Planet Rock (song)  

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 +{| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5"
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 +"In 1981, [[Afrika Bambaataa|Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force]], together with producer [[Arthur Baker (musician)|Arthur Baker]], paid tribute with [to [[Kraftwerk]] with] "[[Planet Rock (song)|Planet Rock]]," which used the melody from "[[Trans-Europe Express (song)|Trans-Europe Express]]" over the rhythm from "[[Numbers (Kraftwerk song)|Numbers]]." In the process they created [[electro (music)|electro]] and moved [[Hip hop music|rap]] out of the [[Sugar Hill Records|Sugarhill]] age." --"[[Machine Soul: A History Of Techno]]" (1993) by Jon Savage
 +<hr>
 +"In New York, the German band almost single-handedly sired the [[electro]] movement: Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force's 1982 smash "[[Planet Rock (song) |Planet Rock]]" stole its doomy melody from "[[Trans-Europe Express (song)|Trans-Europe Express]]" and its beatbox rhythm from Kraftwerk's 1981 track "[[Numbers (Kraftwerk song)|Numbers]].""--''[[Generation Ecstasy]]'' (1998) by Simon Reynolds
 +
 +|}
{{Template}} {{Template}}
-"'''Planet Rock'''" is a [[1982 in music|1982]] song by [[Afrika Bambaataa]] & the [[Soulsonic Force]]. It is widely regarded as one of the earliest and most influential [[rap]] songs. Although it was only a minor hit in the US and UK, it helped change the foundations of [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]] and [[dance music]]. It is credited with giving birth to the [[electro (music)|electro]] style and helped pave the way for other [[music genre|genre]]s such as [[techno]], [[House music|house]], and [[Trance (music)|trance]]. 
-[[Record producer|Produced]] by [[Arthur Baker (musician)|Arthur Baker]], "Planet Rock" blends [[synthesizer]] and [[vocoder]] sounds with [[breakbeat]]ing. It was influenced both by [[Electronic music|electronic]] artists such as [[Gary Numan]] and [[Kraftwerk]] and the [[funk]] musician [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]]. It was the first hip-hop recording to use a [[drum machine]].+{{Template}}
-"Planet Rock"'s influence can still be heard in hip-hop genres like [[G-funk]] and in the work of producers such as [[The Neptunes]] who use electro-based sounds in their productions.+"'''Planet Rock'''" is a [[1982 in music|1982]] song by [[Afrika Bambaataa]] & the [[Soulsonic Force]]. It is widely regarded as one of the earliest and most influential [[rap]] songs. Although it was only a minor hit in the US and UK, it helped change the foundations of [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]] and [[dance music]]. It is credited with giving birth to the [[electro (music)|electro]] style and helped pave the way for other [[music genre|genre]]s such as [[techno]] and [[House music|house]].
 + 
 +[[Record producer|Produced]] by [[Arthur Baker (musician)|Arthur Baker]], "Planet Rock" blends [[synthesizer]] and [[vocoder]] sounds with [[breakbeat]]ing. It was influenced both by [[Electronic music|electronic]] artists such as [[Kraftwerk]] and the [[funk]] musician [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]]. It was the first hip-hop recording to use a [[drum machine]].
 +==Kraftwerk borrowings==
 +The main [[melody]] of "Planet Rock" is borrowed from the title track of Kraftwerk's [[electronic art music|electronic album]] ''[[Trans Europe Express]]''. Another part of the song contains elements of the song "[[Numbers]]" from the Kraftwerk album ''[[Computer World]]'', another track which was popular on black music dancefloors in the UK and the US. The borrowings eventually resulted in an [[out-of-court settlement]] between Kraftwerk and [[Tommy Boy Records]] head [[Tom Silverman]].
 +==Legacy==
 +Since its release, "Planet Rock" has had a large influence on music and on popular culture. In 2008, it was ranked number 21 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. MC [[Common (rapper)|Common]] cited this song as a major influence on his album ''[[Universal Mind Control]]'', especially in the [[Universal Mind Control (song)|title track]].
 + 
 +In the [[Black Star (group)|Black Star]] cover of [[Slick Rick|Slick Rick's]] "[[Children's Story]]," Mos Def criticizes a fictitious DJ for the overuse of sampling the classics. He says, "Jacked the beat from Planet Rock," notably ironic given the controversy with the similarities between the Kraftwerk single.
 + 
 +The song was remixed by [[Paul Oakenfold]] on the album "[[Swordfish (soundtrack)]]" and was sampled by [[LL Cool J]] in the song "[[Control Myself]]."
 + 
 +Jazz and neosoul vocalist Dwight Trible released a track on his 2005 album "[[Love is the Answer]]" entitled "[[I Was Born on Planet Rock]]" featuring rapper [[Scienz of Life]], a tribute to "Planet Rock" and its legacy on hip hop culture and music.
 + 
 +Additionally, the song has been featured in the 2002 film ''[[Ali G Indahouse]]'' in what might be the film’s best-known scene, which features Ali G ([[Sacha Baron Cohen]]), Ricky C ([[Martin Freeman]]), and Dangerous Dave ([[Tony Way]]) breaking into the Prime Minister's mansion and getting through a laser room by breakdancing through the room and was used as the main theme of the 2006 [[basketball]] [[video game]] ''[[NBA 2K]]7'' as well as in the [[Playstation 1]] game [[Thrasher: Skate and Destroy]].
 + 
 +== Essays ==
 +*''[[When the Planet Rocked]]'' by [[Greg Wilson]]
 +*"[[Party People]]"
 +*"[[Yo Yo Get Funky]]")
-A [[music video]] was also created for the song. 
{{GFDL}} {{GFDL}}
 +
 +[[Category:WMC]]

