1.
Ice Cube
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OShea Jackson Sr. known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor and filmmaker. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C. I. A. after leaving N. W. A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music and films such as a role in drama Boyz n the Hood. Additionally, he has served as one of the producers of the Showtime television series Barbershop, both of which are based upon films in which he portrayed the main character. Ice Cube is considered one of the artists in gangsta rap. He was ranked number 8 on MTVs list of the 10 Greatest MCs of All Time, allMusic has called him one of hip-hops best and most controversial artists, as well as one of raps greatest storytellers. In 2012, The Source ranked him number 14 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time, in 2014, About. com ranked him number 11 on their list of the 50 Greatest MCs of All Time. OShea Jackson was born on June 15,1969, in South Central Los Angeles, the son of Doris, a clerk and custodian, and Hosea Jackson, who worked as a groundskeeper at UCLA. He has a brother as well as a half-sister who was killed when Ice Cube was 12. In his early teens, Ice Cube developed an interest in hip hop music, Jackson penned his first rap song in the ninth grade after a friend, whom Jackson names Kiddo, challenged him to write a song during a typewriting class. He claims Kiddo lost the challenge, at the age of 16, Jackson sold his first song to future N. W. A. member Eazy-E. Jackson also attended William Howard Taft High School in Woodland Hills and he enrolled at the Phoenix Institute of Technology in the fall of 1987 in Arizona. Being passionate about architecture, he studied architectural drafting and he completed his diploma within one year and returned to Los Angeles to pursue a rap career. Not sure of whether his rap career would work out, he would turn to become a draftsman as a career backup. With friend Sir Jinx, Ice Cube formed the C. I. A. Dre soon entered the recording industry as a member of the World Class Wreckin Cru. Dre saw Cubes potential as a writer and had him assist with writing Wreckin Crus big L. A. hit track, Stereo Crew produced a twelve-inch record, Shes a Skag released on Epic Records in 1986. While Dr. Dre was DJing at L. A. dance club Eve After Dark, Ice Cube would rap over his music, one such example of this was the song My Penis, a parody of Run-DMCs My Adidas. In a 2015 interview, club-owner Alonzo Williams said that he felt that this damaged his reputation. In 1987, Ice Cube released the Dr. Dre produced single My Posse under with his group C. I. A, after the collaboration, Ice Cube showed Eazy-E the lyrics to Boyz-n-the-Hood
2.
West Coast hip hop
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West Coast hip hop is a hip hop music subgenre that encompasses any artists or music that originates in the West Coast region of the United States. The culture is believed to have been a mutual creation which evolved from interaction between people who identified with elements from their respective coasts. A number of laid the foundations for West Coast hip hop, long before the emergence of West Coast rappers such as DJ Flash & The Rappers Rapp Group, Eazy-E, Ice T. According to geniusrap. com, a cataclysmic event helped give rise to it out West, in 1967, Bud Schulberg founded a creative space entitled Watts Writers Workshop, intended to help the people of the Watts neighborhood and provide a place for them to express themselves freely. Out of this background the Watts Prophets formed, its members having moved to the West Coast from southern states such as Texas and Louisiana. The West Coast hip-hop scene started in earnest in 1978 with the founding of Unique Entertainment, a group influenced by Prince, East Coast hip hop, Kraftwerk, Parliament-Funkadelic and others. In 1984, Uncle Jamms Army released their first single, Dial-a-Freak, and in the same year Egyptian Lover released his On the Nile album, which includes the popular 12 single Egypt Egypt. Another early landmark occurred in 1981, when Duffy Hooks launched the first West Coast rap label, Rappers Rapp Records and its first act was the duo of Disco Daddy and Captain Rapp, whose debut single was Gigolo Rapp or Gigolo Groove. Later, in 1983, Captain Rapp would create the classic West Coast song Bad Times, in the mid-1980s, Mixmaster Spade defined an early form of gangsta rap with his Compton Posse. From this group, Spade mentored future rap stars of the West Coast, including Toddy Tee, in the same period, the Compton-based former locking dancer Alonzo Williams formed World Class Wreckin Cru, which included future N. W. A members Dr. Dre and DJ Yella. Williams also founded Kru-Cut Records and established a studio in the back of his nightclub Eves After Dark. During this period, one of the greatest factors in the spread of West Coast hip-hop was the radio station 1580 KDAY, in 1988, N. W. As landmark album Straight Outta Compton was released. As well as establishing a basis for the popularity of gangsta rap, in particular, the controversial Fuck tha Police and the ensuing censorship attracted substantial media coverage and public attention. Following the dissolution of N. W. A. due to in-fighting, the early 1990s was a period in which hip hop went from strength to strength. Tupac Shakurs debut album 2Pacalypse Now was released in 1991, demonstrating an awareness, with attacks on social injustice, poverty. Shakurs music and philosophy was rooted in various philosophies and approaches, including the Black Panther Party, Black nationalism, egalitarianism, and liberty. Also in 1991, Suge Knight founded Death Row Records using money he had extorted from the pop-rapper Vanilla Ice - the West Coast saw the debut of arguably its most influential and popular rapper. Other Death Row releases such as Snoop Doggy Doggs Doggystyle and 2Pacs All Eyez on Me became huge sellers and were critically acclaimed
3.
