Roxanne’s Revenge: Roxanne Shanté – 1984
Hey, y’all! ceetay here! Okay, let’s cut to my lame excuse. I had to move
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What is up, y’all! ceetay here! I’m getting us ready to travel back to the precise year that has inspired me to create the Rap Waveback Machine. It’s the year when the real Doc Brown and Marty McFly time travelled into the hearts and minds of millions of movie goers in Back To The Future. The year when Live Aid, an all day superstar-studded concert against Ethiopian famine, was broadcasted worldwide. The year Nike’s bet, naming their new Air Jordan sneakers after an unknown shooting forward, paid off when Michael Jordan won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year. C’mon, grab your neon socks. We’re going back to 1985!
Ready to hit the play button? Alright! Let’s hit it!
This was one of the few jams I heard first on daytime radio. The intro had the usual formula. It began strong with steady drum machine beats, well placed synthesized cords and energetic record scratching from Fab Five Freddy’s 1982 hit Change The Beat. What came next had me thinking, “Am I hearing what I think I’m hearing?” Whoever thought “The Duke” John Wayne had a hidden talent as an emcee five years after his death? No one, that’s who. Check that, it was one guy. In this case, a black guy, Shawn Brown, who impersonated John Wayne well enough for Rappin’ Duke to become a hit. The song was #73 on the Billboard chart. While Weird Al’s Eat It, I Lost On Jeopardy, and Like A Surgeon parodies captured more people’s attention, Rappin’ Duke was a tremendous gamble because in 1985 bacause Rap was in the middle of seismic change from party/feel good music to stripped down beats and rhymes from rappers who only let their mothers see them smile. Fortunately for Shawn, Rappin’ Duke was the perfect blend of both.
Shawn had to straddle a fine line between matching John Wayne’s cadence and methodical drawl and proving The Duke can hold his own against Kurtis Blow and Run DMC. I thought it cool to hear John Wayne in a way I never unexpected. Looking back, the rugged cowboy bragging and boasting throughout the six minute track sounded hard enough for the serious rap fans. It was also silly enough to keep casual listeners laughing and singing along to one of the most infectious hooks: “Da Ha, Da Haaa. Da Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Haaaa”.
I can’t help but recall a certain section of the record where “The Duke” had the rhyming structure like… I can’t believe I’m saying this… Rakim. Now, hear me out!! Before you grab your keyboard to roast me, let me explain.
Of course, comparing John Wayne to Rakim is an absurd comparison. However, let’s examine this deeper. The following two examples display how The Duke and Rakim described their superiority over their competition. Check these out:
Two hundres punks, well, what ya gonna do?/
I got two six shooters that’ll see me through/
That’s twelve dead/
and a hundred and eighty-eight pallbearers/
I take seven emcees, put ‘em in a line/
And add seven more brothers who think they can rhyme/
Well, it’ll take seven more before I go for mine/
Now that’s twenty-one emcees ate up at the same time/
Again, I get Rappin’ Duke is a parody and Check Out My Melody is straight up serious. The point is both sets of rhymes laid out a clear example of why they are the best at what they do. Shawn did what comedians during their stand-up routine. He acted out how John Wayne would’ve said as an emcee in the mid-80s. Rakim’s lyrics were also an example of how emcees’ rhymes became more complex in two years time.
If Rappin’ Duke was all about proving how John Wayne can win rap battles, the record wouldn’t have been as fun. Yeah, it was important for Shawn Brown to lay the groundwork for John Wayne to earn his street cred, but Shawn also had to make people laugh. Great way to do that was sprinkling in a few mini-parodies. He rapped about then President Ronald Reagan hitching a ride to move from Hollywood to Washington, D.C. in the style of The Ballad of Jed Clampett (Beverly Hillbillies TV Theme). It was clever since Reagan was a B-list actor turned U.S. President. Another parody was John Wayne aiming to rock Aretha Franklin ‘cause that’s all he wanted to do like Melle Mel rapped to Chaka Khan on the 1984 mega-hit, I Feel For You. Then The Duke signed off like Sugar Hill Gang’s Wonder Mike, “Skiddely-be-bop, we-bop, Scooby-Doo/ Guess what, America? We love you”.
