At the press conference with DMC from RUN-DMC today, the Korean press corps asked about the mad cow issue, to which DMC, who had no idea what they were talking about, gave a very general and joking reply along the lines of “Well, I guess no one wants mad cow” and “Gotta protect the people, safety first.”
After the Korean press corps was not satisfied with the answer, they pressed for a “clearer” answer three more times, forcing another more coherent statement for soundbite purposes until a Korean publicist came over and saved him by whispering into his ear, at which point he jokingly exclaimed “I’ve got no beef with anybody!”
At that point, a Hard Rock representative came out and said that since DMC was obviously new to Korea and couldn’t be expected to know what hot issues the beef and FTA issues were, the question should be dropped. The Korean press corps had pushed for a re-answer three times. No one except for the Korea Herald reporter even asked any questions relevant to his actual music.
Of course, that’s how NoCut News reported it, and took his quote completely out of context, with a headline that read: “DMC says ‘In the importation of American beef…the safety of the people is most important.’” Grrrr. They treated it as if he had just offered a comment on it of his own volition, and hadn’t been ambushed into an answer that was far more political than he could have been reasonably expected to know.
I have the entire press conference on tape and will post it after tonight’s concert, which you should really attend. Regina Walton, a.k.a ExpatJane, also did a couple of extensive interviews, one of which was published in the Herald, the other other of which I taped yesterday and will also go up in its entirety later.
Tonight, the Dynamic Duo and DMC will perform “Walk This Way”, with the Aerosmith part being done in Korean, and DMC doing the other end. That should be cool.
Don’t miss it if you can help it.
105 Comments
koreans are their own worst enemy
And they are well on their way to being everyone else’s too.
Well, I guess no one wants mad cow” and “Gotta protect the people, safety first.”
=
‘In the importation of American beef…the safety of the people is most important.’
He gave a pretty good initial answer in my book.
When tina turner and mick jagger continue to strut their stuff despite their age I was disappointed. The idea of rap ‘musicians’ continuing their particular form of audible genocide into old age is horrifying.
D.M.C., the man, that’s causin the beef
I got a message for the world so listen up it’s brief
Like Malcolm X said I won’t turn the right cheek
Got the strength to go the length, if you wanna start beef
Start beef!
-Run-DMC, “Proud to be Black”
Perhaps we should refer to the Notorious BIG, who also laid down some wisdom on the beef issue:
“What’s beef? Beef is when you need two gats to go to sleep
Beef is when your moms ain’t safe up in the streets
Beef is when I see you
Guaranteed to be in ICU, one more time
What’s beef? Beef is when you make your enemies start your Jeep
Beef is when you roll no less than thirty deep
Beef is when I see you
Guaranteed to be in ICU, check it”
Now, THAT’S beef.
After reading regina’s interview and discovering that “Hip-hop is the most powerful force on earth - stronger than politics and religion combined” I want to retract my previous statement denigrating rap, put my baseball cap on backwards , get some crack into me and bust a move.
I guess that whole ordeal was based on the media thinking that Americans actually give a damn about this issue.
And a sure sign of the apocalypse…the Korea Herald being signaled out as a positive example of journalistic integrity.
Oh yeah…Too bad Flavor Flav wasn’t there to give an answer. Would like to see the translation of that.
Alleged news outfits like “NoCut News” are not reliable or responsible sources of news and are just as biased as “big three”.
Infantile.
#6 Yeah we got that you don’t like hip hop the first time. We still don’t care.
The Korean media are pretty silly but DMC’s Korean publicists should have known to brief him on it before hand.
What ever happened to the short and sweet, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Next question, please.”
That’s keepin’ it real.
Just great, someone from the real world shows up and highlights that Korea ISN’T the center of the universe.
What monsters those Americans are….ha!
Here’s a hip hop hommage au boeuf, straight outta Canada, boyeee.