The Notorious B.I.G.
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Christopher George Latore Wallace, better known by his stage names The Notorious B. I. G. Biggie, or Biggie Smalls, was an American rapper and he is consistently ranked as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, the following year, Wallace led his childhood friends to chart success through his protégé group, Junior M. A. F. I. A. While recording his album, Wallace was heavily involved in the growing East Coast–West Coast hip hop feud. On March 9,1997, Wallace was killed by an assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. Wallace was noted for his loose, easy flow, dark semi-autobiographical lyrics, two more albums have been released since his death. He has certified sales of 17 million units in the United States and his father left the family when Wallace was two years old, and his mother worked two jobs while raising him. Wallace grew up in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn on 226 St. James Place near the border of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, at Queen of All Saints Middle School, Wallace excelled in class, winning several awards as an English student. He was nicknamed Big because of his size by age 10. He said he started dealing drugs when he was around the age of 12 and his mother, often away at work, did not know of her sons drug dealing until Wallace was an adult. According to his mother, Wallace was still a good student, at age seventeen, Wallace dropped out of school and became further involved in crime. In 1989, he was arrested on charges in Brooklyn. In 1990, he was arrested on a violation of his probation, a year later, Wallace was arrested in North Carolina for dealing crack cocaine. He spent nine months in jail before making bail, Wallace began rapping when he was a teenager. He entertained people on the streets and performed with groups the Old Gold Brothers. The tape was made with no serious intent of getting a recording deal. However, it was promoted by New York-based DJ Mister Cee, who had worked with Big Daddy Kane. In March 1992, Wallace was featured in The Sources Unsigned Hype column, dedicated to aspiring rappers, the demo tape was heard by Uptown Records A&R and record producer Sean Combs, who arranged for a meeting with Wallace
4.
Isaac Hayes
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Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. was an American singer-songwriter, actor, voice actor and producer. Hayes was also a 2002 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The song Soul Man, written by Hayes and Porter and first performed by Sam & Dave, has recognized as one of the most influential songs of the past 50 years by the Grammy Hall of Fame. It was also honored by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, by Rolling Stone magazine, during the late 1960s, Hayes also began a career as a recording artist. He had several successful albums such as Hot Buttered Soul. In addition to his work in music, he worked as a composer of musical scores for motion pictures. He was well known for his score for the film Shaft. For the Theme from Shaft, he was awarded the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1972 and he became the third African-American, after Sidney Poitier and Hattie McDaniel, to win an Academy Award in any competitive field covered by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He also won two Grammy Awards for that same year, later, he was given his third Grammy for his music album Black Moses. In recognition of his work there Hayes was crowned honorary king of the Ada. He acted in motion pictures and television, such as in the movies Truck Turner and Im Gonna Git You Sucka and he voiced the character Chef from the animated Comedy Central series South Park from its debut in 1997 until 2005. On August 5,2003, Hayes was honored as a BMI Icon at the 2003 BMI Urban Awards for his influence on generations of music makers. Throughout his songwriting career, Hayes received five BMI R&B Awards, as of 2008, his songs generated more than 12 million performances. Isaac Hayes, Jr. was born in Covington, Tennessee and he was the second child of Eula and Isaac Hayes, Sr. After his mother died young and his father abandoned his family, Isaac, Jr. was raised by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Willie Wade. The child of a family, he grew up working on farms in Shelby County, Tennessee. At age five Hayes began singing at his church, he taught himself to play the piano, the Hammond organ, the flute. Hayes dropped out of school, but his former teachers at Manassas High School in Memphis encouraged him to complete his diploma
5.