Current revision

"In 1981, Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force, together with producer Arthur Baker, paid tribute with [to Kraftwerk with] "Planet Rock," which used the melody from "Trans-Europe Express" over the rhythm from "Numbers." In the process they created electro and moved rap out of the Sugarhill age." --"Machine Soul: A History Of Techno" (1993) by Jon Savage


"In New York, the German band almost single-handedly sired the electro movement: Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force's 1982 smash "Planet Rock" stole its doomy melody from "Trans-Europe Express" and its beatbox rhythm from Kraftwerk's 1981 track "Numbers.""--Generation Ecstasy (1998) by Simon Reynolds

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"Planet Rock" is a 1982 song by Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force. It is widely regarded as one of the earliest and most influential rap songs. Although it was only a minor hit in the US and UK, it helped change the foundations of hip-hop and dance music. It is credited with giving birth to the electro style and helped pave the way for other genres such as techno and house.

Produced by Arthur Baker, "Planet Rock" blends synthesizer and vocoder sounds with breakbeating. It was influenced both by electronic artists such as Kraftwerk and the funk musician George Clinton. It was the first hip-hop recording to use a drum machine.

Kraftwerk borrowings

The main melody of "Planet Rock" is borrowed from the title track of Kraftwerk's electronic album Trans Europe Express. Another part of the song contains elements of the song "Numbers" from the Kraftwerk album Computer World, another track which was popular on black music dancefloors in the UK and the US. The borrowings eventually resulted in an out-of-court settlement between Kraftwerk and Tommy Boy Records head Tom Silverman.

Legacy

Since its release, "Planet Rock" has had a large influence on music and on popular culture. In 2008, it was ranked number 21 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. MC Common cited this song as a major influence on his album Universal Mind Control, especially in the title track.

In the Black Star cover of Slick Rick's "Children's Story," Mos Def criticizes a fictitious DJ for the overuse of sampling the classics. He says, "Jacked the beat from Planet Rock," notably ironic given the controversy with the similarities between the Kraftwerk single.

The song was remixed by Paul Oakenfold on the album "Swordfish (soundtrack)" and was sampled by LL Cool J in the song "Control Myself."

Jazz and neosoul vocalist Dwight Trible released a track on his 2005 album "Love is the Answer" entitled "I Was Born on Planet Rock" featuring rapper Scienz of Life, a tribute to "Planet Rock" and its legacy on hip hop culture and music.

Additionally, the song has been featured in the 2002 film Ali G Indahouse in what might be the film’s best-known scene, which features Ali G (Sacha Baron Cohen), Ricky C (Martin Freeman), and Dangerous Dave (Tony Way) breaking into the Prime Minister's mansion and getting through a laser room by breakdancing through the room and was used as the main theme of the 2006 basketball video game NBA 2K7 as well as in the Playstation 1 game Thrasher: Skate and Destroy.

Essays




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Planet Rock (song)" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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