Along with Run-D.M.C. and Fat Boys, Whodini were among the first rap groups to cultivate a high-profile national following for hip-hop music, and made significant inroads on Urban radio. The Brooklyn, New York-based trio consisted of vocalist/chief lyricist Jalil Hutchens, (one of the few rappers to go by his real name), co-vocalist John Fletcher, aka Ecstasy (so-named before the drug trend), who tended to wear a Zorro-style hat as his trademark; and DJ Drew Carter, aka Grandmaster Dee. Contemporaries of Run DMC, they were managed by Russell Simmons, brother of Joey “Run” Simmons. Signed to NY-based indie Jive Records in 1982, they enjoyed a string of hits, mostly charting on Urban/R&B stations. The bulk of production on their releases was done by Larry Smith, a bass player who also handled much of Run DMC’s early work. In keeping with 80’s trends, Whodini’s cuts tended to be synthesizer driven with a heavy electronic drumbeat. The sampling technology that became identified with rap hadn’t really become prominent during Whodini’s early days, and their works were thoroughly original compositions.
“Haunted House of Rock” was their first single, a whimsical Halloween-themed number. Synth-pop pioneer Thomas Dolby produced another of their early singles, “Magic’s Wand”. Speaking with Songfacts about "Magic's Wand" in a 2011 interview, Dolbyexplained that he hooked up with Whodini after sending his demo tape to the music publisher Zomba, who had launched the label Jive Records. Whodini was one of the acts on the label, and Zomba put Dolby together with the New York rap trio.
The group culled a female audience with such relationship-themed cut as “Friends” and “One Love”. Backstage partying was extolled in the mildly controversial “I’m a Ho”. “Fugitive” was guitar-driven funk. From 1982 - 1986 was the band’s heyday, touring with Run DMC, LL Cool J, the Fat Boys, and other prominent R&B and funk outfits of the 80’s.
Their albums Whodini (1983), Escape (1984), and Back in Black (1986; no relation to AC/DC) were all well-received by rap fans and youthful R&B enthusiasts. The ‘Fresh Fest’ tours were the first arena-sized tours to feature all hip-hop lineups, but full-fledged crossover fame seemed to elude them, however. The group had earned their share of gold singles and albums by 1987, when the hits started to slump. Open Sesame, their release that year, failed to produce any hits. After that point, the band eked out their tenure on Jive by occasionally releasing singles, including “Anyway I Gotta Swing it” for the Nightmare on Elm Street 5 movie soundtrack.
Fugitive
Whodini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In our rap technology ladies and gentlemen I am the rapper Ecstasy!
And standing to my side, this is my partner
the Master Rapper Jalil,
My eyes are on the 1 and 2 Grandmaster Dee
Dude doin the do and it goes a little something like this:
Its true my friends who said the saw, my poster hanging up on the wall!
The pictures clear there's no mistake, my video plays in every state!
I ain't got no time to spend locked up cause I'm ridin high on Lady Luck!
Things could be better, I know they could but you gotta take the bad along with the good!
I'm one of many on the lost and I want you to acknowledge this! Well, things got heavy and that's a fact so I've pulled a disappearing act so, until things settle down I'm gonna do my thing up around!
(Jalil)
Custer, Cesco, Alakazam, never mind where I was, this is where I am!
And right here and now before your very eyes I will darefully do what others scared to try!
Let me break it down for ya to stop all confusion, the microphone's the only thing I'll be using!
Now the names Whodini but I'm no magician, see I came to this party cause I'm on a mission!
I've been meaning to talk to you face to face cause if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be in the place!
When it comes to making money I don't waste time,
my brother I said please I'll be in front of the line!
Cause I was taught the early bird always catches the worm and a lesson well taught is a lesson well learned!
That's why I'm on the move and everything's alright and the clothes I need to wear were prepared last night! Cause if another be ahead of me you know what? you instead of me when opportunity knocks, I've gotta be ready see?
He who hesitates is lost and the price that you pay is called the cost,
when they said money maker, they must have meant me,
to make money and time you need a M and a E
cause time is money and money is time
you might waste yours but I'm rocking mine so Rock on!!
(Ecstasy)
Look Here!
When your money takes over like Grover, you ain't worth your weight in gold,
all you need to get cha through is a good OK' fashion roll!
Just like Batman's on his way in the nick of time to save the day,
these people are wishing on a star and guys like us driving in big cars!
So we pledge allegiance to the rhyme
(Jalil) to rhyme to every beat on time
(E) And to our public to which we'd love
(J) to show everybody what there really was!
