Saturday, September 10, 2011

The influence of TV, or more specifically MTV

Like most people in my generation, I was heavily influenced by MTV. Most of us here at G:TB had the good fortune of growing up at a time when MTV actually regularly broadcast music videos. As opposed to the awful reality programming it’s now known for. As Zman mentioned earlier this week, its easy to forget just how great Yo! MTV Raps (and many other musical genre specific programs of that era, i.e. Headbanger’s Ball, 120 Minutes, etc.) was during its heyday. Nearly all of the great hip hop artists of the late 80s and early 90s debuted in some form or fashion on Yo! I regularly scheduled my Friday nights around being in front of a TV in order to watch Yo! , as it was often my only chance to see the videos for all of my favorite hip hop artists (For some reason BET was only broadcast after 8 pm on my local cable carrier at the time, so I was deprived the pleasure of watching Rap City at this juncture of my life).

Not surprisingly, I was influenced by much of what I saw in these hip hop videos. I’m not different than many white kids who fell in love with hip hop in their teen years and were subsequently enamored with a culture that was far different than what they knew in their everyday lives. While I didn’t go overboard with my mimicry like many, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t draw on some of these videos for use in my everyday life (like say switching from joints to blunts for a period of time in the mid 90s).



One of the most popular, influential and memorable videos of this era was Nuthin' but a G Thang, the lead single from Dr. Dre’s debut album The Chronic. It was, and still is, an iconic song. On top of that, the video was fantastic and full of memorable imagery. Everything from a young Warren G giddily smoking a joint to a buxom female having her top yanked off during a volleyball to a refrigerator filled to the brim with 40s of Olde English and many, many more. And while all these scenes are burned into my memory, nothing in this video stuck with me like one of the first images of the video. That image? Snoop Dogg’s sweatshirt.

You see, I grew up in a small beach community known as Indian Harbour Beach, or the “IHB” as I half-jokingly referred to it. Immediately upon seeing Snoop’s “LBC” sweatshirt, I promised myself that one day I would have an IHB version of Snoop’s sweatshirt. Well, thanks to a lazy summer Saturday and too much free time on my own hands, that day was Tuesday. That’s when the greatest sweatshirt I’ve ever owned arrived in the mail. Behold:



Now I just have to wait two months until it gets cold enough for me to wear it.

83 comments:

Whitney said...

So much drama in LBC.

I loved 120 Minutes. So lame what MTV has become, but like Ray Davies said, give the people what they want. If Americans weren't tuning in, they wouldn't be airing it.

Whitney said...

Oh, and here's a dear diary moment for G:TB...

Last night I attended the wedding of Ian, one of our fraternity brothers who happened also to be my stepbrother once upon a time. Ian and I hang out regularly, but until last night I had not seen his dad - the guy who was my stepdad and lived with me from when I was 10 until when I went to college - in 19 years. Surreal. Awesome dude, like nothing changed, although he had trouble recognizing me with the extra 40 pounds and balding pate.

T.J. said...

Hungover.
Water.
Coffee.
BBQ.
Booze.

Also, we are very much the minority in Memphis this weekend, more than usual. Go google Southern Heritage Classic.

T.J. said...

Danimal, Denard Robinson is going to destroy ND again tonight, isn't he?

Dave said...

nice job mark-- poignant to see a dream like that realized. i hope you get some bad weather soon.

Mark said...

My first two CFB bets of the year are in. Notre Dame and Bama. Going to feel very strange rooting for those two programs.

And TJ, I do not need to google the Southern Heritage Classic. I know exactly what it is. Not unlike the Florida Classic (Bethune-Cookman v. FAMU0 which takes place in Orlando every fall. Downtown Orlando is a complete shitshow the night of that event. A fun shitshow, but a shitshow nonetheless.

rob said...

what's the bama line? i'm a little concerned about the qb situation.

mayhugh said...

Wisconsin looks pretty scary. A lot more speed on the defensive front 7 than I would have thought.

And, go Toledo.

Marls said...

Any of you folks heading to the skins game tomorrow? The marlsette and I will be there with bells on.

Danimal said...

Tj....maybe. Who the Fuck knows. Their d was pretty good last week tho. As was their o.
Also have a wager on bama and many do like that nd line. I've got enough stress in my Saturday as it is so won't be touching it.

Mark said...

Rob, Bama -13. Steep but I think Penn State is awful. I know their QBs are worse than awful. I understand your concern about Bama's QB situation but I'm not of the opinion that the Nittany Lions can put them in a position to worry much about their production.

rob said...

choke a bitch is living up to his name in flushing meadows. unimpressive performance for the top seed.

rob said...

also, dan mullen's letting me down. mark, see if you can call somebody.

Mark said...

I no longer acknowledge or claim Dan Mullen. Not after he beat UF in the Swamp last year running a pee wee league offense.

Though I did briefly consider wagering on his Bulldogs this afternoon. Happy I help back on that one.

rob said...

just sent a message to a friend named george. it took great concentration to leave 'h' out of his name.

T.J. said...

Memphis fans in this bar are enjoying the Miss St loss quite a bit after last week's asskicking

Danimal said...

I got bama giving 9.5.....color me fortunate. Just getting my tv on.

mayhugh said...

what was up with Miss St playcalling at the end there?

Mark said...

Les Miles hacked into Dan Mullen's headset.

Danimal said...

2 things that really grind my gears. the papa john's guy and bumper stickers that say "save the ta ta's"...

zman said...

