Notable quotable: "This is protected by the red, the black and the green... with a key... SISSSSSY!"

X-Clan

Remember back in the days when everyone was black, conscious and down for the struggle? Here's one group that comes to mind: X-Clan. This was back in the late '80s when Afrocentric, conscious hip hop -- at its commercial zenith -- ruled the airwaves (and wasn't relegated to the backpack set like it is today with Talib, Mos, and Dead Pres) with the likes of Public Enemy ("Fight The Power"), Queen Latifah ("Ladies First"), BDP ("You Must Learn," Edutainment), NWA ("Express Yourself"), and the Self-Destruction movement all over Yo! MTV Raps and the streets -- African medallions were everywhere, the black power afro picks, the Flava Flav clock medallions, all that stuff.

My favorite jam from X-Clan was "Funkin' Lesson." I remember the video and the album cover. They were a bunch of afrocentric brothers that drove around in a pink caddy. Nowadays, that would be ludicrous and wouldn't even fly, but that was the era back then. I also enjoyed "Grand Verbalizer, What Time Is It?" and "Verbal Milk." Their debut had a lot of gems on it (and who can forget their ubiquitous "red black and green" catch phrase!).

I know X-Clan was accused later on for using their supposed high afrocentricism just to sell records. Somebody said they were eating pork ribs and weren't really that conscious afterall. Don't know how true that is.

A cool website critiquing X-Clan's "To The East Blackwards" album can be found here: www.seditionists.org/HFh/...4.cu2.html

Share your thoughts on this group and their music.... SISSY!!!!!


a Vainglorious edit.
[Edited 9/8/04 18:02pm]

X-Clan's beats were fucking insane!!!

Good Pick jan.....here's mine.....




By the way, I'm a proud member of the backpack set kid.....

JANFAN4L said:

All those artists mentioned above and no mention of Brand Nubian?

I guess they didn't really "rule the airwaves" too much.

Yeti said:

LOL! Damn, excuuuuse me! We got some cutthroats in here! Yes, kids, Brand Nubian was all over MTV too with "Slow Down," "All For One" and the One For All album... but this thread is spotlighting X-Clan.

I know there's more groups out there. Just add on and contribute to the discussion!

JANFAN4L said:

I guess that was my way of adding Brand Nubian to the discussion!

Yeti said:

Gotcha.

I love the "One For All" album. I still the spin "All For One" single. When does Brand Nubian's new album drop?

Let's also add Sister Souljah, Paris, ATCQ, Gang Starr, Poor Righteous Teachers, etc. etc. (but they really blossomed in the '90s).


new album question, edit.
[Edited 9/8/04 18:18pm]

Nice pick.

I started to do a thread on this group a few times but just never got around to it.

Heed The Word Of The Brother was the jam for me.

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

X-Clan was tight.....to the east blackwards.....sisseeeee.....

also liked the side projects Isis(Lin Que) and Queen Mother Rage


ok here is mine

Ice Cream Tee "Can't hold Back" Strong City/MCA 1989

Philly rapstress recorded "Guys ain't nothing but trouble" with DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince....

Had her "Let's work" video on heavy rotation back in the Yo! MTV raps early years.....despite the corny name....I thought she was pretty ill for her time.

sorry can't put the pic...don't know how to work that function....

Y'all are takin' it back in here with the Kwamé references and Ice Cream Tee!

Boriquateddy, I know u remember NIKKI D ("Daddy's Little Girl" and "Sunny Daze"). She used to rock Rap City and Yo! MTV Raps. I used to dance around to those songs... I MISS YO! MTV RAPS!!!! They need to re-air old episodes!

JANFAN4L said:

hahaha.. dang, dat was my original signature, before I changed it for some shiznit coming out of the P&R forum heyooo.... now me thinks that thread is a good occasion to get back to it...

yep, X-Clan was an awesome group, an that period was the most fruitful in hip hop history anyway.. Dre & Ed Lover... Fab 5 Freddy... Yo! MTV Raps... stil got tons of old VHS tapes in my shelves...

X-Clan made two really great albums with many standout tracks, fantstic... also let's not forget about the spin offs (Queen Mother Rage, Professor X, Isis...) even though they DID fall somewhat short compared to the main project... anyone know what happened to X-Clan? why they suddenly disappeared?

