Library Rock's Backpages

3rd Bass: Derelicts of Dialect (Def Jam/Columbia); Heavy D. & the Boyz: Peaceful Journey (Uptown/MCA)

Jon Young, Musician, September 1991

WHETHER YOU loathe him or merely despise him, Vanilla Ice has cast the entire rap scene in a new light. Now the likes of Heavy D. and even tepid old M.C. Hammer don't seem nearly so weak. And over in the Def Jam camp, imagine how pissed-off MC Serch and Prime Minister Pete Nice of 3rd Bass must be. After working to build credibility as white artists in a mostly black field, along comes an arrogant twit who embodies honky cultural imperialism at its most shameful.

Total word count of piece: 403

Subscribe

Becoming a member is easy. Membership gives you access to all the thousands of articles in the library.

Click here to go to Subscribe page.

Click here for academic and other group subscriptions.