Hip house - Don't call it a comeback

Youtube absolutely rocks for digging out classic videos and tracks, like this. Here's a START HERE piece I did for Metro looking at the history of hip-house. Really it's just an excuse to dig out loads of brilliant videos.


START HERE

Hip house: Jungle Brothers: I’ll House You (1988)

In late-1980s New York two of modern music’s most influential movements, house and hip-hop had emerged from seedy clubs and block parties, and began cross-fertilising.

Debate rages over what was the first record to splice hip hop with house but the first hip-house smash hit was undoubtedly the Afro-centric, conscious rap trio Jungle Brothers, I’ll House You – produced by house pioneer Todd Terry aka Todd The God.

Like plenty of early house I’ll House You is a looped, stuttering drum track brought to life with swirling samples (sirens, disco divas screaming), effects (acid stabs, DJ Sammy B’s scratching) but the icing on the proverbial cake is Baby Bam and Mikey G’s rhythmic, party incantations – ‘jump, jump’ ‘house music all night long’ and of course, ‘I’ll House You’.

Jaunty, playful and sing-a-long, I’ll House You elicits the same dancefloor reaction 20 years on – pandemonium and breathless comedy dancing (the running man). And just as early house and rave is enjoying a renaissance there are hints of a hip-house revival, with Wiley’s current electro-house-rave-grime anthem Wearing My Rolex, a convincing case in point.

Next stop: Rob Base/EZ Rock – It Takes Two, Technotronic – Pump Up The Jam, Nomad – Devotion, KLF - What Time Is Love?, Snap – The Power, Wiley – Wearing My Rolex


Technotronic:



Nomad - perhaps this is the ultimate hip house track for marrying hands in the air, spine tingling house to rap. Check the references to Maggie Thatcher also...



Finally... Best til last? Snap... I'm the lyrical Jesse James. Heavy.