BOOOOM! I Got you and now you can't go anywhere. See, I had to use another angle to make my point because otherwise I would lose you and my argument would get lost.
What I am going to show you is that in the late 80s to mid 90s, a certain type of house music, which have become classics and all time favorites, was introduced and widely accepted by our youth and their parents alike. The same tunes, to include the following classics, were the same tunes that were played on both at the clubs and on the radio here in the US- Major Radio Stations. But, these tracks were special and played at the right times in order to give the hip hop a break. So, hip hop thugs were actually grinding with their women to these house tunes.
This is what house music is suppose to be- bringing us together and not separating us into our own little corners between EDM/Underground as it is right now. The hardest black, white, Asian, and Latino men and women thugs were battling on the dance floor with the moves they practiced all week long.
Percolator, Witch Doctor, Love & Happiness, Fired Up, Hot Music, Follow Me, Pump Up Jam, Boriqua Anthem
Push the Feeling... Some of you can go on and on with this list...
What happened as a result of the introduction of this sound? This introduced the general population like me to other forms of electronic dance music and allowed us to further explore more music- whether really underground, commercial, and or both. The point is that it gave me and us all an option and an introduction that we could share with others. It gave the djs the ability to play out the remixes and introduce other similar in-between house tracks without fear of backlash.
Both boys and girls, ages ranging from 11-25 years, and between grade school/college, created dance steps that were named, and battles were had at high school dances and eventually led to the nightclubs. You would witness a dance move, lock it into your brain, and go home and practice it. You would then come back with your own twist and battle the best dancer. Some teenage dancers formed their own groups and went to different high school dances battling other students in the parking lot because the other groups were not allowed entry. It was a community, it was pride, it was what house music brought to the game just how b-boys/b-girls traveled to different New York City boroughs to battle other inner city crews when hip hop all began in the 70s.
It was where vocals and hits were not shunned or looked down upon. It wasn't strictly about EDM, techno, tech house, or underground dirty beats in those days. It was the widely accepted basic form of house music. Then, some of us gravitated towards more of the melodic or even darker and experimental stuff as we eventually found our own ways later in life BUT, still maintained our respect for our introductory sounds.
Moreover, these classic house tunes brought us all together internationally and gave us a proper introduction with an in-between sound that everyone could relate to- even our parents could get down to at weddings and family parties... These are the same tracks you play today at a house party in 2014 and everyone automatically opens up the dance battle circle and the older heads pump their fist to at a top 40 club- especially in NYC/NJ- still in 2014!
It's not about "times have changed". Its about the fact that each period of dance music has its own defining moment in history. They all must be understood and respected. Many of us wonder what has happened and where we are going. Well, believe it or not, we were once here.
Bottom line ladies & gents, I see it and I can articulate it (overlooking the grammatical errors ). Yes, sometimes I get so passionate and come across as an arse and it all gets lost in translation. But there are certainly many people and older djs making these connections but simply can't or are not willing to take the time to articulate this info to the youth. Djs aren't exactly into the history, sociological, and psychological aspects of nightclubbing- its not for everyone. Just like not all great players make great coaches. Getting deep and analytical while seeing the big picture takes practice and a lot of out of people.
But likewise, I am just as passionate about today's house music and still in the game even deeper than I was 20 years ago because of my traveling and having lived in 7 different countries. I see things totally and differently than just at face value. I have noticed these changes to include producers, whom are some of my closest friends today that I have been following, some since the early 2000s, having recently become factory conveyor belts of processed beats. A new remix or original mix on my feed or inbox every other day (and I mean producers that once made the biggest international dance compilations like MOS, Defected, Hed Kandi, etc..) Its just too much and overwhelming. But that is another post for a different day......
Finally, for those of you that have this habit, stop saying, "these were the times and this is not what the kids listen to today" That is not the point I tell you. That is a very dismissive approach to dance music. The point is about bringing us together and not separating the community- to include racially. Because now, it is really and unnecessarily divided and even more so racially as many current big names have expressed. Its even to the point where the gays have started their own underground movement. But again, another post for another day.
So, if you don't know, now you know- some of the classics.
Bookmarks