Here we have some more visitors who have come to Korea, most probably with no preconceived ideas about the country, they will however leave this country thinking, “Koreans are Idiots”.
This seems to happen to virtually everyone who comes here.
Isn’t the goal to have visitors leave with a POSITIVE impression of the country?
It seems that the best way for Korea, NOT to get a negative image is for Korea NOT to have any visitors.
Reminds me of when a TV reporter for one of the Korean networks (I think it was KBS) asked if he could interview me at the US vs. Korea game during the 2002 World Cup in Taegu. I said sure.
He begins…”So this is the greatest live event you’ve ever seen because the Korean fans are so passionate and great, right?”
Me: “Well, I’ve seen much bigger crowds back home that were just as passionate about their team. Have you ever heard of SEC Football”.
TV Guy: “But you do agree that Korea fans are the best in the world, right?”
Me: “It’s a great atmosphere here but I don’t know if I’d say Korean fans are the best in the world”.
Interview ends right there. Needless to say I didn’t make the news as I didn’t comply with the sound bites they wanted. I wish some reporter would ask me my take on the beef issue.
i’m laughing so hard it hurts. no wonder the korean media is regarded as joke in the rest of the world.
wait until my stateside friends see this one
#15 Austin,
I was at a 2005 New Year’s party on Daytona Beach(in Al Capone’s old beachside mansion) and I was talking to a guitarist from a fairly well-known rock band that had been to Korea two years earlier. Well he told me after their concert they (and the opening band) tried to go to a club in Hongdae and were told that no white people were allowed in. They even said they would admit the Asian looking drummer (He’s of Philipino heritage, in fact) of the opening band, but no one else. Now this occurred shortly after the tank incident, which they knew nothing about. So when by brother introduced me to the guitarist and told him I was living in Korea, he laughingly told me the series of events I just mentioned. I briefly sort of half-explained the context of anti-Americanism in Korea (I mean who really cares about that stuff on New Year’s Eve). He listened politely and laughed about it all. And really what does he care? He just thinks Korea is a land of dorks, collected his cash, and moved on.
You have to give credit where it’s due.
The Korean journos seem to be the hub of ‘mediaocrity™’. How stupid are they going to a press event for a gig and talking about meat. Mr DMC is going to go back home saying ‘they’re really strange in Korea, I don’t know what their beef was, but they’re a crazy lot’.
The loud mouthed Koreans beef nutters (not all Koreans of course)are really making it look like stupidity is ubiquitous™ here. My missus (Korean) is really embarrassed about this nonsense and won’t even talk about it, except to mutter the odd ‘those people are bloody idiots’ type thing.
It reminds me of meeting a really nice Swedish couple at the Edinburgh festival a few years ago. We got talking over breakfast and we got onto jobs and what we do. When I told them I live and work in Korea, they looked really sad and said ‘How? The people are so rude. Always pushing and shoving, completely uncouth and they have no manners’, I had to explain that ‘You get used to it’. Koreans really need to get their shit together, they already have an ugly image and crap like this will only make it worse.
I like many-most Koreans, but tourists and businesspeople will only remember the complete arseholes they meet.
Korea is almost better of keeping itself out of the limelight for a few more years.
MBC reports President Lee will go on national TV and will apologize to the nation. He will also change his entire set of cabinet ministers. Lee has caved in. This is really bad, as this will make the winners out of the morons and legitimize their reasons for protesting like Nazis.
Nazis like these people that are causing economic damage to other Koreans:
http://english.chosun.com/w21d.....80013.html
One would think so, wouldn’t one?
Fishing for praise of the superlative sort without having actually earned those kudos.
How’s that for “sincerity”?
Asking DMC about the beef issue!
Farking ridiculous!!!
I just wish he would have said “What the hell are you talkin’ about?”.
I was talking to my parents this past weekend and they had not heard one word about the beef issue- they read the paper and watch the news.
99.999% of American no not nor care not about Korea and the beef issue!!!
