Posts Tagged ‘Treacherous Three’
Click to Buy it From Amazon.Com
DIRECTOR: Clark Santee
PRODUCER: Richard Bencivenga
WRITER: N/A
COMPANY: Music Video Distribution
YEAR- 1984
Description
Brainchild of Michael Holman, this was the pilot for a television program that would showcase the hip hop scene including breakdancing, graffiti, deejays and rappers.
This program is 23 minutes of old school. This program’s purpose was to bring the culture into people’s living rooms. It was the only episode ever filmed.
“The Most Host” Michael Holman (who also was the show’s creator) is quite entertaining throughout. He does his best to explain various aspects of what is going on in the show. He pieces together some very amateurish rhymes to segue into different sections. His best line comes as he describes scratching. He warns “Don’t try this on you’re dad’s stereo- only under hip hop supervision.”
The show features DJ Jimmie Jaz on the wheels of steel. His skills are not exactly legendary, but he doesn’t make any mistakes.
Appearing in a co-host capacity are Kool Moe Dee and Special K of The Treacherous Three would rap the intro and closing to the show as well as the portions into the commercials.
At various times in the show the words “Fresh” and “Chill” and “Word” will randomly show up on the screen. They appear sort of like the words used to appear on the old Batman show- POW! CRUNCH!. If you don’t remember that show, don’t worry about it.
The show runs in a Soul Train format. There are dancers around with the deejay playing various records for them to dance to.
The first live performance is by The New York City Breakers, featuring Powerful Pexter, Mr. Wave, Glide Master, Action, Flip Rock, Lil Lep, Kid Nice, and Icy Ice. They each take time for individual performances on the various platforms throughout the set.
If you ever get a chance to see it watch for a hand to tap the host on the shoulder to turn him around and introduce the Breakers’ performance.
Up next is a blazing performance from the one and only Run DMC clad in their all black leather outfits. They perform “Sucker M.C’s” alongside Jam Master Jay. They switch the lyrics up a bit and trade the rhymes back in forth in true Run DMC fashion.
After they finish the song, the host sets up a small battle between Run DMC and Kool Moe Dee and Special K. The quartet trades rhymes back and forth. Some are obviously pre-written, but check Kool Moe’s tight b-boy stance as he delivers his rhymes directly into the camera.
The last performance is by a female singer named Shannon. I’m not sure of the exact name of the song she sings but I think it is “Give Me Tonight.”
Graf artist “Brim” Fuentes artwork is featured on the set. “DJ Afrika Bambaataa” is given credit as the Music Consultant although he never actually appears on the show.
Overall it is an entertaining show that makes you laugh and reminisce at the same time.
EXTRA FEATURES FROM THE DVD VERSION
1. MC Easy Gee - This is 9 minute freestyle from this emcee and a deejay scratching it up behind him. Pretty nice flow.
2. DJ Jazzy Jay - Various clips of this legendary deejay
3. K-Rob and DJ High Priest - K-Rob goes off with a nice freestyle. Has a b-boy with him on the small stage. Performance is not with a live crowd, but maybe in someone’s house.
4. TV New York - Features clips from this early 80′s television show. Artists, dancers and deejay clips, but no actual rhymes heard
5. Fab 5 Freddy and the Electric Boogie Dancers - Fab 5 throwing down some lyrics while the EB Dancers work out behind him
6. Bronx River Throw Down - Clips from this location, but nothing actually live from the venue, there is simply a song playing over the clips.
7. Futura Deluxe - Graffiti clips and dance clips
8. Doug E Fresh and DJ Chill Will - Doug shows us his beatbox skills with Chill Will backing him up including beatbox renditions of the intros to “Sucker MC’s” and “Billie Jean”
9. TV Magazine Spot - News story from early 80′s features interview with Michael Holman (the man behind Graffiti Rock) and various clips from each of the elements.
Reviews/Comments
This show is for the die hard hip hop fan. A true hip hop and television classic. It makes you think back to when corporate America was hating on this culture that was still in its prime. Apparently, the sponsors didn’t give this show a chance and just basically pulled the plug before it could start. This show is really ahead of its time and there is no other show like it. Forget The Source and MTV because they really don’t know as much about hip hop as they think they do. This show had it all, a live DJ, b-boys, MCs,and a fresh graffiti backdrop. What more could you ask for? The battle between Run D.M.C. and Kool Mo Dee and Special K of The Treacherous Three was pretty good (some of the rhymes I’ve already heard before, but still cool), but Kool Mo Dee had the best line, “I’m the coolest of the cool, they call me Mo Dee”. You can’t get any more old school than that. For you movie and television buffs out there, you can spot actress, Debi Mazar (Law & Order, L.A.Law) as one of the dancers looking extremely fly and fresh. Also check out the styles of dress. You will see shelltop Adidas with New Yorker fat laces, Kangol hats, and Cazals. For those that want to have a good trip back to 1984,check out Graffiti Rock. It may look a little silly to the virgin eyes but it is a hip hop history lesson that you may want to take notes on. Like the show’s opening says,”Graffiti Rock, It’ll give you a shock!”
Submitted by TMGanalog
Check Out the Opening Credits from Graffiti Rock!