I had already been a fan of a new TV show called, Moonlighting. The classic series starred Cybill Shepherd and a newcomer, Bruce Willis. What appealed to me most was how different it was from the numerous detective shows that were as inescapable as seeing Starbucks on every corner today. After an incredibly short first season, for a network TV show, I eagerly awaited the second season premiere in 1986. Minutes passed until I had that “Am I hearing what I think I’m hearing?” sensation. The frantic 80s rock inspired score was abruptly cut short by Rappin’ Duke? The next scene cut to a tall, lanky white guy rapping his Rich and Thin story over the Rappin’ Duke instrumental. It wasn’t to the delight of the bored, old people scattered throughout the hotel audience, but it was a huge delight for me.
I kept thinking “How do they know about this song?” In 1986, Rap was still unknown to the masses and it shocked me that any Hollywood production would take the time to know this song existed. The main musical go-to’s followed the Miami Vice method of choosing Pop and Rock hits in each episode. When any TV show did include Rap or another form of Hip Hop, like Breakdancing, it was underwhelming and lame. It wasn’t taken seriously. Or a typical show would’ve brought in rising stars for a cringey cameo to tell the audience, “See! We’re so cool and hip, we know who Run DMC are!” Yet, Moonlighting, a show about a broke supermodel teaming up with an even more broke private detective, had the guts to give a damn and take a chance to use something many people never heard.
I was also impressed at how they used the song. The producers could’ve stuck it in a scene that had no significance. Moonlighting used this song to introduce a much anticipated new season AND to introduce a new recurring character. Why is this a big deal? TV viewership is usually much higher for season premieres. The Brother, Can You Spare A Blonde? episode didn’t disappoint.
The instrumental track helped describe who Richie Addison (played by Charles Rocket) was. It set up Richie’s desire to be seen as cool and cutting edge. What was more cutting edge in 1986 than rapping about your life’s story? As the scene continued, we saw the truth. Richie’s awkwardness gave way. He kept bumping into the two dancers (Poppers/Lockers), which didn’t inspire his tiny audience to pay attention. Some of them got up and left. After this scene, I not only loved, but also respected Moonlighting more for taking the extra effort to use Rap in a more meaningful way.
The impact of Rappin’ Duke has endured more than I expected. Then again, I’m not. What Shawn Brown did was rare. He managed to do what AI-generated songs are trying to do now. He combined an unlikely voice to a musical genre John Wayne would never listen to, and still sound authentic enough to get a shout out 9 years later from the late, great Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls (Juicy, 1994). Shawn created a rap parody Rodney Dangerfield wished he ever could. And no, I won’t be covering Rappin’ Rodney in a later post. Ever. I’ll be too busy singing: “Da ha, da ha. Da Ha, ha, ha, ha, haaa”.
Ready to head back to 2023? No? Why? You want more soda? More New Coke?? I don’t know if your DNA or the molecules in your taste buds have being altered. Either way, I gotta get you back to 2023. Now!
We’re back. Before we get out of the machine I need you to drink this. You like it? Good, it’s the regular Coke. Whew! I thought your taste buds were permanently damaged. Look, I get you’re curious. Just… just be on your guard from now on. I don’t want repeat of what almost happened when you picked up those Kerbangers (aka Clackers). They almost knocked you upside your head!
It’s best for you to go home and chill out. When you’re up to it, I’ll drop a few links below. they’ll keep you busy ‘til we meet next time. I’m ceetay, your time travel guide to the old school. Catcha next time! Seeeee Yaaaaa!
In between much needed time travel arrangements, and maintenance, ceetay’s off-time consists of sitcom TV watching, Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream eating and gathering thoughts and information about old school music that have been either forgotten or buried under mountains of predatory corporate copyright claims. If you ever find yourself standing close enough, you might catch ceetay muttering, “If creativity is not allowed to be inspired by its history, culture will inevitably lose its meaning.”
