"Ni**as wanna bring the 80s back/ That's okay with me, that's where they made me at." This line may be Hova's, but the sentiments could just as easily be those of The Jack and Lee Majors on their latest effort "Female Funk." It's a d-boy homage to the b-boy era of their youth, but more specifically, it's celebrating a very west coast brand of 80s hip-hop. Oftentimes when we look back at early hip-hop history we get too caught up in New York City subway clichés. Yes, The Bronx was the birthplace and NY was the playground, but Cali brought hip-hop into its teens with a more rebellious trunk-rattling take on the genre.
You could hear that west coast g-funk flavor in the slapping bass lines and grimy laid back delivery, and that is exactly what The Jacka and Lee Majors are paying tribute to. The sweat suits, dookie ropes and furry Kangols reflect hip-hop fashion, and the turn tables, break dancers and graf reflect hip-hop culture, but it's the bass, bravado and old school rides that made the left coast different.
This video, is a quick hit, but super dope. With Tha Razor's direction, The Jacka's remarkably nimble flow and that throwback Bay ballerness on hit, you can't help but lean and nod your head.
On a side note, only the Bay would have virtually no women in a video called "Female Funk." And I don't mean that as a dig at all. That to me was the most redeeming quality of the hyphy era–it wasn't about grinding up on a female, it was about doin you and doin it big. When we were at parties during 2004 and 2005, girls would tend to run for cover when a Federation song came on, and rightly so. BUT there was also a ridiculous amount of intrigue from young ladies, especially when we were out of town with a crew Bayliens. Historically men only dance to get close to girls, but all of the sudden, the Bay had given rise to a genre that had men dancing together and giving two shits about a girl getting in the way. To me this seperates Bay Area swagger from the rest of the country. We don't do everything for the attention of women, and yet that "whatever" attitude gets us more play anyway. Just my 2 cents to take or leave.
Either way, shout out to the Jack, Lee Majors, Shad-G and Young Lox for bringing the funk and taking us back.
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