Speaker:

Welcome to Hip Hop Movie Club, the show

that harmonizes the rhythm of hip hop with

2

00:00:07,707 --> 00:00:09,187

the magic of movies.

3

00:00:09,708 --> 00:00:13,810

50 episodes ago, we here at the Hip Hop

Movie Club reviewed the first ever hip hop

4

00:00:13,810 --> 00:00:15,731

film, Wild Style.

5

00:00:15,831 --> 00:00:19,153

And last week, the Hip Hop Movie Club

received a blessing that was completely

6

00:00:19,153 --> 00:00:23,035

inconceivable when we reviewed this film

nearly two years ago.

7

00:00:23,095 --> 00:00:28,658

We met the director Charlie Ahearn, Grand

Mixer DXT, and the Cold Crush Brothers at

8

00:00:28,658 --> 00:00:32,820

a special screening, panel discussion, and

performance at ArtsQuest.

9

00:00:32,853 --> 00:00:34,353

Bethlehem PA.

10

00:00:34,594 --> 00:00:38,257

Coming up, we have the man responsible for

bringing this event to life, Andrew

11

00:00:38,257 --> 00:00:41,679

McIntosh, aka DJ ARM 18.

12

00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:45,282

We're three old heads who put their old

heads together to vibe on these films for

13

00:00:45,282 --> 00:00:46,082

you.

14

00:00:46,202 --> 00:00:50,325

I'm DynoWright, filmmaker, longtime

hip-hop fan, and I can't believe I dapped

15

00:00:50,325 --> 00:00:55,068

up Grand Mixer DXT the man who turntabled

on Herbie Hancock's "Rockit".

16

00:00:55,574 --> 00:01:01,071

I'm JB, 80s and 90s nostalgia junkie, long

time hip hop fan, and I'm equal parts

17

00:01:01,071 --> 00:01:03,577

fresh fly wild and bold.

18

00:01:03,605 --> 00:01:06,416

Yes, I can attest to that.

19

00:01:06,608 --> 00:01:09,775

I'm BooGie, a DJ, long time hip hop head.

20

00:01:10,238 --> 00:01:13,285

And I wish that every night was like the

one we were about to talk about.

21

00:01:15,649 --> 00:01:18,871

Today on the show, ARM will tell us why

Wild Style is required viewing for all

22

00:01:18,871 --> 00:01:22,392

hip-hop fans and we'll give you five more

takeaways from this important film and

23

00:01:22,392 --> 00:01:23,352

screening.

24

00:01:23,412 --> 00:01:27,354

How this event came to be, the cultural

significance of Wild Style, how it

25

00:01:27,354 --> 00:01:31,116

compares with Beat Street and Breakin',

the impact of the Cold Crush Brothers, and

26

00:01:31,116 --> 00:01:33,636

whether the Cold Crush truly got its

flowers.

27

00:01:34,922 --> 00:01:39,163

All right, so welcome ARM 18, Andrew

McIntosh.

28

00:01:39,163 --> 00:01:43,825

Thank you so much for bringing this

special event to the masses, at least to

29

00:01:43,825 --> 00:01:44,686

Lehigh Valley.

30

00:01:44,686 --> 00:01:51,468

And first question I have for you, why

were you inspired to bring Charlie and the

31

00:01:51,468 --> 00:01:53,569

Cold Crush Brothers to ArtsQuest?

32

00:01:53,569 --> 00:01:54,709

What inspired you?

33

00:01:56,086 --> 00:02:02,150

There's actually a long backstory to this,

and I'll try to be as concise as possible.

34

00:02:02,270 --> 00:02:09,975

I was very fortunate in coming up in the

90s to have run with some heads that came

35

00:02:09,975 --> 00:02:13,578

from the city who were graffiti writers

themselves, and they were fellow college

36

00:02:13,578 --> 00:02:17,880

students of mine.

37

00:02:18,221 --> 00:02:25,325

They go by JERE from DMS out of Queens and

the late Chase from ST7 Staten Island.

38

00:02:25,374 --> 00:02:29,156

and they put together something called the

Raw Arts Symposium.

39

00:02:29,617 --> 00:02:34,540

And this was a weekend long event, I would

say 96 this happened.

40

00:02:34,981 --> 00:02:42,786

And it was an incredible sort of mixing

and matching of bringing graffiti artists

41

00:02:42,786 --> 00:02:48,791

up to the Bard College campus in upstate

New York, where we had REVS, COST, Lady

42

00:02:48,791 --> 00:02:51,893

Pink, and another artist I can't quite

remember.

43

00:02:52,674 --> 00:02:54,774

and they kicked it off with a party.

44

00:02:54,774 --> 00:02:58,816

Like, right, we did a party out in the

middle of the woods, highly illegal or

45

00:02:58,816 --> 00:03:00,897

whatever, and I was DJing it, it was

great.

46

00:03:00,997 --> 00:03:07,160

And then the next day, the artists came

and they did installations, they did live

47

00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:13,702

installations, right, of their graffiti

art while I was DJing.

48

00:03:13,702 --> 00:03:19,565

And so the campus is like coming down to,

it's like this watch party of graffiti

49

00:03:19,565 --> 00:03:21,525

being happening.

50

00:03:21,650 --> 00:03:28,511

And then it was followed up with like this

long panel in one of our auditoriums where

51

00:03:28,511 --> 00:03:32,012

they talked to the graffiti artists about

their work.

