Hip-hop already had as many personal interpretations as rock ‘n’ roll when it finally made its way into the cultural gestalt. Run DMC (“Walk This Way” notwithstanding), Spoonie Gee and others were tricking on the turn-of-phrase possibilities of the poetic genre. Slick Rick and Grandmaster Flash were telling tales of street life. Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions were setting their revolutionary messages to funky and, in Public Enemy’s case, blistering backbeats. Of course, there were others who were turning hip-hop on its head and treating it as what it really was: the next logical step in the evolution of pop music. Popular rap in the late ’80s was “Benny Hill” for the urban set. But the slapstickery and cartoonland costumes favored by the mostly male rappers chasing tail and pouring drinks in fast-motion wasn’t doing wonders for rap’s respectability. From the vocal style and use of a DJ rather than a traditional band, you could tell that there was something more to this still young hip-hop thing than standard standup comedy antics. Not only was it an odd choice of “extreme bowling” soundtracks, but it was a depressing look back at the state of popular rap around the time that Straight Outta Compton dropped. It was followed by “Parents Just Don’t Understand” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, “Bust a Move” by Young MC, “Funky Cold Medina” by Tone Loc, “Now That We’ve Found Love” by Heavy D and the Boys and a few more. I was bowling the other day and, halfway through the first game, the front-desk attendant got on the loudspeaker and said, “OK, ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to turn the lights out, turn the music on and play some extreme bowling!” On came the Run DMC-Aerosmith collaboration “Walk This Way”. And this is the part where I tell you why I’d write such a thing. This is the part where you shake your head in disbelief and mutter “bullshit” to your computer screen. Let’s assume, just for fun, that the Beatles are the most influential group in the history of pop music.
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