Sunday, February 11, 2007

LUDACRIS TRACES HIP-HOP'S ROOTS: In yesterday's WSJ (no link since it's subscription only), Ludacris picked the five funk and soul albums that he considers the forerunners of hip-hop. It's a good list and I happen to own all five of these:

Sly and the Family Stone - "Stand", which Ludacris notes has been widely sampled by acts such as Tupac and Public Enemy. "Stand" features the title cut as well as the hits "You Can Make It If You Try," "Everyday People," and "I Want to Take You Higher," along with a little ditty called "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey." I would also recommend the 2-disc compilation "The Essential Sly and the Family Stone," which includes the oh so funky "If You Want Me to Stay."

Earth Wind and Fire - "Earth Wind and Fire". The debut release from the immensely successful group, this album does not sound all that much like the pop hits you know so well from their days on the Columbia label. This is essentially pure funk with a hint of jazz-rock. I particularly like the song "Bad Tune."

Marvin Gaye - "What's Going On". An awesome album. Every reader of this blog should own this disc (it's only $6.97 at amazon!). Ludacris mentions this as an album that influenced him a great deal as well as rap pioneers such as Big Daddy Kane.

Curtis Mayfield - "Superfly". Full of streetwise songs about pimps and dealers, Mr. Bridges notes that Mayfield "had the sound from the time that really stuck." There is a recent compilation of Curtis Mayfield's work that is also worth owning called Definitive Soul, which includes many of the key songs from Superfly as well as my own favorite Mayfield song "Move on Up."

Parliament - "Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo System". The synthesizer-based riffs became a key part of the sound of West Coast rappers of the 1990s, especially Dr. Dre, notes Ludacris. The album features a song that I seem to recall that Adam likes a lot: "Flashlight." The CD is only $7.97 at amazon.

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