Boogie Down Productions
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Boogie Down Productions | |
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 Boogie Down members in 1987, Scott La Rock (Nike hat), KRS-One, and D-Nice | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Discography | Boogie Down Productions discography |
| Years active | 1986–1992 |
| Labels | |
| Past members |
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Boogie Down Productions (BDP) was an American hip hop group originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, five months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the South Bronx section of New York City. The group pioneered the fusion of dancehall reggae and hip hop music and their debut LP Criminal Minded contained frank descriptions of life in the South Bronx during the late 1980s, thus setting the stage for what would eventually become gangsta rap.
Members
BDP's membership changed throughout its existence, the only constant being
In the liner notes on BDP's 1992 album Sex and Violence, KRS-One writes: "BDP in 1992 is KRS-One, Willie D, and Kenny Parker! BDP is not D-Nice, Jamal-Ski, Harmony, Ms. Melodie, and Scottie Morris. They are not down with BDP so stop frontin'." Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews.com claimed that this initiated the ultimate breakup of the group.[2]
Cultural influences and impact
"The Bridge Wars"
A conflict arose in the late 1980s concerning the origins of hip-hop, and BDP made conscious efforts in its early work to establish its interpretation of the issue. The origins of hip-hop to many, including BDP, are believed to be from
While Criminal Minded contained vivid descriptions of South Bronx street life, BDP changed after Scott's death.
Jamaican inspirations
The Jamaican influence in Criminal Minded is well illustrated by the use of the "Mad Mad" or "Diseases"
Political and social activism
From its start, BDP affected the development of hip-hop and gave a sincere voice to the reality of life in the South Bronx, a section of New York City clouded with poverty and crime. With Criminal Minded, the group combined the sounds of LaRock's harsh, spare, reggae-influenced beats and KRS-One's long-winded rhyme style on underground classics such as "9mm Goes Bang" and "South Bronx," the album's gritty portrait of life on the streets (as well as the firearms that adorned its cover) influenced the gangsta rap movement that began in earnest two years later.[5]
BDP's influence in the creation and development of gangsta rap highlights the cultural significance and impact of the type of music BDP and other early hip-hop artists like it created. This subgenre of hip-hop is most closely associated with hard-core hip-hop and is widely misinterpreted as promoting violence and gang activity. This misinterpretation or stigma is closely related to Boogie Down Productions and the general purpose behind their underlying themes of violence. For instance, the cover art of Criminal Minded displays the two artists in the group brandishing drawn guns and displaying other firearms.[1] This is not an encouragement of the violence described in BDP's music, but a portrayal of the violence in the South Bronx as a means of expression, escape, and even condemnation. This album art is not meant to advocate violence but to challenge the conception of a criminal, to assert that those who are really criminally minded are those who hold power.[citation needed]
BDP's music became significantly more politically astute after Scott La Rock's death.[6] KRS-One published four more albums under the title Boogie Down Productions, and each was increasingly innovative and expanded from the thuggish imagery of Criminal Minded, exploring themes like black-on-black crime and black radicalism, using a riff on the words of Malcolm X, "by any means necessary", which became the title of the second BDP album, and remains one of the most political hip-hop albums to date.[5] It was in this album that KRS defined himself as the "teacha" or "teacher", symbolizing his emphasis on educating his audience members and fans about relevant social issues surrounding the African-American experience.
During his time in association with Boogie Down Productions, KRS-One joined other rappers to create the
Discography
Studio albums
- Criminal Minded (1987)
- By All Means Necessary (1988)
- Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop (1989)
- Edutainment (1990)
- Sex and Violence (1992)[8]
References
- ^ ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
- ^ "Boogie Down Productions :: Sex and Violence :: Jive Records". Rapreviews.com. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on February 17, 2014.
- ^ Marshall, Wayne. "Follow Me Now: The Zigzagging Zunguzung Meme", May 10, 2007.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-530173-1. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
- ^ Iverem, Esther. "Violent Death Halts Rap Musician's Rise." The New York Times, August 31, 1987
- S2CID 145713976.
- ^ "Boogie Down Productions discography". RateYourMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
Bibliography
- "KRS-One." Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience, Second Edition. Ed. Kwame Anthony Appiah, Henry Louis Gates Jr. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Oxford African American Studies Center. ISBN 978-0195170559
External links
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| National | |
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