Korea’s important export markets are imploding due to world economic crisis.
http://english.chosun.com/w21d.....80012.html
Inevitably, these countries will not afford to import products from Korea and they will raise tariffs.
Yet, Koreans are torpedoing Free Trade with their biggest consumer market - the US.
It sure makes sense.
Who can South Korea turn to, if there is an economic crisis in Korea, if she has no friends left?
What will happen once these countries go up financial crisis?
Mick Jagger should have retired to a quiet English estate a long time ago, but Tina Turner will rock till she drops.
Here in the UAE, the second question my wife is asked is: “North or South?” And these are people who have heard of Korea.
Her best parts started dropping a long time ago
UAE people are smart, I get East or West when I visit Idaho
#11: I guess even the Korean publicist underestimated just how stupid and juvenile the local press can get in Korea. You just can’t make up stuff like this.
It’s just not the same without Jam Master Jay…
I lived in Korea for almost 5 years in total, and was recently offered a very good job to go back (not teaching), but this beef issue just made me think “You know what… that is just really retarded. Why go back to that?” So I would rather go to Japan or China and make less money and live somewhere where people are more reasonable. And yes… CHINA (supposed land cloaked in CCTV propaganda) and the CHINESE ARE more reasonable.
So my point is, and I agree with the first response, Korea IS its own worst enemy,and the economy will continue to sink and swirl in this toilet bowl of misguided angst until another IMF occurs because nobody wants to invest in a xenophobic market. It’s time for the rational world to raise a collective middle finger and walk away from such a childish display. If LMB wants to fix anything… fix the media. What’s worse… China’s state run media or Korea’s out of control soapbox where fan death, dog poop girl, evil English teachers, and now this can erupt a nation via text messages within hours.
swlee, LOL @26.
In China…the media propagated the charity miracle for the Sichuan earthquake relief effort…while in Korea all they can think about is this. What does that tell us? In their extremes, I’ll take the former.
Soondae, Dropping or drooping?
Tina is a mess and considering his very rock and roll lifestyle Jagger is doing well in his dotage.
Soul, blues, R&B tends to wear better with age than rock.
Soul, blues, R&B tend to wear better with age than rock.
After reading regina’s interview and discovering that “Hip-hop is the most powerful force on earth - stronger than politics and religion combined” I want to retract my previous statement denigrating rap, put my baseball cap on backwards , get some crack into me and bust a move.
–WORD–
I lived in China four years. You need to rethink that opinion.
That same media is also smothering the anger of grieving parents whose children were buried under cheap “tofu” buildings.
#37 Sonagi
Actually, it’s not “tofu”. It’s 豆腐渣(soy pulp or okara)
Just FYI…
I read Chinese and have read online content using 豆腐渣, but English reports simply use the word “tofu.”
Well, OK. We all know that Koreans have an intense curiosity about the attitudes of foreigners . . .
As long as those attitudes fit what Koreans think they should be.
#40
Whaat? Where is Japanese version of VANK?? Chinese’s already gotta anti-cnn.com!
just kidiiin’
Well, I’m just glad they didnt make DMC wear a hanbok.
“Well, I’m just glad they didnt make DMC wear a hanbok.”
LOL! You just made my night.
As the great Dave Chappell once said:
“Asians have no beef with anybody, except with each other.”
I loved Run DMC… Wish I could go to that concert.
Ugh… is Korean media literally filled with reporters not fit to write articles for a monthly junior high school newspaper?
What kills me is that from the Korean society’s perspective, that reporter’s question is actually considered mature and insightful because he or she actually thought to ask a socially pertinent question in a setting that normally does not encompass it. Yeah. I know.
Well Korea could be in for a few rough economic years, with a tide of inflation crashing over Asia and export markets slowing. I wonder how Korea’s xenophobic half will blame it on America this time?
I’m supposed to return to Korea in couple of years. I am dreading the stifling lack of common sense, tolerance, and appreciation for differences. I may just turn in my Korean passport altogether, and turn my back forever on this small minded country.
