Rap Snacks
20 Year Anniversary of 'Yo! MTV Raps' Reminds Us That We're Getting Old
3:30 PM was indeed a magical time in my neck of the woods circa 1990. I have no shame admitting that I am old enough to remember that when Yo! MTV Raps was in its heyday, I had exactly 30 minutes to get home from school so that I could watch it and Video Music Box with VJ Ralph McDaniels when Yo! would have commercial breaks. And to make any more of you feel any older than you already are, then you remember that Rap City used to come on at 4 PM. Thank God the programmers over on BET had mercy on our already overloaded cerebrums with hype new videos. I say all this to let it be known that 1988, which many consider to be the height of hip hop's Golden Age, also was the year that the first episode of Yo! with Fab Five Freddy debuted on MTV. Ed Lover and Doctor Dre were added to the weekday slot one year later, and the rest was history. That is until 1995 when the last episode aired in a historic, freestyle, rhyme-for-all that included any rapper who got the beep on their pagers to get down to MTV studios to bust one last rhyme for all mankind. In commemoration of Yo!'s anniversary, MTV has declared April Yo! MTV Raps month. This means tons of classic videos, photos, interviews, and more will be featured on yo.mtv.com. Until, then, relax and enjoy the last episode of Yo! with perhaps the illest assemblage of rappers to ever bless a stage.
Tags: doctor dre, ed lover, fab 5 freddy, ralph mcdaniels
Comments
That was classsic, yo! And yes, we 80s kids are getting old...but it's all good.
Fave | March 29, 2008 2:48 PM | PermalinkGood Lawd!! (enough said)
polyestaplaya | March 25, 2008 4:57 PM | PermalinkI can't believe it's been that long! I am getting old. I love Ralph McDaniels forever. Video Music Box and You MTV Raps were a big part of my life.
Danielle | March 25, 2008 11:51 AM | PermalinkHas it been that long? Oh my goodness, I guess we are all getting old. I just remember how shocked I was that I was able to see their guests outside of BET or "Soul Train." My older cousins were over the moon when this show debuted. Good times.
S. Flemming | March 25, 2008 11:22 AM | PermalinkDon't shamed. Yo! was a great show. And Rap City right after was about as good as afternoon cartoons. I think I still have the 1st and this last shows + a bunch of videos from themon these things called VHS tapes. Good times!
Roddykat | March 24, 2008 8:28 PM | Permalink