The site where all things OLDSKOOL reside. From videos,columns and interviews with your favorite artist. This page is dedicated to everything OLDSKOOL from Hip Hop, R&B and even Caucasian Classics. Come through and reminisce about the times when everything was Funky Fresh.
KEEP IT OLDSKOOL PRESENTS : "THE CASPER FILES" (Stories behind some of verses delivered by but NOT written by some well known MCs)
MC Lyte "Self Destruction" (verse by L.L Cool J/KRS/MC Lyte) MC Lyte:"You know what that’s an interesting question. During the process of the recording of that song a lot of people were in the studio so you were getting a lot of input like, “Yea, that’s hot!” or “Let’s make that better [like this].” The rhyme I wrote myself had a lot of statistics like, “One out of every…” and I think they wanted it to be a little cooler. They were like nah Lyte you don’t want to hit them with statistics that may not be interesting enough for them. So I remember at the time Kris (KRS-ONE) and LL were in the studio with me and L came with a rhyme. By the way that wasn’t the first time “funky fresh” was used he used it in one of his records before. That kicked it all off. Once he said it both he and I went to work on what would turn out to be one of the prolific verses in the record. He didn’t write the verse it was me, LL and Kris. As we went through the rhymes it was more like how can we make this the hottest thing we can make it. Why LL wasn’t on the record I don’t know. Maybe he had made a conscious decision not to be. In the end he wound up being apart of it just not one of the people on the front lines." For Full Interview see ( http://halftimeonline.net/blog/mc-lyte/ ) KEEP IT OLDSKOOL
KEEP IT OLDSKOOL PRESENTS LYRICS OF THE DAY' De La Soul "Declaration" (Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump) 2000 (2nd Verse) Contrary to popular truth, these youth are runnin scared So in one stare they gettin strapped Cash rules NUTTIN from below the belt The dick choose to melt asses where them dollars at? (Where them dollars at?) Musta been bitten by a rabbit Actin silly like that; your pop culture need a diaper change I'm snatchin the mic, like I'm lootin With a whole lot of shootin while you're keepin out of sniper range Your aim's to please, my aim's to freeze You dead center in your tracks with your hands high Ain't no tricks, we set it to fire like Hendrix All the hard rocks at liquor spots All over the scene, makin it messy So we make a clean getaway to a better day Can't say the same, for them cats who left the game Cause they couldn't claim the better pay This ain't no masquerade So the mass parade of people need to stop frontin There's truly a few makin them hits While us, we got our mitts closed cause you on the field buntin Make it to third bass, but never reach home The word is, your whereabouts is unknown While we're that point of view, that you never really knew With the stitch to keep the cut sewn (De La!)
Released 1975 Lets Do It Againwas the second pairing of TV icon Bill Cosby and movie icon Sidney Poitier (the first being Uptown Saturday Night released in 1974) . The movie which was also directed by Poitier is not really thought of as a Blaxploitation Movie (movies that were geared specifically for African Americans) The film tackled gangsters and racketeering but it was all in fun.
Loyal Members of the Brothers and Sisters of Shaka
The movie about two normal average everyday men Clyde and Billy from Atlanta (Poitier and Cosby) as members of the Brothers and Sisters of Shaka whose building is being foreclosed on take a drastic step to get funds for a new building.The duo with their wives in tow head down to New Orleans. Clyde and Billy plan to "fix" a prize fight. Heavy underdog Bootney Lee Farnsworth (played by Jay Z twin Jimmie Walker) is scheduled to fight 40th Street Black . Clyde and Billy decide that will hypnotize Bootney so he is assured to win and place $10,000 bets with the two warring gangsters in New Orleans Biggie Smalls (Calvin Lockhart) and Kansas City Mack (John Amos).With the bets heavy against Bootney they stand to make $100,000 They both pose as Mongo Slade from NYC
Billy and Clyde talk their way out of trouble
Biggie Smalls played by Calvin Lockhart
Beth (Billy's wife) played by Denise Nicholas tells Biggie Smalls how it is.
