Friday 9 February 2018

If we sacrifice that nonce Afrika Bambaataa to a volcano can we get Lovebug Starski back?

A very important rapper for ya host since seeing Lovebug Starski doing Amityville (The House on the Hill) on Top Of The Pops in 1986 was one of my "EUREKA!" moments with rap as a kid:


Legend has it Starski might have invented the term Hip Hop in 1978, but let's not hold that against him, eh? After all, how can you hate the rapper who let Larry Smith & Davy DMX go full on Trevor Horn Electro-pop:

Lovebug Starski - You've Gotta Believe
(From You've Gotta Believe single; 1983)



You've Gotta Believe's B-Side Starski Live At The Disco Fever wasn't half bad either; Larry Smith & Davy DMX abandoned their pop instincts entirely on that one and essentially used the beat as a dry run for the stark drum machine sound they'd perfect a few weeks later on Run D.M.C's Sucker MC's.

Rap always needs more artists who've given themselves exotic monikers, and less artists using their boring real names like ol' Plain Jane soundin' ass Keith Murray/Kevin Gates/J. Cole/Mick Jenkins etc. Real Name, No Gimmicks is only acceptable if you've got a fly one like Craig Mack.

10 comments:

El Guapo said...

I liked Rappin' a lot, both the song and the movie.

L.A said...

Big fan of "Live At The Disco Fever" here

d said...

V much feel you on the last sentiment, all these shmoes w their shit government names. I get the laziness esp if youre parents were feeling creative but motherfucking "Kevin" ffs

d said...

Also firmly believe that shites what has ginger english cunts thinking they can rap bout the time theyd to leave summer camp early cos of chicken pox

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Kevin gotta be the most unacceptable rap moniker ever.

D said...

"Keith murray" set a v bad precedent he came after kool Keith FFS.

Even someone w a name as good as Preston Crump stuck to the code

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Good thing he did too or he might now be mistaken with Celebrity Big Brother contestant Preston from The Ordinary Boys.

Kevin is only ever acceptable as a rapper moniker if it's spruced up into summat a bit more swaggy like Kev-E-Kev.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Good bit of gossip I've just read: Lovebug Starski dated Big L's mam in the 80s.

D said...

Waterbed Kevs the champ. Simon Amstell woulda got a big green fist to the dome if he got fresh w our Preston.

class, Mrs Coleman had disco fever.

The Ghost of Ailsa Stewart said...

Ha, I had the same thoughts regarding not holding the whole coining 'hip-hop' against the bloke.