“I’ve got no beef with anybody!” LOL!!!!
d4n,
They will blame it on LMB first. Korea is quickly making the presidency the worst elected job to have in the world.
… because they have extremely unrealistic expectations of leaders.
CM just hasn’t sounded like himself the past two months. Did someone hijack his username like HardynTiny’s?
Well Sonagi, read the comments from the article below.
http://news.chosun.com/site/da.....01590.html
I’m not the only one who’s cynical. It’s not coincidence South Korea still has high number of immigrants compared to its living standards.
“What kills me is that from the Korean society’s perspective, that reporter’s question is actually considered mature and insightful ….”
All modern societies consult rappers for wisdom on contentious policy questions.
Sonagi,
The truth is a lot of Korean Americans (in cm’s case a somewhat Americanized Korean still retaining his Korean citizenship) have a love/hate relationship with Korea. The same things that bother expats bothers us also, namely xenophobia, ignorance (or intolerance) of views from the outside world, corruption, a hyper-patromonial and hyper-hierarchical society, etc. However, a lot of us end up becoming Korea apologists by default because there is so little, how shall I say… healthy balance here at the ‘hole.
I think our friend cm is “Candianized”….
Why do you think we always tem these performers to just “Shut Up And Sing”?
We love their art. We don’t buy CDs because of politics. Only morons expect artists to be sages…
# 56,
Yeah yeah yeah… same thing. Aren’t they the 51st state?..
This reminds me of the press conference with Wesley Snipes when visited Korea with his Korean wife. Apparently aware of Korean attitudes toward mixed-race children, he stated that he wondered how Koreans would react toward his child. Looking at the Korean subtitles, I noticed that this phrase was never translated into Korean.
@ 16 (Maekchu)
”So this is the greatest live event you’ve ever seen because the Korean fans are so passionate and great, right?”
“But you do agree that Korea fans are the best in the world, right?”
Hmm… Are those questions or a statements to which there is only one answer? LOL.
Had the Korean reporter just asked you “What do you think about the fans here in Korea?”, it would have been a perfectly fine question to which any foreigner would have been happy to say, “They are the best!”.
However, what makes his question so pathetic and rude is that, following the line of typical Korean thinking, he just HAS to add in the “… best in the world” part. Why must Koreans always feel compelled to make everything a showcase of how much better they are than others? This is what makes what should have been a totally innocuous question so disgustingly insidious. I guess you learned your lesson that Korean media doesn’t care about hearing the honest opinions of foreigners… they just want to have confirmation of what they want to hear.
@59
It also reminds me of when the Korean reporter traveled to Japan to report on Mongolian-born sumo wrester, Asashoryu, in his obtaining the Yokozuna title. The reporter was probably foaming at his mouth in glee for interviewing a foreigner who achieved success in Japan since he probably thought it was a prime opportunity to extract evidence of how a foreigner like Asashoryu “struggled” amidst huge hurdles of Japanese racism to achieve his success. The Korean media loves this kind of stuff since it would be a great way to degrade and spread a negative image of Japan, especially during the Roh administration.
So he asked Asashoryu, “So you must have faced a lot of racism here in Japan while doing sumo. Could you please talk about it?”
Asashoryu replied, “Actually, I didn’t. I was treated with the same respect and and standards as any of the others… No hurdles and no favors either.”
The Korean reporter did not like Asashoryu’s answer to which he replied, “No, I am sure there was a lot of bigotry and discrimination. You can tell me honestly.”
Asashoryu replied “Again, seriously… I really didn’t face anything.”
The Korean reporter continued to badger him insisting that Asashoryu was discriminated.
Finally, Asashoryu got pissed off and replied, “I told you I didn’t have any problems! Now just get lost, Kimchi-bastard!”
However, of course, the Korean media didn’t report what happened at the end.
LOL… Classic.