52

00:03:32,833 --> 00:03:34,093

And then of course there was a party.

53

00:03:34,093 --> 00:03:36,394

Like it was like, I did three parties in

like 24 hours.

54

00:03:36,394 --> 00:03:37,734

It was like, I loved it.

55

00:03:39,534 --> 00:03:43,555

And then I think the final day there was a

showing of Wild Style, right?

56

00:03:43,756 --> 00:03:45,156

That was like the end.

57

00:03:45,216 --> 00:03:49,477

Cause like my man Chase Malcolm said to

me, like when I showed up at Bard as a

58

00:03:49,477 --> 00:03:50,986

freshman, he was like,

59

00:03:50,986 --> 00:03:52,006

Have you ever seen Wild Style?

60

00:03:52,006 --> 00:03:53,728

And I was like, I've heard of it.

61

00:03:53,728 --> 00:03:54,889

And he was like, you haven't seen it?

62

00:03:54,889 --> 00:03:55,409

I was like, no.

63

00:03:55,409 --> 00:03:58,011

And he was like, he said, it's a rite of

passage, B.

64

00:03:58,011 --> 00:04:01,634

Like you just got, you gotta see it.

65

00:04:01,814 --> 00:04:05,457

And that phrase, rite of passage always

stuck with me.

66

00:04:05,898 --> 00:04:12,723

And so when I finally got my hand on a VHS

copy and I was blown away by it, I kept

67

00:04:12,723 --> 00:04:16,006

rewinding the scenes with Grandmaster

Flash over and over again, cause I was

68

00:04:16,006 --> 00:04:16,487

learning.

69

00:04:16,487 --> 00:04:20,309

It was the first time I could really watch

a DJ cut a record.

70

00:04:21,022 --> 00:04:25,223

But that's when Wild Style was sort of was

injected into me.

71

00:04:25,764 --> 00:04:30,586

And I've always kept the Raw Arts

Symposium like in the back of my mind is

72

00:04:30,586 --> 00:04:32,526

like, I wanna do something like that.

73

00:04:32,706 --> 00:04:40,049

That was an incredible weekend of

celebration, of art being made, like, you

74

00:04:40,049 --> 00:04:41,370

know, real time.

75

00:04:41,390 --> 00:04:46,232

And then also just this, you know, taking

in and showing of Wild Style.

76

00:04:46,572 --> 00:04:49,093

And so that's where it got its start.

77

00:04:50,142 --> 00:04:52,242

you know, many, many moons ago.

78

00:04:52,563 --> 00:04:57,725

And I got this opportunity this, this year

in the celebrating a 50 years of hip hop

79

00:04:57,725 --> 00:05:02,807

at Northampton Community College in

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to put on a

80

00:05:02,807 --> 00:05:04,307

variety of events.

81

00:05:04,487 --> 00:05:09,429

And this is, this is one of the key, like,

you know, uh, key events that we're doing

82

00:05:09,429 --> 00:05:10,390

this year.

83

00:05:10,410 --> 00:05:13,291

We did, worked with a lot of regional

artists in the fall.

84

00:05:13,511 --> 00:05:17,913

Uh, BooGie came to one in Stroudsburg PA,

like, you know, we've, we've had, uh, and

85

00:05:17,913 --> 00:05:19,753

also in Bethlehem, right?

86

00:05:19,978 --> 00:05:27,662

Uh, we've had a lot of good work with

local graffiti artists, local DJs, local

87

00:05:27,662 --> 00:05:30,503

rappers, entrepreneurs, et cetera.

88

00:05:30,523 --> 00:05:36,126

But the Wild Style kicking off 2024, you

know, the showing of Wild Style at steel

89

00:05:36,126 --> 00:05:40,068

stacks in Bethlehem, PA, that was going to

be our first big signature event.

90

00:05:40,088 --> 00:05:43,350

And so I was like, how do we, you know, we

got to get Charlie there.

91

00:05:43,350 --> 00:05:44,471

How can we get Charlie there?

92

00:05:44,471 --> 00:05:49,602

Uh, I was fortunate to have a friend from

Bard who has worked with Charlie on

93

00:05:49,602 --> 00:05:52,903

in some of his other movies who put me in

touch with him.

94

00:05:52,943 --> 00:05:57,606

And I kind of had in the back of my mind,

Charlie was gonna be the key that opens

95

00:05:57,606 --> 00:05:58,226

doors.

96

00:05:58,226 --> 00:06:02,909

I had met him at Cornell University of 10

years ago at the 30th anniversary of Wild

97

00:06:02,909 --> 00:06:03,749

Style.

98

00:06:03,870 --> 00:06:08,693

And I saw how all the performers and

artists from that movie, Charlie's their

99

00:06:08,693 --> 00:06:09,253

dude.

100

00:06:09,253 --> 00:06:11,834

Like that they'll ride for him, you know.

101

00:06:12,555 --> 00:06:16,417

They have a lot of respect and love for

him because he put them on and gave them

102

00:06:16,417 --> 00:06:17,697

this opportunity.

103

00:06:17,970 --> 00:06:22,593

And so once I secured Charlie, I then

started calling around to artists and

104

00:06:22,593 --> 00:06:24,714

said, listen, I'm working with Charlie

Ahearn and he's coming out.