Michael Jackson
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Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, actor, and philanthropist. Called the King of Pop, his contributions to music, dance, the eighth child of the Jackson family, Michael made his professional debut in 1964 with his elder brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5. He began his career in 1971. In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music, the popularity of these videos helped bring the television channel MTV to fame. Jacksons 1987 album Bad spawned the U. S and he continued to innovate with videos such as Black or White and Scream throughout the 1990s, and forged a reputation as a touring solo artist. Through stage and video performances, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and his distinctive sound and style has influenced numerous artists of various music genres. Thriller is the album of all time, with estimated sales of 65 million copies worldwide. Jacksons other albums, including Off the Wall, Bad, Dangerous and he is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records. Jackson won hundreds of awards, making him the most awarded recording artist in the history of popular music. He became the first artist in history to have a top ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades when Love Never Felt So Good reached number nine on May 21,2014. Jackson traveled the world attending events honoring his humanitarianism, and, in 2000, aspects of Jacksons personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships, and behavior, generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of sexual abuse, but the civil case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of child sexual abuse allegations. While preparing for his concert series, This Is It, Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication on June 25,2009. The Los Angeles County Coroner ruled his death a homicide, and his personal physician, Jacksons death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and a live broadcast of his public memorial service was viewed around the world. Forbes ranks Jackson as the dead celebrity with earnings of $825 million in 2016. Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29,1958 and his mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovahs Witness. She played clarinet and piano and once aspired to be a country-and-western performer, michaels father, Joseph Walter Joe Jackson, a former boxer, was a steelworker at U. S. Steel
6.
George Clinton (musician)
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George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer. He was the architect of P-Funk and the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s. He launched a career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost innovators of funk music along with James Brown and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, alongside 15 other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. Clinton was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey, during his teen years Clinton formed a doo wop group inspired by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers called The Parliaments, while straightening hair at a barber salon in Plainfield. For a period in the 1960s Clinton was a songwriter for Motown. These two bands combined the elements of such as Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, Cream, and James Brown while exploring various sounds, technology. Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic dominated diverse music during the 1970s with over 40 R&B hit singles, Clintons efforts as a solo artist began in 1982. He is also a music producer who works on almost all the albums he performs on. Beginning in the early 1980s, Clinton recorded several solo albums. In 1982, Clinton signed to Capitol Records under two names, his own and as the P-Funk All-Stars, releasing Computer Games under his own name that same year. The single Loopzilla hit the Top 20 on the R&B charts, followed by Atomic Dog, in 1985, he was recruited by the Red Hot Chili Peppers to produce their album Freaky Styley, because the band members were huge fans of George Clintons and of funk in general. Clinton, in fact, wrote the vocals and lyrics to the track which was originally intended by the band to be left as an instrumental piece. The album was not a success at the time, but has since sold 500,000 copies after the Red Hot Chili Peppers became popular years later. During the mid to late 1980s, many hip-hop and rap artists cited Clintons earlier music as an influence, along with James Brown, Clintons songs with Parliament-Funkadelic were often sampled by rap producers. Sure, sample my stuff… he remarked in 1996, Aint a better time to get paid than when youre my age. You know what to do with money and you dont buy as much pussy or drugs with it – you just buy some. In 1989, Clinton released The Cinderella Theory on Paisley Park and this was followed by Hey Man, Smell My Finger in 1993
7.