(E) So united we stand, divided we fall,
(J) we're not the first but were still here y'all
(E) we're your best bet as cause you can't get
(J) a better show for your TV set!
(E) Cause were the ones who rock at your request, were the ones to call if you want the best!
The ones that'll zap you with the super blast with jams for the present and hits from the past!
Hey, ya never know what were gonna do next, so
don't waste your time, don't try to guess!
Cause were the one and only Master's of the Ceremonies guaranteed to rock the house,
definitely not a phony!!
Now, those days are gone and I'm on the move, cause I ain't got nothing to prove!
I've got a summons a date for a year or less,
they even got a warrant out for my arrest!
cause I'm a fugitive and I'm on the run,
and my line of work? that's number one!
My best friend in the world is not a dog, boy or girl!
My only friend in this world I know is my portable TV/Radio
so when we get up, out and on the go, we always travel in stereo!
Because after I've put a town to use, I look back and see who's got the juice?
And when things finally simmer down, they won't have me to kick around!!
The Whodini song "Fugitive" is about two rappers, Ecstasy and Jalil, discussing their experiences as successful musicians, but also addressing the pressures and challenges that come with their fame. Ecstasy talks about being labeled a fugitive despite not having done anything wrong, and wanting to avoid being locked up in jail. He acknowledges that things could be better, but he is grateful for his success and doesn't take it for granted. Jalil talks about the importance of seizing opportunities and being prepared for success, alluding to the idea that their hard work and dedication have led them to where they are. He emphasizes the cyclical nature of the music industry, saying that after they leave a town, they see who's next on top. Whodini asserts that they are the "masters of ceremonies" and the best option for providing jams for any type of party.
The song's lyrics are a reflection of Whodini's own experiences with success and fame in the music industry. The group was formed in 1981 and was known for their unique fusion of rap and R&B music. They achieved significant success in the 1980s, with hit songs such as "Friends" and "Magic's Wand," and were one of the few rap groups to utilize a live band in their performances. Whodini was also known for their flashy wardrobe and stage presence, which is referenced in the song when they mention driving in big cars and traveling in stereo.
Interesting facts about the song "Fugitive" include that it was one of Whodini's lesser-known singles and was not as commercially successful as some of their other songs, likely due to its darker tone and more serious subject matter. The song was included on their album "Bag-A-Trix," which was released in 1986. The album was Whodini's fourth studio album, and it was produced by Larry Smith, who had worked with the group on their previous albums. Despite not being a commercial success, "Fugitive" remains a fan-favorite and an example of Whodini's unique style and lyrical content.
Chords (if known): Unfortunately, the chords for this song are not readily available.
Line by Line Meaning
to the highest degree in quality!
We aim to be the highest quality in rap technology.
In our rap technology ladies and gentlemen I am the rapper Ecstasy!
I am Ecstasy and I am part of our rap technology.
And standing to my side, this is my partner
the Master Rapper Jalil,
Jalil is my partner and the Master Rapper standing by my side.
My eyes are on the 1 and 2 Grandmaster Dee
Dude doin the do and it goes a little something like this:
I am focused on Grandmaster Dee on the turntables and this is how we do it.
Its true my friends who said the saw, my poster hanging up on the wall!
The pictures clear there's no mistake, my video plays in every state!
My poster is on display and my video is played in all states, as confirmed by my friends.
Well I didn't do a thing, I ain't got no kids and they labeled me a fugitive!
I ain't got no time to spend locked up cause I'm ridin high on Lady Luck!
I am labeled a fugitive despite not doing anything wrong, but I'm not going to waste time locked up as I'm lucky at the moment.
Things could be better, I know they could but you gotta take the bad along with the good!
Although things could be better, it's important to take the rough with the smooth.
I'm one of many on the lost and I want you to acknowledge this!
Well, things got heavy and that's a fact so I've pulled a disappearing act so, until things settle down I'm gonna do my thing up around!
I am one of the lost and I want people to acknowledge this, but I had to disappear until things settle down and will continue to do my thing until then.
Custer, Cesco, Alakazam, never mind where I was, this is where I am!
And right here and now before your very eyes I will darefully do what others scared to try!
It doesn't matter where I was before, I am here now, and I am willing to do what others are too scared to.
Let me break it down for ya to stop all confusion, the microphone's the only thing I'll be using!
Now the names Whodini but I'm no magician, see I came to this party cause I'm on a mission!
Let me explain to make things clear, I only need the microphone. I'm not a magician but I'm on a mission and that's why I'm here.
I've been meaning to talk to you face to face cause if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be in the place!
When it comes to making money I don't waste time,
my brother I said please I'll be in front of the line!
