Get Live
Let’s see how this goes…
We’ll kick it off with what must be one of the very first hip-hop tracks ever cut in Chicago.
Artist: Carver Area High School Presents the Carver Seniors – Class of ‘83
Get Live Eighty-Three, “83” Get Live (Senior Rap) and The Carver Senior Song
Challenger Records – CH-1000
Vinyl, 12", 33 ⅓ RPM, US, 1982
In the early 1980s, Challenger Records issued a small string of records featuring the students of Carver Area High School, now Carver Military Academy, on the far Southside of Chicago. Named for the school’s mascot and Challengers sports teams, the record label seems to have been driven by teacher and musician John Harris. They pressed up a handful of vinyl releases featuring the same logo that still shows up on the school’s jerseys.
What’s the best you can really hope for from a senior class commemorative record? Well, when a high school band teacher sneaks a credit for his funk band, Motherfox, onto the back of a public school issued record, you might assume that you’ve found it. (Say it fast and think about it…) Not this time, though.
It must have been an impressive crew of freshmen walking into Carver in 1979. Less than four years later they were standing in an Evanston recording studio cutting the “the Senior Rap” for this 12” single. Is “Get Live ‘83” performed by “The Carver Seniors” a novelty record? Sure. But it’s also seriously good. Motherfox, (with Mr. Harris, teacher of Division 399 on drums, percussion and synthesizer) lays down a great disco boogie track for the students to rap over.
“Chief Rapper” Barry Griffis (aka Master Cee of Div. 303) kicks it off as the students pass the mic, ready to rock a party and rep their Divisions. Doc Charm, Maura G, the Carverlettes and even a couple teachers get verses in… (Ahem. The less said about Div. 303 teacher and Senior Sponsor Mr. Dean’s flow, the better though. Maybe Master Cee should have given him a few pointers?)
Chicago is generally thought of as a late bloomer when it comes to hip hop, but you wouldn't know it from this single. A few corny “don’t drop out” messages and school spirit lyrics don’t get in the way of appreciating that the Carver Seniors cut this record in November of 1982, just a few months after the first copies of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message” single were pressed on wax in New York.
Harris and fellow Motherfox’ers (sorry) had been around for a minute. They dropped one nice 45 that I'm aware of and had some success backing or writing for a few other artists, including this disco cut for fellow Chicagoans, Coffee, from around the same time. I bumped into a 5 minute documentary about them that's worth a peek, but it's hard for me to imagine that any moment in Motherfox history could really top this particular recording session, though.
My copy of the 12” has some kind of pressing flaw, making BAD scratching noises through the first couple minutes of both sides. I cleaned it up a bit and did a little noise removal from the A side's spoken intro, but mostly chose to leave the music untouched other than obsessively removing a clicks. I may have given a little less loving care to B side ballad, “The Carver Senior Song.” It’s got its own charm, but it’s all about the A side on this one.
****
Chicago schools are closed, but I really hope you enjoy this CPS treasure.
Links are in the comments below. You should be able to download in either 24-bit FLAC or as MP3s. Let me know if there are issues.
We’ll kick it off with what must be one of the very first hip-hop tracks ever cut in Chicago.
Artist: Carver Area High School Presents the Carver Seniors – Class of ‘83
Get Live Eighty-Three, “83” Get Live (Senior Rap) and The Carver Senior Song
Challenger Records – CH-1000
Vinyl, 12", 33 ⅓ RPM, US, 1982
In the early 1980s, Challenger Records issued a small string of records featuring the students of Carver Area High School, now Carver Military Academy, on the far Southside of Chicago. Named for the school’s mascot and Challengers sports teams, the record label seems to have been driven by teacher and musician John Harris. They pressed up a handful of vinyl releases featuring the same logo that still shows up on the school’s jerseys.
What’s the best you can really hope for from a senior class commemorative record? Well, when a high school band teacher sneaks a credit for his funk band, Motherfox, onto the back of a public school issued record, you might assume that you’ve found it. (Say it fast and think about it…) Not this time, though.
It must have been an impressive crew of freshmen walking into Carver in 1979. Less than four years later they were standing in an Evanston recording studio cutting the “the Senior Rap” for this 12” single. Is “Get Live ‘83” performed by “The Carver Seniors” a novelty record? Sure. But it’s also seriously good. Motherfox, (with Mr. Harris, teacher of Division 399 on drums, percussion and synthesizer) lays down a great disco boogie track for the students to rap over.
“Chief Rapper” Barry Griffis (aka Master Cee of Div. 303) kicks it off as the students pass the mic, ready to rock a party and rep their Divisions. Doc Charm, Maura G, the Carverlettes and even a couple teachers get verses in… (Ahem. The less said about Div. 303 teacher and Senior Sponsor Mr. Dean’s flow, the better though. Maybe Master Cee should have given him a few pointers?)
Chicago is generally thought of as a late bloomer when it comes to hip hop, but you wouldn't know it from this single. A few corny “don’t drop out” messages and school spirit lyrics don’t get in the way of appreciating that the Carver Seniors cut this record in November of 1982, just a few months after the first copies of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message” single were pressed on wax in New York.
Harris and fellow Motherfox’ers (sorry) had been around for a minute. They dropped one nice 45 that I'm aware of and had some success backing or writing for a few other artists, including this disco cut for fellow Chicagoans, Coffee, from around the same time. I bumped into a 5 minute documentary about them that's worth a peek, but it's hard for me to imagine that any moment in Motherfox history could really top this particular recording session, though.
My copy of the 12” has some kind of pressing flaw, making BAD scratching noises through the first couple minutes of both sides. I cleaned it up a bit and did a little noise removal from the A side's spoken intro, but mostly chose to leave the music untouched other than obsessively removing a clicks. I may have given a little less loving care to B side ballad, “The Carver Senior Song.” It’s got its own charm, but it’s all about the A side on this one.
****
Chicago schools are closed, but I really hope you enjoy this CPS treasure.
Links are in the comments below. You should be able to download in either 24-bit FLAC or as MP3s. Let me know if there are issues.
FLAC: https://mega.nz/#F!lGoRgYAC!qraTDZ4CtWkCjZj70Z5r3Q
ReplyDeleteMP3: https://mega.nz/#F!oO4DhAZb!Z4dcTQERBU7Vvh9a8wbfrQ
(And for the OCD among you: Having a little tech problem. Cover scans should improve by the next time I take a crack at this...) Enjoy!
How did the Treacherous 3 get into homeroom 308???? Thankfully Dean and Ms Warren are here to fill the gap.
ReplyDeleteSorry to inform you: Class sizes have gone up. They are now the Treacherous 32 due to budget cuts.
DeleteAnd if anyone sees this and knows where to find Mr Dean, Ms Warren or any of the student MCs from '83, consider hooking up an interview. There's more Carver High in our future...
Cheers mate
ReplyDelete