Record producer
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A record producer or music producer oversees and manages the sound recording and production of a band or performers music, which may range from recording one song to recording a lengthy concept album. A producer has many roles during the recording process, the roles of a producer vary. The producer may perform these roles himself, or help select the engineer, the producer may also pay session musicians and engineers and ensure that the entire project is completed within the record companies budget. A record producer or music producer has a broad role in overseeing and managing the recording. Producers also often take on an entrepreneurial role, with responsibility for the budget, schedules, contracts. In the 2010s, the industry has two kinds of producers with different roles, executive producer and music producer. Executive producers oversee project finances while music producers oversee the process of recording songs or albums. In most cases the producer is also a competent arranger, composer. The producer will also liaise with the engineer who concentrates on the technical aspects of recording. Noted producer Phil Ek described his role as the person who creatively guides or directs the process of making a record, indeed, in Bollywood music, the designation actually is music director. The music producers job is to create, shape, and mold a piece of music, at the beginning of record industry, producer role was technically limited to record, in one shot, artists performing live. The role of producers changed progressively over the 1950s and 1960s due to technological developments, the development of multitrack recording caused a major change in the recording process. Before multitracking, all the elements of a song had to be performed simultaneously, all of these singers and musicians had to be assembled in a large studio and the performance had to be recorded. As well, for a song that used 20 instruments, it was no longer necessary to get all the players in the studio at the same time. Examples include the rock sound effects of the 1960s, e. g. playing back the sound of recorded instruments backwards or clanging the tape to produce unique sound effects. These new instruments were electric or electronic, and thus they used instrument amplifiers, new technologies like multitracking changed the goal of recording, A producer could blend together multiple takes and edit together different sections to create the desired sound. For example, in jazz fusion Bandleader-composer Miles Davis album Bitches Brew, producers like Phil Spector and George Martin were soon creating recordings that were, in practical terms, almost impossible to realise in live performance. Producers became creative figures in the studio, other examples of such engineers includes Joe Meek, Teo Macero, Brian Wilson, and Biddu
8.
Single (music)
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In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record, an album or an EP record. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats, in most cases, a single is a song that is released separately from an album, although it usually also appears on an album. Typically, these are the songs from albums that are released separately for promotional uses such as digital download or commercial radio airplay and are expected to be the most popular, in other cases a recording released as a single may not appear on an album. As digital downloading and audio streaming have become prevalent, it is often possible for every track on an album to also be available separately. Nevertheless, the concept of a single for an album has been retained as an identification of a heavily promoted or more popular song within an album collection. Despite being referred to as a single, singles can include up to as many as three tracks on them. The biggest digital music distributor, iTunes, accepts as many as three tracks less than ten minutes each as a single, as well as popular music player Spotify also following in this trend. Any more than three tracks on a release or longer than thirty minutes in total running time is either an Extended Play or if over six tracks long. The basic specifications of the single were made in the late 19th century. Gramophone discs were manufactured with a range of speeds and in several sizes. By about 1910, however, the 10-inch,78 rpm shellac disc had become the most commonly used format, the inherent technical limitations of the gramophone disc defined the standard format for commercial recordings in the early 20th century.26 rpm. With these factors applied to the 10-inch format, songwriters and performers increasingly tailored their output to fit the new medium, the breakthrough came with Bob Dylans Like a Rolling Stone. Singles have been issued in various formats, including 7-inch, 10-inch, other, less common, formats include singles on digital compact cassette, DVD, and LD, as well as many non-standard sizes of vinyl disc. Some artist release singles on records, a more common in musical subcultures. The most common form of the single is the 45 or 7-inch. The names are derived from its speed,45 rpm. The 7-inch 45 rpm record was released 31 March 1949 by RCA Victor as a smaller, more durable, the first 45 rpm records were monaural, with recordings on both sides of the disc. As stereo recordings became popular in the 1960s, almost all 45 rpm records were produced in stereo by the early 1970s
9.
