Rappin', Illin', Rhythm & Stealin'

I was surprised to hear that The Beastie Boys performed in the Good Vibrations Festival held on Monday evening, 19 Feb 2007 at the Fort Canning. Ya... Singapore is opening up, I thought. An act like The Beastie Boys was allowed to “come here” or rather, they “make their way past” the local authorities.

It is really 20 years late…I was pretty into rap music in 1986. It was because of “Licensed to Ill”. Frankly, this album is one of my personal favourites. It really got me hooked up to rap or humour rap.

In the 80s, they were everywhere. It was like, you know, the only white rappers around. I really love their boisterous antics then, I can’t remember, one of them was always wearing that Volkswagon sign, the tossing and spillng of Budweiser beer cans around. Ha ha…I actually bought and snipped Budweiser beer at 7-Eleven way back then, it was my way of identifying with The Beastie Boys. I felt connected. Me and the beer swilling frat boys. Cool.

I guess that’s what we call…growing up. During one’s youth, being rebellious, wild and being anti-establishment were the buzz. Such excesses back then, could be boiled down to the folly of youth. Perhaps, it could be the genuine need to express one’s inner devil or simply, to be yourself. Strangely, rap is sort of associated with such tendencies. The anger, the angst...

When Run DMC and Aerosmith combined to give us the ultimate rap rock number, “Walk This Way”. It was a sheer delight. Those no-shoelace Adidas sneakers were cool too! “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice was pretty cool back then. Actually, I would cringe and shudder if I hear it again.

Other favourites of mine include “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. I think this rap number has got sheer power and dynamite in it. "Reckless" by Ice T was fast and furious. “Parents Just Don’t Understand” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince was fun. “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer started a craze on being hip to be seen wearing baggy pants.

Other rap gems which had left lasting impression include Tone Loc’s “Wild Thing”, LL Cool J’s romantic rap number, “I Need Love”. Marky Mark’s “Wild Side” transported one to those tough ghettos. Of late, I mean in recent years, the only mentionable ones are “Gangsta's Paradise” by Coolio and “Lose Yourself” by Eminem.