Move that Body

WHEN HOUSE MUSIC RULED THE WORLD


  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