After being tracked down to Atlanta Clyde and Billy have to bring in the wives Dee Dee (Lee Chamberlin) and Beth (Denise Nicholas) for a crazy scheme and even a crazier bet. This movie is loads of fun and has a special appearances from George Foreman and Ossie Davis. After this movie the third and final movie of the Poitier/Cosby trilogy A Piece of the Action was released in 1977. You can always catch these movies on cable or broadcast television. It was announced that Will Smith and Denzel Washington have the rights to and will remake 1 or more of the trilogy movies. I do not see how you can improve on any of those movies but this is the era of remakes/reboots KEEP IT OLDSKOOL
Outkast will be playing over 40 festivals worldwide this year, beginning with their headlining appearance at Coachella in April. Other than their June appearance at New York City's Governors Ball, though, the group has not yet revealed where else it will perform.
"It's truly an honor to celebrate 20 years and still be free to do music the way we choose," Big Boi said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to rocking the stage with my Bro Ski and to all the fans, stank you smelly much. This is for y'all!"
to see more go to: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/outkast-book-40-festival-dates-for-2014-20140113
KEEP IT OLDSKOOL PRESENTS Oldskool Movie of the week
Friday the 13th was released May 9,1980 and Horror/Slasher movies have never been the same since. Directed by Sean S. Cunningham the movie spawned many imitations and 12 sequels. The movie made on a budget of $550,000 earned over $59 million. The movie starred Adrienne King, Betsy Palmer, Kevin Bacon and Laurie Bartram.
The movie's plot if you want to call it that is about Camp Crystal Lake. The camp has been the seen of several tragedies yet the new owners want to reopen it. A group of the new counselors go up to Crystal Lake to get the camp ready for the kids who will soon be coming. Unfortunately the counselors are killed off one by one by an unseen force who seems to carry around a little radio that plays "ch ch ch ha ha ha ha" when someone is about to be murdered. I don't want to burden you with the names of the kids because when watching the movie you really don't care what their names are you are just counting down the time until they are murdered. The ending attempted to pull you in with the premise that someone is/was "still there" but if the movie had flopped we would have never known.
Everyone is aware by now that the Killer in the first movie is NOT Jason. (If you were not aware of that what are you doing on this oldskool page?) Before this movie there were better "slasher" movies (John Carpenter's "Halloween" was a better movie and had better actors) However what Friday the 13th did was start a trend to "out gore" the previous movies. Especially by the 3rd or 4th "Friday the 13th" movie people were watching just to see how inventive Jason had become in killing sex crazed teenagers. In 1980 I was 9 years old and seeing the trailer for this movie had me keeping the lights on in my room at night for a very long time. Here are some other tidbits about Friday the 13th. * In the original script Jason's name was to be Josh * There was never a plan for film to spawn sequels * Writer of the movie stated that it was "inspired by Halloween" * Filming only took 28 days * 10 people are killed in the movie * Director said he was looking for actors you would see in a "Pepsi commercial" (courtesy of IMDb.com)
The persistent "Thump thump thump" of the music.The dimly lit club. The party goers all with flower print shirts,Doc Martin boots and Girbraud Jeans on .Any one over 35-36 years of age should remember that distinctly as House Music and house music attire. In the early 1990's a form of music that was already popular in the United Kingdom (England) slowly began to take a foothold in the vibrant Hip Hop culture.
Though disputed one of the early songs that made Hip Hoppers aware of the music was "Hip-House" song "Ill house you" by the Jungle Brothers. For a period after that it was standard practice to have a "house track" on rap albums. There were songs like "Come into my house" by Queen Latifah etc (a common theme was to have "house" in the title of the song) Some rappers who you knew for a fact were not into house music followed peer pressure and added a "hip-house" song to the album.
Like Disco before it being an off shoot of a more established genre (R&B) Hip-House was like that new girl that moves into the neighborhood who keeps to herself at the playground until one of the more popular girls asks if she wants jump rope with them and all the guys start trying to talk to her. Hip House initially was a novelty but it slowly began to rise. Suddenly you started to see more flower print shirts and not just on the Brady kids on the Brady Bunch reruns. Girls began to ditch the tights with the Reebok Exo-fits and began wearing the baggy jeans and the Doc Martins. The clubs began to have "House Nights" and some clubs even changed their name and only played house music.
