Rhymes, Busta (2000-02-23) by Mirek TowskiLIFE Photo Collection
In the immortal words of our beloved Angel above Aaliyah, “if at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself and try again.” When it comes to hip-hop though, even if you do succeed the first time, get as much as you can out of it, then try again.
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Drake, Lil Baby, Future, Lil Wayne, Tupac Shakur, Jay-Z, Eminem, Nas, Notorious B.I.G., Missy Elliott, Lil Kim, Cardi B, The Migos, Gucci Mane, and countless others all have done it. You most likely cannot name any of your favorite rappers that have not tried hip-hop remix.
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What really took off in the early 1990s, became a hip-hop mainstay that is here forever. Some remixes are a totally different song from the original. Listen to Notorious B.I.G.’s “One More Chance (Stay With Me), Busta Rhymes’ “Pass The Courvasier” Part II.
Brandy (1999-03-31) by Marion CurtisLIFE Photo Collection
Other remixes take the same beat as the original or a close variation of the original beat and just load the new version with a special or a star studded lineup of guests, ala Craig Mack’s “Flava In Your Ear” remix or Brandy’s “I Wanna Be Down” remix.
Video game:Microsoft Xbox 50 Cent: Bulletproof (2005)The Strong National Museum of Play
We also have to give a special shout out to the unofficial remixes where certain artists, unsolicited, add a verse to one of their peers’ records. 50 Cent used to take artist’s song and make them his own on his mixtapes in the early 2000s.
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In 1991, Bell Biv DeVoe took tremendous strides for the game by putting out an entire LP that reworked their Poison magnum opus, WBBD-Bootcity! The Remix Album. Although the members of BBD originated in the R&B group New Edition, their 1990 debut album gave them street cred.
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They were cool and edgy, dressed better than most MCs and combined R&B with Hip-Hop music by rapping and singing. In 1993, Mary J Blige, made an entire album that remixed her debut 1992 debut What’s The 411. This featured Biggie, Craig Mack, Heavy D amongst others.
By Marion CurtisLIFE Photo Collection
Mary’s early Executive Producer, Sean “Diddy” Combs has trumpeted himself as the originator of the hip-hop remix (he literally put out an album of his handiwork called We Invented The Remix in 2002), citing his production on Jodeci’s 1992 remix of “Come And Talk To Me.”
DJ Kool Herc (2006) by Rock & Roll Hall of FameRock & Roll Hall of Fame
On the flip side, Jermaine Dupri has staked claim to being the hip-hop remix architect as has another prouder, Peter Rock who famously flipped a rambunctious remix for Public Enemy’s “Shut Em Down” in 1991.
Mariah Carey (1999-09-30) by Dave AlloccaLIFE Photo Collection
But even before them, the visionary behind New Jack Swing, Teddy Riley, was masterminding the remix for the urban audience.
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“Teddy Riley was the first one,” affirms Grammy Award Winning Producer Rockwilder, who has platinum plaques for Destiny’s Child “Bootylicious” remix and the remake of “Lady Marmalade” in his house. “We're talking about late eighties.”
DJ Kool Herc (2006) by Rock & Roll Hall of FameRock & Roll Hall of Fame
True indeed, Riley produced the original and the remix of Al B. Sure’s “If I’m Not Your Lover,” which featured rhymes by Slick Rick in 1988.
“I heard the dope remixes from Teddy,” Rock thinks back. “Being around Teddy Riley at the time that he was doing the ‘Right Here (Human Nature)’ remix and the ‘I'm So Into You’ remix for SWV. He was remixing everything. So Teddy was one of them dudes that I started admiring and he made me realize how remixes could be done and be more effective.”
Lopez, Jennifer (1999-09-09) by Dave AlloccaLIFE Photo Collection
Not too far removed from when Riley was remixing, Mixtape DJs like Ron G and Kid Capri were keeping the hood hot with their tapes. Some of the gems on those street releases were unsanctioned remixes called “Blends” that blended R&B acapellas with hip-hop beats.
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One of Kid’s early showstoppers was s special mix he did of Stephanie Mills’ “Something In The Way You Make Me Feel.”
Boombox, 1989, Owned by Gene Siskel and used by Radio Raheem in Spike Lee’s movie, Do the Right Thing by Maker: Tecsonic, South KoreanSmithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
“Some people were doing stuff early, but it really didn't take precedence to the 90s,” legendary DJ, Kid Capri, says. “That Stephanie Mills mix I did changed the game. Now you had to make R&B records with break beats.”
By Mirek TowskiLIFE Photo Collection
Three decades before the streets of New York was revolutionizing mixtapes, the streets of Jamaica actually started it via Dub plates in the 1960s.
Jay Z (1999-05-17) by Dave AlloccaLIFE Photo Collection
“The Jamaican Dub is like the original remix ,” says Rich Nice, a producer and Executive with the Trackmasters production team. The DJs would take it and play them in the clubs and people are like, ‘what? I know this, but this ain't the regular version.’
This was the beginning of the remix, but they would do it live on the set in the Dance Hall. This was the foundation of remixing.”
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Whether you want to take a trip back to early days or remixes or vibe with some that ignited the clubs and radio? We have a plethora right here. Google Arts and Culture celebrates the remix with the [50 Deep Page] and the “It’s The Remix” playlist.
