Gramz
10-20-2004, 12:42 PM
http://massappealmag.com/archives/000048.html
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From Beastie Boys II Men
Words: Darryl Jenifer
Photo: Brian Gaberman
Once Adam and Adam and Mike became best buds— while chillin’ like villains on New York’s Lower East Side well over 20 years ago— rap would never be the same. Darryl Jenifer— bassist for legendary Rasta-punk outfit Bad Brains—was there when it happened. In the ’04 season, Mass Appeal was on the set when these four OGs crossed paths somewhere on Canal Street.
Well, it was a long time ago as I remember—you know, back in the early `80s. I was fresh off the wicked streets of Southeast Washington DC. The Brains would land a gig at famed Bowery-based punk rock haven CBGB’s, and after the show, this bass-playing punk returned to his beloved southern `hood a full fledged New York mo’fucka. (I promptly purchased my first long, wool bum coat from the bum coat store down on the Lower East Side. Official.)
Anyways, to make a long story short, coming to New York was a trip for a black-teenaged-punker-turned-Rastafari. And living under the stage of the infamous 171A studio was a real lesson in tryin’ to make it.
I used to somehow organize myself a shower somewhere Downtown, throw on my Clarks and khakis, and head out to the health food store for my daily bar of raw tofu and two pounds of raw cashews with soy milk. Then it was off to the Rat Cage (yeah, Rastas frequented Rat Cage Records on the regular), where I’d be chillin’ out in front on the neighboring stoop. It was at that very spot where I remember first encountering the Beastie Boys, who were also on some punk shit. I remember Mike D (Michael Diamond) chillin’ on the south side with a pack of bag lady-looking teenage phillies. Then Adrock (Adam Horivitz) would appear as if he’d just arrived from some buck-wild white projects—I dunno, Stuyvesant or something? (Or maybe that was the name of his high school?) Mr. Yauch (aka MCA) always looked like some sort of hardcore musician, constantly sporting his combat boots and some tight-ass Clash pants that would be choking the hell out of his skinny-ass legs. Oh yeah, they also had a chick drummer named Kate (Beastie Boys plus one more…) Those were the days, son. Those were the days. Yeah, the Beastie Boys…sometimes I think that name came from the Brains barking “beast-beast!” when 5-0 would roll through, but who knows? I do recall the time when Yauch previewed their Pollywog Stew EP for me through a pair of them old school, size-of-coconuts airline headphones. The next thing I knew, they were on tour with Madonna. The rest, as they say, is New York history. Which is fitting, because their new album—To the 5 Boroughs [Capitol]—is all about the fertile grounds that they’ve always represented. These Big Apple rap dons are still doing it up. Maximum respect.
Read the interview in Issue #28!
http://massappealmag.com/images-site/large/beastie.jpg
From Beastie Boys II Men
Words: Darryl Jenifer
Photo: Brian Gaberman
Once Adam and Adam and Mike became best buds— while chillin’ like villains on New York’s Lower East Side well over 20 years ago— rap would never be the same. Darryl Jenifer— bassist for legendary Rasta-punk outfit Bad Brains—was there when it happened. In the ’04 season, Mass Appeal was on the set when these four OGs crossed paths somewhere on Canal Street.
Well, it was a long time ago as I remember—you know, back in the early `80s. I was fresh off the wicked streets of Southeast Washington DC. The Brains would land a gig at famed Bowery-based punk rock haven CBGB’s, and after the show, this bass-playing punk returned to his beloved southern `hood a full fledged New York mo’fucka. (I promptly purchased my first long, wool bum coat from the bum coat store down on the Lower East Side. Official.)
Anyways, to make a long story short, coming to New York was a trip for a black-teenaged-punker-turned-Rastafari. And living under the stage of the infamous 171A studio was a real lesson in tryin’ to make it.
I used to somehow organize myself a shower somewhere Downtown, throw on my Clarks and khakis, and head out to the health food store for my daily bar of raw tofu and two pounds of raw cashews with soy milk. Then it was off to the Rat Cage (yeah, Rastas frequented Rat Cage Records on the regular), where I’d be chillin’ out in front on the neighboring stoop. It was at that very spot where I remember first encountering the Beastie Boys, who were also on some punk shit. I remember Mike D (Michael Diamond) chillin’ on the south side with a pack of bag lady-looking teenage phillies. Then Adrock (Adam Horivitz) would appear as if he’d just arrived from some buck-wild white projects—I dunno, Stuyvesant or something? (Or maybe that was the name of his high school?) Mr. Yauch (aka MCA) always looked like some sort of hardcore musician, constantly sporting his combat boots and some tight-ass Clash pants that would be choking the hell out of his skinny-ass legs. Oh yeah, they also had a chick drummer named Kate (Beastie Boys plus one more…) Those were the days, son. Those were the days. Yeah, the Beastie Boys…sometimes I think that name came from the Brains barking “beast-beast!” when 5-0 would roll through, but who knows? I do recall the time when Yauch previewed their Pollywog Stew EP for me through a pair of them old school, size-of-coconuts airline headphones. The next thing I knew, they were on tour with Madonna. The rest, as they say, is New York history. Which is fitting, because their new album—To the 5 Boroughs [Capitol]—is all about the fertile grounds that they’ve always represented. These Big Apple rap dons are still doing it up. Maximum respect.
Read the interview in Issue #28!