Sunday, October 07, 2012

Chillin' in both senses of the word

I don't think when EPMD coined the term "YOU GOTS TO CHILL" they had this weather in mind, but I could be wrong.
This weekend we've been shivering -- yesterday's 42-degree daytime temperature in DUBUQUE was a record "low high" for the date and a whopping 22 degrees below a normal daytime high temperature for this time of the year.
I have been dressing in layers and listening to the OLD SCHOOL RAP of "THE SUGAR HILL RECORDS STORY" box set.
The five dics collect all of the seminal hip-hop label's A sides.
"Rapper's Delight" by THE SUGAR HILL GANG is on here, as are the much-sampled "That's the Joint" by the FUNKY FOUR PLUS ONE, "The Message" by GRANDMASTER FLASH AND THE FURIOUS FIVE and "Making Cash Money" by BUSY BEE STARSKI.
In other words, it is packed with the classic songs that provided the foundation for HIP HOP -- a treasure trove of tunes.
I've been thoroughly enjoying it, fulfilling the directive to chill in its intended form, as well as the teeth-chattering kind.