Davey D Report: Hip Hoppers on the Cutting Edge-Hip Hop History Quiz

By Davey D

In the past few weeks, the Bay Area has been the most progressive hip-hop region in the country, bucking the status quo and laying the groundwork for further progress.

There was the Chess Kings Invitational Tournament on Oct. 13 at the San Francisco Design Center, which involved stars such as RZA and GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan (see my Oct. 25 column).

Then there was the Youth Speaks Living Word Festival, Oct. 6-Nov. 3 at several area venues. One of its accomplishments was bringing hip-hop pioneers here to take part in panels and workshops, sharing their wisdom and offering their perspectives to up-and-coming artists. The veterans included Pop Master Fable of the Rock Steady Crew, Grandmaster Caz, who wrote many of the lyrics for the landmark record “Rapper’s Delight,” and hip-hop’s first Grammy winner, Grandmixer DST, the pioneering DJ who help put together the song “Rock It” with jazz great Herbie Hancock.

Kool Herc, known as the “Father of Hip-Hop,” attended the opening-night performance Oct. 25 of the incredible hip-hop play “Scourge,” starring the Bay Area’s own Marc Bamuthi Joseph. This multimedia production had been selling out all around the country, and its homecoming performances took place at ODC Theater in San Francisco through Nov. 3.

Joseph, an accomplished dancer and spoken-word artist originally from Haiti, used hip-hop and new-media technology to present the history of his island nation and the ongoing challenges it faces. At its conclusion, the packed opening-night house gave a standing ovation. Most compelling perhaps was the dance depicting the Haitians’ defeat of French slave masters to win the island’s independence.

Kool Herc capped the opening-night festivities by doing a DJ set with former James Brown band drummer Clyde Stubblefield, known for his work on the song “Funky Drummer,” said to be the most sampled record in history and a major building block for hip-hop. Seeing Herc, who is still muscular and solid at age 55, and Stubblefield collaborating on the same stage was the stuff of legend. Herc played vintage break beats on vinyl, while Stubblefield accompanied him on drums and then improvised solos.

Herc also proudly displayed a recent proclamation from the U.S. House of Representatives paying tribute to him and the site of the first hip-hop party, 1520 Sedgwick Ave. in the West Bronx. Herc’s older sister,the mother of Hip Hop Cindy Campbell, who also appeared at ODC, is leading a campaign to get that building designated as a historic landmark.

Mos Def appeared Sunday before a standing-room-only crowd at the African American Art & Culture Complex in the Fillmore district of San Francisco. He led an impassioned discussion of the political turmoil surrounding the recent arrest of former Black Panther members, now known as the San Francisco 8. Accompanying him were three SF8 members Harold Taylor, Richard Brown and Richard O’Neal, who broke down the history of the Panthers, the importance of serving the community and the sordid legacy of “COINTELPRO,” a series of FBI counter-intelligence programs started by longtime director J. Edgar Hoover in the 1950s and designed to disrupt and destroy the Black Panthers and other organizations. The SF8 say they are facing new charges relating to crimes for which they were acquitted more than 30 years ago, noting that Patriot Act legislation and funding opened the door.

Mos Def reminded hip-hop artists they must be worthy role models and must understand that when one person is hurting, we are all hurting. His remarks were met with thunderous applause, and I left thinking it’s too bad he isn’t running for president.

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Davey D’s hip-hop column is published biweekly in Eye. Contact him at mrdaveyd@aol.com. Davey D’s Hip Hop History Quiz#1(November 2007)

In honor of Hip Hop History month we wanted to drop you our pop quiz to test your skillz.See if you can tackle these questions. If not then break out some books and step your history game up.

Davey D

1)Who is the punk rock icon that worked with the Sex Pistols and later helped lay the foundation for Hip Hop in the UK? Hint: He released a huge song in the early 1980s.

2)What famous pioneering emcee was nicknamed ‘the crowd pleaser’ because of his famous call and response routines. Hint he was the first emcee for Grandmaster Flash.

3)Before the female group Salt-N-Pepa came along there was pioneering male duo that was dubbed Salt-N-Pepper. Who were they? Hint: They started out as original members of the Cold Crush Brothers.

4)Too Short is considered a West Coast pioneer who used to make custom tapes for local hustlers and d-boys. Too Short was not a solo act, he had a rhyming partner that used to make and hustle those tapes with him. Who was Too Shorts early pioneering partner?

5)What well known Hip Hop icon is credited with giving Nas his first break by putting out his first record?

6)The legendary group X-Clan is best known for lead rappers Brother J and the late Professor X. However, within the ranks of their larger umbrella group Blackwatch they had two gifted female rhyme spitters who released albums. Who were the female emcees for X-Clan and Blackwatch?

7)Today Hip Hop icon Sway is best known for his work as a correspondent on MTV, but long before many of the artists including Diddy and Jay-Z released their first records, Sway had a chart topping song he recorded with his partner DJ King Tech. What was the name of that west coast hit song they released in the early 90s?

8)What famous rapper had the dubious distinction of being sued for sampling a record. Hint the name of the song he recorded and was sued for, described his physical attributes?

9)What popular British female rap group made their way into the states and stirred things up by releasing what many consider the first ‘Hip House’ record. This group also did a dope song about Apartheid. Who is this group?

10)Hip Hop has long tackled many taboo subjects including the morbid and disturbing. What was the name of the group that put out an album who’s full name was ‘Under Satan’s Authority‘. Hint: They were signed and put on by the late Jam Master Jay.

Bonus Question: What pioneering female emcee made noise as a member of the late Master Don and his Committee? Hint: She went on to put out a somewhat popular record.