25 Years – Street Line Video

The Predator: The 25th Anniversary!

After having two successful albums that touched on more political topics like police brutality and injustice, Ice Cube returns with his third album “The Predator” on November 17th, 1992. 25 years later, it’s an album that’s still relevant and still timeless. With only three singles released, “it Was a Good Day”, “Wicked” and “Check Yo Self”, Cube still comes raw and unfiltered, unapologetic and truthful, in your face and knowledgeable about the realities of where he comes from and taking those experiences on another level to connect it to more worldly events that are similar. It’s not a personal favorite of mine from Cube but the lyrics are full of aggression and the production is still hardcore, street and heavy hitting. There’s no smiling or happy things about this man or his words. It’s frustration and demanding. Demanding enough to catch the hip hop fan’s attention and can easily piss of anyone whose ignorant. Not too many artists’ today have albums that’s just as powerful and raw like this. Everybody wants the truth but handle the truth. So who’s the real “predator” I ask?

It’s About Time: The 25th Anniversary

25 years ago, three friends from The Bronx and Brooklyn came together to form as a singing group and then released their debut album. The three girls names are Cheryl, Leanne, and Tamara also known as Coko, Lelee and Taj, better known as SWV or Sisters With Voices. On October 27th, 1992, the group released their album “It’s About Time.” A 15 track album that’s filled with new jack swing, raw hip hop and R&B tracks. Every song from start to finish is a banger. Songs about relationships, love, and two playful but rapping tracks that perfectly gave the world a glimpse of what these around-the-way girls were all about. SWV was the first girl group in the 90’s to come out with the around-the-way girl image and still able to achieve mainstream success, while others had an image that was more colorful and baggy or the typical high heels and dresses and makeup, SWV kept it hood. Coko’s extremely long fingernails, to 5411 Reeboks and Doc Marten boots to oversized baseball jerseys and jeans, they had an image that regular girls back in the hood of the NYC had. I wasn’t even born when this classic was released but it’s an album that I’m super familiar with and love so much. It’s my favorite album from SWV. This album also had the most hits released. As I sit up at 3 in the morning, looking at and holding the album in my hand, I see the girls on the cover just chillin’ in their element. The SWV logo in a lime green diamond with the letters SWV in dark pink on the top right side on the corner. This means that this is the original 1992 release. This release doesn’t have the “Human Nature” remix version of “Right Here”, instead it’s the Vibe Mix but an instrumental. The April 1993 release has the logo on the opposite side on the cover and has the “Human Nature” remix. It’s 3:14am and for the past almost half an hour, I had “Anything” on a loop. It’s the perfect opening for an album like this. Something soulful, smooth, and gets you ready for the upbeat tracks that follow after. The next song “I’m So Into You” is one of the singles released from the album and then followed by “Right Here.” “Right Here” is SWV’s debut single. The song that put them on in the first place. The song with the video our parents saw back in the summer of 1992. They were bopping and pointing and dancing all over the place. Taj’s rap is unforgettable. Love hearing her rap. Then it’s their signature hit “Weak.” This is the SWV song that everybody knows. Even our little cousins heard it and they don’t know nothing about no SWV. LOL! This is the song you hear girls singing in talent shows all the time. “You’re Always On My Mind” was another smooth joint and “Downtown” was on another level. “You’re Always On My Mind”‘was the phone call to your lover and you told them how much you thought about them but “Downtown” was the invite over to theirs or your place to what we call nowadays a little “Netflix and chill.” The lyrics were very clear about what they meant by “downtown.” Real grown folk music at the moment. “Coming Home” took it back upbeat after you come back “uptown”, “Give It to Me” was also another upbeat banger. This is the new jack swing/hip hop part of the album. “Blak Pudd’n” is my second favorite after “Anything.” The track basically could’ve been a remix to “Downtown” but with a beat. The rapping of course is dope and it hits hard with the beat. Taj holds her own as a MC. The title track itself is just as beautiful as “Anything” to me. The song gives me that classic girl group vibe and Coko reminds me of Stephanie Mills on this song. The harmonies, the hook, the chorus, everything about it makes it such a perfect song. “Think You’re Gonna Like It” is the heaviest new jack joint on the album and “That’s What I Need” is a mix of both new jack and soul. The album ends off with “SWV (In The House)”, my third favorite, an a Capella version of “Weak” and then the Vibe Mix of “Right Here.” Definitely a no wrong doer album. A classic. Very nostalgic for me. Another joint I grew up listening to without my mom’s permission but she played this in that Sony 5 disc changer radio that I loved so much as a kid. The good old days. SWV will be celebrated for their reaching 25 years in the game at the Soul Train Awards in November. It’s the perfect time. It’s about time.

