Their first album, "Straight Out the Jungle", was released on an independent label and featured a hip hop/house collaboration "I'll House You" produced by Todd Terry. In spite of the commercial failure of Straight Out the Jungle, Warner Brothers Records soon signed the group and released "Done By the Forces of Nature" in 1989. The album was a critical smash at the time, though it has since been largely ignored by hip hop critics, due to the similarly acclaimed fusion of jazz and rap "3 Feet High and Rising" by De La Soul being released the same year. Following a four year break, the Jungle Brothers returned in 1993 with "J Beez Wit the Remedy", another commercial disappointment. Their next album, "V.I.P." was produced by Alex Gifford of Propellerheads and, during production, they found time to add their vocal stylings to the Propellerheads tracks "Take California (And Party)" and "You Want It Back". In 2002 they released "All That We Do". In 2005, the Jungle Brothers released a "greatest hits" and "classic remixes & rarities" double-CD entitled "This Is…", which included remixes by The Wiseguys, Urban Takeover, Natural Born Chillers and Stereo MCs.
I Remember
Jungle Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Remedies for house parties stayed simple and plain
Little wine, little music, little Mary Jane
Gotta keep the lights dim, so when the people walk in
The vibe stays nice and mellow, everybody fits in
And everybody hey and ho, are gettin they groove on
The record only stops when the lights came on
Then they went back off, we continued to groove
It was just the spirit got em, it wouldn't let loose
There right before our eyes hip-hop was produced
The fire kept on burnin like a doggie in heat
You couldn't help to feel the flavor as you walked through the streets
Everybody had a crew on every block for blocks
This seemed to be insurance that the beat won't stop
So one day shots ring and it was no one to blame
All you thought was would it ever all be the same
But if you got the love, baby, won't a damn thing change
As long as you remember it always remains
[ CHORUS: The Holmes Brothers ]
I remember
When we used to play shoot-em-up, bang-bang
I remember
When we used to play shoot-em-up, bang-bang
MC's and DJ's (2x)
[ VERSE 2: Afrika Baby Bam ]
Block parties jam-packed, the first time I heard rap
And deejays spinnin breakbeats back
These were the last good days of the ghetto
It wasn't all about bein jiggy, so save that rap for Jell-O
Down on my knees in the street playin skelly
Rushin upstairs to see _Graffiti Rock_ on the telly
With one eye on the beats droppin
I knew that one day would come when I'd be on the mic rockin
Every day after school practisin
I mixed blues smarts with street smarts, and then started battle rappin
But for me it wasn't happenin
So I changed up my style, to the ladies been mackin
I wrote a rhyme about 'Roxanne, Roxanne'
I used to bust it out when I went to a jam
My mother read the dirty rap
She said, "You ain't gon' go too far expressin yourself like that
Disrespectin black women
And what's gon' happen when you turn around and try to have your own children?"
So I changed up my style once again
So me and my moms could still be friends
My daddy wasn't buggin out so far
Watchin me pretend to be another rap star
Through my eyes he saw a child changin
Growin up to be a man and leave behind the shootin, bangin
[ CHORUS ]
[ VERSE 3: Afrika Baby Bam ]
Now this one goes out to the ones who set it off
And all the pioneers that made it what it was
Cause we been doin this for 25 years long
So we gotta represent and keep hip-hop strong
JBeez, we on a plateau, ain't nothin stoppin us
Will with the spirit of God, now watch it jump in us
Cause when you cut the roots off the family tree
All you leave behind is the sweet memory
Right from the start, we did it in the park
It wasn't for the money, and it came from the heart
But in these days and times, when rappers write rhymes
All we think about is signin on the dotted line
Me, I been thinkin about the way it used to be
When before you was a rapper, you became an MC
I'm proud of my heritage, and glad that we made it
I still bust rhymes without bein player-hated
Standin on the same stage, rockin with the JBeez
Was a dream come true for a brother like me
Before rap was consumed, and hip-hop was doomed
I was bangin on tables, rhymin in the lunchroom
I used to walk the street with my ghetto blaster
My brothers on the block was startin Zulu chapters
You know what I'm talkin about if you go way back
And yo, big ups to all my sisters, in the name of rap
Cause when it comes to hip-hop, you know you gotta keep it true
Take from the old, mix it with the new
I used to go by the name of MC Shazaam
But now you know me as Afrika Baby Bam
[ CHORUS ]
The Jungle Brothers' song "I Remember" takes us on a journey through the evolution of hip-hop music, looking back through the eyes of Mike G and Afrika Baby Bam. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the early days of hip-hop, the block parties and house parties where the music was born, and the close-knit communities that nurtured it. The verses speak of the innocence of the early days, before hip-hop became mainstream and commercialized. The focus was on the music and the culture, not on money, fame, and power.
