FRANKLY SPEAKING
By Frank Starfyre
What’s up, y’all? It’s your resident Old Head, Frank Starfyre. And I'm going to tell ya a story or three. Okay it's going to be three stories. All about my interactions with some of hip-hop's most influential figures. Along with some of the events that led to my love for the genre and culture that is hip-hop.
Now, right off the top, I should tell you that these were three isolated but very influential moments in my... Indoctrination, for lack of a better word, into the world of hip-hop.
MAGIC AT CLUB AMAZURA
The first takes place in 1997. Somehow I got word of a party at a place called Club Amazura, a venue just off of Sutphin Blvd in South Jamaica Queens. It was a show for a bunch of artists. Now here's the thing, I could not tell you who performed that night.
I honestly don't remember.
What I do remember is vibing in the crowd to the music, I saw the great Ralph McDaniels (more on him in a moment) off to the side hosting Video Music Box.
As I turn back to the stage, a movement to my right caught my eye. I turn and standing right next to me vibing to the music as well is none other than Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Wu-Tang’s own. One of the most prolific spitters in history.
Just chilling right next to me. Yes I was star struck. That's ODB, man. But I grew a pair, my 15-year-old self, and said " Oh shit, Ol’ Dirty. What up baby. Big fan." And the man dapped me up, said "What's good youngin’?" Then walked to the front of the stage, jumped up, took the mic, and proceeded to tear the house down.
I was in awe so I made my way to where Uncle Ralph was filming, and wound up in the line to give a shout out on Video Music Box. I couldn't tell you what I said but I definitely shouted Gen X, if you know you know, a time or three.
You have to understand, getting on Video Music Box was a true life goal. Something you aspire to. To be able to do it on the same night I was able to meet ODB, well, that was what anyone would call magic.
Well.... I would. Because I still believe in magic. Think about where you were the first time you heard your favorite song. What were you doing? Who were you with?
You got it in your mind? Can you hear it in your memory?
Like I said. Magic, man.
That is, to this day, one of my fondest memories.
WHEN DMX BROUGHT RAW ENERGY TO THE BLOCK
Another is when they were filming the Hype Williams classic Belly. They set up a bunch of trailers on the block, Linden and 202. So naturally the whole hood came out to see.
All of a sudden a cypher broke out and who should appear but none other than DMX. Cuts through the crowd and we are all in awe and hyped and.... I can't even describe the energy other than to say it was exactly that. Just RAW energy in human form.
I know my brothers Vega, G Money, and Dolla Bil spit. I do regret not getting a verse off that day, but that’s okay. It was like magic anyway.
Because these are the formative moments of a person who loves the culture of hip-hop. Because of these formative moments.
I remember cutting school cuz G Money was far out on Long Island and he asked me to go to Music Factory on The Ave, which is sadly no longer there, to get for him a copy of "Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood" before they sold out.
I mean, I cut school every day at that point. Mainly because I was stupid, but mostly because at that time I was trying to figure out who I was.
And hip-hop helped me. It helped me break out of my shell. Fun fact, the first tape I ever bought, off a bootlegger on Sutphin Blvd, was MC Brains Oochi Coochie. I think I was the only person to buy " In The Beginning, There Was Rap".
THE MOMENT FRANK STARFYRE WAS BORN
Matter of fact, I’ll tell you a funny story.
I was maybe 13 at the time. Still going to The Presbyterian Church Of Saint Albans Vacation Bible School (egads that’s a mouthful), and the last day of camp, we had a performance for the families.
There I am on stage, practiced for a week and a half, my brother Uncle Big Jus with me. The music hits, Uncle Big Jus runs his big ass off the stage. I'm smiling at the memory cuz it was just such a fiasco. After the laughter subsides, I proceed to lay my verse, off the paper, and I couldn't tell you one line because I didn’t write it.
That was the day I accepted the credo of M.C.'s; You always write your own verse. Never spit another’s bars. Though I didn't pick up a mic again until much later, this was the inciting incident that ultimately created Frank Starfyre.