105

00:06:24,714 --> 00:06:26,535

Like, are you willing to come out?

106

00:06:26,756 --> 00:06:28,637

And we've got Cold Crush.

107

00:06:28,637 --> 00:06:31,679

And I would say, I want to be clear, like

Cold Crush was, they were down and

108

00:06:31,679 --> 00:06:33,480

enthusiastic from day one.

109

00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:37,663

Like once I got a hold of them and, and

their manager, Cora Brown, a big shout to

110

00:06:37,663 --> 00:06:38,363

her.

111

00:06:40,145 --> 00:06:41,226

She was at different times.

112

00:06:41,226 --> 00:06:42,607

It was like, Andrew, you sound so nervous.

113

00:06:42,607 --> 00:06:45,208

This is going to work out just because

it's okay.

114

00:06:45,248 --> 00:06:47,074

And she really held my hand.

115

00:06:47,074 --> 00:06:50,876

through a lot of the planning and

organization and contacting people, and

116

00:06:50,876 --> 00:06:58,080

then finally acquiring GrandMixer DXT as

well, to be a DJ component, you know, and

117

00:06:58,080 --> 00:06:59,661

represented at the event.

118

00:06:59,661 --> 00:07:04,624

So that's from soup to nuts, from the

first time I experienced Wild Style to

119

00:07:04,624 --> 00:07:07,645

what we experienced this last weekend,

that's how it all came together.

120

00:07:08,622 --> 00:07:09,773

It's an amazing backstory.

121

00:07:09,773 --> 00:07:10,836

backstory.

122

00:07:11,342 --> 00:07:12,244

Nice.

123

00:07:12,557 --> 00:07:13,393

Awesome.

124

00:07:15,006 --> 00:07:16,446

Yeah, and it was a smashing success.

125

00:07:16,446 --> 00:07:21,108

I was telling these guys, I was like, man,

this event deserves mass media.

126

00:07:21,108 --> 00:07:24,490

So we'll be the media right now to try to

bring it a little bit out to the masses

127

00:07:24,490 --> 00:07:27,712

because it did get picked up by Rock the

Bells Instagram.

128

00:07:27,712 --> 00:07:34,455

You saw that Rock the Bells had some

footage that they obtained and put it out

129

00:07:34,455 --> 00:07:34,615

there.

130

00:07:34,615 --> 00:07:36,156

They have one point one million followers.

131

00:07:36,156 --> 00:07:37,216

That's amazing.

132

00:07:37,216 --> 00:07:39,297

So.

133

00:07:39,297 --> 00:07:40,437

It's big time.

134

00:07:41,110 --> 00:07:44,722

Yeah, I love how Rock the Bells supports

artists like Cold Crush.

135

00:07:44,722 --> 00:07:47,791

You know, that's crucial.

136

00:07:48,526 --> 00:07:49,246

It's amazing, yeah.

137

00:07:49,246 --> 00:07:53,968

And actually I was at the Rock the Bells

Festival in Queens in the summer and

138

00:07:54,408 --> 00:07:57,250

Grandmaster Caz and Cold Crush were one of

the opening acts.

139

00:07:58,450 --> 00:08:04,133

He had that jacket all blinged out from

Rock the Bells at the event if you saw him

140

00:08:04,153 --> 00:08:05,094

afterwards.

141

00:08:05,594 --> 00:08:09,696

So next question I have is, and you kind

of touched upon this a little bit, but

142

00:08:09,696 --> 00:08:12,957

what is the cultural significance of the

movie Wild Style?

143

00:08:14,034 --> 00:08:19,718

You know, in addition to it being like

every, you know, B-boys rite of passage, I

144

00:08:19,718 --> 00:08:25,663

would say the thing that I believe was

discussed during the panel discussion,

145

00:08:25,663 --> 00:08:31,267

what I would say in my classroom is that

what you're seeing in Wild Style is the

146

00:08:31,267 --> 00:08:32,208

moment.

147

00:08:32,528 --> 00:08:37,733

It's a fictional movie, but everybody

who's playing a part in that movie was

148

00:08:37,733 --> 00:08:40,314

down with the hip hop scene since day one.

149

00:08:40,575 --> 00:08:44,057

So what you're seeing is the moment in

which

150

00:08:44,894 --> 00:08:49,756

In my mind, I'll say the old school became

the new school where hip hop moved from

151

00:08:49,796 --> 00:08:51,517

uptown to downtown.

152

00:08:51,877 --> 00:08:56,560

The whole movie, if you think about it, if

you think about Zoro and the character of

153

00:08:56,560 --> 00:09:02,483

Zoro, imagine Zoro representing not just

graffiti, but all of hip hop.

154

00:09:03,404 --> 00:09:08,847

Zoro represents like the whole struggle

these performers and artists are having

155

00:09:08,987 --> 00:09:12,789

with, wait, I've got opportunity on one

hand, but then there's keeping it real on

156

00:09:12,789 --> 00:09:13,689

the other.

157

00:09:13,878 --> 00:09:16,739

How can I, how do I manage these things?

158

00:09:16,739 --> 00:09:19,361

How can I make some money but not get

ripped off, right?

159

00:09:19,361 --> 00:09:22,262

How can I do my art but it still have

integrity?

160

00:09:22,422 --> 00:09:27,165

And that's a huge question for hip hop at

that moment, right?