Great thread!

I heard artistic differences ultimately divided the group. I also heard they briefly considered a reunion a couple of years back.

Sugar Shaft, their original DJ, died of AIDS-related complications in '91 (that's why they had a different DJ on their second album).

I was a big fan of X-Clan during their heyday. As good as To The East, Blackwards was, I felt that XOdus was even better. I wish their second album was still in print.

"Freaky deaky, freaky deaky,
As we come around again we get freaky deaky -
Freaky deaky, freaky deaky my dear..."

I CANNOT believe you started an X-CLAN thread!

I was going to start one myself.

Thanksfor this thread! X-Clan, along w/ Tribe, De La, Brand Nubian, The Jungle Bothers... man, those cats saved my life. seriously. Through hip hop I embraced my culture and havent turned back. To the East Blackwards isa stone cold classic!

Grand Verbalizer what time is it?
The funkin lesson comes, the sun dial speaks...

To me, that whole era is a testament to the true power of hip hop. I also think that its no coinsidence that eventaully groups like this this got NO PLAY. I guess you cant have a generation of conscious Black folk running around doing all that "fancy thinking", can you?


peace.



I cant spell 3 letter words edit
[Edited 9/9/04 7:44am]

jerseykrs said:

Back in the day a partner of mine and I snuck into the convention center during a Kwame gig. Somehow we wound up backstage and peeped the whole show from the side of the stage. Awesome show.

Note to current hip hop artists: Backup dancers enhance the energy of your show! Lose the crew and get dancers!.....

Dancelot said:

Dark Sun Riders featuring Breother J released Seeds of Evolution in '96. Wasnt one of those cats Kwame Touree's son?

found1 said:

I SO agree! The early 90's was such a great, great time for hip hop, TRUE hip hop.
Anybody remember these guys?

OdysseyMiles said:

Yep. I listened to Black Sheep, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, Digital Underground, De La Soul, Gang Starr, Cypress Hill, P.E. etc. non-stop back then.

I miss those days of great hip-hop.


spelling edit
[Edited 9/9/04 9:52am]

minneapolisgenius said:

A friend and I were talkin' about "Freaks of The Industry" over weekend. Dudes used to rock that song in tiny cars with GIGANTIC BASS THUMPING sound systems!! OMG, Gang Starr!!! Whew, Hard To Earn and Step In The Arena were killer albums. I truly miss that era as well.

OdysseyMiles said:

You guys are def. on point.

tha pipe , tha pipe, just pass tha pipe

How many times I gotta tell you, man???

D-NICE

#1 lyricist out here in the world today

all the suckas that wanna perpetrate the fraud must come CORRECT (RECT...rect...)

now what I'm sayin'. This is KRS-One of the massive BDP crew and of course we are doin' it just for you...

the styles are from 1990 and 1991 and -2

so we're gonna break it down a little somethin' like this... check it out...

I said the TR-808 is comin' (comin')... BRIGHT AND EARLY IN THE MORNING!!!




[Edited 9/9/04 9:12am]

JANFAN4L said:

OdysseyMiles said:

"Freaks of the Industry" was what I was thinking of when I posted that. My sister (who was not into hip-hop at all) used to get offended because her name's Vanessa.

minneapolisgenius said:

not Vanessa with the singin' career...

OdysseyMiles said:

but the X-rated video queen....know what I mean?

minneapolisgenius said:

That song is naughty....

OdysseyMiles said:

I know. I love it.

All I remember is "This is protected by the Red, the Black, and the Green.... Sissies!!!


Dancelot, I just saw your sig! How could I forget "Vaaaan-Glorious!?" (I had to look that up, 'cause I thought he made that word up. It's actually "vainglorious" , so I guess he did )
[Edited 9/9/04 10:41am]

Alright everybody, where are your Cross Colour pants, anks and X hats??

Loved this group backinaday, both "To The East Blackwards" and "Xodus" were in heavy rotation for me. My favorite track off of TTEB was "Grand Verbalizer, What Time is It?" and from Xodus it was "Holy Rum Swig."

I remember they had major beef with BDP for a minute and Professor X briefly managed 3d Bass. They battled on wax for a while.
[Edited 9/9/04 11:13am]