THE EVOLUTION: FRANK THE BANK, LORD KOVU, FRANK STARFYRE
Frank the Bank. Lord KOVU. Frank Starfyre. The evolution like a Pokemon.
Frank The Bank was 15-year-old me, smoking his first blunt, freestyling over Lefleur Leflah Eshkoska, angry and afraid and exhilarated and free. Inspirations were Onyx and Lost Boyz.
Lord KOVU was a wordsmith. Years of being a lonely kid, reading Fear Street and Spenser Novels. I still read a newspaper every day. That version could rap his ass off. Inspirations were Redman, LL , DMX, Eminem, The Boot Camp Clique/ Duck Down, and The Wu. And lest I forget my clan, my posse, my crew, my clique, Gen X/ TRIIIFACE Vega, G Money, Ruthless,Ruc Genius, Dolla Bil, Syn Knowledge, Lancin Canzino. And some I saw doing it first Coach Cap, Silly Bone, and Sumz.
Frank Starfyre is the Professor. I live to teach. I enjoy the pursuit of knowledge. I look for it in everything. But to me, knowledge is a currency we have that costs nothing to share. The inspirations are KRS One, Slick Rick, Chuck D, Nas, LOX, and oddly enough Dave Chappelle.
WHAT HIP-HOP GAVE ME
Now, I don’t rap anymore. Though, if I'm being honest with myself and you, dear reader, I do miss it. I miss the chaos of recording. I miss the thrill of vibing with another artist. I miss saying something ill and somebody going "oooooohhhh".
All that to say I was indoctrinated early into hip-hop. I remember being in third grade, I had broken my foot skateboarding (never doing that again), so I'm home. We used to have a channel you could call into, and you would pay to have a video played. At the time it was called " The Jukebox", later " The Box". And one of the videos played that particular day was Redman's Time for some Aktion. And boy oh boy let me tell you, I was hooked.
My love for music is all encompassing. You'll catch me listening to Demi Lovato and Creedence Clearwater Revival. I will bump Taylor Swift and Bob Seger. I own damn near every Avril Lavigne album. But hip-hop is my culture. Be it Coach Cap and Doe Boy Sumz, or Redman and Method Man, I'm gonna feel right at home soon as I hear those familiar tones.
So come home with me. Let’s vibe out with some Wiz Khalifa. Smoke a joint and listen to some Snoop. Let’s open our minds some and hear what Cole and Kendrick are giving us. Hell, as I write this, Beware by Big Pun is on in the background.
A CULTURE, A HOME AND A LEGACY
Rest in peace to Tupac, Biggie, DMX, Big Pun, Eazy E, Lord Sear, DJ Kay Slay, Big L, Black Rob, Freaky Tah, Craig Mack, Proof, Mack Dre, Fat Man Scoop, and all the others, too many others, that we've lost in the 50 years of this culture that influences so much of the world. And shout out to the harbingers of this culture. Cats like Ed Lover and Dr. Dre, Salt-N-Pepa and Spinderella. Run DMC. Charlamagne tha God and DJ Envy. DJ Clue. Angie Martinez, Miss Jones. And as much as I can't stand his ass, Funkmaster Flex.
This started as something else and I guess just became a love letter to hip-hop. And I'm quite okay with that. So with that said, I'll leave a list of some of the albums one should listen to if you get the chance. Come home with me (shout to Killa Cam) and feel it in your soul like those of us who love this do. I hope to see you there.
Peace out. One Love. Abracadabra.
Frank Starfyre.
FRANK STARFYRE’S ESSENTIAL LISTENING
All Eyez on Me; Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, Straight Outta Compton, Get Rich or Die Trying, Shut Em Down, Knocturnal, Muddy Waters, Ready To Die, Illmatic, Life in Cappyland, The Infamous. There's so many more but I'd be here for weeks.
FRANK’S QUESTION FOR THE CULTURE
What was the first hip-hop moment that felt like magic to you? Drop the song, artist, show or memory in the comments.
Stay inside the Indie Stream universe: listen to Indie Stream Radio Live, subscribe to Indie Stream Radio on YouTube, submit your music, or advertise with The Streamline.
Comments
Post a Comment