Around 1984ish, I discovered Run DMC. During this time, rap was still new to the
world and there was none of it being played the radio. You had to look for
it....in a record store (yes, an actual store that sold wax 12 inch records and
cassette tapes, CD's were just beginning to take off). Even the 'black' radio
stations turned their collective noses up to it and instead played nothing but R
and B. Occasionally, Greensboro's prominent black radio station (at the time)
Power 97 (I think...it's been a while) would play a 'drive time' mix around 5 pm
Monday thru Friday and they'd throw in a little rap such as the Fat Boys (so
long as they were doing a song with the Force M.D.'s.....look it up on YouTube,
it's called the Force M.D.'s meet the Fat Boys). It took until about 1986 for
the radiio to start spinning hip hop (at least in North Carolina). I was at a
friends house who had cable TV (we sure as hell didn't and couldn't even if we
could afford it because it wasn't available in most rural area's) when I saw the
video for "King of Rock". It struck an immediate chord with me. There were these
3 guys, wearing all black, rocking Adidas shell toes with no laces, wearing fat
gold chains, boasting over heavy beats and metal guitar work. Compared to what
was popular at the time (Pop, pop and more pop....it was the 80's), this seemed
so hardcore and edgy. I was sold immediately. I promptly found my way to the
rocord store and purchased their tapes (they had 2 out at the time, their debut
and the "King of Rock" record). I took them home and listened to them over and
over, for hours. I still to this day listen to these albums (digitally now
though, ain't nobody got a cassette player that works anymore ;)) To say that
Run DMC influenced me at an early age is an understatement. Moving forward, it
dramatically changed my fashion sense, opinions on politics and cultural events,
the way I viewed the world and my artwork (I was always the artist). "The
unbeliving, receivin' prophecy so true, I cut the head off the devil and throw
it at you." They were the soundtrack to the beginnings of myself becoming an
adult.
This lighter is available as well as a 5" x 7" magnet.
