Here's a shot of KRS-One, the driving force behind the hip-hop group Boogie Down Productions, at card #113 in the '91 MusiCards set. This card has a reverse counterpart in the Yo! MTV Raps set that swaps the front and back photos (card #10). That set also features a second BDP card (#11) as well as a solo-credited KRS-One card (#43), but this here is his only appearance in the Super Stars set.
Boogie Down Productions would cease production not long after this card came out, with KRS-One ditching the group dynamic to continue as a solo artist in the early 90s. He's had impressive career, long considered a highly-respected pioneer in hip hop.
The only KRS-One to be found in my CD/cassette collection growing up was R.E.M.'s Out of Time where he dropped in on the opening track "Radio Song", but I've always liked what I've heard from him, and eventually scored a greatest hits album during the mp3 era. Dug jam after jam of his I checked out while prepping this post, hand to God!
KRS-One has kept active over the years, consistently releasing new music and collaborating with other artists.CUSTOM CORNER
Ok, I suppose in addition to the R.E.M. appearance, KRS-One found his way into my speakers several times over the years thanks to being sampled in the Sublime tribute song "KRS-One". Sure, let's whip up a Sublime custom.
That self-titled Sublime album was huge. As a teenager in Southern California in the mid 90s, that was a must-have CD, right there with Dr. Dre's The Chronic a little earlier. Everyone in my grade had 'em in rotation, without exception! They were already on my radar, as I remember liking their early minor hit "Date Rape", so it was a trip when they got huge a year or two later. Sadly, the band's mastermind Bradley Nowell died of a heroin overdose just before that album came out, adding some emotional weight to tracks like "What I Got" and "Santeria".
Such a bummer, leaving a baby behind. Another cautionary tale in regards to abusing drugs and alcohol. As a fan, it would have been cool to hear what Bradley followed that album up with.
The other guys in the trio-- Eric Wilson (bass) and Bud Gaugh (drums)-- eventually revived the band with a soundalike fan named Rome filling in, reluctantly lengthening the band name to Sublime With Rome after legal threats from Bradley's widow. They had a nice run of playing music festivals, but eventually they split with Rome, and a couple years ago, Bradley's now-adult son Jakob stepped in, taking Sublime full circle to again being a Nowell-fronted band.
Here in 2025 it seems classic Sublime has either been run into the ground or not aged that well, and the post-Bradley material doesn't quite hit the same as the OG version. Or maybe that's just me? But yeah, some fun tunes there, no doubt!
How about you readers? Listen to much KRS-One and/or Sublime? Favorites? Memories? Let me know in the comments. Thanks!
Heard of KRS-One but never the group here.
ReplyDeleteSublime's ok but not a favorite.
Boogie Down Productions was really just KRS-1 and the DJ, Scott LaRock. But LaRock was murdered in 1987, just a few months after the first BDP album was released, so while KRS kept the group name for a while, there really wasn't much of a group thereafter. (Other people certainly worked with them and even were considered group members, but the core was the two of them.) The murder also led to KRS becoming much more political in his music, emphasizing themes of anti-violence and Black empowerment.
ReplyDeleteI saw KRS under the BDP moniker on an LL Cool J shown in 1987...in fact I'm realizing/remembering that it was just 8 days after LaRock's death. Probably his first show without LaRock.
Listened to Boogie Down Productions and owned a couple of their CD's in high school. Sublime came along when I was in college. I own their album with Santeria and What I Got, but that's as far as I went. Two of my college buddies are HUGE fans though.
ReplyDelete