How is Novak Djokovic like Wayne Brady?

Danimal said...

one other random thought that is a recommendation for those of you that imbibe. ron zacapa rum. buy it. drink it. love it. drink w/nothing else. and thank me later.

Danimal said...

refs look bamboozled on this fumble call. and it's a fumble. much needed - that is a SHIT fucking call.

Mark said...

I know the Federer-Djokovic match is really, really good but I can only watch so much. There is an embarrassment of football riches on TV right now.

zman said...

This shit is bananas

Danimal said...

z - do tell how djok is like wayne brady. am now watching but can only do so for so long, b/c of what mark said....

and if you wanna see bananas...see below...

http://youtu.be/7EChnZTJicw

Mark said...

Federer's shoes are sweet. I play ball in low tops. I want them.

Mark said...

Wow. That point was AWESOME.

zman said...

Bananas.

Mark said...

Z- Why is Puffy sitting in Djokovic's box?

TR said...

Zman: is it as bananas as finding out you personally named one of your cats Simone?

zman said...

Djokovic only drinks the finest breast milks.

zman said...

The Wayne Brady thing was just a follow up to rob's choke a bitch joke.

Danimal said...

right. well as you know, i'm real, real slow.
predictions: bama wins by a lot & sc/ga goes down to the last series. at least that's what i'm hoping.

zman said...

CBS just used a Black Keys/RZA/Pharaohe Monch song to start their Rafael Nadal segment. Rather incongruous.

rob said...

wayne bradyvic owes me money for firing him up.

rob said...

i've been less than impressed with alabama's offense

Mark said...

I have to agree with you, Rob. Bama seems to lack playmakers on the outside.

Mark said...

When you understand just how much Steve Spurrier hates Georgia, this South Carolina-Georgia game becomes so much more compelling.

Mark said...

Alabama would make me a lot more comfortable if they could tack on one more TD.

rob said...

stand by, mark. i'll jinx 'em for you.

really don't like the way bama's closing this out.

rob said...

anyone catch the old dude in the houndstooth pants? want those pants.

zman said...

I would start at Bonobos.com.

Danimal said...

so federer - a mental midget?

ga / sc...good stuff

T.J. said...

GA/SC is indeed fun...lots of big plays by dudes who will add "depth" to NFL rosters at some point in their careers

T.J. said...

I am tone deaf. And retarded. And drunk. But goddamit if I didn't just whistle the shit out of "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" for an entire bar

Danimal said...

i'm pretty sure we just saw the first re-airing of the wrangler ad w/favre since pre-penis pics. way to go brett!

T.J. said...

Danimal loves penis

Danimal said...

not sure how the teej gets and football viewing in w/his prolithic tweeting. he's really taken it to the next level.

Danimal said...

another prediction...turnover here on this drive

Danimal said...

holy shit...swear to ya i typed that before that happened.

T.J. said...

Danimal. I need Irish updates tonite since I am falling into a well of Beale St drunky

zman said...

Samantha Stosur has either a penis or massive amounts of PED's coursing through her body.

zman said...

In fact, "Stosur's Penis" could be the brother blog to "Sharapova's Thigh".

Danimal said...

the teej...do you prefer the updates via twitter or gtb?

zman said...

I know nothing about wine but you should get yourself a bottle of Ruca Malen 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon to enjoy with a well-marinated flank steak, potatos au gratin, and spinach.

T.J. said...

Twitter please...for some reason my phone makes it tough to use gtb

Danimal said...

ga should have kicked it there. just my opinion.

Danimal said...

brian kelly just bitched out erin andrews.

zman said...

Andy Murray does not read G:TB, else he would know that drop shots are futile against Nadal.

Danimal said...

brent musberger just said tommy rees w/3rd down...

Danimal said...

loving the brian kelly ensemble...shit is tight!

rob said...

digging the old school adidas logos on the irish. i'm a very simple man.

Danimal said...

this tx/byu game is going to be a good one too. cfb is my friend.

Danimal said...

just noticed the refs are wearing throwbacks as well...tam o'shanters. they came to game after their round of golf at oakland hills

Danimal said...

biased yes, but michael floyd is the shiznit

Danimal said...

fuuuuuuuck.
brian kelly working hard to be non-ballistic on sidelines.

Danimal said...

just waiting for the next turnover. it's almost inevitable isn't it?

Danimal said...

i bet berman and palmer eat at applebees all the time

Danimal said...

take the hair off of denard and he is desmond howard

rob said...

asparagus pee!

Danimal said...

rees loves calling timeout

Shlara said...

I like the throw backs. You guys have no fashion sense

Mark said...

Rees is killing me. How is Notre Dame going to eventually lose this game?

That's not a rhetorical question. They're going to lose, I'm just wondering how at this point.

Shlara said...

Another FNL like game script for college football

Mark said...

Music's not as good though, Shlara,

T.J. said...

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

Shlara said...

Michigan needs Coach Taylor now

Danimal said...

it's great being 2 games into the season and already saying, "maybe next year" fucking joke

Mark said...

Coach Taylor showed up, Shlara. And my $ disappeared.

Danimal said...

seeking out more pain today by going to the jags game.

ntsf:sd:suv is the show on after children's hospital. also good and only 15 minutes

Mr KQ said...

your boy hightower is bringing it in the pregame analysis of ireland - u.s. game. very solid. and a kickin suit -

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