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Happy B-Day, and R.I.P, Scott La Rock
Posted on March 2, 2009 4:25 PM
KRS-ONE has been around for a long time. So long, that the side of a Bronx building on 163 and 3rd Ave that had his name on it has since been knocked down and replaced with windows. It's been over 20 years, and KRS is still around. For many it's hard to believe that he wasn't always by himself. He wasn't.
Back in the mid '80s, KRS was living in a shelter. It was there that he met social worker Scott Sterling who later became DJ Scott La Rock alongside KRS and D-Nice of Boogie Down Productions. The story is a little longer than this, but essentially the main faces of BDP became just KRS and Scott La Rock.
Not only was KRS fueld by the rejection of Queens' Mr. Magic, a radio DJ who denied KRS and Scott La Rock airplay and called their recording "wack," but perception is reality, so said KRS and many other listeners who heard a (late '85-ish) joint by Queensbridge's Juice Crew. Headed by Magic's side kick DJ Marley Marl, this group of rappers (particularly MC Shan) had "unintentionally" claimed in their song "The Bridge" that they had originated hip-hop, thus launching an all-out borough battle--- with KRS in the forefront.
Although MC Shan denied these accusations, KRS took the Juice Crew to war, and two very well-known classics were birthed, including "South Bronx" and "The Bridge is Over." Not only did these songs destroy MC Shan and the Juice Crew, these two classic battle joints appeared on the timeless album Criminal Minded, which dropped in 1987.
Unfortunately, Scott La Rock-- born March 2, 1962-- was shot and killed after trying to mediate a dispute between D-Nice and another teen (and his crew).
Scott La Rock passed away that day, August 27, 1987. And when he passed, so did hip-hop's FIRST LYRICAL battle, and perhaps one of the most exciting battles in hip-hop's history.
Scott's legacy lives on, though that untouchable classic album and through the success of today's DJs. And to this day, we still hear recent joints that sample songs from Criminal Minded. "The Bridge is Over" beat is still being used-- in one instance it was used by Dipset's J.R Writer, who spit over it on a mixtape. Even former Roc-a-Fella rapper Tru Life, who remade the joint into a farewell to the Dipset crew ("The Dips is Over"), had decent rotation on Hot 97 a couple of years back.
Dipset really did fall apart after that, by the way. Lol.
R.I.P Scott La Rock.
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Good to know!
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Shan never claimed they started hip hop. "you love to hear the story again and again how it all got started way back when." is the quote KRS used out of context knowing full well Shan was talking about QB's pioneers such as the Disco Twins known for rolling out the 36in woofers and bass bottoms called "Earthquakers" in the parks. I know people in the Bx think the only park jams happened there but that's not the case.
Although hip hop supposedly began in the BX there were legendary performers all over NYC. In Brooklyn you had the great Grand Master Flowers who's legacy has gotten swept away in all this Bx euphoria.
The reason I said supposedly began in the Bx is because so many people have taken credit for the creation of rap. Kool Herc who is of Jamaican descent claims it comes from the Jamaican art of "toasting" or DJing as they call their version of MCing. The oldtimer Jack The Rapper who had the once popular yearly convention in Atl claimed he was rapping on the radio since the 50's and so it goes. Every book or documentary has someone new claiming to be the creator or inspiration of hip hop.
The bottom line is creativity lends and borrows nonstop. It is always transforming. How strange it is that despite claims of hip hop originating in the BX it is Queens that has made the most consistent, largest contribution to hip hop going back 25yrs.
Those early pioneers in the Bx wanted to be Funk singers. Just look at Bambaata and the Soul Sonic Force. They were wannbe singers who couldn't sing or afford instruments. They didn't even realize when things shifted to rap as we know it and that's why they're all bitter and got left behind. In any event, I digress....
^^^^ Don't take this the wrong way, but yeah I agree KRS was reaching a tad over the lines from Shad's song, he actually did go on record in an interview and say his real reason for dissing the Juice Crew.... publicity. BDP wasn't getting no love at the stations (mostly none of em) and the Mr. Magic thing was just the spark that lit the fire. Since KRS and Scott knew Magic and Marl was backing Juice Crew, and Shan was poppin at the time, they pulled a "Curtis Jackson" and dissed homie over nothin to get they fame up. KRS actually even said he knew that Shan wasn't sayin hip-hop originated in Queens, but they went at him cuz he was the top of the food chain at the time. The whole beef snowballed becuz back in them days, there was no 50 Cent/Rick Ross stuff, I'ma organize a beef and set up web promo to get buzz for my new album, so Shan had to respond to save face, which meant KRS had to ether boy. And I would say hip-hop originated more from skat music and jazz poets of the late 70s to early 80s who were commonly "experimenting" with ways to put rhyming words to jazz riffs and make songs out of it. For those who aint familiar, Google it. EASY
MC Shan's line '..of how IT all got started way back when/" could be mistaken for claiming the birth of hip hop. Of course to the average outsider looking in.
they key word in that line is 'IT'. what is the IT? the topic of course...
next line: 'HIP HOP was set out in the park'
Hip Hop is the IT, or topic of the rhyme...
"of how it all got started way back when"..
yea it could easily be mistaken as hip hop being started in the bridge.
If krs-one didnt comprehend it correctly, then Shan didnt state it correctly.