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3 Classic Songs from the early days of LA Hip Hop
This was a classic meeting of the Hip Hop minds so to speak as Afrika Islamwho had recently moved to Los Angeles teamed up with Ice T and showed that Hip Hop was beyond the confines of New York… They formed a group called the Zulu Kings which included Mele-Mel who now adorned the title Grandmaster since he and Flash were no longer cool and Bronx Style Bob. They did a song called ‘The Beach’ which celebrated the lifestyle of LA. I remember first hearing this on my way home from San Francisco on KDAY 1580 out of LA. Back in the days the nation’s only 24/7 rap station had an AM signal which at night would bounced 400 miles up the coast-from LA to the Bay. It was one of the first times I had heard a collab with east and west coast artists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JWj1D0H8rs
Below is another classic cut that help put early LA Hip Hop into a larger spotlight. Its the classic joint from Ice T called 6 in the Morning that I first heard back in ’85-’86 Back in those days LA was ruled by police Chief Darryl Gateswho pretty much let of LAPD do what they want which was crack heads and be the most abusive force in the country. I think Ice captured the moment..He brought to light life on the ghetto streets of LA which up to that time was only slightly glimpsed through TV cop dramas like Starsky and Hutch. Many like to credit this song with setting off the ‘Gangsta rap genre.
The one thing that was a bit bothersome and it only became so as I got older and bit more educated was Ice describing how he and his boys they beat some woman down. It wasn’t something I paid close attention to back in the days.. But its pretty jarring now. Hopefully all of us have grown to not see that as a cool thing even if its in a dope song..
PS please forgive this wack swagbucks ideo.. apparently Warner brothers owns the copyright and won’t let it show on Youtube.. Maybe one day these record companies will learn..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd68e0cI6eA
Where Ice T gave us a pretty indepth description of of LAPD, Toddy Tee dug deeper with a song that actually made national news. It was called Batter Ram and it reffrenced the reinforced army tank that LAPD had purchased to knock over crack houses. Than LA police chief Darryl Gates said it was needed, many thought the tank was not only over the top, but also in violation of people’s civil rights. There were a couple of occassions where the tank was used on the wrong houses.. This is arguably one of the first ‘political/social commentary songs coming out of LA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm1Li2Wbqo4
Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner
Ice T is a pioneering figure in LA Hip Hop who is credited with setting off the gangsta rap genre and creating a bridge between the two coasts.
Ice T was never a great rapper, but white folks loved him for some reason. And the more he hung around, the more “you” started to like him. It’s just something about him. I’ll call him a whack emcee, but i can hate on him for some of his songs like “Pusher Man” or whatever. Did make “The Orign of Rap Music” book – “44) Who was the first California rapper to rap in a movie called – “Breakin?”
A) Glove
B) Ice T
C) Shabadoo
D) Wreckless”
Ice T is like car accident, you know it ain’t no good over there, but you got to look. He came a long way and he don’t support this mondern-day grown men rapping “non-sense”, either.
“Can’t hate on him for songs like “Pusherman”. I swear someone’s messing up my words and adding things to my comments lately on here. I know I’m being watch, but zammm!
Ya’ll cats is trippin’. I am 39. Straight from the Bay…and although in Nor Cal, we was on our own shit…a la too short…Ice T broke ground with Six in the Mornin’. Cats out of Cali or cats in small towns in Cali don’t realize how HARD six in the mornin’ hit. Dope was every where and this song said it all. Ice really don’t get the credit he should…but he was up on game early on…The Bay loves Ice T, cause that shit he spit was really real out here…I can’t speak on any where else but dope in California in from in the 80’s…was real shit. Pushaman was the shit too…you cats is trippin’. Any Brotha age forty to 35 can kick that verse from sixein the morning word for word. But in the Bay we still debate that gangsta shit….Short was spittin’ that street hustle shit back in 83…but he was talking about street life…But people don’t realize the difference in the Bay and LA anyway…Nor Cal cats never have ever considered themselves gangsta…LOL…that is solely some La shit…The Bay/Nor Cal has always and will forever be Hustlers…The rest of the country has no idea how Cali is really ran…Cali really is two different states in one. Nor Cal and So Cal have never historically Jive, so when you talking west coast rap…really it really is not a united front…Let me just put it to you like This…The Bay is more similar to the east than LA…Bay cats get east coast more than La hip hop…I ain’ tryna create no funk…I am just stating facts…Bay cats enjoy la rap no more than cats from philly or nj…LOL…really. We have always had our own shit…we don’t follow trends, however popular they are…
I agree that we were into hustling while the brothas down south were into banging.
It’s all about game its was just done in a different way.
The Bay and the East Coast do have a closer vibe becuase the inner-city of the Bay is actually more congested than LA. Downtown LA still can touch the City (downtown San Francisco). I had many friends and some family members never came to SF until they got in the 30’s or 40’s and was surprised that we had more of an urban fill and they were shocked with the Oakland stroke.
thanks for posting this dave…takes me back…i used to have “The Beach” on wax… the “ahonetwo” at the end, was that sampled by Hiero on the Del classic?
“Ice T was never a great rapper, but white folks loved him for some reason.”
LOL. keep putting those Hush Puppies in your yapper, McWackdon.
now the CIA is hacking your comments and making you write things? or is it the European Union’s mind control devices? i’ll agree you’ve probably been subjected to an extraterrestial anal probe, as that’s the only logical explanation for your continued wackness. it truly defies description.
why dont you let the rest of us enjoy classic hip-hop without your stupid commentary?
or just create your own website–www.hiphophater.com?
Let it out, e-scribblah, this is good therapy. I’ll be here until negroes, like yourself, grow up. In the beginning was the word and the word was with who? “Come on, Leroy, you can run, but you can’t hide”. YOU KNOW I’M HOT ON YOUR TRAIL.
robert, please take your meds.
Well just ordered a compilation by Toddy Tee because I really like the track…