SAMPLE SUNDAY---EPISODE 9

TO COMMEMORATE THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY FOR DUCK DOWN AS A HIP HOP ENTITY, TODAY'S LATE SAMPLE SUNDAY EPISODE WILL FOCUS ON THIS INSTITUTION.  SPEARHEADING DUCK DOWN AS A MOVEMENT WAS BUCKSHOT, BKA BUCKSHOT SHORTY, AKA BDI EMCEE.  THE LONG JOURNEY TO PUT DUCK DOWN ON THE HIP HOP PERIPHERY STARTED, IN MY OPINION, WITH THIS CLASSIC CUT.  "WHO GOT DA PROPS", FROM THE BLACK MOON SEMINAL ALBUM ENTA DA STAGE,  CAUSED A TIDAL WAVE WITHIN THE UNDERGROUND HIP HOP COMMUNITY.  FROM THE OPENING SONIC BARRAGE, IT WAS EVIDENT THAT A SPECIAL SONG WAS IN THE MAKING, SOUNDING LIKE NOTHING ELSE IN HIP HOP.  RELEASED IN 1993, "WHO GOT DA PROPS" INTRODUCED THE WORLD TO BLACK MOON, AND THE KNAPSACK-CARRYING EMCEE KNOWN AS BUCKSHOT SHORTY, HAILING FROM THE PLANET OF BROOKLYN.



SPEAKING OF "TIDAL WAVE", THAT IS THE TITLE OF THE RONNIE LAWS SONG USED FOR THE SAMPLE IN "WHO GOT DA PROPS".  "TIDAL WAVE" WAS A COMPOSITION ON THE DEBUT ALBUM PRESSURE SENSITIVE, RELEASED IN 1975 ON BLUE NOTE RECORDS.  THIS ALBUM CATAPULTED RONNIE LAWS INTO BOB JAMES AND GROVER WASHINGTON, JR. TERRITORY DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, AS A JAZZ FUSION-BASED ARTIST.  I'VE KNOWN OF SOME RONNIE LAWS MUSIC, SUCH AS THE POPULAR "ALWAYS THERE" FROM THE DEBUT ALBUM.  I CONSIDER LAWS AN ICON IN JAZZ FUSION, WITH HIS COMPOSITIONS CONSIDERED AS HIP HOP GOLDMINES.  IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT RONNIE LAWS (OR HIS EQUALLY TALENTED BROTHER HUBERT), DO THE RESEARCH, AND SEE HOW INFLUENTIAL HIS MUSIC WAS DURING THE 1970'S.

  HERE IS THE SONG THAT BECAME THE FRAMEWORK FOR "WHO GOT DA PROPS":



BUCKSHOT AND DUCK DOWN RECORDS CONTINUE TO RELEASE QUALITY MUSIC, AND ARE CURRENTLY ON THEIR COMMEMORATIVE DUCK DOWN 15TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR ON THE EAST COAST.  I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE SUNDAY NIGHT SHOW AT SONAR HERE IN BALTIMORE.  YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION FOR NOT ONLY BUCHSHOT, BUT SMIF N WESSUN, SEAN PRICE, SKYZOO, DA BEATMINERZ, AND MANY OTHERS:  http://www.duckdown.com/. 

RONNIE LAWS CONTINUES TO CREATE TIMELESS MUSIC THAT CAN BE ENJOYED BY ANY WILLING TO LISTEN.  BE PART OF THAT WILLING GROUP, BECAUSE HIS MUSIC CAN TRANSCEND RACE, CREED, AND COLOR.  A NEW MUSICAL PROJECT BY LAWS HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED ON THE CENTURY 22 PRODUCTIONS IMPRINT, VOICES IN THE WATER.  MORE INFORMATION FOR RONNIE LAWS CAN BE FOUND ON HIS OFFICIAL WEBSITE:  http://www.ronnielawsmusic.com/. 

I DEFINITELY ENJOY MY SAMPLE SUNDAY SERIES BECAUSE NOT ONLY AM I REVEALING A SNAPSHOT OF HOW HIP HOP MUSIC, AT LEAST FROM A SAMPLING STANDPOINT, CAN HAVE ARTISTIC VALUE, BUT I AM ALSO SHEDDING LIGHT ON ARTISTS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY ON THE MUSICAL RADAR.  BECAUSE THESE SAMPLED ARTISTS ARE NOT WIDELY KNOWN OR IN THE SPOTLIGHT, THEY TEND TO FADE INTO THE DISTANCE.  THIS SERIES ALSO HELPS ME TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN FOR A BETTER PART OF 25-PLUS YEARS.  SO, IN PARTING, BE BLESSED, AND BE AWARE OF HIP HOP CULTURE!