161

00:09:27,165 --> 00:09:33,829

And all that energy is in Wild Style, like

that tension in my mind of like, this is

162

00:09:33,829 --> 00:09:41,373

no longer just a folksy grassroots, you

know, rough around the edges, like you

163

00:09:41,373 --> 00:09:42,733

have to be there.

164

00:09:42,758 --> 00:09:47,221

musical performance movement, it's about

to blow up.

165

00:09:47,221 --> 00:09:47,902

Right.

166

00:09:47,902 --> 00:09:49,724

And that's what Wild Style captures.

167

00:09:49,724 --> 00:09:53,927

It's just that, that it's like, it's, it's

like when a bomb drops and it's like

168

00:09:53,927 --> 00:09:58,331

silent and then it like blows, like it's

like that moment and everybody who's in

169

00:09:58,331 --> 00:09:59,972

it, they were there.

170

00:09:59,972 --> 00:10:02,514

There's no Hollywood actors, et cetera.

171

00:10:02,715 --> 00:10:09,220

So they're getting a platform to sort of

replicate and showcase what they did in

172

00:10:09,220 --> 00:10:10,961

the Bronx for 10 years.

173

00:10:11,614 --> 00:10:14,057

right there for you on screen.

174

00:10:16,562 --> 00:10:20,105

You know what's funny is it's so well

ahead of its time.

175

00:10:20,105 --> 00:10:23,808

I put it out there and you see that the

riches that could come from it, like they

176

00:10:23,808 --> 00:10:28,772

had the car, the limo, they got the

ladies, the party lifestyle.

177

00:10:28,772 --> 00:10:32,315

And it's like, wow, fast forward and then

look at all the music videos that we've

178

00:10:32,315 --> 00:10:34,397

seen in the past couple of decades.

179

00:10:34,397 --> 00:10:39,101

And that just got amplified exponentially.

180

00:10:39,101 --> 00:10:39,721

Yeah.

181

00:10:39,942 --> 00:10:41,964

And I mean, it's an interesting thing,

right?

182

00:10:41,964 --> 00:10:49,848

We witnessed a little bit of in the Q&A

between, you know, Caz and DXT and Charlie

183

00:10:49,848 --> 00:10:54,911

and myself, a little bit of the tension

that exists in the purpose of hip hop,

184

00:10:54,911 --> 00:10:55,271

right?

185

00:10:55,271 --> 00:11:00,974

Like what is it, you know, is it for a

party or is it to speak upon why hip hop

186

00:11:00,974 --> 00:11:02,235

is the way that it is, right?

187

00:11:02,235 --> 00:11:05,537

Like hip hop is the way that it is because

it's coming from these, you know, from a

188

00:11:05,537 --> 00:11:06,437

particular community.

189

00:11:06,437 --> 00:11:07,442

The Bronx was...

190

00:11:07,442 --> 00:11:13,025

utterly abandoned in the 1960s and 70s and

was a shelled out like, you know, war zone

191

00:11:13,606 --> 00:11:18,149

in the way that there was virtually no

civil services and arson was rampant and

192

00:11:18,149 --> 00:11:19,029

et cetera.

193

00:11:19,029 --> 00:11:23,772

And out of this comes these kids making a

name for themselves, right?

194

00:11:24,013 --> 00:11:27,735

And so there's this great story of

triumph, but there's also this opportunity

195

00:11:27,735 --> 00:11:32,018

to talk about the grant, like great

inequities that exist in our society.

196

00:11:32,138 --> 00:11:37,021

And I think what we saw a little bit

between DXT and Caz was like,

197

00:11:37,226 --> 00:11:41,227

Well, are we here to celebrate Wild Style

or are we here to like, you know, really

198

00:11:41,227 --> 00:11:43,027

kind of break it down, you know?

199

00:11:43,067 --> 00:11:48,809

And it was me as an educator, I thought

that was wonderful because we as an

200

00:11:48,809 --> 00:11:51,770

audience got to witness, well, hip hop's

both of those things.

201

00:11:51,770 --> 00:11:54,331

It doesn't have to be an either or, you

know?

202

00:11:54,731 --> 00:11:58,432

Right?

203

00:11:58,432 --> 00:11:59,853

And so it was kind of a key moment.

204

00:11:59,853 --> 00:12:01,153

You're absolutely right, JB.

205

00:12:01,153 --> 00:12:01,993

It's like...

206

00:12:02,154 --> 00:12:07,638

Wild Style embodies all the elements of a

party and a good time that we know hip hop

207

00:12:07,638 --> 00:12:12,382

to be about and to celebrate, but it's

also, it doesn't turn away from the fact

208

00:12:12,382 --> 00:12:19,749

that the Bronx was utterly dangerous place

to live and to dwell and to try to create

209

00:12:19,749 --> 00:12:20,609

this art.

210

00:12:21,034 --> 00:12:22,855

Yeah, there was a stick-up scene and

everything.

211

00:12:22,855 --> 00:12:26,399

It was dangerous.

212

00:12:26,399 --> 00:12:30,784

Next question I had was, if you could do

us a favor, compare Wild Style with some

213

00:12:30,784 --> 00:12:35,228

of the other more popular hip-hop-themed

movies that would soon follow, such as

214

00:12:35,228 --> 00:12:36,909

Beat Street and Breakin'.