“The Aerosmith part”..haha
@60, do you have a link to this incident? Not questioning you; just want to read about how it actually happened.
It happened back in 2003 or 2004 I believe. It was on the Mainichi News and Japan Times, but I think the links are no longer there since it was such a long time ago.
Speaking of Mongolians (one of RJ Koehler’s fav topics), there’s finally a movie out where Genghis Khan is not played by a white guy.
http://www.mongolmovie.com/
#48, mmm…while it’s quite understandable why you would feel that way cm, I’m always curious about that aspect of the Asian mindset. Hasn’t the problems and ignorance escalated precisely because a good number Koreans are like you cm? That is, they see something detrimental to society but look away/hide/run and mute their opinions. If their were opposing protests, Korea would not look as foolish.
I mean, it was really sad to see a few posts back how the counter opposition consisted of only one guy…are the ones who have supposedly better judgment also too spineless to voice their opinion? I think in Asian (and in particular Korean) society, it’s not simply just these ignorant protests that are the problem, but that the others who understand this do not stand up to it. Democratic elections aren’t helpful if no one votes, and if no one from the public shows resistance to these bs arguments, what can the government do but shamefully renegotiate agreed upon deals?
crap…did my pet peeve…their/there…
what… a… fucking… joke
JK - The story with Asashoryu was on Occidentalism.org The site seems to be down though, but if it ever comes back online run a search on there.
let me get this right; most of you are ugly white guys who got passed by when god was giving the white man his very real good looks, you go to korea and finally get what you couldn’t get here and this thread is the thanks the koreans get?
most of you would be nothing w/o korea and yet, you spend most of your time telling koreans that if they were just like you, everthing would be fine. however, you’re the one travelling thoussand of miles just to satisfy your urges.
better, expat, you ain’t all that.
Your comments are possibly more childish and pathetic than the behavior of “journalists” at the DMC’s press conference. And, by the way, you’re totally off the mark!
Bbundaegi and Brian are right. Links to online news sites like Yahoo.co.jp and Sanspo.com are dead, but you can see the links and commentary at 2ch and other Japanese forums. Just google 朝青龍 明徳 韓国 記者 キムチ 野郎 (Asashoryu Akinori Korea reporter kimchi bastard).
Even for you, pwi, that one’s off-base. This is a post and thread about jaw-droppingly ridiculous journalistic behavior.
# 64,
Thank goodness! A lot of people in the west do have a mistaken impression that the Mongols who went stampeeding around almost the entire length of the eastern hemisphere looked white or Eurasian.
Brian Dennehy even played Kublai Khan in some Hallmark Channel special on Marco Polo.
http://www.xanga.com/wangkon93.....asian.html
wanggon, i love and hate you at the same time. thanks for xangga.
“let me get this right; most of you are ugly white guys who got passed by when god was giving the white man his very real good looks, you go to korea and finally get what you couldn’t get here and this thread is the thanks the koreans get?”
Whatever, draft dodger. Why then did you run away from the homeland? Couldn’t make it there either?
Seriously.. seek help.
# 64,
Thank goodness! A lot of people in the west do have a mistaken impression that the Mongols who went stampeeding around almost the entire length of the eastern hemisphere looked white or Eurasian.
Brian Dennehy even played Kublai Khan in some Hallmark Channel special on Marco Polo.
http://www.xanga.com/wangkon93…..asian.html
Who do you think looks more like a Mongol conqueror named Khan?
Brian Dennehy or John Wayne?
http://www.nervepop.com/NerveB.....ueror2.jpg
I don’t understand this whole argument about the white people in Korea being losers who couldn’t make it “back home.”
If you really believe this, what does that say about Korean women and Korea as a country in general? Maybe you’re right Pawi, and all the losers in other countries have to come here to be cool.
Even the socially retarded stand out as men of learning and understanding in a country like Korea. Victims of facial malformations of all stripes and colors can come to Korea and be treated like shining examples of physical perfection. Because in Korea, everyone and everything is so a$$backwards that hairy white monkeys can come in and take over.
