Bust a move, Young MC - Brainstorm

Released August 5, 1991 on Capitol Records

I remember being 10 years old (1990), sitting on the school bus and being asked by some kid to listen to a tape of his.  He wanted me to hear a new song, Young MC's "Fastest Rhyme."

Now, at 9 years old I liked rap.  Of course, "rap" for me was just one song: MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This."  But by the time Vanilla Ice's To the Extreme (exp. '10) was released less than a year later, everything had changed.  I absolutely HATED "Ice Ice Baby."  I don't know who influenced me to feel that way, (probably my sister) but man did it upset me.

Something must've happened between the ages of 9 and 10 that caused me to turn my back on all mainstream music.  I think I now know what it was...  the New Kids on the Block.  NKOTB is the first band I can remember hating.  It's probably because girls liked it and I didn't want to like girly music, but somehow that feeling of having superior taste transposed to hatred for Vanilla Ice and as an unfortunate result, turned me away from the entire rap genre.  Such a shame.  It wasn't until 2001 that I straightened up and really began to explore hip hop music.  That's eleven years of ignorance!

Anyway, back to that fifth grade bus ride...  Even though I'd officially entered the stage of "I like everything but country and rap,"* I remember being thoroughly impressed by this dude's skill.  He was rapid-firing lyrics about who-knows-what and I liked it.  It was definitely the fastest rhyme I'd ever heard.  I'm not sure I've ever listened to that song a second time, but whenever I hear his name, I think of that day and "Fastest Rhyme."  I don't think of "Bust a Move."  Heck, I didn't even realize that that was his song until many years later.  And only after reading his Wiki page for this post, did I learn he'd helped write "Wild Thing" and Funky Cold Medina" for Tone Loc.  (p.s. ATW he's won two reality/game shows: Weakest Link rapper addition & Celebrity Weight Loss)

So in conclusion, today we lose the man's SECOND album "Brainstorm."  It was his first release on Capitol Records after releasing "Stone Cold Rhymin'" on Delicious Vinyl the year before.  He's still got five records to enjoy, however and I think I'll spend the next hour or so doing just that.

*I've heard (and said) this statement a million times over the years.  I know now how ridiculous it is to eliminate an entire genre of ANYTHING...   Except country, I still hate country.   :)