This is one of the most legendary funk albums of the 70’s. It’s one of those albums that when you find it you will become the envy of any crate digger out there. And thanks to Clay at 52.5 Records he was able to land a copy of this album for me. So you can send your hate emails to me whenever. Anyway, the Skull Snaps cut just this one album and it’s blend of hard breaks, soulful vocals, and soaring grooves will continue to make this album a must for any collector for years to come.
I only heard the track “It’s a New Day.” prior to the whole album. It is a phemominal mix of soul and funk, not to mention the opening break has been sampled by so many rap artists. In fact, some record collectors swear up and down this track gave the rhythm for nearly all the early 90’s rap and has been credited as the most sampled drum beat in all rap music.
The album as a whole is just this incredible ride through a funk and soul rollercoaster! After listening to the first side of the album, I was blown away by each of the tracks. The haunting vocals, and the breaks were just insane! I got up and flipped the record over to the B-Side and the ride did not stop. The first song that comes at you is “I’m Your Pimp” and you would swear that should have been used in a Dolemite movie. With lyrics like, “I wear my hat to the side….I walk with a limp…” How could it have not been in that movie?
This is one of the best albums that I have ever heard. This goes to show that digging does pay off, and to stay away from the Top 40. You don’t find real soul like this in music today. This album is a perfect example of early 70’s funk and will continue to be a collector’s item. In fact you can only find re-issues on Ebay and for the actual album, good luck trying to find one under triple digits.
Tracks A1 My Hang Up Is You (4:02)
A2 Having You Around (4:30)
A3 Didn’t I Do It To You (3:15)
A4 All Of A Sudden (3:23)
A5 It’s A New Day (3:04)
B1 I’m Your Pimp (4:03)
B2 I Turn My Back On Love (2:45)
B3 Trespassing (4:03)
B4 I’m Falling Out Of Love (2:46)
Flatbroke drops all b-boy classics in this one. It’s worth at least ten repeats before you go to sleep tonight. It’s really that good. I’m actually on my fourth time listening to it. Make sure you leave some comments for this guy letting him know how much you like his dusty crate digging.
The art of break dancing and dance battles may be attributed to the early hip hop movement in the South Bronx, but from what I’ve seen, it has expanded exponentially over the past 30 years. At the Future Sound of Breaks tour that recently came to Charleston, young locals came and conquered the dance floor at the Music Farm. Nowadays, those who showcase the immense strength and stamina of the b-boy give props to their hip hop ancestors, but also get down to rave-like break beats, and new-school club music.
When I arrived at the steps of the Music Farm, there was a strong scent of spray paint in the air, and lined up across the railings outside were rows of wooden boards where live artists showed off their talents with graffiti. There was not much to see just yet, as the artists had just begun. The music was booming out of the venue, so much it could be heard over a block away. I thought this might be a lamer version of Kulture Klash, but it turned out to be a very different thing altogether. (Cont. after Joshua Curry’s pic)
I was surprised to see that the crowd was small when I first arrived. The majority of the audience for the first stage of the dance battle were the dancers themselves, plus me and a few other friends videotaping. I was pretty ignorant to the fact that we have so many amazing dancers in Charleston, but the things I saw on the dance floor blew my mind. The dancers had rhythm like James Brown or Michael Jackson, with the athleticism of an Olympic gymnast. Each DJ offered different variations of dance music, and didn’t just stick to hip hop. By the last round, the crowd had grown to maybe four times its original size, and the dancers were putting on their A-game.
I ended up leaving before the winners were announced, but I honestly didn’t want to know. I liked every crew. Every dancer had their own style that made them unique on the floor. As I walked out, the graffiti was finished. Within a few hours, the artists had created some of the coolest street art I have seen in a while. I would have bought some if it were on sale. This event was one-of-a-kind. To know that there are people in Charleston with that kind of passion and talent make me proud to live in this city. — Kelly Stroup
