Aboutmartinstjohn Expertise I can answer general questions about the golden age of hip hop, mostly the 1980s breakbeat era. SInce i collected many rap artists Lps and tapes in the 80s, i can answer most song titles by lyrics.
Experience Hip hop music is what got me into dj mixing in the first place. I still have those lps by rappers Mc Shan, LL COol J, UTFO, WHistle, Beastie Boys, Choice Mcs, Run DMC, Juice Crew, Kool G Rap, Mantronix, Ice T, 2 live crew, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Eric B and Rakim, Dana Dane, Stetasonic, Fat Boys, LA Dream Team,Kurtis Blow,Dj Jazzy Jeff and the fresh prince. In addition, i can answer questions about electrofunk that came from that era: Twilight 22, Newcleus, Egyptian Lover, Arabian Prince, Kyper,Cybotron, Reggie Griffin and Technofunk, Hashim. In addition to that my knowledge of 80s hip hop and r&b extends to the r&b/funk side with Cameo, Loose Ends, Lakeside, Gap Band, Sos band, and others.
Education/Credentials 2 years college..but i couldve had a college degree at a four year university with the money ive put out on vinyl records over the years.
Expert: martinstjohn Date: 7/14/2007 Subject: a controvercial question
Question Ive been a big rap fan since the mid 80s. I now live in an area where the kids (Hispanic) are dying, literally, because they are very serious little gangstas. Involved in hoe-ing, guns, drugs, they are heartless, culturally corrupt little fascists, they can, and do kill over shoes etc. The situation is far worse than I can encapsulate here. It seems the biggest threat to their life's is what they are void of a knowledge of the action/reaction relationship, consequences. They dont know that macho guys can fight the good fight, be a hero, get the girl by standing strong and not be a follower. OK, so Ive given up on the chances of young thugs doing anything civic or moral or even fun. I go to their funerals a couple times a year as I watch their parents plant them in front of TV wrestling and bloody gun/car movies. My heart is broken. My Latin King stepson listened to rap intently and lived what he heard, but sadly, my fears that he would drag me and a host of other people down are over. He was killed at 14. I am conflicted about my feelings because he did die doing what he loved. He did die as the young man that gangster rap defined as cool and keepin it real with the bitches, bling, guns and jacking cars. Yes I am very conflicted. I need a constructive way to deal with my anger at a corrupt world. One that for cash would sell out its own children while worshiping flash over substance. Enslaving low income parents to ever increasing debt and unfair labor. Crack seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back, but we all know crack is anti life. I am feeling more and more as if I need to see a responsible lobby against gangsta rap. Hey my kid followed all the gangsta directions and completely fulfilled his dream and the advice of his mentors by going out the way he did. I grew up with the Brady bunch so what do I know. As I mentioned, And I could be wrong, I want to have a sober stab at the popular acceptance of the gangsta rap empire and it's profiteers. Searching the internet I can find all kinds of rants on the subject but there seems to be no central place where people who feel as I do can be of comfort to each other, to vote on issues, educate each other so we can find reasonable statements of our intentions and also, very importantly, be counted. If we can be counted we wont be so invisible. We can be responded to and further educated on how to shine a light on the situation without being seen as hysterical rap haters. I was a Zappa fan, then a punker and then I thought rap via BDP and PE could carry on with the memory of MLK and a healthy peoples r-evolution would go on its rightious way, de-clawing the haters of the world. Are you interested in advising my cause or guiding me in any way?
Answer Steve,
This is such a controversial topic that i wouldn't know how to begin to provide guidanace or advice. I recognize the problem though. It's almost impossible to address the problem of gangsta rap without seeming as though you hate rap music in general. In my case, that wouldn't be true. I grew up being a punker too, went through my metal phase, and also thought that BDP and PE would somehow put an end to all the hating. What happened along the way is that when corporation became more involved with the rap music industry, the music's focus changed. Negative topics in rap were selling records. I'm not gonna name names. We got corporate rap and then everything that the pioneers of rap started suddenly changed. However, there is such a thing as responsible listening. I would never advocate censorship. If the parents taught their children properly, then there wouldn't be these problems. They would know right from wrong and not try to live up to the excesses of a gangsta lifestyle. It's all about ataining status (bling)and instead of rebelling against what is wrong, like me and the kids of the 80s did, they are rebelling 'to' things.By things i mean, instead of being anti establishment like some of the punks of the 80s, they are rebelling 'to' hot topic, fubu,20 inch rims, etc. Its ridiculous and creates jealousy. It's a 'look what i got' thing now. It's causing a lot of kids to get killed. It's crazy that kids kill each other over a pair of shoes. But, they gotta have 'bling' or they feel as if they are nobody. That's messed up thinking,how can it be fixed tho?
As far as crack is concerned, that's a whole different topic, one that would take up too many pages to include alongside the gangsta rap topic. Besides, this probably isnt the PC forum for discussing such topics.