I’m tempted to write, ‘Is this what you really think, Pawi?” But I’m guessing that no one, my hairy white monkey a$$ included, cares what you think.
“however, you’re the one travelling thoussand of miles just to satisfy your urges.”
My urge to make money knows no bounds. I’ll travel anywhere for a better paycheck.
So, yeah. But if there were no work for me here, I’d just work somewhere else. Thats the only urge I have for being here.
what does Korean reporters asking DMC what he thinks of American beef have to do with anyone’s urges or ability to make it back home? Did Pawi post the wrong diatribe in the wrong thread?
#77,
I’m only here because of the four (distinct) seasons.
A lot of people tell me that they’re here for the spicy food. Only Korea has spicy food. Being non-Koreans, they can’t eat it, but it feels good to be close to it.
I like Korea for its anti-americanism. Nothing as good as seeing americans walking down a crowded street in the knowledge that most people around them don’t want them here. Or their beef.
And yet they are all surprisingly low-key about expressing their rage. Its almost as if the anti-american faction was a minority.
# 75,
John Wayne has smaller eyes…
Plus, the 60’s U.S. was a little more disgusted at the Asian face so their decision to put white actors in Asian roles is a little more excusable. But today? A hell of a lot less excusable.
“I like Korea for its anti-americanism. Nothing as good as seeing americans walking down a crowded street in the knowledge that most people around them don’t want them here. Or their beef.”
That would apply only to the male portion of the korean population and not the females. Especially the part about BEEF.
He can tell em where da pardy at!
“I like Korea for its anti-americanism. Nothing as good as seeing americans walking down a crowded street in the knowledge that most people around them don’t want them here. Or their beef.”
That would only apply to the male portion of the korean population and not the females. Especially the part about BEEF.
#75
Looking at the pic, I’m not sure how much John Wayne looks like Genghis Khan.
But what freaked me out was the other dude in the picture, who (minus the fake moustache) looks almost EXACTLY like the ajumma who lives on the 7th floor of my building!
@swlee
Actually, I find Korean anti-Americanism to be stale and pathetic, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there is nothing courageous about being anti-American at the moment. Everybody in every country is doing it, so Korea is not exactly going out on a limb here. Secondly, I find Korean anti-Americanism to be largely mis-informed, misguided, and arguably very much out of synch with their actual goals as a country.
In other countries, people hate Americans for things that the American government actually did. In Korea, they hate the U.S. over imagined beef safety issues and traffic accidents.
In Europe, they read Chomsky. In Korea, they read that thing some guy wrote on Naver.
p.s. I’m glad you hate rap music.
Dear Granfalloon,
I agree with you, my friends and I often complain the poor state of Korean opposition to American imperialist action on the peninsula too. All too often anti-american is just a reactionary response of the bourjois . The masses have a knee jerk response to hollywood action Ono or mad cow rather than working systematically toward eliminating US presence here and achieving true praxis, or at least knifing some unsuspecting english teacher in the street in Hongdae. In other words, its all talk and no action.
I don’t know much about classical music so I don’ know Chomsky, but I do like jazz, do you?
I’m glad to finally meet someone here that has the similar thinking to me.
Dear Granfalloon,
I agree with you, my friends and I often complain the poor state of Korean opposition to American imperialist action on the peninsula too. All too often anti-american is just a reactionary response of the bourjois . The masses have a knee jerk response to hollywood action Ono or mad cow rather than working systematically toward eliminating US presence here and achieving true praxis, or at least knifing some unsuspecting english teacher in the street in Hongdae. In other words, its all talk and no action.
I don’t know much about classical music so I don’ know Chomsky, but I do like jazz, do you?
p.s. I’m glad to finally meet someone here that has the similar thinking to me.
