Krush Groove (1985) « Droppin Science on Film

Krush Groove (1985)

17Sep08

Starring: Joseph Simmons, Blair Underwood, Sheila E., Kurtis Blow, Mark Morales, Damon Wimbley, Darren Robinson

Everyone in this film plays them-self with the exception of Russell Simmons. Run is Run, Rick Rubin is Rick Rubin, The Fat Boys are The Fat Boys and Kurtis Blow is Kurtis Blow. Krush Groove is a hollywoodized telling of how Def Jam records got started.

Yeah so what if most of these musicians can’t act. So what if it’s basically a long music video. So what if it’s made by people glorifying themselves. I loved it. Would I claim this is a great film? Not in the traditional sense no but I unabashedly loved it.

I’m pretty embarrassed to say that I never knew Russell Simmons was Run’s brother. That kinda blew me away. This is another one of those movies that people have been telling me to watch for some time. I love hip-hop always have and always will. I remember watching Wild Style on a piece of shit VHS with a buddy of mine in high school, the first of the must-see hip-hop films.

During the film I was lost in the music and the obvious story but afterwards a lot of thoughts crossed my mind. Run DMC still owns twenty years later. Sure he was something at the time but did anyone think Russell Simmons would be the monster business man he was 10 years after the film came out? Does this sort of small time business still happen in the states or does the music industry crumbling mean we won’t see another Russell Simmons for some time?

I also thought about how I never wanted to be a rocker growing up. Music to me was just entertainment, never a desired career path. I’m definitely in the .00001% of the minority here as everyone and their mom wants to be a rocker growing up. I think the interesting thing when listening to music or looking at groups from the outside is what’s appealing to you, what part of the group do you want to be. I bet some Run DMC fans think Jam Master Jay is the foundation, where others think DMC taking a back seat helped the composition and others say that it’s been Run’s group and it’s always been Run’s group.

Without a doubt growing up you make this kind of allegiance and you are that “kind of guy” your whole life. Me, I was always obsessed with the behind the scenes guy. Whenever I listened to music I didn’t care who was singing, I wanted to know who wrote the music. Yeah that rapper is sick but who made the beat? Whose the architect? And people usually fluctuate left and right with lots of things but I think this type of philosophical allegiance is one that doesn’t change a lot in people. I’m still the guy obsessed with the behind the scenes guy.