What is up, y’all! ceetay here! I’m getting us ready to travel back to the precise year that has inspired me to create the Rap Waveback Machine. It’s the year when the real Doc Brown and Marty McFly time travelled into the hearts and minds of millions of movie goers in Back To The Future. The year when Live Aid, an all day superstar-studded concert against Ethiopian famine, was broadcasted worldwide. The year Nike’s bet, naming their new Air Jordan sneakers after an unknown shooting forward, paid off when Michael Jordan won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year. C’mon, grab your neon socks. We’re going back to 1985!
Ready to hit the play button? Alright! Let’s hit it!
This was one of the few jams I heard first on daytime radio. The intro had the usual formula. It began strong with steady drum machine beats, well placed synthesized cords and energetic record scratching from Fab Five Freddy’s 1982 hit Change The Beat. What came next had me thinking, “Am I hearing what I think I’m hearing?” Whoever thought “The Duke” John Wayne had a hidden talent as an emcee five years after his death? No one, that’s who. Check that, it was one guy. In this case, a black guy, Shawn Brown, who impersonated John Wayne well enough for Rappin’ Duke to become a hit. The song was #73 on the Billboard chart. While Weird Al’s Eat It, I Lost On Jeopardy, and Like A Surgeon parodies captured more people’s attention, Rappin’ Duke was a tremendous gamble because in 1985 bacause Rap was in the middle of seismic change from party/feel good music to stripped down beats and rhymes from rappers who only let their mothers see them smile. Fortunately for Shawn, Rappin’ Duke was the perfect blend of both.
Shawn had to straddle a fine line between matching John Wayne’s cadence and methodical drawl and proving The Duke can hold his own against Kurtis Blow and Run DMC. I thought it cool to hear John Wayne in a way I never unexpected. Looking back, the rugged cowboy bragging and boasting throughout the six minute track sounded hard enough for the serious rap fans. It was also silly enough to keep casual listeners laughing and singing along to one of the most infectious hooks: “Da Ha, Da Haaa. Da Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Haaaa”.
I can’t help but recall a certain section of the record where “The Duke” had the rhyming structure like… I can’t believe I’m saying this… Rakim. Now, hear me out!! Before you grab your keyboard to roast me, let me explain.
Of course, comparing John Wayne to Rakim is an absurd comparison. However, let’s examine this deeper. The following two examples display how The Duke and Rakim described their superiority over their competition. Check these out:
Two hundres punks, well, what ya gonna do?/
I got two six shooters that’ll see me through/
That’s twelve dead/
and a hundred and eighty-eight pallbearers/
I take seven emcees, put ‘em in a line/
And add seven more brothers who think they can rhyme/
Well, it’ll take seven more before I go for mine/
Now that’s twenty-one emcees ate up at the same time/
Again, I get Rappin’ Duke is a parody and Check Out My Melody is straight up serious. The point is both sets of rhymes laid out a clear example of why they are the best at what they do. Shawn did what comedians during their stand-up routine. He acted out how John Wayne would’ve said as an emcee in the mid-80s. Rakim’s lyrics were also an example of how emcees’ rhymes became more complex in two years time.
If Rappin’ Duke was all about proving how John Wayne can win rap battles, the record wouldn’t have been as fun. Yeah, it was important for Shawn Brown to lay the groundwork for John Wayne to earn his street cred, but Shawn also had to make people laugh. Great way to do that was sprinkling in a few mini-parodies. He rapped about then President Ronald Reagan hitching a ride to move from Hollywood to Washington, D.C. in the style of The Ballad of Jed Clampett (Beverly Hillbillies TV Theme). It was clever since Reagan was a B-list actor turned U.S. President. Another parody was John Wayne aiming to rock Aretha Franklin ‘cause that’s all he wanted to do like Melle Mel rapped to Chaka Khan on the 1984 mega-hit, I Feel For You. Then The Duke signed off like Sugar Hill Gang’s Wonder Mike, “Skiddely-be-bop, we-bop, Scooby-Doo/ Guess what, America? We love you”.