Click to Buy it From Amazon.Com
DIRECTOR: Stan Lathan
PRODUCER: Harry Belafonte
WRITER: Andrew Davis
COMPANY: Mgm/Ua Studios
YEAR: 1984
Synopsis
Follows young up and coming deejay in the Bronx, his break dancing younger brother and their friends as they try to move to the top of the hip hop class. Also includes graffiti artist and wife through their troubles leading up to the artists death. Several performances from rappers, deejays, breakers, and graf artists.
PERFORMANCES IN FILM:
Along with several deejay bits by film’s star DJ Double K, there are many other old school performers.
- Us Girls performs in the house party at the beginning of the film. “US Girls, can boogie two…”
- The Roxy segment features Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force + Shango. Here’s a switch from the usual call and responses of the time. Bam has the crowd chant “Emancipation Proclamation.” Jazzy Jay is on the turntables. Check out the crates of records around his set up.
- The Roxy segment also features a battle between The Rock Steady Crew (aka Bronx Rockers) and The New York City Breakers (aka Beat Street Breakers).
- While not performing, Kool Herc plays himself as the owner of the Burning Spear.
- At the Spear, perhaps on the best performances of the film occurs when The Treacherous Three are joined by Doug E. Fresh and The Magnificent Force to perform “Xmas Rap.”
- Although they are relatively unknown, at the Roxy tryout session, I always loved Richard Sisco and Wanda Dee’s performance.
- The Roxy Finale features Melle Mel and The Furious Five (at that time made up of Scorpio, Cowboy, King Louie, Kama Kaze Kid, and Tommy Gunn).
Reviews/Comments
When this first came out, I loved it mostly because of all the breakdance segments, but as I grew up I ended up appreciating the mc/dj performances more. I could watch the “Xmas Rap” with T3 and Doug Fresh over and over. – JG
This is a classic hip hop joint all the elements are there, graff, DJing, MCing, B-Boys and Girls…Loved it then loe it now. I use it to school my children how these new artist got there moves (from the Streets)… DJ Spaz Richmond, Va.
Submitted by DJ Spaz
Check out the Beat Street Finale
T La rock is the brother of Special K in The Treacherous 3 as well as Tone from the MC Crew Style.
His first record was “It’s Yours” which was recorded for Arthur Baker’s Streetwise Records but was the first release in 1984 for Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons Def Jam Records.
“Its Yours” was a double act with “Jazzy Jay on tha Decks”.
1986 and 1987 were arguably his best years. The biggest singles were “Breaking Bells” (produced by DJ Louie Lou and T La Rock) and “Back to Burn”. The album “Lyrical King from the Boogie Down Bronx” came out in 1987 on Sleeping Bag/Fresh Records.
1989 saw the release of a second album called “On a Warpath” which was produced by house music king Todd Terry (also signed to Fresh at the time). One record of note was “T-N off” which sampled “New Rap Language” heavily. The original version of the record, which had taken four months to record, was scrapped in favor of a new Terry production. He had initially come to the Sleeping Bag offices to offer La Rock the chance to rap over one of his productions. The resulting album, which was originally to have included on stage banter and was vaunted to the press as On Tour, contained a much less hardcore, more commercial slant than expected. As a concession to his long-term supporters it also included ‘Its Yours’, which had previously been a much sought after and unobtainable old school classic. Alongside this were excursions into swing beat, and a return to old B-boy styling in ‘Warpath’.
He has returned to as a regular correspondent for Phat Lace magazine in the UK and he made “It’s Yours Pt 2″ on Bad Magic in 2001.
He cut one album, produced by himself, DJ Doc and DJ Mark The 45 King in 1987 for Virgin subsidiary Ten Records . When he resurfaced in the 90s with ‘On The Warpath’, Todd Terry was in the producer’s chair.
There is currently a movie being made about his life.
Information submitted by Ed and barjeilik and dj rawtho and T La Rock himself
Members
Kool Moe Dee (Mohandas Dewese) b.?/?/63
L.A. Sunshine
Special K
DJ Easy Lee (Theodore Moy’e)
This group was founded in the late 70′s and has recorded on and off since that time.
Kool Moe Dee, Special K, and DJ Easy Lee all went to the same high school (Norman Thomas). LA sunshine went to Brandise HS in Manhattan.
The group of high school friends developed a reputation for hip hop around New York. Spoonie Gee introduced them to producer Bobby Robinson, who in turned signed to Enjoy Records.
They also had two other DJs named Dano B and Reggie Reg.
Their first single was released in 1980 and was called “The New Rap Language.” This single showcased a much faster style of rhyming that they would perfect and continue to use throughout their career.
On “Body Rock” they became the first hip hop group to use guitars in a song.
They did two other singles on Enjoy before moving to Sugar Hill Records in 1981 where they continued to record for the next few years. They became a force in the hip hop world and participated in several battles for MC supremacy.
Kool Moe Dee and Special K appeared as co-hosts on the short lived television show “Graffiti Rock” in 1984. They battled Run DMC and also performed the segue into commercials.
The group had an excellent cameo in Beat Street with their song “Xmas Rap” which featured a young Doug E. Fresh.
They did break up in he mid 80′s and Kool Moe feeling he still had what it took struck out on his own.
Special K put out a 12″ on Republic Records in 1987 which was called “Special K Is Good” which sounded really close to something his brother TLA Rock was putting out at the time.
The group resurfaced in 1993 to do a reunion album on Easy Lee’s label. Easy Lee has also gone on to produce other current groups.
Check out Treacherous Three Live at Disco Fever in 1981
Additional info by Ed Roberts