producer Arthur Baker who introduces a drum machine into the mix(es) to the dismay of some and the thrill of others.
Some other bands of note at the time: Whodini, The Jonzun Crew. And Chuck D’s first crew called Spectrum City.
We get reintroduced to the West Coast crews (a young Dr Dre and Easy E and the night clubs that are cashing in on hip hop). Interestingly, at the same time in Boston, the nascent ideas of New Edition and New Kids on the Block are coming to fruition.
Incidentally, Melle Mel gets more and more ripped and insane looking as the book goes along (looking like a flying superhero at one point). And of course, Grandmaster Flash and Africa Bambaataa are still around doing better and better things.
Rick Rubin has started Def Jam and released Def Jam #1 (his own punk band Hose (which I had never heard of ). Then we see him messing around with the Beasties (and their recording of “Cookie Puss”–which Carvel wants to sue over but Sam Carvel’s daughter likes it so he leaves it alone).
We also meet some of the early players in the hip hp crew’s live bands–Keith LeBlanc (really?!) as drummer for the Sugar Hill Gang and Doug Wimbish as bassist). LeBlanc created one of the first records to use samples–he created a bass and beat piece with quotes from Malcolm X speeches. Around the same time, Tommy Boy released G.L.O.B.E. & Whiz Kid’s-“Play that Beat Mr DJ.” It was a moderately successful track but they decided to drum up business but issuing a remix challenge. Two white ad men who went by Double Dee and Steinski won the competition with the Payoff Mix. Tommy Boy was certainly bummed that two white guys won the contest, and the song had so many samples, it couldn’t possibly be cleared legally.
Sugar Hill Records is off course still around and a young Spike Lee made a video for “White Lines” (for which he was not paid). Then comes Herbie Hancock and “Rockit”) and the hugely popular video. The book ends with Run-D.M.C. The boys having graduated college, they are now ready to make their first record. And it is killer. Although their look–guys in plaid suits–is mocked mercilessly, until they become Tougher Than Leather.
Again, this book was fantastic. This volume moved a lot more quickly because so much was happening. I enjoyed the details once again, although I couldn’t always tell if Melle Mel was super angry (he sure looked it) or was just really bad ass. The discography for this book is a great resource as well.
It ended with the promise of a volume 3 and I sure how they make one.
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