Thinking About The 80's
“Back in the days when I was young…I’m not a kid anymore but some days I sit and wish I was a kid again.” ~Ahmad
I’m going to take you back to 1985 when I was in the twelfth grade. A senior! I was one of the coolest brothers in high school. Yes, I was cool. You should've seen me! I was sportin’ my favorite burgundy Lee jeans with all white, shell top Adidas. You know I had to have my striped burgundy and grey fat shoelaces and steel taps on my heels so that you could hear me coming down the hallway. If I was outside I had on my burgundy and grey pull over windbreaker and cap with the words, “Stevie B” written in gold across the front. As I said before, I was cool. *smile* My best friends were Roby Rob, “Kiterio” Jay-rapping-Al, and AJ (aka Boot). My music was R&B, DC Go-Go music and the beginnings of Hip-Hop on a national level. In DC we were listening to Go-Go legends like Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, Experience Unlimited (EU), Trouble Funk, Rare Essence, Pump Blenders, Shady Groove, Ayre Raid and the list goes on.
I was sent to North Carolina by the time I reached high school and folks in the Carolinas were following the New York music scene. Eventually, so was I. We were jamming to Afrika Bambaataa & The Zulu
Nation, U.T.F.O and taped cassettes of Kool DJ Red Alert on WBLS. I remember the first time that I heard “The Show” with Slick Rick and Doug E Fresh. I can’t describe how I felt when I heard it for the first time. It was amazing!
I can’t forget R&B! I was seriously on some New Edition. However, some of my favorite R&B artists were from the UK. I actually didn’t know that there were black people in the UK until I saw them on television (Solid Gold) speaking with a British accent. I was like WOW!! I’m thinking of groups like 5 Star , Musical Youth, and Loose Ends (Hanging on Strings, Contemplating)…“I’m not your play thing.” Yes, those were the days! Well, I’m going to stop here. I just wanted to share with you all and reminisce about a time that is gone forever, but remembered. Peace~
I’m going to take you back to 1985 when I was in the twelfth grade. A senior! I was one of the coolest brothers in high school. Yes, I was cool. You should've seen me! I was sportin’ my favorite burgundy Lee jeans with all white, shell top Adidas. You know I had to have my striped burgundy and grey fat shoelaces and steel taps on my heels so that you could hear me coming down the hallway. If I was outside I had on my burgundy and grey pull over windbreaker and cap with the words, “Stevie B” written in gold across the front. As I said before, I was cool. *smile* My best friends were Roby Rob, “Kiterio” Jay-rapping-Al, and AJ (aka Boot). My music was R&B, DC Go-Go music and the beginnings of Hip-Hop on a national level. In DC we were listening to Go-Go legends like Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, Experience Unlimited (EU), Trouble Funk, Rare Essence, Pump Blenders, Shady Groove, Ayre Raid and the list goes on.
I was sent to North Carolina by the time I reached high school and folks in the Carolinas were following the New York music scene. Eventually, so was I. We were jamming to Afrika Bambaataa & The Zulu
Nation, U.T.F.O and taped cassettes of Kool DJ Red Alert on WBLS. I remember the first time that I heard “The Show” with Slick Rick and Doug E Fresh. I can’t describe how I felt when I heard it for the first time. It was amazing!I can’t forget R&B! I was seriously on some New Edition. However, some of my favorite R&B artists were from the UK. I actually didn’t know that there were black people in the UK until I saw them on television (Solid Gold) speaking with a British accent. I was like WOW!! I’m thinking of groups like 5 Star , Musical Youth, and Loose Ends (Hanging on Strings, Contemplating)…“I’m not your play thing.” Yes, those were the days! Well, I’m going to stop here. I just wanted to share with you all and reminisce about a time that is gone forever, but remembered. Peace~
Comments
Haa haa! Mr. Rogers? That makes me uncle Stephen? lol :) I know, I'm old skool. My parents were on Motown as well. They were the class of 64' so that's all they listened to. That's why I love music from the 60's and 70's so much.
I wasn't even born for a fraction of that year.
Although those all white shell top Adidas are never a bad choice-low tops at least.
-cheers
They were slightly tacky times. :)I agree with you in that I still like the all white shell top adidas. Welcome!
We planned on sexually AND racially integrating the band.
We didn't get very far, though, on account of it was cold and the snow in the air made the zippers of my red parachute pants (Micheal Jackson--Thriller) stick to my legs and sting them. Plus, our bangs were, like, totally flat and our purple mascara was running.
It was bogus.
It was non-heinous.
I mean, GAG me!
TS
Haa haa!! That was quite an adventure. So, you wanted to "sexually AND racially" integrate Menudo, huh? LOL :) That's funny and a nice little 80's story.
That's cool! So, you were the non-conformist type. :)I can see you now with that cool haircut.
Now those were the days.
Go ahead sis! Say it loud! "I'm Black and I proud!" Yeah, James Brown and all the others that you mention was some good music. I sometimes feel like I'm from that same generation. :) Thanks for that!
What you know about Afrika Bambaataa and "Planet Rock"? I lived up north by Chicago where house music reigns.
Nice blog and thanks for the comment on mine!
Reading this was like listing to you being interviewed on the movie, "Brown Sugar", when Syndey Shaw was asking people, "So, when'd you first fall in love with hip hop?"
If you haven't seen that movie, please do! It's awesome, especially if you love hip hop!
~UB
In Peace.
Have a great weekend!
Ahh, so you were just about to start HS. I was going into the Navy at that point.
heimdallr-
Haa haa! Now, I'm wondering
dawn-
I have the best of Afrika Bambaataa. I've always liked the Chicago sound too. I had many friends from Chi-town that introduced me to that. Thanks for stopping in.
ubfly-
I have seen that movie. They play Common's joint, I Used to love her. One of my all time favorites!
aaryn-
I'm glad that I could take you back and welcome. I don't mind if you include me at all. Thank you! :)
geoffrey-
Those were interesting times. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend as well. Peace~
I was a pure "Punk" dresser then. I can see me now in my dark blue "Bang Bang" jeans oversized baby blue shirt, red.. wide figure belt with a large buckle resting just a few inches below my belly-button hee hee. In school everybody wore uniform, the only difference between students was "academic achievement, and performance" Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuza, V-Mash, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Mirriam Makeba, Letta Mbulu, Ray Phiri, Prince, Isaac Hayes, Millie Jackson, Aretha, BB King, and ofcourse Lenny Williams, Clarence Carter, Boy George, Donna Summer, Billy Ocean, and Joan Amatrading the list goes on.... That's a lot of babbling for the day!!
Thanx for taking us back!
Great weekend to you and your family :)
That's cool! You were punk! I'll bet that was interesting. I can see you jammin' to Boy George: (singing) "Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry?" :)
Thanks for going back with me and enjoy your weekend.
lol! You and your moves. :)Those were very good memories for me as I was writing it.