Review: Yo! MTV Raps Party @ Puma Store, Georgetown
Outside of Sesame Street and The Cosby Show, there’s only one television program that’s made a substantial impact on me. That show, Yo! MTV Raps, took hip-hop culture from its urban roots and brought it to folks like me living in the nation’s hinterlands. Plus, for those of us pushing or already into our 30s, “Yo!” represents a time when hip-hop music had some semblance of quality and variety. In celebration of a limited edition shoe commemorating this seminal program, Puma held a party Friday night at its Georgetown store in conjunction with Fader Magazine featuring Special Ed.
As one might expect at a free show with complimentary drinks, the store was packed from end to end. A good number of people in the building were sporting Puma sneakers and zip-ups along with a staple of 1990s hip-hop fashion, a backpack. For a second, I had to remind myself it was 2007 because I hadn’t been around hip-hop fashionistas of this sort in at least 10 years.
Keeping with the night’s theme, every song performed was released between 1988 and 1996, the eight years Yo! was on the air. Additionally, every act, with the exception of Special Ed, hailed from the D.C. area. The evening’s de facto host was Grap Luva, who had success during the Yo! years with his brother Pete Rock and group I.N.I. He introduced the first act of the night, Hueman Prophets, got the crowd moving with their rendition of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Check The Rhime” with backing from a live band. Following in a similar vein were EmoniFela (Common Sense’s “I Used To Love H.E.R.”), W. Ellington Felton (Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Brand New Funk”), Three Stars alum Flex Mathews (MC Shan’s “Down By Law”), and Asheru (Big Daddy Kane’s “Ain’t No Half Steppin’”). Without question, I always enjoy hearing some of my favorite songs being played (it doesn’t happen that often) but it was even better to hear the locals’ takes on these enduring tunes and have them done as well as the originals.
After this energetic opening, Special Ed took the stage for a short set that included “I'm The Magnificent,” “Crookyn Dodgers,” and his biggest hit, “I Got It Made.” Ed’s set was good as he demonstrated some of the magnetism that made him a fan favorite 17 years ago. More impressively, though, was the fact that before and after his performance he mixed and mingled with the crowd. I had to wonder how many of today’s radio stars would be inclined to do the same. As the deejay played other standout tracks of the era like “Who Got The Props,” “Time’s Up,” and “Fakin’ Jax,” I couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic. The opportunity for hip-hoppers to delve into their musical past is still limited. There aren’t any “classic rock” radio station equivalents for hip-hop. Material released over five years ago gets labeled as “old school,” which renders it almost irrelevant in an industry that celebrates whatever is deemed “hot” at the moment ad nauseam. Shows like the one Friday always leave me in a better mood. Not only do they remind me of why I enjoy this genre, but also demonstrate that I’m not alone in my reverence for the past, whether its music, fashion, or a TV program that opened me up to something I wouldn’t have otherwise experienced.
Image take from fader.co.jp.