I remember when this used to come after Soul Train on Channel 5 (when it was simply called KTLA, way before it became The WB CW), and whenever it came on during the holidays I used to pause everything to watch with fam. And as always, if you’re digging this, hit up Gangstarr Girl for a fresh take on hip-hop, politics, fashion and other worldly and wordy things through the eyes of a New York-helmed around-the-way girl. Without further adeiu…

1978

Starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson (before he was a monster), Nipsey Russell and Richard Pryor. You already know what The Wiz was all about. It was The Wizard of Oz but with soul! The movie was an adaptation of the 1975 Broadway musical originally starring Stephanie Mills as Dorothy.

This was a long trailer but did you watch it all the way through? Did you peep it at about 2:25, when they were singing “Brand New Day?” That was New York City, especially Harlem, when Obama won. And I’m not even gonna pretend like I wasn’t amongst those people wilding in the streets jumping, dancing and singing for joy (OK, maybe I wasn’t singing lol).

Soundtrack:

The soundtrack featured original compositions from Quincy Jones and Charlie Smalls, who scored the play.

*Gangstarr Fact
I was vocal major at a performing arts high school in NYC (the “Fame” school) and on my first day in voice 1, I had to sing a song so the teacher could assess my vocal ability. I sang the Stephanie Mills version of “Home.” *blushes*

This isn’t even a movie than it is a genre-changing classic. This should definitely be in everybody’s video stash. And as always, if you’re digging this, hit up Gangstarr Girl for a fresh take on hip-hop, politics, fashion and other worldly and wordy things through the eyes of a New York-helmed around-the-way girl. Without further adeiu…

1975

Soundtrack:

The soundtrack features songs by soul legends like Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson,and Lamont Dozier. It inspired Boyz II Men’s 1991 album, CooleyHighHarmony.

Their version of “It’s so Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” is a remake of the Freddie Perren original. I couldn’t find the original version but you can catch it at the end of Cooley High (where it gets kinda sad *tear drop*) however, enjoy the Boyz II Men version below:

Yesterday I brought you part one of Malik-16’s mixtape, now here is part two of his How To Make A Mixtape series. And don’t forget to check out Gangstarr Girl for more info as week on duke. Tracklist and link under the cut…

01 THE Intro
02 Frenchie
03 Sign Me!
04 Burn Baby Burn (Disco Inferno)
05 Hang Over
06 Ladies Night
07 StreetLife
08 Use Me f. Shak-C
09 About Me
10 The Glow
11 Bleeding Season f. Brandon Carter
12 Feel Harmonic
13 Deeper & Deeeper (Manhattan Worldwide) f. Sol-Leks & K.lio
14 Stick Yourself
15 Come With Me f. Franchesca-Mil
16 RollBounce f. W@ve & Sol-Leks

DOWNLOAD: DJ E. Nyce & Malik-16 Present – How To Make A Mixtape Vol. 2: Disco Inferno (Mixtape)

Here is the first part of Malik-16’s double album mixtape, Who Doesn’t Rap?, hosted by the homie Starr of Gangstarr Girl. And be sure to check out her site for more on the Harlem rapper, as she’s in the middle of Malik-16 week. Tracklist and link under the cut.

01 Starr’s Intro
02 Cassette Feel (How To Make A Mixtape)
03 Jackin’ For Flows
04 Homicide
05 Dairy Queen
06 Police Is Watchin’ f. K.Lio
07 Back Out
08 Sunshine
09 30 N Over
10 Premo
11 Daddy’s Caddy
12 Fuck Who You Wit f. A.Pinks
13 I’ll Be Good f. Shak-C
14 Imaginary Player ‘08
15 Like My Style
16 Harlem Son!

DOWNLOAD: DJ E. Nyce & Malik-16 Present – How To Make A Mixtape Vol. 1: Who Doesn’t Rap? (Mixtape)

Malik gives us a brief tour of  the real Harlem, not the stuff most of us who aren’t from there see. Although, the stuff I usually see tends to crack me up every now and then (*coughDipSetthekillerisin4bcough*). Meanwhile, you can check the audio version below, where he flips Jay-Z’s “Where I’m From” into his ode to the real Harlem which is off part one of his How To Make A Mixtape double album, dropping here tomorrow. And check out Gangstarr Girl for more on Malik-16 Week going on over there.

DOWNLOAD: Malik-16 – Harlem Son! | Mediafire

Nevermind the frequent usage to the n-bomb through out his flicks, Quentin Tarantino’s eye and style was truly a stand out. True story: I’ve not seen Pulp Fiction in its entirety, but I’ve watched Kill Bill about five times already. Sue me. And as always, if you’re digging this, hit up Gangstarr Girl for a fresh take on hip-hop, politics, fashion and other worldly and wordy things through the eyes of a New York-helmed around-the-way girl. Without further adeiu…

Year: 1997

Synopsis:
Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is a 44-year-old flight attendant who gets caught smuggling money for her boss–Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson). In order to get the ATF off her back she sets up Ordell with her new friend, a bail bondsman named Max Cherry who falls in love with her. But what the ATF doesn’t know is that they are part of her wild plan to get Ordell’s half-a-million dollars and get off 100% free.