Dr. Dre
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Andre Romelle Young, better known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, Dre was previously the co-owner of, and an artist on, Death Row Records. He has produced albums for and overseen the careers of many rappers, including 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Xzibit, Knoc-turnal,50 Cent, The Game and Kendrick Lamar. He is credited as a key figure in the popularization of West Coast G-funk, in 1996, he left Death Row Records to establish his own label, Aftermath Entertainment. He produced an album titled Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath in 1996. During the 2000s, he focused on production for other artists, Dr. Dre signed Eminem in 1998 and 50 Cent in 2002 to his record label respectively, while contributing production on their albums. He has won six Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Dr. Dre has also had acting roles in movies such as Set It Off, The Wash and Training Day. Rolling Stone ranked Dre at 56 on their list of 100 Greatest Artists of All-Time, Young was born in Compton, California, the first child of Theodore and Verna Young. His middle name, Romelle, is derived from his fathers amateur R&B singing group and his parents married in 1964, separated in 1968, and divorced in 1972. His mother later remarried and had three children, sons Jerome and Tyree and daughter Shameka, in 1976, Young began attending Vanguard Junior High School in Compton, but due to gang violence, he transferred to the safer suburban Roosevelt Junior High School. Young is the cousin of producer Sir Jinx and he attended Centennial High School in Compton during his freshman year in 1979, but transferred to Fremont High School in South Central Los Angeles due to poor grades. Young attempted to enroll in a program at Northrop Aviation Company. Thereafter, he focused on his life and entertainment for the remainder of his high school years. Young fathered a son with Cassandra Joy Greene named Curtis, Curtis was brought up by his mother and first met his father 20 years later, when Curtis became rapper Hood Surgeon. Inspired by the Grandmaster Flash song The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel, he attended a club called Eve After Dark to watch many DJs. He subsequently became a DJ in the club, initially under the name Dr. J, based on the nickname of Julius Erving, at the club, he met aspiring rapper Antoine Carraby, later to become member DJ Yella of N. W. A. Soon afterwards he adopted the moniker Dr. Dre, a mix of previous alias Dr. J and his first name, Eve After Dark had a back room with a small four-track studio. In this studio, Dre and Yella recorded several demos, in their first recording session, they recorded a song entitled Surgery, with the lyrics calling Dr. Dre to surgery serving as the chorus to the song
10.
Zapp (band)
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Zapp is an American funk band that emerged from Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1977. The group received attention in the early 1980s for implementing heavy use of the talk-box, Zapp released its eponymous debut album in 1980, having a sound reminiscent of P-Funk as a result of Clintons and Collins input on the production. Zapp achieved most of its recognition from the single More Bounce to the Ounce from the same album. The following year in 1981, Clinton stopped working with the band over a dispute regarding Roger Troutmans solo debut. Zapp continued to several more albums thereafter, releasing Zapp II in 1982. The albums musical style veered away from their first release, despite this, the album sold well. Zapp disbanded in 1999 after both Roger and Larry Troutman were killed in a murder-suicide, that was carried out by Larry. Roger was shot several times before dying in hospital during surgery, Larrys body was found close-by in his vehicle with a single gunshot wound to the head. Zapp reformed briefly in 2003 with the brothers of the Troutman family to produce the album Zapp VI. Their own label allowed Troutman and the band to give a wider and more high-profile release of their own music. In the late 1970s Roger Troutman continued to record with his brothers, losing the name Roger & The Human Body, the group searching for recognition, began playing at various small venues locally around Ohio. The Troutman family had long standing friendships with Ohio natives Phelps Catfish Collins and William Earl Bootsy Collins, Roger Troutman subsequently wrote and recorded the demo for More Bounce to the Ounce in 1978. George Clinton, the leader of Funkadelic liked the recording and encouraged Troutman to present the demo to Warner Bros, the albums sound, which is highly influenced by Parliament-Funkadelic, contrasts largely with Zapps later releases. More Bounce to the Ounce reached number two on the Billboard Hot R&B tracks for two weeks during the autumn of 1980, by November 18,1980, Zapp had been certified gold by the RIAA. After the 1980 release of Zapps debut album, tensions rose between Roger Troutman and George Clinton, Troutmans solo album The Many Facets of Roger was primarily funded by Clinton, through CBS, and was slated to be released on his own Uncle Jam Records label. By the early 1980s, Clinton and his projects were a midst financial troubles due to his poor management skills. Troutman, seeing the disarray that was surrounding Clinton at the time, in Clintons biography George Clinton, For the Record, Troutman was quoted commenting on the situation with a blasé attitude. Heck gee-willickers, Warner Bros. offered me mo money, in response, Clinton remarked, CBS paid for it, I paid for it
11.
