Run DMC

Rather!

The first installment of Chap-Hop superstar Mr.B the Gentleman Rhymer's 'Histories' series. The history of hip-hop. In five minutes. On the banjolele. Chap-Hop hoorah!

Featuring more than satisfactory musical renditions of Sugarhill Gang, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, LL Cool J, De La Soul, and Eminem. What what.

Via @dropdeadsuit (aka Modern Hiker). Smashing!

Do you remember that band Dada, in the national eye in the early 90s with the hit "Dizz Knee Land"?

I just flipped off President George / I'm going to dizz knee land

Anyhow, you will of course know of one of the greatest bands of the 90s (perhaps all time), Soundgarden.

Okay, have those two in your head?

The single by lostprophets, "Shinobi vs. Dragon Ninja", sounds like Dada and Soundgarden had a love child, with some gratuitous, albeit really subdued scratching thrown in at the end of the song as an apparent afterthought. I like it, oddly enough. :)

Speaking of scratching, I was thinking earlier today how revolutionary the Run DMC/Aerosmith collaboration was back in the day, if for no other reason than having scratching in a rock song. Nowadays, it seems like you don't hear a rock song without scratching.

Jam-Master's on a move, but his sounds will stay

Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
He's a one man band, in his own right
Jam-Master jams to the broad daylight
No instruments needed, just two record players
A stage, a crowd, and two rhyme-sayers
The creed is to hear, so have no fear
Definition defined, the position is clear
You couldn't be late, hesitate to debate
Jam-Master is here, and you could not wait
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
Now he's the Jam-Master, and we're the MCs
Like lightning and thunder, we're knocking down trees
While sucker DJs are busting out seeds
My man Jam-Master scratching hard crossings
So why don't you listen, or you'll be missin'
The cuts and the scratches, bass, treble and the mission
The force and the power, coming hour after hour
So get up off the wall, don't you be a wall flower
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
The alert is red, this is what we said
The meaning of Master means he's our head
The meaning of Jam is a big party
The records that he plays for the crowds of plenty
And when he comes on, the crowd goes off
It's all hard rock, there's nothing soft
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
He has a little soul, to rock n' roll
Every record that he touches turns to gold
He's well conducted, self-instructed
His styles were plied, heavily constructed
Mechanically inclined, and if you don't mind
We add spice to your life, time after time
And think about times, where he's a long laster
We rock our rhymes for the Jam-Master
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
His name's Jam-Master, call him Jay
The crowd goes wild when he starts to play
Everything is correct, and A-OK
Jam-Master's on a move, but his sounds will stay
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
From end to start, start to end
Not only does he scratch, but he's our friend
We could not wait to let you see
The things that he does for D and me
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam
Couldn't wait to see Jam-Master jammin'
Couldn't wait to see the master jam

Using iChat Sounds in Adium

After my rant yesterday about switching back from iChat to Adium, I realized that I missed the former's soundset, as compared to the cute (for the first couple of days) sounds of the latter. :) I tracked down iChat's .aiff files to this directory:

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/InstantMessage.framework/Versions/A/Resources/

There are six .aiff files there:

Buddy Logging In.aiff
Buddy Logging Out.aiff
Invitation.aiff
Logged In.aiff
Received Message.aiff
Sent Message.aiff

Copy those files to this directory:

~/Library/Application Support/Adium/Custom Files/Sounds/

then open up Adium's preferences. Under the Other section, you'll find Sounds. Assign the appropriate sounds with the pop-up menus (the six sounds will apply to the 8 menus well enough), et voila! Spiffy soundset in a spiffier IM client.

RIP Jam Master

I can't even believe this. Fuck.