Bobby: The 25th Anniversary

After the release of his breakout hit smash second album “Don’t Be Cruel”, Bobby comes back four years later with an album that’s on another level of uptempo, dance and new jack swing tracks that can definitely get a party started. 25 years ago on August 25th, 1992, Bobby Brown released his third self titled album “Bobby.” With six singles released from this fourteen track album, the songs are all topics mostly about relationships and love but with a groove that keeps you on the dance floor nonstop. A much older and wiser Bobby musically and shows a much more softer, emotional and a lover boy side mixed with that same hype and crazy energy that has a bit of a hip hop influenced attitude with backup dancers in alleys and basketball courts. Snapbacks with gore tex boots and baggy jeans, this was the image that was far from his shiny suits and gumby days as the young rockstar from Boston and breaking away from his group New Edition. This album is my personal favorite from Bobby. This album gives you that nonstop fun and good feeling with an even longer track listing than “Don’t Be Cruel” and the success of the album is continues with a remix album that was released a year later with a heavier hip hop sound than new jack swing. It was more raw, more street, more dancing and more grittier than the original tracks but it’s also a great body of work. This album is also Bobby’s most underrated. It’s his best work to date. No doubt. After all these years, there is no denying that Bobby was the Chris Brown, the Usher, he is what we see in these recent R&B cats before they came along. His impact and influence is like no other.

Reflections of Hip Hop

When Hip Hop was born I was only 6 years old living in Marlboro projects in Brooklyn New York. As I got older, I would write rhymes and perform at the skating rink. When I was feeling down I could always count on Hip Hop to lift me up. I would go to all the shows and sneak backstage to meet my favorite artists. In Brooklyn, In the 70’s we we’re listening to James Brown, MFSB, Chic, and other soulful artists before Rappers Delight hit the world by storm in 79′. After that it quickly became a “Domino effect“, everybody wanted in. The rest is history. The first Hip Hop song I fell in love with was Planet Rock, I got lost in those drums. I played it over and over and my mom use to scream at me “Iris, turn that sh** down!!!!” I remember like it was yesterday. The first years of Hip Hop were the best years of my life with park jams, skate jams and parties. Hip Hop brought everyone together and formed a bond that can never be broken. After 44 years Hip Hop is still in my blood and always will be. I can go on and on but I’ll leave it as “Long Live Hip Hop!!!!”

Lisa Lisa takes the Bronx home!

Lisa Lisa rips summer stage in the Bronx. ” I Wonder If I Take Home” was the song and the crowd sang as the 80’s pop star brought her talent to St. Mary’s Park located on 450 St Ann’s Ave, Bronx, NY,10454. It became a disco frenzy. The crowd of young and old danced and bobbed their heads reminiscing how music use to be. A fan screamed out, “Thank you God for real music! I love you, Lisa!” Lisa Lisa belted out hit melodies as the crowd sung along. Throughout the park, the audience’s cheers echoed over the singer. Lisa welcomed it as she looked into the crowd while watching the audience – made up of all ages. Chickie Gonzalez of the Bronx was celebrating her 50th birthday with her family and was surprised by the free Lisa Lisa concert. When she heard that Lisa Lisa was performing, she moved her party over to the side where the concert was. She reported that it was the best birthday party she ever had. The park was packed with thousands of people, no one could barely move. Truly an unforgettable night, thanks to Lisa Lisa.

The City Parks Foundation has been giving free concerts and free events for many years. Log on to http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage/ for a concert near you.
Thanks, Summer Stage!