215

00:12:39,198 --> 00:12:43,981

Yeah, I mean, listen, as a kid living out

in Pennsylvania, I saw Beat Street and

216

00:12:43,981 --> 00:12:47,484

Breakin' like long before Wild Style,

right, because why?

217

00:12:47,484 --> 00:12:51,127

They had the distribute, you know, what I

understand now is they had the

218

00:12:51,127 --> 00:12:54,630

distribution, they had the Hollywood

reach, et cetera.

219

00:12:55,651 --> 00:13:01,355

And those movies have a certain virtue in

their own right, but they are, they sort

220

00:13:01,355 --> 00:13:07,600

of take a look at the template that Wild

Style provided, and they essentially

221

00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:09,301

appropriate it, you know?

222

00:13:11,219 --> 00:13:15,881

I would argue that Beat Street's a little

more effective than Breakin', you know?

223

00:13:15,881 --> 00:13:21,164

And once you get to Breakin 2, Electric

Boogaloo, it's like, you know, it's

224

00:13:21,164 --> 00:13:21,665

laughable.

225

00:13:21,665 --> 00:13:27,108

It's more just entertainment, if anything.

226

00:13:27,108 --> 00:13:31,270

It seems pretty removed from the whole

thing that hip hop is about.

227

00:13:31,270 --> 00:13:35,952

But Beat Street, you know, it's a similar

story, right?

228

00:13:37,590 --> 00:13:39,932

trying to make a name for themselves, et

cetera.

229

00:13:39,932 --> 00:13:46,837

The difference is, it's just, at different

times, unless it's the Rock Steady Crew in

230

00:13:46,837 --> 00:13:52,722

it, like a lot of the party scenes are mad

stiff and like, you know what I mean?

231

00:13:53,443 --> 00:13:58,026

They're very, it's obviously scripted and

maybe a little bit better acted.

232

00:13:59,108 --> 00:14:02,551

But at times it comes off in my mind as

contrived.

233

00:14:02,551 --> 00:14:06,333

Those movies come off in a way that isn't.

234

00:14:06,506 --> 00:14:08,605

feels wholly authentic, you know?

235

00:14:09,842 --> 00:14:14,027

Yeah, definitely you see the Hollywood

sheen on Beat Street and Breakin' for

236

00:14:14,027 --> 00:14:14,907

sure.

237

00:14:14,928 --> 00:14:17,451

Whereas Wild Style is raw, uncut.

238

00:14:17,451 --> 00:14:22,238

Some of those rap scenes go on for like

15, 20 minutes in Wild Style.

239

00:14:22,238 --> 00:14:22,798

And I'm just loving it.

240

00:14:22,798 --> 00:14:24,000

And it's just like, you're at a concert.

241

00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,985

It literally puts you, puts you there.

242

00:14:27,985 --> 00:14:28,825

Yeah.

243

00:14:29,802 --> 00:14:30,926

Straight lyrics, no hook.

244

00:14:30,926 --> 00:14:31,550

Hahaha

245

00:14:34,306 --> 00:14:39,076

So we had the great pleasure to meet the

Cold Crush Brothers, thanks to you.

246

00:14:39,076 --> 00:14:44,708

And how much credit do you feel the Cold

Crush Brothers deserve as hip hop

247

00:14:44,708 --> 00:14:45,849

trailblazers?

248

00:14:47,194 --> 00:14:48,834

Um, you know, it's not just me.

249

00:14:48,834 --> 00:14:54,757

I mean, earlier, I think within the last

hour on January 30th here, uh, DJ Doo Wop,

250

00:14:54,757 --> 00:14:55,177

right?

251

00:14:55,177 --> 00:14:59,859

Um, uh, great mixtape king at, uh, out of

New York in the 1990s posted.

252

00:15:00,419 --> 00:15:02,600

A lot of greatest rappers of all time.

253

00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:07,322

Oh, their entire careers to Grandmaster

Caz, you know, and I'm like, Wow.

254

00:15:07,322 --> 00:15:07,642

Okay.

255

00:15:07,642 --> 00:15:09,543

I guess we're vibing the same way right

now.

256

00:15:09,543 --> 00:15:11,984

Me and Wop like you, you are, you're

correct.

257

00:15:11,984 --> 00:15:15,958

JB, like the, the Cold Crush as a, as a

unit and then

258

00:15:15,958 --> 00:15:18,058

and then Caz is their leader.

259

00:15:20,959 --> 00:15:26,581

I was talking to their manager and I'm

like, you know what, people talk about

260

00:15:26,581 --> 00:15:28,841

raising the bar and it's Cold Crush.

261

00:15:28,941 --> 00:15:30,282

They are the bar.

262

00:15:30,282 --> 00:15:31,822

You know what I mean?

263

00:15:31,822 --> 00:15:33,282

That's what you need to aim for.

264

00:15:33,282 --> 00:15:39,884

I think what we witnessed in person, in my

mind, that is so extraordinary is four

265

00:15:39,884 --> 00:15:44,286

individuals with a DJ Ultimate, their DJ,

who

266

00:15:44,286 --> 00:15:50,467

you know, stands in for Tony Tone, their

original DJ, they are, are rapping in

267

00:15:50,467 --> 00:15:55,349

unison for 30 plus minutes.

268

00:15:55,349 --> 00:15:58,129

I mean, there's, there's not one

microphone feedback.

