carlitoz said:

I was 19 years old when D&P came out and not living in the U.S. I was more aware of pop music and pop-leaning rap. For sure I knew very little of groups like NWA, Public Enemy and such. How was the rapping in D&P received those days by the serious rap community? Does anybody know or remember? Was it welcomed and respected? Or was it seen more like something Hammer would’ve done or perhaps something that would’ve gone in a C&C Music Factory album? How is it seen now after all these years?

i didnt start reading the source or other hip hop magazines until a few years later.

im not sure if prince/tony m ever got a mention either from rap journalists or actual rappers.

i remember a questlove piece in rap pages magazine a few years later (he used to have a column in the magazine, this was when he was just a drummer in the roots) that wasnt unkind, but wasnt exactly complimentary about princes rap stuff apart from irresistible bitch.

i think in general the rock press werent that into prince's rap dabbling. black music magazines like vibe werent that into tony m, but there was a glowing piece around the time of the gold album and songs like p control and days of wild.

the one thing i do remember was a piece in time out magazine around the time of the symbol act 1 tour, they said there was an attempt to get local kids into one of the new york shows, but instead of joining in the NPG's call and response chants, they ended up chanting lines from naughty by nature's OPP (i think it was this song) instead.

From what I remember, D&P and The Symbol Album were very poorly recieved by fans of rap and hip-hop. They thought Prince's attempts to incorporate those genre's were abysmal.

But with that said, I don't think anyone thought he was necessarily aiming for a cheesey MC Hammer style of rap, at least not with the Symbol Album. With songs like Arrogance, Prince was clearly aiming for a more hardcore, legit style rap. But in the minds of the hip-hop community, that might have made it worse.

The "Gett Off" video was premiered on the 'YO! MTV Raps' program.

Fab 5 Freddy seemed to think it was "ligit"

nayroo2002 said:

nayroo2002 said:

The "Gett Off" video was premiered on the 'YO! MTV Raps' program.

Fab 5 Freddy seemed to think it was "ligit"

weird but wow. didnt know that.

the song is kinda half rapped, so it could sort of make sense.

maybe his best song with that half rapped/half sung delivery.

though some of the rap appropriating stuff is a bit weird. when he goes to say aaaaight, it sounds a bit off lol. also what does clockin the jizz mean? like, i know what clockin and jizz mean separately. but what does it mean to be clockin the jizz? where is he, at a sperm donor factory?

i think "clockin' the jizz" falls under the "hey duckie, let me stick the 7 inch in the computer" file.

sounds icky, but means nothing

Look, friends, there's something we gotta aknowledge. The legend Chuck D said Tony M was "dope". Chuck friggin' D. While not a technically good rapper surely a learned opinion.

Mindbells9 said:

nayroo2002 said:

The "Gett Off" video was premiered on the 'YO! MTV Raps' program.

Fab 5 Freddy seemed to think it was "ligit"

I never knew that! I do remember the "Gangster Glam" video being shown at least once on BET's Rap City in 1992, and my brothers cracking up at Prince's push ups by the pool in his speedos and suspenders.