The first verse of the song describes the intimate nature of the early hip-hop parties, where the vibe was kept mellow, and everyone fit in. The record only stopped when the lights came on, and the partygoers walked out into the streets. The verse also alludes to the spontaneous nature of hip-hop, where someone could grab the mic and start rhyming, and next thing you know, a new hip-hop track was born. The second verse speaks of the personal and societal challenges that young artists faced back then. For example, Afrika Baby Bam's mother objected to his early rhymes' disrespect towards black women, and he had to change his style to maintain a good relationship with her. The verse also alludes to the self-discovery and inner growth that many hip-hop artists went through. They started writing rhymes to gain respect on the streets but ended up discovering their true selves and becoming positive role models for the younger generation.
The chorus features The Holmes Brothers singing, "I remember when we used to play shoot-em-up, bang-bang. MCs and DJs." This nostalgic refrain reminds us of the early days when hip-hop was a playful and innocent pastime, and getting on the mic or spinning records was more about having fun and expressing oneself than making money or achieving fame.
Line by Line Meaning
Remedies for house parties stayed simple and plain
House party remedies were basic - just some wine, music, and weed.
Gotta keep the lights dim, so when the people walk in
The vibe stays nice and mellow, everybody fits in
To have a good atmosphere, you needed dim lights at a party and vibe that all can enjoy.
And everybody hey and ho, are gettin they groove on
The record only stops when the lights came on
At the party, everyone would dance and groove until the lights came on, and the sound would stop.
Then they went back off, we continued to groove
Then somebody grabbed the mic like they had somethin to prove
Once the lights went back off, the party continued. And suddenly, someone would grab the mic, trying to show off their skills.
It was just the spirit got em, it wouldn't let loose
There right before our eyes hip-hop was produced
The spirit of the moment inspired people to showcase their talents in hip-hop and house parties became a place for producing hip-hop.
But if you got the love, baby, won't a damn thing change
As long as you remember it always remains
As long as you still have love for what you do, and hold on to memories, things won't change that much.
Block parties jam-packed, the first time I heard rap
And deejays spinnin breakbeats back
Block parties were filled, and that's where many first heard rap with DJs spinning break beats in the background.
Down on my knees in the street playin skelly
Rushin upstairs to see _Graffiti Rock_ on the telly
As a kid, Afrika Baby Bam would play skelly on the street and then rush inside to watch Graffiti Rock on TV.
I used to bust it out when I went to a jam
My mother read the dirty rap
She said, "You ain't gon' go too far expressin yourself like that
Afrika Baby Bam used to perform a rap about 'Roxanne, Roxanne' at parties, but his mother didn't approve of the lyrics.
So I changed up my style once again
So me and my moms could still be friends
To regain his mom's respect, Afrika Baby Bam changed his rapping style, and they could still be friends.
Me, I been thinkin about the way it used to be
When before you was a rapper, you became an MC
Afrika Baby Bam cherishes the old days when people could become MCs before becoming rappers.
I was bangin on tables, rhymin in the lunchroom
I used to walk the street with my ghetto blaster
My brothers on the block was startin Zulu chapters
In his early days, Afrika Baby Bam practiced his rhyming by banging on tables in the lunchroom, carried his ghetto blaster with him and was a part of the Zulu chapter.
Take from the old, mix it with the new
I used to go by the name of MC Shazaam
But now you know me as Afrika Baby Bam
To keep hip-hop true, you need to mix old and new styles. The artist formerly known as MC Shazaam goes by Afrika Baby Bam now.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
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