269

00:15:58,129 --> 00:15:59,810

There's not one missed line.

270

00:15:59,810 --> 00:16:06,032

There's not one like pause where they're

able to exchange verses or rap or sing in

271

00:16:06,032 --> 00:16:10,313

unison while a DJ is cutting up the beat

or dropping the beat.

272

00:16:10,353 --> 00:16:12,093

You know, there's no, there's no DAT.

273

00:16:12,093 --> 00:16:13,653

There's no pre-programmed.

274

00:16:13,714 --> 00:16:19,478

It's just five individuals who have these

routines, you know, or you could sit here

275

00:16:19,478 --> 00:16:20,699

and say, well, it's been 40 years.

276

00:16:20,699 --> 00:16:21,739

Of course it's mastered.

277

00:16:21,739 --> 00:16:25,362

But if you go back and listen to tapes,

they're on YouTube.

278

00:16:25,522 --> 00:16:27,404

They were rhyming like that back in the

day.

279

00:16:27,404 --> 00:16:30,866

They, they practice that hard back in the

day.

280

00:16:30,866 --> 00:16:32,667

They invented rap.

281

00:16:32,667 --> 00:16:35,630

Like there was rapping before this.

282

00:16:35,630 --> 00:16:37,631

This is what I always try to say in my

classroom.

283

00:16:37,631 --> 00:16:41,414

Like Isaac Hayes rapped, you know, James

Brown rapped King heroin, like.

284

00:16:41,414 --> 00:16:45,116

Millie Jackson rapped, like all sorts of

people rapped and rhymed.

285

00:16:45,116 --> 00:16:49,558

That was that's a part of the

African-American, you know, expression,

286

00:16:49,558 --> 00:16:51,359

right, like preach, you know, Black

preachers.

287

00:16:51,359 --> 00:16:53,960

They're basically rapping from the pulpit.

288

00:16:54,281 --> 00:16:59,724

But what Cold Crush did and, you know,

people like Melle Mel and the Furious Five

289

00:16:59,724 --> 00:17:00,684

and others.

290

00:17:00,704 --> 00:17:04,286

But what Caz and them did was they were

like, you know what?

291

00:17:04,286 --> 00:17:06,047

Rapping is not just like a novelty.

292

00:17:06,047 --> 00:17:06,787

It's not a joke.

293

00:17:06,787 --> 00:17:08,468

It's not like a game.

294

00:17:08,588 --> 00:17:10,189

Like I'm a performer.

295

00:17:10,189 --> 00:17:10,889

Right.

296

00:17:11,366 --> 00:17:16,238

And you see how they modeled themselves

after Motown groups, right?

297

00:17:16,238 --> 00:17:17,501

You got the - Yeah.

298

00:17:17,501 --> 00:17:17,848

Right.

299

00:17:17,848 --> 00:17:18,191

I knew it.

300

00:17:18,191 --> 00:17:20,059

I was going, I was going there.

301

00:17:20,446 --> 00:17:24,209

When I saw that in person, like the way

that they're playing off each other, like

302

00:17:24,209 --> 00:17:29,112

the Temptations, like the Four Tops, and

I'm like, oh my God, I get it now.

303

00:17:29,133 --> 00:17:32,535

I get it because that makes sense because

that's who they grew up on.

304

00:17:33,436 --> 00:17:34,297

That's who they grew up on.

305

00:17:34,297 --> 00:17:37,679

And they're like, you know, we're going to

be that, but the hip hop version of it.

306

00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:42,804

So that's, that's to me, you know, the,

the real legacy of the Cold Crush

307

00:17:42,804 --> 00:17:45,505

brothers, they're one of the, you know,

308

00:17:46,290 --> 00:17:48,071

I don't know what the exact number is.

309

00:17:48,071 --> 00:17:49,372

I'm gonna say a dozen, okay?

310

00:17:49,372 --> 00:17:55,076

Like give or take, give or take a couple,

but of groups that have just set the

311

00:17:55,076 --> 00:18:00,119

standard of what rap, like what rapping

could be as a musical, like art form, you

312

00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:00,760

know?

313

00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:02,661

And they made it out a whole cloth.

314

00:18:02,821 --> 00:18:04,963

Nothing, you know, it didn't exist before

then.

315

00:18:04,963 --> 00:18:07,544

It's amazing in that regard.

316

00:18:07,684 --> 00:18:13,869

And then let's, I didn't get a chance to

say it in the, in the panel.

317

00:18:13,869 --> 00:18:15,329

I would like to say it here.

318

00:18:15,510 --> 00:18:21,613

Grandmaster Caz is the author of the

number one, the first rap commercial hit,

319

00:18:22,033 --> 00:18:23,594

Rapper's Delight, Sugarhill Gang.

320

00:18:23,594 --> 00:18:27,055

And you could go find video of Caz talking

about it.

321

00:18:28,016 --> 00:18:30,998

The Hip Hop Years is one of the

documentaries where he comes out and

322

00:18:30,998 --> 00:18:32,399

explains what happened.

323

00:18:32,399 --> 00:18:37,301

I won't go into it here, but he didn't get

that credit when it happened.

324

00:18:37,501 --> 00:18:44,125

So, Sugarhill Gang drops Rapper's Delight

and they become a household name, but

325

00:18:44,125 --> 00:18:45,665

those are Caz's rhymes.