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino

Tarantino is admittedly influenced by blaxploitation films and he even credits rappers for embracing the films, present day. Although the plot in this flick didn’t take place in the 70s (and it obviously wasn’t filmed then), the main characters are basically 70s OGs, and overall elements of the movie reflect that blaxploitation influence. This is Tarantino’s homage to the genre.

Music:
The film opens with the eponymous theme song from Across 110th Street sung by Bobby Womack. That was the only song from a blaxploitation movie soundtrack in the movie but there were other recognizable 70s funk and soul songs by artists like Minnie Riperton, Bill Withers, etc.

DOWNLOAD: Bobby Womack – Across 110th Street | Mediafire

What better way to kick start the weekend that with a tribute to one of the best that ever did it? And as always, if you’re digging this, hit up Gangstarr Girl for a fresh take on hip-hop, politics, fashion and other worldly and wordy things through the eyes of a New York-helmed around-the-way girl. Without further adeiu…

This one is a tribute to Isaac Hayes a.k.a. Black Moses, who not only shaped the musical sound of blaxploitation films after Shaft, but also hip-hop as a plethora of his music has been sampled by various people.

Three Tough Guys (1974)

Although it was an action film (typical of flicks in the genre) it deviated in the sense that a black man teamed up with a white man for the same cause and it wasn’t about getting revenge against “The Man.” This is most likely because it was written and directed by Italians.

Synopsis:
Isaac Hayes plays Lee, a cop removed from the force in what looks like a frame up when $1,000,000 is stolen from the bank. He teams up with his friend Father Charlie (ex con turned priest lol) to get to the bottom of things. It all eventually leads to trouble–the third tough guy played by Fred Williamson.

Facts:
This film was Isaac Hayes’ acting debut.

“I was always attracted to acting…but I never had an opportunity,” said Hayes (taken from What it is…What it Was-Hyperion Books). He added, “The first shot I had was because of my popularity as an entertainer and as a recording artist… [Three Tough Guys] was a learning experience [and] I worked with some talented actors.”

Hayes also scored the movie and soundtrack. You’ll probably recognize this song from some hip-hop samples:

DOWNLOAD: Isaac Hayes – Hung Up On My Baby

The first movie score Isaac Hayes ever did was for Shaft which I featured weeks before his untimely death. Click here for that feature.

Fred Williamson, like Pam Grier, Yaphet Koto, and some others was a star of the genre. One of his most popular films was Black Caesar. Click here for that feature.

If you’re feeling this like I am, be sure to check out Gangstarr Girl for a fresh take on hip-hop, politics and other worldly and wordy things through the eyes of a New York-helmed around-the-way-girl. WIthout further adeiu…

Today’s flick is Shaft. I fucked around and posted it hastily about two weeks ago because it was the 10th post, so I wanted it to be dope (therefore rushing by posting this one) but I left out an important tidbit. Don’t fret, it’s coming. I’ll make things right for unlucky number 13.

1971

Starring: Richard Roundtree

Synopsis: John Shaft is the baddest, most debonair Black detective in Harlem but that comes with price. He first finds himself up against the Black mob, then Black nationals–but those forces eventually unite when they team up to bring down the White mafia who are trying to Blackmail Bumpy (who is very loosely based on Harlem’s real life Bumpy Johnson), leader of the Black mob, by kidnapping his daughter.

Facts: Shaft was directed by Gordon Parks, renowned African-American photographer, composer, author and director. He was the first African-American to make a studio film in 1969 with The Learning Tree.

Shaft’s character was originally written for a white man but replaced with Richard Roundtree on the heels of the success of Melvin Van Peebles’ Sweetback… (which is considered by several people, an avante garde movie that set off the popularity of the genre). The new, melanin enhanced Shaft was the embodiment of the Black Revolutionaries popular in the U.S. at the time.

The original film spawned three remakes, Shaft’s Big Score (1972), Shaft in Africa(1973), and Shaft again (2000), directed by John Singleton, who was admittedly influenced by the flick and other blaxploitation joints.

Music: Unless you grew up in the cave that currently houses Osama B, then you must have heard the theme song at some point in your life. “Shaft” is the lead single from the film, which was entirely scored by Isaac Hayes. Not only was this the first film he ever scored, but he became the first African American to receive an Oscar for Best Musical Score, and he also won a Golden Globe, two Grammys, an NAACP Image Award, and an Edison Award (Europe’s highest award for music).

DOWNLOAD: Isaac Hayes – Theme From “Shaft”

What I missed: Shortly after I posted Shaft, I ended up watching a marathon on TVOne. They showed every Shaft movie back to back, and as I was listening to the theme song that played throughout Shaft in Africa, I thought it sounded familiar. Listen for yourself. I’m not going to give any hints but you should be ashamed of your self if you’re a hip-hop head and don’t recognize the sample. This one is easy.

DOWNLOAD: Johnny Pate – Shaft In Africa