Pirates Plank

Archive for August 31st, 2010

Saint Louis is a city where some of the most refined elements of contemporary culture come to nestle in. It’s partly got a sense of the midwest, with a certain welcoming sensibility to its general demeanor, and partly influenced by its relation to the south, with a fair share of east coast directness added to the mix. It’s no surprise then to see how much hip hop culture has influenced the city, and the present holds some spectacular surprises.

Guests at Saint Louis hotels can hear the music every night of the week at the local clubs, where djs and mcs might be spinning, or might be concocting new and potent mixes. The present is more than a reflection of the global trends in the music, it’s also a reflection of Saint Louis’ own past. In 1979, when the Sugarhill Gang were on the way to changing the history of music, they couldn’t find airplay for their song Rapper’s Delight .

They did have a lot of fans, but few who had influence, and very few who had both the influence and enthusiasm that Jim Gates had. He played the record over and over, sometimes taking up half of every hour on the hour, because he recognized there was something going on here that would affect the generations to come.