Sorry for double postage ㅠㅠ
#87, Err…in regards to Chomsky, quite a few might argue there is little difference in quality between the two, only the former is (usually) longer winded and written with better prose (yeah, I got ‘beef’ with him). His interview with Ali G was quite interesting; he was easily duped into the persona and made contradictory statements about his linguistic work.
I don’t agree with everything Chomsky has ever written. But you just put him on the same level as people blogging about fan death.
And then cited Ali G as a source.
American imperialism? Seriously? What is this, the 19th century?
Run DMC were never really cool in the hip hop scene. At the most they were just cool by association or merely nominally cool — cool, that is, because they were associated with a vintage or pioneer era. Outside of that, any rap fan knows they suck and always have, with their elementary-school beats, meters and rhymes.
Netizen Kim,
“Mongol” is not the first movie about Ghenghis Khan played by real Asian actors. The Japanese did a film about him a couple of years ago (”The Blue Wolf: To The Ends of Earth”). I took an interest in the latter film because of the fact that it also stars Go Ara, a Korean actress. Also, somewhat ironically, the Japanese actor, Tadanobu Asano (”Ichi The Killer”), who plays Ghenghis Khan in “Mongol” is actually 1/4 white.
jd,
Your argument would have some meaning if not for the fact that the stereotype holds for Japanese ESL teachers as well. Ever see Captain Charmisma cartoons about ESL teachers in Japan? Everything ever said about ESL teachers here by pawi are represented well by those cartoons — and they are made by a former ESL teacher who worked in Japan, no less. Go here for more info:
http://www.karatethejapanesewa.....a_man.html
Hey ABCDEFG —
That’s must be some seriously good dope you’re smoking.
RUN-DMC was “just cool by association or merely nominally cool” — what planet did you come from? Not considered cool by whom? They DEFINED cool when they single-handedly broke rap out of the BET ghetto, were the first to crossover, and to get major corporate sponsorship by virtue of the fact that THEY made Adidas cool, not the other way around.
Black people and anyone who listened to rap before it went mainstream (which was, actually, mostly black people, since MTV wouldn’t play rap videos until the days of RUN-DMC and DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince) knew RUN-DMC was the “King of Rock” well before they had to say it. And people lost their minds with “It’s Tricky” and the helicopter with the purple velvet interior. Or you think Mr. Melman (whom you probably don’t remember and I don’t care to explain), Aerosmith, and Penn & Teller would just show up in their videos for no reason?
Sorry, dude — they were and are cool. Yeah, now their rhymes sound “elementary” but only because rap’s progressed since then. Yet, at the time, their sound was harder-edged and totally brought rap up to a cooler higher, adult level than when it was truly more silly rhymes made over breakdance beats a la The Sugarhill Gang. It’s simply evolution. RUN-DMC’s album “Raising Hell” went triple platinum and was simply the shiznit at the time. You are seriously smoking crack.
And when that monster tour in 1988 went around — from Public Enemy to NWA to KRS-1 to RUN DMC to jeezus, like everyone — RUN DMC was king of the hill. That tour simply blew the mind’s, and all the kids in my school wearing Adidas and rocking the gold chain — the veritable symbol of the rapper — have RUN DMC to thank for that.
So, for better or worse, whether you like them or not, the idea that they weren’t “actually” ever cool, or had minimal influence, is the result of being alternatively addle-brained, a crack-smoker, or seriously too young to remember and needs to stop talking out of their ass.
You’re the essence of a true poseur, Metro.
Adidas (yeah, the one souped up with ultra fat laces) were cool before DMC became popular.
I remember 1988, back when Eric B and Rakim learned to earn, when Nice & Smooth were funky, when Big Daddy Kane and his cohorts (”The Juice Crew” - Masta Ace, Kool G Rap, et al) were rappin in symphony…
But despite their connections, Run DMC always sucked. They were even more laughable when, trying to keep up with trends, they tried going ganksta in the early 90s. LOL.
Larry Bud Melman … LOL … true hippity-hop authenticity yo.
