(Ffrench 12")
Back in 1986 I rocked red Girbaux jeans and taught myself how to scratch records by cutting up doubles of Heavy D's Mr. Big Stuff. By the early 1990s, Heavy D was ushering in huge, radio friendly hits and becoming the 'friendly' face of hip-hop in opposition to the menacing gangster sounds of NWA or the militancy of Public Enemy. Some cried sell-out, but those of us who knew Heavy D knew that he was a down to earth Yardie from 'Money Earnin' Mount Vernon who NEVER shied away from his West Indian roots and was just making good.
Not only did he make good for himself, but in a hugely influential article that he wrote for the Source Magazine back in 1990, he introduced many Americans (probably for the first time) to his favorite Jamaican Deejays like Tiger and Super Cat. This led to Super Cat getting signed by Columbia and eventually the multiple combination tunes that Heavy D did with Super Cat - all tunes that rocked the dancehall then and now.
But, the tune that cemented Heavy D as a worthwhile dancehall artist to me was this TOTALLY uncommercial 12" he cut with Robert Ffrench in 1994. Ffrench was a true dancehall singer - a voice crafted to the sound systems of Jamaica and Brooklyn - and this tune reeks of that influence from the lifted melody to the bouncing early 90s production. And Heavy D counters Ffrench's style perfectly with lilting DJ patterns reminiscent of a Briggy or Josey Wales.
This tune used to bust the dance - the underground spots like Sticky Mikes, Biltmore, and Love People - and last night when I dusted it off to pay tribute to Heavy D who passed the other day at 44 years young, it busted the dance once more.
R.I.P. Heavy D.
More info:
More Love on YouTube
Scratch Famous, Deadly Dragon Sound, New York City
(www.deadlydragonsound.com)
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