from the LP In Full Gear, Tommy Boy Records, 1988This is a celebratory song, and I am in a very fucking celebratory mood, because today was the last full day of class for the semester---now I just have a week’s worth of grading to get through and I’m home-free! I don’t think students realize that their teachers are looking forward to the break as much (if not more…) as they are, I know I overlooked that reality when I was still in school. With roots stretching all the way back to hip-hop’s genesis, it was on this golden era classic that Brooklyn-based crew Stetsasonic (doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue does it…?) came completely alive, mixing live instrumentation with minimally choice scratching & sampling, concocting a funky stew that always brings the party. There were several visionary members in the Stets’ ranks, but my easy favorite is Prince Paul, who went on to become one of the most distinctive & idiosyncratic figures in the entire beats-related universe.
