Whirlwind D In Toyland

It's been about a year, so I'd say it's about time for a new Whirlwind D record.  And sure enough, we've got a brand new 7" single from AE Productions called "On the Floor."

One would naturally assume this is the long-awaited Hip-Hop remake of Johnny Gill's smash hit single "The Floor," but no, it's actually an homage to his childhood toys that he used to leave on the floor, from Steve Austin to Skeletor and his horde.  Honestly, that nostalgia bait-y listing thing has never done much for me.  "Hey, remember these things" feels a little thin for a proper song.  But D actually gets ahead of my criticism in his final verse: "you may say, 'hey, it's all trivial;' and I kind of agree.  But reminiscing on the past is a way to be free of all the death and destruction and the permanent noise.  So kick back with me and don't be one of the toys."  So fair cop!  It's probably on me for being too much of a grump to get into the spirit of things (honestly, Hot Karl may've poisoned the well for me).

At any rate, I really like the high-pace track (I had to double-check I wasn't supposed to be playing this at 33 when I fired it up the first time) with Djar One's hyper-kinetic cutting for a hook.  And the way they keep constantly, rapidly hitting that horn blare ...It's a very PE-style move until it breaks out into a funky little solo at the end.  D isn't an MC I typically think of as a Fast Rapper©, but he keeps up with it effortlessly.

And everything pulls together for me on the B-side, "Watcha Waitin' For," another Djar One produced track, this time on the funkier side, but with plenty more killer cuts.  It's still not a song about death and destruction and the permanent noise, but it's no trifle.  It's a duet with London OG Blade (I wrote about a record by his son a few years ago).  There's a consistent message of self empowerment and seizing the day, but I particularly like the wild flourish Blade puts on the material in the last verse, "either you can be a fish in a bowl or a shark in the ocean, wide open, nobody controls you.  Swim like the world's yours.  You make the rules; you can break the laws.  Man made escapades adventure seeker.  Lurkin' in the undergrowth, underhanded creatures.  Hierarchy threat to the ecosystem food-chain."  It's like when Rakim started off rapping about how he writes a rhyme but his metaphor expanded and expanded to the point where "the Earth gets further and further away [and] planets are small as balls of clay."  Alright, man, go off!

So "B-side wins again," as the saying goes, but I really do like the instrumental and energy of "On the Floor" as well.  Together, they make another strong limited edition single fans won't want to let get away.  It comes in a cool picture cover (that has taught me I'll never be able to build a microphone  haha) and sounds good when you crank it up.

With Hitman Howie Tee, the DJ Innovator

I've been spinning this record over and over recently, and it finally dawned on me that I should write about it.  "DJ Innovator" is the second single by Chubb Rock with Hitman Howie Tee off their self-titled album on Select Records in 1988.  To me it's the stand-out track on that slightly shaky first album, when Chubb was still putting on that fake, gruff voice, as opposed to his natural, smoother style he eased into ever since.  But this song, with that killer sample, has never stopped making me bob my head from the back of my mind all these 35+ years later.

Both men are credited with the writing and production here, though only cousin Howie (yeah, not sure how many of you knew they were cousins?) does the scratching.  The first big draw is obviously that one soul sample, including that beautiful "aahhhaaaHHHHHH" vocal line that gets looped with it.  That's practically the whole instrumental right there, layered with some extra drums and some simple but damn catchy cuts.  The title and hook actually comes from Chubb's first single, "Rock 'N Roll Dude," where Howie Tee does a short rap at the end, saying, "well, I'm a DJ innovator when it comes to scratch, and anything I wanna scratch I'll scratch.  There's no matchin' my style!  I get wild, so just shut your face.  And students, don't ever try to bass with HOWIE TEE!"  So now on this record, they're just stuttering that opening line, "well I'm a D, well I'm a D, well I'm a DJ innovator," turning it into a super funky earworm of a hook.

Lyrically, it starts out as a relatively straight-forward ode to the DJ: "my DJ is very scary.  He has a multitude of cuts, and he's also very alert and modeled to things that are new."  There's a nice mini-scratch breakdown midway through the song, with Chubb pointing out, "he goes berserk... and wild," but they're a little soft in the mix, so you have to pay attention.  And it's easy to get distracted once Chubb's sense of humor breaks out and he starts spinning terrific braggadocio tales:

"Many major record labels made offers to steal us;
And even Soul Train, huh!  Don Cornelius
Said to come on over with my pen and pad
All the way to California - he'll pay for the cab.
And the gesture is quite understood:
He knows talent when he sees it 'cause he's on my wood
For being an artist and a good producer.
They want me to do a duet with Luther.
But it's okay 'cause I like the brother,
That Kentucky Fried Chicken eatin' mother!
To compete with me, he has to eat more salads.
I'll do the rap, and he'll do the ballad."

For you younger readers, that would be Luther Vandross he's clowning on.  It's such a crazy, wonderful song that still shines to this day.  And another fun aspect of "DJ Innovator" can be found on the back of the album cover.   I never discovered this until many years later, because I grew up with the cassette, which has the same illustrated front cover.  But only the LP has cartoons with quotes from every song on the flip.  That's Howie on Janet Jackson's left arm saying, "I had to show my talent sooner or later."

There's also a B-side, "I Feel Good," which was on the album, too.  And as you can see, it got a comic panel as well.  This instrumental's more stripped down, without the same kind of absorbing sample as the A-side, though Tee's cuts are a little sharper.  Chubb's voice conflicts a little more with this track as his lyrics go from silly to sappy: "now me and Howie are getting paid properly, driving automobiles and owning property.  Like Bonanza, acres and acres; and we're getting front row seats to watch The Lakers.  Johnson has magic.  James is very worthy.  Kareem is 41, so addio!  Arrivederci.  I'm not dissing, that's what I'm not about.  I'm so happy that my album is out ...And maybe this great feeling was sent from above, 'cause I'm happy and peppy and bursting with love."  But I like how he twists it into something tough with the last line, "Don't understand?  Make sure it's understood that you're livin' only because I feel good."

So it's not one of Chubb Rock's best known records, but to me this single's a real classic.  Every version of the 12" (retail, promo, imports) has the same track-listing: the vocal version and Instrumental for both songs.  I've seen an "extended 12" long version" listing online, but it's just the vocal version followed by the Instrumental, just like on all the vinyl.

Anyway, all of that just to say: RIP DJ Howie Tee