Anyhoo, wasn’t one of the Run-DMC fellers gunned down in the ghet-to not too long ago? That’s the ultimate in “keepin’ it real”.
And who knew “abcdefg” was a kigger?
#98 — Whatever. The question wasn’t an argument over whether RUN DMC was GOOD or “authentic” (another word that makes me reach for my figurative gun), but about you declaring that they were “never” actually popular.
And I said that given their runaway success with their core audience of black folk well before any rap videos were played on MTV, or their triple-platinum success after they had videos with other famous cultural figures such as Mr. Melman or Aerosmith — to argue that they were indeed NEVER popular is just simply not true.
Hate on them all you want. Say they’re wack or could never rap. I think those are silly things to say, but that’s besides the main point. They WERE WILDLY popular and set trends and laid the groundwork for the success of an entire generation of rappers and hip-hoppers.
As if quoting the names of a few groups any black person who listened to rap before 1987 would know is supposed to be impressive.
I’m not posing anything other than remembering the shit the way it was, and RUN DMC was popular as all fuck. Before Yo! MTV Raps or any of it. And their triple-platinum success AFTER that by definition means they were ACTUALLY popular with all the people paying $12.99 for large pieces of vinyl with RUN DMC’s name on them.
If anything, ABCDEFG, you’re the ultimate hater, since you’re letting your dislike of the group in question totally warp your perception of what was just plain reality. RUN DMC was a worldwide phenomenon, they had street cred from their own community before they went mainstream, and then blew up beyond even their wildest expectations after white folk got on the rap bandwagon, farrrrrr after we black kids were making video mixes off of “Rap City” on BET, which definitely included most of what RUN DMC was putting out.
So spare me the “poseur” lecture and your weak-ass attempt to school somebody in the details of old school rap. You’re playing yourself.
Wow. So you’re a poseur and an idiot, you wordy predictable fuck. I didn’t say Run DMC were never popular.
#99 — And you’re a hata and an idiot, because you most certainly were arguing that they “never” actually enjoyed actual respect as artists, either by their contemporaries or afterwards, something that the fact of their long-lasting and continuous popularity and constant nods of respect from everyone in the industry obviously contradicts.
And Dogbert — nice. Making fun of a man Jam Master Jay (and a group) who dedicated his life to speaking out against violence and was truly loved by his community for being gunned down in a robbery. No, there’s no irony there, because none of the group stood for that, and always spoke against drugs, guns, and violence in their lyrics. So, I don’t see the humor or irony in JMJ’s murder, other than as a man who donated studio time to up-and-coming kids who wanted a way out of the hood, as well as a funder of youth programs in his neighborhood, and who did “keep it real” by DJ-ing and truly enjoying his vocation until the end of his life (he DJ’ed my friend’s wedding just a few months before he was shot, and that friend described him as one of the most humble and truly cool people he’d ever met, as does anyone who has met him, including those who describe him in the documentary about JMJ that DMC made after the murder, and for which he won an EMMY award).
Both alphabet boy and dogbert are being haters. I don’t see how liking an entertainer who is universally recognized as one of the grandfathers of rap is being a “poseur”, but alright.
And yeah, I’m wordy, Alpha Boy, and I also hear I’m a pretty good, albeit admittedly predicable “fuck.” But I do go through all the fly positions.
I guess I shouldn’t be getting all riled up by someone who doesn’t have the balls to sign his own name to what he says.
Flame on — I’m done. The concert was fun, I enjoyed seeing DMC in person, as did everyone else there, who packed the very spacious Hard Rock on a Wednesday night.
Beyond that, hate on RUN DMC all you want. I’ve said my piece.
I hate the culture that glorifies drugs, violence, and crime. It’s a cancer, no matter how many words you toss out to try to legitimize it.
There are so many bigger issues than Mad Cow. They should just choose to not buy it. Do you think DMC was coaxed into commenting about mad cow?