326

00:18:46,322 --> 00:18:53,387

So the record that helped hip hop music

cross over throughout the United States

327

00:18:53,387 --> 00:18:57,730

and throughout the world, that's

Grandmaster Caz, you know?

328

00:18:58,151 --> 00:19:01,953

And I think that's another big piece of

his legacy.

329

00:19:03,278 --> 00:19:04,218

That was huge.

330

00:19:05,098 --> 00:19:06,619

I had heard a lot of that story.

331

00:19:06,879 --> 00:19:09,921

So yeah, I definitely was aware of that.

332

00:19:10,961 --> 00:19:15,124

So that being said, you know,

unfortunately these guys, they never

333

00:19:15,124 --> 00:19:18,305

really got that record deal and they

talked about that at the panel.

334

00:19:18,805 --> 00:19:23,508

Now in your opinion, do you feel that the

Cold Crush Brothers have sufficiently

335

00:19:23,508 --> 00:19:27,189

received their flowers yet for their

contributions to hip hop?

336

00:19:28,714 --> 00:19:33,899

In I do I do you know, but I think that's

a part of the work that I was trying to do

337

00:19:33,899 --> 00:19:39,183

was that Okay, you go on Sirius XM radio

and Caz is on there, right?

338

00:19:39,363 --> 00:19:44,948

You you can't you can't look at many

documentaries that are about the

339

00:19:44,948 --> 00:19:48,631

development of the culture and Cold Crush

and Caz aren't referenced Or interviewed

340

00:19:48,631 --> 00:19:50,632

like Caz is a great interview, right?

341

00:19:50,693 --> 00:19:56,857

So he's in You know, he's in uh, I highly

recommend uh VH-1's

342

00:19:57,018 --> 00:20:01,180

NY77: The Year from Hell, which is about

the year 1977.

343

00:20:01,681 --> 00:20:05,703

Caz is all in that and you get to hear

about how he started as a DJ before he

344

00:20:05,703 --> 00:20:06,364

became a performer.

345

00:20:06,364 --> 00:20:07,945

It's, it's great.

346

00:20:08,365 --> 00:20:12,668

And I do think that they've gotten a

certain amount of acknowledgement, right.

347

00:20:12,728 --> 00:20:19,072

But that said, that's why we do the events

we do out in Eastern PA, because I'm going

348

00:20:19,072 --> 00:20:23,575

to assume there were a lot of people there

that was watching Wild Style for the first

349

00:20:23,575 --> 00:20:24,016

time.

350

00:20:24,016 --> 00:20:25,857

That was their first rite of passage.

351

00:20:25,857 --> 00:20:26,850

That was, you know,

352

00:20:26,850 --> 00:20:30,996

They'd never seen a group like Cold Crush

perform in person.

353

00:20:31,177 --> 00:20:36,867

And so I think they, as long as our

legends are here, they should get that

354

00:20:36,867 --> 00:20:37,828

platform.

355

00:20:38,290 --> 00:20:40,713

We should be supporting them where we can.

356

00:20:43,796 --> 00:20:44,459

Yeah.

357

00:20:46,082 --> 00:20:47,342

Right.

358

00:20:47,342 --> 00:20:52,886

So Andrew, I think those are all the key

questions that we had regarding the event.

359

00:20:52,906 --> 00:20:56,509

We definitely want to thank you again for

bringing it to Lehigh Valley and to the

360

00:20:56,509 --> 00:20:57,509

masses.

361

00:20:58,150 --> 00:21:04,114

It was an awesome celebration of original,

authentic hip hop between the movie Wild

362

00:21:04,114 --> 00:21:08,838

Style, having Charlie Ahern there and

Grandmaster Caz and the Cold Crush

363

00:21:08,838 --> 00:21:10,339

Brothers and Grand Mixer DXT.

364

00:21:10,339 --> 00:21:13,361

We are eternally grateful for this

opportunity.

365

00:21:13,361 --> 00:21:14,661

So thank you so much.

366

00:21:14,698 --> 00:21:16,438

Well, word up, thank you for saying so.

367

00:21:16,438 --> 00:21:22,980

And, you know, I feel like it's, I mean

this when I say being introduced to you

368

00:21:22,980 --> 00:21:27,501

all as the Hip Hop Movie Club and watching

your passion and energy, the time you're

369

00:21:27,501 --> 00:21:35,823

putting into hip hop movies, awoken in me

like, yes, like these movies, we need

370

00:21:35,823 --> 00:21:37,804

that, you know, let's give them the

platform.

371

00:21:37,804 --> 00:21:38,684

Let's discuss them.

372

00:21:38,684 --> 00:21:39,484

Let's break it down.

373

00:21:39,484 --> 00:21:41,585

This is, we need to do this.

374

00:21:41,585 --> 00:21:43,210

And so, you know, that-

375

00:21:43,210 --> 00:21:49,052

The work you're doing with the podcast is

a point of reference for me.

376

00:21:49,052 --> 00:21:51,092

I just keep at it, keep doing it, I'm

loving it.

377

00:21:51,092 --> 00:21:57,395

Yeah, I might just watch Just Wright.

378

00:22:00,136 --> 00:22:01,496

Maybe, maybe.

379

00:22:01,616 --> 00:22:04,637

When you told me the basketball scenes

aren't like, they're mid, I don't know,

380

00:22:04,637 --> 00:22:05,437

I'm like.

