| Friday, June 11 |
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Jannus Live is going back to school — old school, that is. The Lisa Lisa/Rob Base show in May blew up, drawing 1,800 revelers into the courtyard. Tying in again with First Friday, Old Skool 2 presents hip-hop pioneers Sugarhill Gang and pop-R&B singer Shannon, who gave us the indelible 1983 hit “Let the Music Play.”
Again, it’s a low-dough show, with tickets priced at $12 advance, $15 day of show.
Chances are, the first time people living outside of New York City heard hip-hop was Sugarhill Gang’s 1979 hit “Rapper’s Delight,” where three guys spit rhymes over the instrumental track of Chic’s disco hit “Good Times.” Most people dismissed “Rapper’s Delight” as a mere novelty; little did they know that it signaled the coming of a major cultural shift that would permeate the globe.
Even people who weren’t born when “Rapper’s Delight” came out are still aware of its historical significance, not to mention that it’s simply a fun, memorable tune. Sugarhill Gang — Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank and Master Gee — are back out entertaining crowds with their signature hit and numerous other lively old-school rap numbers.
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Shannon’s “Let the Music Play” was a seminal tune in “freestyle” music, a mixture of funk, pop, Latin and hip-hop that took hold in the 1980s. Although she never quite matched the smash success of that single, she scored several more dance and R&B hits, among them “Give Me Tonight,” “My Heart’s Divided,” “Sweet Somebody” and “Do You Wanna Get Away.”
In the years since, Shannon’s vocal chops and onstage charisma have not diminished.








3 Comments
Nice blog!!! I love Old School R&B!!
Let’s do this! brings back old memories!
I was so excited when I head this advertised today-totally brings back wonderful memories of Curtis Hixon Hall!-I am SOOOOO there!