Captain Rapp

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Captain Rapp
Birth nameLarry Earl Glenn
OriginLos Angeles, California
GenresConscious rap
Post-disco
West Coast hip hop
Years active1981–present
LabelsSaturn Records
JDC Records
Rappers Rapp Records
Associated actsJimmy Jam and Terry Lewis

Captain Rapp is the stage name of Larry Earl Glenn, an American hip hop/post-disco musician, producer and West Coast Rap pioneer.[1]

He is best known for his politically conscious song "Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)", which was a West Coast response to Grandmaster Flash's "The Message."[2][3]

History[]

Glenn's musical career started in 1981 when he was signed to a small indie label called Rappers Rapp Records. His first record, party-oriented, "Gigolo Rapp" was a minor hit on the East Coast yet the record failed in his home state.[1]

In 1983, his most successful single "Bad Times" came out on Saturn Records and reached number 23 on Billboard Dance Charts.[4] The single was arranged and performed by emerging Contemporary R&B moguls Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.[1] with Rich Cason.

In 1992, Glenn recorded a sequel to his previous hit single, titled "Bad Times, Part 2: The Continuance."[1]

Themes[]

"Bad Times" lyrically touches sensitive topics, including unemployment, child sexual abuse, AIDS, Salvadoran Civil War and even nuclear war, in contrast to uptempo synth-funk melody and soulful vocals.[5]

The song is a West Coast variant of "The Message" whereas the title is lampooning a name of the most sampled song in hip-hop history, "Good Times" by Chic.[2][3]

Discography[]

Charts[]

Year Song Label Chart positions[4]
U.S.
Dance 		U.S.
R&B
1981 "The Gigolo Rapp" (with Disco Daddy) Rappers Rapp – –
1983 "Bad Times" Saturn #23 –
1984 "When Doves Cry Rapp" Rappers Rapp – –
1985 "Bite Em" Evejim – –
1985 "Agony" Evejim – –

Singles[]

"Bad Times"
12" / SAT-2003[6]
  1. "Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)" – 6:57
  2. "Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)" (Part 2) –5:34
  3. "Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)" (Part 3) (instrumental) –5:50
  • Label: Saturn
  • Written-by: Larry Earl Glenn
  • Guest singer: Kimberly Ball

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d " Captain Rapp ". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Cross, Brian (1994). It's not about a salary--: rap, race, and resistance in Los Angeles. Verso, 1994, (originally) the University of Michigan. p. 24. ISBN 0-86091-445-3. Captain Rapp had recorded 'Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)', a sort of West Coast bite of 'The Message' with its reversing of the title of the famous Chic track that was a staple of the commercial old school.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Larkin, Colin (1994). It's not about a salary--: rap, race, and resistance in Los Angeles. Guinness Publishing, 1994 & the University of California (originally). p. 22. ISBN 0-85112-788-6. Captain Rapp Rapp is an old school rapper, famed for 'Badd Times (I Can't Stand It)', a Los Angeles answer to 'The Message.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "Captain Rapp on Billboard charts". Allmusic, Billboard. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  5. ^ Rescher, Nicholas (1998). Getting Present as an Art: Predicting the future: an introduction to the theory of forecasting. SUNY Press. p. 49. ISBN 0-7914-3554-7.
  6. ^ "Captain Rapp discography". Discogs. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
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