One destination for house music in Philadelphia at that time was The Limelight Club located in the heart of Center City it was the quintessential House Club. For the "house heads" as they were called and us straight "Hip Hop heads" trying to get with those "house head" girls The Limelight was the place to be . House clubes were party like and festive atmospheres. The wasn't much "mean muggin" or "what you looking at" going on in house club
Then just like that it was over. Most of the guys who were into house music turned their attention to "Backpack Rap" the Doc Martins were gone as were the clam shell chains and in came in Tommy Hilfiger, Polo by Ralph Lauren and Carhartt with a pair of Timberlands. I am not sure when The Limelight closed it's doors because by then we had all moved on to the next hot club. I was never really a big House Music or Hip-House music fan,but I do remember the time fondly because at one point House music took over the world.
KEEP IT OLDSKOOL CELEBRATES: MUSIC/MOVIES THAT TURN 30 IN 2014 Released June 24,1984 Purple Rain was a tour de force for Prince and the Revolution. The album garnered 2 Grammy Awards. The album had $13 million records sold with Purple Rain the movie being released the same year.
Purple Rain:
1. Let's Go Crazy"
2. "Take Me with U"
3. "The Beautiful Ones"
4. "Computer Blue"
5. "Darling Nikki"
6. "When Doves Cry"
7. "I Would Die 4 U"
8. "Baby I'm a Star"
9. "Purple Rain"
Released May 29th 1984 Private Dancer by Tina Turner took her out of the shadows after all of the years since leaving Ike Turner. The album sold 5 million records in 1984.
Private Dancer:
1. "I Might Have Been Queen"
2. "What's Love Got to Do with It"
3. "Show Some Respect"
4. "I Can't Stand the Rain"
5. "Private Dancer"
6. "Let's Stay Together"
7. "Better Be Good to Me"
8. "Steel Claw"
9. "Help!"
10."1984"
Released November 12th 1984 Like a Virgin was Madonna's second studio album and launched her in to icon status. With production by Nile Rogers (Chic) the album now certified diamond (over 10 million records sold) is a time capsule of the early 80s pop sound.
Like a Virgin:
1. "Material Girl"
2. "Angel"
3. "Like a Virgin"
4. "Over and Over"
5. "Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
6. "Dress You Up"
7. "Shoo-Bee-Doo"
8. "Pretender"
9. "Stay"
MOVIES
Beverly Hills Cop was released December 5th 1984 the movie starring Eddie Murphy which spawned 2 sequels (the 3rd one being just plain awful) After this movie which grossed $316,360,478 ($234 domestically) Murphy became one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood.
Released June 22nd 1984 The Karate Kid was a crowd pleasing "fish out of water" story starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita the film budget modest for Hollywood standards ($8 million) went on to gross over $90 million and spawned 2 sequels.
KEEP IT OLDSKOOL PRESENTS: OLDSKOOL MOVIE OF THE WEEK
The Shining was release in 1980 that was directed by iconic director Stanley Kubrick that was based on Stephen King's book that had the same name. The movie starred Jack Nicholson,Shelly Duval, Scatman Crothers and Danny Lloyd.
The movie plot centers on the Torrance family Jack (Nicholson) Wendy (Duvall) and Danny (Lloyd) agreeing to live in the Overlook Hotel for the winter with Jack acting as caretaker. Jack a writer will use the time to finish a novel that he has been writing. The Overlook Hotel is also a character in the story as the sinister site is the scene of a triple murder suicide by a previous caretaker. Jack also a recovering alcoholic wants to use this time to rebuild his relationships with Wendy and Danny. We meet the kindly bow legged chef Dick Halloran (Crothers) who somehow knows the nick name that Danny's parents use for him "Doc" and that Danny has in imaginary friend named Tony.
We watch as Jack slowly descends into madness being helped along of course by the Overlook Hotel. From people who should not be there to the previous caretaker being the bathroom attendant the hotel is suddenly growing very strong. Wendy has no idea until after Danny goes into the dreaded room 237 that Chef Halloran has sternly warned Danny against leaves Danny with bruises that she assumes (based on previous behavior) that Jack has done it.Once Wendy understands the true scope of what is going on in the Overlook it is to late
This movie is much different from toady's horror movies which seem to not want to scare but to gore you. Stephen King was not overly found of this adaptation of the novel. He believed that it in addition to changing the ending that more of the focus should have been paid to the family dynamic. King did see an adaption more faithful to the book produced as a miniseries for ABC TV in 1997. For my money the 1980 version is still one of the scariest movies ever made. Who can ever forget Jack's axe in hand statement "Here's Johnny". I don't imagine there are many people who have not seen the movie. Even if you have now would be a great time to watch again. KEEP IT OLDSKOOL