Billie Jean
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Billie Jean is a song by American singer Michael Jackson. It is the single from the singers sixth solo album. It was written and composed by Jackson and produced by Jackson, There are contradictory claims on the meaning of the songs lyrics. One suggests that they are derived from an experience, in which a female fan claimed that Jackson had fathered one of her twins. However, Michael Jackson stated that Billie Jean was based on groupies he had encountered, the song was mixed 91 times by audio engineer Bruce Swedien before it was finalized, though he reportedly went with the second mix as the final product. The song became a success, it was one of the singles of 1983 and is one of the best-selling singles worldwide. The song topped both the US and UK charts simultaneously, in other countries, it topped the charts of Switzerland and reached the top ten in Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden. Billie Jean was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1989, Rolling Stone magazine placed the song in the 58th spot on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song was promoted with a film that broke down MTVs racial barrier as the first video by a black artist to be aired in heavy rotation. Also, Jacksons Emmy-nominated performance on Motown 25, Yesterday, Today, Forever, in which Jackson premiered his moonwalk and it was additionally promoted through Jacksons Pepsi commercials. Covered by modern artists, Billie Jean sealed Jacksons status as a pop icon. In YouTube, the song has garnered more than 284 million views, Jackson stated several times that Billie Jean was based on the groupies he and his brothers encountered while part of The Jackson 5. Billie Jean is kind of anonymous and it represents a lot of girls. They used to call them groupies in the 60s, There were a lot of Billie Jeans out there. Every girl claimed that their son was related to one of my brothers, the reason for this was due to the fame of the Jackson 5, and wanting to have their money in order to have a way of living. Jacksons biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli promoted the theory that Billie Jean was derived from a life experience the singer faced in 1981. The Magic & The Madness documents how a woman wrote Jackson a letter. Jackson, who regularly received letters of this kind, had never met the woman in question, the woman, however, continued to send Jackson more letters, which stated that she loved him and wanted to be with him
12.
The Humpty Dance
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The Humpty Dance is a song by Digital Underground, which was featured on their debut album Sex Packets. The single climbed to #11 on the pop charts, #7 on the R&B charts, the song has been sampled by many different artists and producers. In the songs video, a young Tupac Shakur is visible in the background, in 2008, The Humpty Dance was ranked number 30 on VH1s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop and number 65 on VH1s 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s in 2007. The song was selected as one of songs to hear and download in the musical reference book,1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. The song was nominated for Best Rap Video at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards, canadian television channel MuchMoreMusics series Back In. Rated the songs video as one of the worst of 1990, of the five raw elements that make up the Humpty Dance drum track, one is a sample from Sing a Simple Song by Sly & The Family Stone, in the form of a one-measure-long drum loop. The vocal sample that happens in the chorus sections is from Parliaments Lets Play House from their 1980 album. The Humpty Dance is a tribute to Humptys sexual prowess despite his ridiculous appearance, Humpty introduces the appearance theme with the opening line, Im about to ruin the image and the style that youre used to, a protest against the uniformity among successful rappers of the time. In the final verse, Humpty describes the Humpty Dance itself as a loose, easy dance, the contrast is with the precision dancing in MC Hammers videos. The song ends with an invitation for people of all races to join in the dance, the Humpty Dance is Shock Gs second song to feature his alter-ego Humpty Hump, who debuted on Doowutchyalike which was Digital Undergrounds first video release in 1989. The character, which sports a buffoon persona, colorful clothes, because of the accident, the character is seen wearing a large nose disguise. The song was featured in the VH1 series I Love the 90s, and also on Americas Best Dance Crew, the song was also featured in Charlies Angels. Weird Al Yankovic covered the song for the polka medley Polka Your Eyes Out from his 1992 album Off the Deep End, the song is also available for play in the 2004 karaoke video game Get On Da Mic for PlayStation 2. It was sampled by Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a performance of the song was featured in the movie Nothing But Trouble. The song was featured in The Wood, Dope, The Green Hornet, Step Up 2, The Streets. The song is part of Barney Stinsons Get Psyched Mix on How I Met Your Mother, the song was lip synced by Abbi Jacobson on the LL Cool J hosted Lip Sync Battle. The song is sung by an alligator in the animated film Sing. The song was featured in commercials for Intuit and TurboTax featuring Humpty Dumpty, the Humpty Dance is one of the most sampled songs recorded by a hip hop/rap artist, boasting over 50 usages in other songs
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