I needed to speak to you to thank you because if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be where I am now. I don't waste time when it comes to making money and I will always try to be first in line.
Cause I was taught the early bird always catches the worm and a lesson well taught is a lesson well learned!
That's why I'm on the move and everything's alright and the clothes I need to wear were prepared last night!
I was taught to be early to catch opportunities and to learn from lessons. That's why I'm always moving and prepared, and everything's going well for me.
Cause if another be ahead of me you know what? you instead of me when opportunity knocks, I've gotta be ready see?
He who hesitates is lost and the price that you pay is called the cost,
when they said money maker, they must have meant me,
to make money and time you need a M and a E
cause time is money and money is time
you might waste yours but I'm rocking mine so Rock on!!
If someone else is ahead of me, they will take the opportunity instead of me. I cannot hesitate because I'll lose out. I'm a money maker, and I need to make the most of my time and money. Time and money are both valuable and I won't waste mine.
When your money takes over like Grover, you ain't worth your weight in gold,
all you need to get cha through is a good OK' fashion roll!
Just like Batman's on his way in the nick of time to save the day,
these people are wishing on a star and guys like us driving in big cars!
If money takes over your life, you're not worth anything. You just need a good old-fashioned confidence boost. We are like Batman swooping in to save the day, while others are just wishing on a star and watching us drive in our big cars.
So we pledge allegiance to the rhyme
(Jalil) to rhyme to every beat on time
(E) And to our public to which we'd love
(J) to show everybody what there really was!
(E) So united we stand, divided we fall,
(J) we're not the first but were still here y'all
(E) we're your best bet as cause you can't get
(J) a better show for your TV set!
We pledge our loyalty to the rhymes and the beats, and to our fans who we want to show our true selves to. Together we are strong, but divided we are weak. We have been around for a while and we are still the best show you can watch on TV.
Cause were the ones who rock at your request, were the ones to call if you want the best!
The ones that'll zap you with the super blast with jams for the present and hits from the past!
Hey, ya never know what were gonna do next, so
don't waste your time, don't try to guess!
Cause were the one and only Master's of the Ceremonies guaranteed to rock the house,
definitely not a phony!!
We are the ones who will always give you the music you want and we are the best performers around. We will sometimes surprise you, so don't bother trying to guess. We are the true Masters of the Ceremonies and we will never disappoint.
Now, those days are gone and I'm on the move, cause I ain't got nothing to prove!
I've got a summons a date for a year or less,
they even got a warrant out for my arrest!
cause I'm a fugitive and I'm on the run,
and my line of work? that's number one!
I am on the move because I have nothing to prove anymore. I am facing a year or less in jail as a fugitive with a warrant out for my arrest, but my work as a rapper is still my top priority.
My best friend in the world is not a dog, boy or girl!
My only friend in this world I know is my portable TV/Radio
so when we get up, out and on the go, we always travel in stereo!
Because after I've put a town to use, I look back and see who's got the juice?
My only friend is my portable TV/Radio, and we always travel together. After performing, I see who is popular in the town.
And when things finally simmer down,
they won't have me to kick around!!
When everything settles down, people won't be able to criticize or judge me anymore.
Contributed by Lillian T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@scottchambers7087
I saw a G.
Dope describes my rhymes, making all you MCS cold drop like dimes. You know MCSC is back again, and battling me on the microphone is like committing a sin.
I've seen it all.
I am still not to the Isleys.
Scott/MCSC
@tommycarter1339
Dam, I was 14 in 1986, and this song is still 🔥!!
@richardbryant3401
R.I.P. John "Ecstasy"Fletcher...Thanks for the memories!!
@bridgettedallasdavis920
Whodini definitely brought The MAJIC!!
Met Ecstasy in Lake Charles Louisiana concert. Very down to earth . Believe in or not this man took out time to listen to me talk about The Lords goodness🙏 He had just performed and I’m sure he was tired but he took out time just to let me minister to him about The Lord. Now he’s With The Lord R.I.P Humble soul.
@robertwhite970
This song is one of the most complete hip hop songs ever. The music is awesome and guitar is far more superior than walk this way or any other rock riff in hip hop.
@kantaterra4068
Agreed
@JSharpe427
Guitar is the best part of the song
@borisburwell775
💯
@borisburwell775
I had their poster 😊
@kimberlynash-williams6709
Whodini was slept on in general. They were ALL THAT and Ecstasy’s voice was premiere!!!
@anthonytaylor7928
Why is it when u hear a old school rap song some folks say they were slept on or underrated or some other dumb comment at the time of the album they were at the top of their game . just because some young folks maybe wasn't around at the time doesn't mean they were slept on thats just plain stupid