Written by: Street Line

What’s The 411?: The 25th Anniversary

25 years ago, the woman we all know and love today was once a girl who was straight from the projects in Yonkers, New York, also known as the Schlobahm Projects. She signed her deal with Uptown Records at the age of 18 when she recorded a demo tape at a shopping mall after her stepfather overheard the tape. Her stepfather heard the tape and handed the tape to another artist named Jeff Redd who was also signed to Uptown Records and the tape landed in the hands of André Harrell who was the CEO of the label. After being blown away and amazed with this young girl’s voice that was full of joy, pain, grit and soul, she was signed. She goes by the name Mary J. Blige aka The Queen of Hip Hop Soul. Mary started on the label as a backup singer for Father MC in the early 1990’s until she got in the studio with a guy who called “Puffy” who we all know today as Sean “Diddy” Combs, one of hip hop’s biggest moguls, and together both Mary and Puffy created something magical that made history in Black music. On July 28th, 1992, Mary released her debut album “What’s The 411?” Before the album was released, her very first single, which was an underground hit at hip hop clubs and events, was on the 1991 soundtrack to the movie “Strictly Business.” That song was the infamous debut single “You Remind Me.” “You Remind Me” was a song with soulful vocals and a Biz Markie sampled beat. Then the music video came with a remixed version that featured Greg Nice of the hip hop duo, Nice & Smooth. The rest of the album has the same kinda energy, hip hop and soul, combining the best of both worlds to create a whole new genre of music that changed the sound of music forever and influencing a whole new roster of artists for future generations. Other singles like “Real Love”, “Reminisce”, “Love No Limit” and radio only singles like “Sweet Thing” and the remix of “My Love” featuring the late great Heavy D in 1994 were all a success which lead up to the album’s success of selling 3 million copies and a remix album released in late 1993 including a new remix of “You Don’t Have to Worry” from the soundtrack to “Who’s The Man?” Mary’s impact on the industry is still very obvious in many ways. Her street style fashion and attitude mixed with a soulful 1970’s style singing was something convincing to the people and it made Mary into a overnight sensation and legend and she wasn’t ready for it. 25 years later, “You Remind Me” and “Real Love” still captures people’s hearts on the dance floor like it did in 1992. Mary is still touring and still putting out music and staying consistent and still sitting high on her throne. She’s far from her days as the 21 year old home girl with the baggy baseball jerseys, backwards caps and kneepads with the boots and is now strutting her stuff as the woman with the strength to keep winning and keep fighting. She is the strength of a woman. Now THAT IS the 411.

Don’t Sweat The Technique: The 25th Anniversary

“Don’t Sweat The Technique” is the fourth and final album by both Eric B. & Rakim together. Released on June 23rd, 1992, this album was different from previous Eric B. & Rakim albums because this album was more socially conscious. Topics of poverty, crime, abortion and the wars going on in the world. With only four singles in total, the album was a success and got mostly positive reviews. “What’s On Your Mind?” appeared in the soundtrack of “House Party 2”, “Know The Ledge” appeared on the soundtrack of “Juice”, and “Don’t Sweat The Technique” and “Casualties of War” were both regular singles from the album. Their previous albums were more about the streets and had a much more harder sound and production. There’s only a few on this album with that hard sound. The album can get boring with the strong conscious topics a bit but with songs like “Don’t Sweat The Technique” and “Know The Ledge”, it gives the album a bit of a party vibe without losing its conscious focus and it gives the listeners a bit of what Rakim was doing on his albums before. Overall, the album is dope. The singles are the perfect songs chosen and promoted at the time and it’s a powerful, classic joint and also underrated from the God MC.

Mecca And The Soul Brother: The 25th Anniversary

Coming from Mount Vernon, both Peter Phillips aka Pete Rock and Corey Penn aka C.L. Smooth came together to be one of hip hop’s most legendary and celebrated duos of all time. It was exactly 25 years ago when the duo released their debut album. On June 9th, 1992, their album “Mecca And The Soul Brother” was released. With Pete Rock’s glossy and smooth but jazzy, hard hitting and soulful influenced production and C.L.’s cool rhymes and flow with an edge that made your head bop. His rhymes were mostly philosophical and had little to no cursing. C.L. is another one to me who has a voice that’s perfect. It hits on the beat just right. Completely flawless. The album is a perfect project from beginning to end. An album that’s about knowing your true self which is the Mecca. It’s a way of life, not a place or a state of mind. The album’s positive energy is what made it one that’s highly respected and held in high regard by hip hop fans. Besides the singles “Straighten It Out”, “Lots of Lovin'” and their signature joint “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”, the rest of the album was just as much of a banger. Honestly, it’s my first time hearing it all the way through and I instantly fell in love with it. It just has that perfect sound I love so much. Joints like “Soul Brother #1” and “It’s Like That” are my top favorites. Out of an entire album that’s dope, there’s always a few ones or less that stands out the most. It’s the ones that hit me the hardest. It makes me go crazy, I make an ugly face listening to it. Overall, I can definitely agree that it’s truly a hip hop classic.

