Dun Dun DUUNNN!  

Posted by Roddykat in , ,

Faster than a rolling 'O'!
Stronger than silent 'E'!
Able to capital 'T' in a single bound!
it's a word, it's a plan...it's LETTERMAN! (Dun Dun DUUUNNNN)*

If those words mean nothing to you, you have no childhood (or were born in the '80's. Same thing.). :)

This was the intro to one of my favorite segments of the 70's TV show The Electric Company(one of my favorite shows), The Adventures of Letterman. No, it has nothing to do with the late night talk show host. It was the Electric Company equivalent of Superman (but way cooler). There were about 60 done during the course of EC's run. I loved it. In it, the evil Spellbinder (voiced by Zero Mostel) ruins someone's day by gets his kicks by changing the word associated with whatever the event of the time would be with his magic wand. Our hero, Letterman (voiced by Gene Wilder), would run in, (most times) pull the letter(s) off of his Varsity Sweater, change the messed up word, and save the day. All while being narrated by Joan Rivers.

Why do I bring this up? The nostalgia bug bit me, of course. So I present to you a couple of clips of this wonderful piece of history courtesy of Youtube. By the way, you know this was done in the seventies when you listen to the opening music. Pure funk, baby. Can you dig it?


In the Beginning (the origin story, if you will)


The Roar of Rage


A Rolling Bun Gathers No Seeds



If you want to see more of this (of course you do), head on over to the usual spot. They need to put them all on DVD. I'd buy it. And yes, I know there is area couple of Best of Electric Company sets out, it's not all of the shows.

Tribal Showdown  

Posted by Roddykat in , , ,

This post got re-sparked by Fave of the Friday Favecast and EJ Flavors of Ejflavors.com (Old School Wednesdays, y'all) on Twitter. I say re-sparked because I've had this self same conversation with people for years. Hell, I have a co-worker with whom I STILL go through it with every now and then. If you are a Hip Hop lover, it has to have come up at least once. What it basically boiled down to was one question: "What was your favorite A Tribe Called Quest album"? Everyone has their favorites. Most, like me are split between two. Not sure if anyone but me disregards the last couple of albums, but hey. Anyway, That is where this post comes in. If you are a Tribe fan from way back, I want to know what your favorite album is. If you don't know who this is, consider this a ATCQ primer. So, I would like to know the answer to this pressing question. If you aren't so versed in the Tribe or need a refresher, then here is where you will get it.

It breaks down like this:

5 albums. 3 videos (or links) a piece*. The videos that are embedded are either the a single or the ones I like. :)

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990)

I Left My Wallet in El Segundo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpPkGZ6zhzA

Bonita Applebaum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46c8AqzjLCg

Can I Kick It




Low End Theory (1991)

Check the Rhime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRrM6tfOHds

Jazz (we got) / Buggin' Out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_-4GFV7uTE

Scenario



Midnight Marauders (1993)

Award Tour


Electric Relaxation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERQzl4xDpXk

Oh My God
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35oNDO7VrJI


I guess if you must count these, then go ahead. :)

Beats, Rhymes, and Life (1996)

1nce again


Jam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U8fQ7mrVIQ

Stressed Out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6CfC3Iax-Q


The Love Movement (1998) **

Start It Up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrkBM1p2n3Y

Find A Way


Hot Sex on a Platter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw-tANVjUF8

Alright, folks, have at it. I should point out that this post is why I LOVE Twitter. Conversations break out at a moment's notice (Plus, getting a blog post out of the deal is cool, too). ;)

And whatever happened to Jarobi the rhythm Provider?
Maybe some light is shed here:

A Tribe Called Quest interview (1998) Pt. 1
A Tribe Called Quest interview (1998) Pt. 2
A Tribe Called Quest interview (1998) Pt. 3
A Tribe Called Quest interview (1998) Pt. 4

* - Links put instead of the videos because this gets to be unruly. There are a lot video to go through.

** - Kinda hard to find videos for an album that was phoned in & packed with b-sides & whatnot. Not trying to say anything