I had already been a fan of a new TV show called, Moonlighting. The classic series starred Cybill Shepherd and a newcomer, Bruce Willis. What appealed to me most was how different it was from the numerous detective shows that were as inescapable as seeing Starbucks on every corner today. After an incredibly short first season, for a network TV show, I eagerly awaited the second season premiere in 1986. Minutes passed until I had that “Am I hearing what I think I’m hearing?” sensation. The frantic 80s rock inspired score was abruptly cut short by Rappin’ Duke? The next scene cut to a tall, lanky white guy rapping his Rich and Thin story over the Rappin’ Duke instrumental. It wasn’t to the delight of the bored, old people scattered throughout the hotel audience, but it was a huge delight for me.
I kept thinking “How do they know about this song?” In 1986, Rap was still unknown to the masses and it shocked me that any Hollywood production would take the time to know this song existed. The main musical go-to’s followed the Miami Vice method of choosing Pop and Rock hits in each episode. When any TV show did include Rap or another form of Hip Hop, like Breakdancing, it was underwhelming and lame. It wasn’t taken seriously. Or a typical show would’ve brought in rising stars for a cringey cameo to tell the audience, “See! We’re so cool and hip, we know who Run DMC are!” Yet, Moonlighting, a show about a broke supermodel teaming up with an even more broke private detective, had the guts to give a damn and take a chance to use something many people never heard.
I was also impressed at how they used the song. The producers could’ve stuck it in a scene that had no significance. Moonlighting used this song to introduce a much anticipated new season AND to introduce a new recurring character. Why is this a big deal? TV viewership is usually much higher for season premieres. The Brother, Can You Spare A Blonde? episode didn’t disappoint.
The instrumental track helped describe who Richie Addison (played by Charles Rocket) was. It set up Richie’s desire to be seen as cool and cutting edge. What was more cutting edge in 1986 than rapping about your life’s story? As the scene continued, we saw the truth. Richie’s awkwardness gave way. He kept bumping into the two dancers (Poppers/Lockers), which didn’t inspire his tiny audience to pay attention. Some of them got up and left. After this scene, I not only loved, but also respected Moonlighting more for taking the extra effort to use Rap in a more meaningful way.
The impact of Rappin’ Duke has endured more than I expected. Then again, I’m not. What Shawn Brown did was rare. He managed to do what AI-generated songs are trying to do now. He combined an unlikely voice to a musical genre John Wayne would never listen to, and still sound authentic enough to get a shout out 9 years later from the late, great Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls (Juicy, 1994). Shawn created a rap parody Rodney Dangerfield wished he ever could. And no, I won’t be covering Rappin’ Rodney in a later post. Ever. I’ll be too busy singing: “Da ha, da ha. Da Ha, ha, ha, ha, haaa”.
Ready to head back to 2023? No? Why? You want more soda? More New Coke?? I don’t know if your DNA or the molecules in your taste buds have being altered. Either way, I gotta get you back to 2023. Now!
We’re back. Before we get out of the machine I need you to drink this. You like it? Good, it’s the regular Coke. Whew! I thought your taste buds were permanently damaged. Look, I get you’re curious. Just… just be on your guard from now on. I don’t want repeat of what almost happened when you picked up those Kerbangers (aka Clackers). They almost knocked you upside your head!
It’s best for you to go home and chill out. When you’re up to it, I’ll drop a few links below. they’ll keep you busy ‘til we meet next time. I’m ceetay, your time travel guide to the old school. Catcha next time! Seeeee Yaaaaa!
In between much needed time travel arrangements, and maintenance, ceetay’s off-time consists of sitcom TV watching, Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream eating and gathering thoughts and information about old school music that have been either forgotten or buried under mountains of predatory corporate copyright claims. If you ever find yourself standing close enough, you might catch ceetay muttering, “If creativity is not allowed to be inspired by its history, culture will inevitably lose its meaning.”
Hey, y’all! ceetay here! Okay, let’s cut to my lame excuse. I had to move
Wassup! ceetay here, the Doc Brown to your Marty McFly. Okay, I’ll just cut to