Rude Boy Classics

The Oxford Dictionary definition of the word ‘rude’ is: ‘Lacking the graces and refinement of civilized life’...despite still being used in everyday-life to describe individuals jumping queues or pushing past others. Its modern street meaning derives from the term ‘Rude Boy’. Which was originally a term used for juvenile delinquents and petty criminals in the 1960s, then carried on under a slightly different context by the dub and ska movements of the 70’s. In the 90’s, the term ‘Rude Boy’ (or by then “Rude Girl’) was used to describe youths (often male) driving small, supped-up cars in an aggressive nature, whilst deliberately drawing attention to their ungraceful actions with loud music. The music of choice would almost-always be bass-heavy (for that extra sound-travel factor) with an identifiably anarchic-attitude. This subsequently led to the slang term ‘rude’ being used as a description for music of this nature. Here are my painstakingly-chosen top three rudest tracks from this era and onwards: Freq Nasty – Goose (Dub) I could have picked a number of tracks from the sole big beat survivor and the undisputed forefather of the current gutter-house sound. However, even by the dreadlocked-Antipodean’s own standards, ‘Goose’ stands out as one of the most defining moments of audio-illage. Possibly named after the loudmouth in ‘Top Gun’, this speaker-demolisher does little else other than shamelessly tear eardrum-puncturing squelch from start to finish. Sounding not dissimilar to Mr Oizo’s chart-hit ‘Flat Beat’, Goose took the concept of instrumental bass-music to a new level and still has to be one of the best breaks tracks ever made. DJ Zinc - 138 Trek By no means as tough as Goose, but what ‘138 Trek’ lacked in bass-ferocity it certainly made up for with sheer rude boy attitude. Forever to conjure images of half a dozen, capped youngsters piling out of a packed Vauxhall Nova, like the end of some bizarre ‘You Bet’ challenge. Zinc’s cherished garage anthem still sounds as fresh as it did back in the day and just had to make the top 3. If Dylan’s ‘Chimes Of Freedom’ is the symbolic-sound to the end of the Vietnam War, then 138 Trek is the symbolic-sound of wheel-spinning hatchbacks in suburban Britain. Pharoache Monche – Simon Says A piece of history steeped in the sort of cold-aggression that made all the other late-nineties, gangsta-rappers sound like parent-disturbing, bed-wetters. To this day nothing spells menace quite like the opening, amplified-horns leading to the initial ‘Get The Fuck Up’. However, this concerto’s not just all about its belligerent attitude (although, “New York City gritty committee pity the fool that act shitty in the midst of the calm, the witty” is pretty tight), as the track boasts a thunderous bass-drop of epic proportions. Despite content relating to American issues, ‘Simon Says’ will forever ring synonymous with the sound of screeching hand-break turns on UK High Streets. The Runners Ups: Ganju Kru ‘Super Sharp Shooter' Roots Manuva ‘Witness (One Hope)' Natural Born Chillers ‘Rock The Funk Beats’ Dead Prez ‘Hip-Hop’ Q Project ‘Champion Sound (Alliance Remix)' Visionary Underground ‘Freedom’ Afrodite ‘Stalker’ If anyone that feels I’ve overlooked an obvious choice (past or present) or would just like to list their favourites, then please be sure to let me know in the comments box below...that's right, we have comment boxes now (BIG).