FEELING THE FORCE WITH THE LEGENDARY FORCE M.D.’s

Have you ever had your partner say “Baby Let Me Love U”? Well, there is a group called The Force M.D.’s, which is an American R&B vocal group that was formed in 1981 in Staten Island, New York. Although the group has old school hip hop roots, it is perhaps best known for two tunes that are widely considered 1980s quiet storm classics, “Tender Love” and “Love is a House”. They are considered major forerunners of the new jack swing. The band was originally named The L.D.s, and then became the Force MCs, but ultimately preferred the name Force M.D.’s, which stood for Musical Diversity. Though the group was not quite always as recognizable as other New York R&B acts when it first started, they were among the first R&B vocal groups to intermix doo-wop-affected singing with and sometimes over hip-hop beats. The group was composed of brothers Stevie D., Antoine “T.C.D.” Lundy, and Rodney “Khalil” Lundy, along with their uncle Jessie Lee Daniels. (Later, friends “Trisco” Pearson and Charles “Mercury” Nelson from the Marines Harbor projects in Staten Island, NY joined the group.) They performed at different venues such as BB Kings, and the Eve Ultra lounge until this day their hit songs are still being played on the radio. Three of the group’s members died within five years of each other: Nelson suffered a fatal heart attack in 1995; former collaborator DJ Dr. Rock died suddenly of natural causes in 1996; and in 1998, Antoine Lundy died of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Trisco Pearson died on September 16, 2016, of an undisclosed illness. But that does not stop the group from performing worldwide. The Force M.D.’s are still standing strong after all these years; you can see them at an up coming performance in June at BB Kings in Manhattan. Did I tell there is new music on the way? Check out their new single Don’t Rush now available on iTunes. May the Force be with you.

Written Jewels 78

Totally Krossed Out: The 25th Anniversary!

The story begins in Atlanta. Two little boys who met and became friends in the first grade. Now fast forward and the year is 1991. It was then where the story of these two boys’ legacy begins and their lives change forever. Just a normal day, hanging out in the mall, it was their style and attitude that caught the attention of a then and also young guy himself, who goes by the name of Jermaine Dupri. This was exactly two years before So So Def happened but in the meantime, Jermaine Dupri discovers these two boys who both go by the names of Christopher Smith and Christopher Kelly, also known as the hip hoppin’, baggy clothes backwards wearing, tiny braids on the head and their small but rough voices, Kris Kross. The perfect name for them since it was a play on both of their names being Christopher and the fact that they actually were their clothes on backwards. Kris Kross signs a deal with Ruffhouse Records and on March 31st, 1992, their debut album “Totally Krossed Out” is released. The entire album was produced by Jermaine. It sold 4 million copies with 4 singles, “Warm It Up”, “I Missed the Bus”, “It’s a Shame” and their all time infamous hit “Jump.” Til this day, “Jump” is definitely a timeless classic because of it’s party vibes and energy and the famous line that goes “…..Cause inside out is wiggidy, wiggidy, wiggidy, whack!” Play that joint today at a party and the dance floor goes bananas, especially at a 90’s hip hop party or event. Overall, the album is a strong hip hop party vibe. In the start of the album, their being interviewed by a radio DJ who compares them to another hip hop/new jack swing group Another Bad Creation but they shut it down by saying that it was “another bad idea.” I didn’t really take that as a diss to ABC personally but they got their point across. The albums main message is just about the two boys hanging out together, living life in the ghetto and just having fun. It’s a insight of what life is like for them regularly with a rapping style that’s hard with a production to match. The song “Lil’ Boys In Da Hood” is the perfect song that best describes that with Ice Cube on a loop. To me the album is definitely underrated. Usually kids are pushed to the side because they’re so young and dismissed for not having so much “experience” in life but this album proves that the young ones definitely have something to say too. In the words of Andre 3000, “the South got something to say.” Their overall success has made them the youngest rap duo to gain so much success with gold and platinum albums at only 11 and 12 years old. Almost 4 years ago, Chris Kelly passed away from drug abuse. Definitely another loss in hip hop history that shook the industry, especially for those who were growing up in the 90’s and lived through life rocking to Kris Kross. 25 years later, the album is still as dope as it was then. Rest In Peace Chris Kelly.