I decided to start a new element of my blog I will call "Poof." It's dedicated to rappers who seemed like they had potential (whether it be a guilty pleasure of mine or not) but just fell off the musical map, disappeared...poof! The first artist I will highlight in this section is Motown Artist MC Brains.
Many hip-hop historians believe that it was Bone Thugs N Harmony that put the city of Cleveland, Ohio on the hip-hop map. Those historians need to check their facts and rewind back to 1992 when an unknown rapper named MC Brains (born James De Shannon) hit the scene with the infectious song "Oochie Coochie" He was discovered by Michael Bivens of New Edition and Bell, Biv, Devoe fame. Bivens had just released a string of hits with Boyz II Men, ABC (Another Bad Creation), and BBD (Bell Biv Devoe)...you know "the East Coast Family." It was only right that he drop another hit with his new protege from Cleveland. "Oochie Coochie" was the first single off of Brain's only album "Lover's Lane" and it went to number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart and as high as number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The song's sex driven lyrics fit in fine with the booty and hoochie heavy hits "Do Me" and "Poison" Bivens help create with Bell, Biv, Devoe. Riding high off of the success of "Oochie Coochie", MC Brains released 2 more singles off of his debut album ("Brainstorming" & "Everybody's Talking About MC Brains"). Sadly to say, contrary to the title of his third single, everybody was not talking about MC Brains, at least not outside of Cleveland, and those two singles flopped leaving MC Brains excommunicated from "the East Coast Family" and never to be heard from again.
Why did I pick MC Brains, I don't know, I was listening to an old mixtape and "Oochie Coochie" popped up between TLC's "What About Your Friends" and Del The Funkee Homosapian's "Mistabobdobelina." What old head did not groove to "Oochie Coochie" while watching Jordan win that second championship against the Blazers. Classic lines like "Oochie coochie la la la/I am the Brains and I'm up to par/Quit actin' brand new I know you fruity/Cause when you're walkin' you're shakin' that booty." What!?!?!?!? Hova what? Weezy who? This man was the truth. You can't forget his list of freaks at the end: "Lisa, Kim, Angela, Monique/Dem are some freaks with some big physiques/Pam, Deshaun, Theresa, and Judy/Dem are the girls with the ghetto booty." I think a tear just dropped from my eye from the beauty of this poetry. One last fact, this man had Boyz II Men singing back-up on a few songs on his album...yes I said it...Boyz II Men BACKED UP MC Brains vocally. Their vocals fell secondary to this MC's lyrical wizardry, who else can say they had that without signing some zeros on a check. To get you all reacquainted with MC Brains, I left 4 four of his tracks that were favorites of mine. Take a listen and tell me what you think. If you like it, go cop the album (if you can find it, lord knows I've tried) its not too late to make this man platinum.
7 comments:
I couldn't help myself. Brainz is still around.Brainz is currently in the studio recording his new project. Check him out at myspace.com/brainzdavis. His site is currently being redesigned...so keep checking back at brainzdavis.com. He still looks as good as he always did, his delivery is classic as ever. As far as the music goes: Brainz could hit Urban /Top 40 radio tomorrow and chart in the top 10. Confidently !
His comeback is going to drop those jaws...and this time he is back for good.
Thank you for the post and the pub.
It is greatly appreciated.
Brainz Fam and Crew.
www.myspace.com/entertainmentdiva
Cant wait to hear Brainz new stuff, keep me posted and hope to hear fromyou soon.
http://myspace.com/kaseke Commander B rep NEW JACK SWING
still think Strawberry Lane was his best. Just came on my random shuffled playlist.
Nice story my dude being an early 80s hip-hop fan Imma traditionalist so I never could get into dudes who weren't lyrically "there".Saying that I didn't like Brains I thought him to be wack,I just started listening to Brainstorming and Boyz to Men and to me that is his best work.People do give credit to Bone Thugs for puttin Cleveland on the map and they did provide some notoriety but in 1986 M.C. Chill put Cleveland on the map my dude way before Brains and "Hoochie Coochie La-La-La"
Hey, I thought M.C. Brains released 2 albums. The first one being "Lover's Lane" & the second one being "Brainwashed" on Ichiban Records, if I'm not mistaken.
M.C. Brains.. man, I liked this dude's stuff. Two songs from "Lover's Lane", believe it or not were "Brainstorming" & "Boys To Men (The Sequel). Peoples' jaws would drop when I told them that.
Biv was the man but he forgot how Jump & Shoot Productions/MCA did him and the rest of New Edition, appearently. Brains had been offered acting roles and could have expanded his appeal and exposed himself to a wider audence. I was disappointed with Biv, man! I heard the rest of the "East Coast Family" experienced some of the same shady treatment. Shame on ya, Biv. You just did a 'Jump & Shoot' move of your own, brother. Brains fans, hit me up. Thanks for the story!
Oh here's My e-mail:
m m p a c t 2 @ h o t m a i l . c o m
Straw berry lane m.c. brains best song he ever recorded underrated songwriter Mike b. Used him for ghost writer on many of the e.c.f hits boyztamen a.b.c.
But the social lyrics and content were deep and with the sample it was on repeat in my disc player Rico did his thing
By chance you know where to find #9strawberry letter
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