From: jfine@engin.umich.edu (Jonathan Fine)
Subject: Re: PE as first New School?
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 92 20:44:11 EDT
Organization: The Church of Suicidal

In article <1a44mbINN16f@aludra.usc.edu> sknezevi@aludra.usc.edu
(Steven John Knezevich) writes:

>In a way, if you think about it....PE really is the first new school.
 [ Trimmed quotes used below ]
>In a way, they are the groundbreakers....maybe not the first...Was there
>anyone else before them that was addressing issues as hard as Chuck D?
>I can't think of anyone....


*sigh*  I didn't want to respond to this, but I didn't want to endure
the guesses that are bound to appear, so... the answer is: Run-DMC.
"Wait," you're likely thinking, "Run-DMC is out, they're old school."

Typical response of people who think they've been listening to rap for
a "long time", since they've been listening "since the mid-late-80's".
(Which, incidentally, is when the new school really took off, but *not*
originated.)

Ok, so why Run-DMC?  If you've truly listened to rap since the late-
70's to early-80's, there should be no question here.  But for you new
jacks too young to remember the roots:

Before the new school, the old school of rap was funky, smooth stuff.
Everyone wanted to be a smooth cat like the Sugar Hill Gang, Kurtis
Blow, and Melle Mel.  But then Run-DMC came along with their hardcore
roar - no one had ever *shouted* lyrics before, that was unheard of.
And with such anger!  All the old school groups before them were smooth
and mellow, even when addressing hard issues.  But Run-DMC took their
songs and just *slammed* them down your throat.  (For an interesting
comparison, listen to Run-DMC's "Hard Times" and Kurtis Blow's of the
same name.)

>[Public Enemy] were the first to mainstream introduced the frustrations of
 black
>youth into their rhymes and from their work they inspired all the divisions

Nope.  You don't even have to get into the new school to find lyrics
which introduced the frustrations of blacks.  Even before Run-DMC
blasted out "Hard Times", "It's Like That", and later "Proud to Be
Black"; right from the start, rap forefathers like Grandmaster Flash
and the Furious Five were doing songs such as "The Message", "New York,
New York".  As influential as Public Enemy may be these days, they
certainly didn't originate the new school, although they've obviously
popularized it.

It's no coincidence Public Enemy said in "Bring the Noise": "Run-DMC
first said a deejay could be a band, stand on its own feet, get you
out your seat", and has consistently had Run-DMC listed first on their
"Extra-Strength Posse".  It's no coincidence Ice-T says in "MVPS":
"To Run-DMC who kept rap alive, when rap was about to take a dive...
You *are* the Kings of Rock".  It's no coincidence Run-DMC growl on
"King of Rock": "It's all brand-new, never ever old school."  Noted
artists such as Public Enemy and Ice-T haven't forgotten their roots.
And these are but just a few examples, obviously.

"New school" is a relative term which is arguable, depending on how
long you've been listening to rap (and from the sounds of most readers
of this group, not too long).  But when you begin talking about the
leaders of the new school, if you know your rap history, it's without
question Run-DMC, the *GODS* of Rock.

(For those of you who would like an introduction to Run-DMC, their
first three albums are the definitive Run-DMC, in my opinion.  You
are not complete until you've at least heard "Rock Box" and "King of
Rock", to name but a few.)

Public Enemy has certainly revitalized the new school, and is without
a doubt the current new school leader.  But started it?  No.

Schools out, this wasn't meant to be a dis by any means, so here's
to hoping no one takes it as such.

Peace out.



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----------                                                         ___
Jonathan H. Fine                   The University of Michigan,    (o o)
sinister.stairs@um.cc.umich.edu    Ann Arbor  "Let's Go Blue!"     |||

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