381

00:22:05,928 --> 00:22:06,873

Ha ha

382

00:22:07,042 --> 00:22:08,810

We give you the five takeaways, that's a

new thing.

383

00:22:08,810 --> 00:22:11,434

We give you the five takeaways, and but

hey-

384

00:22:11,434 --> 00:22:15,001

a, that's a, that's a, that's, that's

helpful to us, for us.

385

00:22:16,044 --> 00:22:16,885

Yeah.

386

00:22:18,998 --> 00:22:23,522

If you like rom-coms and you don't mind

predictability, like we said, go for it.

387

00:22:23,522 --> 00:22:28,425

You don't expect an Oscar award

performance, but you will see legends.

388

00:22:28,425 --> 00:22:33,149

You'll see Queen Latifah, you'll see

Common, and if you're a NBA fan, you'll

389

00:22:33,149 --> 00:22:38,873

see some cameos from some folks that were

pretty big time as well, like Dwayne Wade

390

00:22:38,873 --> 00:22:41,796

and Dwight Howard, et cetera.

391

00:22:41,796 --> 00:22:44,488

So yeah, if you want to do some

stargazing.

392

00:22:44,488 --> 00:22:46,116

your next event coming up.

393

00:22:47,142 --> 00:22:52,166

Oh, we're, well, we, you know, which one,

which one DynoWright?

394

00:22:52,166 --> 00:22:55,909

Cause we're working on something and I

know you guys will be talking about it,

395

00:22:55,909 --> 00:23:01,073

but I'm looking forward to working with

you, you all to present Juice and Krush

396

00:23:01,073 --> 00:23:04,335

Groove at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, PA.

397

00:23:06,217 --> 00:23:11,241

In continuation of our celebration of 50

years of hip hop history and culture,

398

00:23:11,522 --> 00:23:16,225

Northampton Community College is putting

on an event in South Bethlehem.

399

00:23:17,118 --> 00:23:21,199

with taste smokers, which you guys are

pretty familiar with now, right?

400

00:23:21,799 --> 00:23:25,980

Where there are two fashion designers in

the Lehigh Valley who will be showcasing

401

00:23:26,100 --> 00:23:29,281

two Black American fashion designers

showcasing their materials.

402

00:23:30,402 --> 00:23:36,603

In February, in March, I'll be connecting

with the author, Shanita Hubbard, and

403

00:23:36,603 --> 00:23:41,205

talking about Black feminism within hip

hop culture and how to be a Black feminist

404

00:23:41,205 --> 00:23:42,845

and love hip hop at the same time.

405

00:23:42,845 --> 00:23:44,085

Is that possible?

406

00:23:44,419 --> 00:23:44,798

Yes.

407

00:23:44,798 --> 00:23:46,978

that conversation in downtown Bethlehem.

408

00:23:47,238 --> 00:23:53,420

And then our other signature event is our

keynote speaker, Chuck D of Public Enemy.

409

00:23:53,460 --> 00:23:58,802

On Tuesday, April 16th, we'll be coming to

Northampton Community College's Bethlehem

410

00:23:58,802 --> 00:24:04,363

campus for a chat like we're having right

now about the history of hip hop and the

411

00:24:04,363 --> 00:24:05,743

history of Public Enemy.

412

00:24:06,004 --> 00:24:08,124

And it should be good.

413

00:24:08,124 --> 00:24:09,804

All these events are free.

414

00:24:10,385 --> 00:24:13,545

You can get your tickets, check out the

website.

415

00:24:16,850 --> 00:24:17,331

50yearsdowntheline.com.

416

00:24:17,331 --> 00:24:20,478

You'll find links to reserve your tickets

there.

417

00:24:20,479 --> 00:24:23,445

So by all means, come through.

418

00:24:24,565 --> 00:24:29,578

We will put these links out on our

platforms for everyone to know about.

419

00:24:29,578 --> 00:24:31,120

So thank you for that.

420

00:24:31,230 --> 00:24:32,073

Yeah, word up.

421

00:24:32,073 --> 00:24:32,795

Thank you guys.

422

00:24:32,795 --> 00:24:34,682

I appreciate the opportunity to connect

with you.

423

00:24:34,682 --> 00:24:36,165

I love these conversations.

424

00:24:36,535 --> 00:24:37,643

It was a pleasure.

425

00:24:37,643 --> 00:24:39,022

Yep, as do we.

426

00:24:40,837 --> 00:24:43,098

Alright.

427

00:24:43,098 --> 00:24:47,462

Hip-Hop Movie Club is produced by your

HHMC's JB, BooGie, and DynoWright.

428

00:24:47,462 --> 00:24:49,563

Theme music by BooGie.

429

00:24:49,984 --> 00:24:53,527

In addition to all that, we've got a bunch

of live events in the first half of 2024

430

00:24:53,527 --> 00:24:54,288

coming up.

431

00:24:54,288 --> 00:24:57,089

You can learn more at our website,

hiphopmovieclub.com.

432

00:24:57,610 --> 00:25:00,772

Come hang with us, especially at those

events in Bethlehem.

433

00:25:03,817 --> 00:25:04,927

Thanks, Andrew.

434

00:25:04,970 --> 00:25:07,717

All right, I'll check you guys out later.

435

00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:09,372

Talk to you soon, peace.

436

00:25:09,372 --> 00:25:09,975

you.