Captain Rapp | |
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Birth name | Larry Earl Glenn |
Origin | Los Angeles, California |
Genres |
Conscious rap Post-disco West Coast hip hop |
Years active | 1981–present |
Labels | Saturn Records JDC Records Rappers Rapp Records |
Captain Rapp is the stage name of Larry Earl Glenn, an American hip hop/ post-disco musician, producer and West Coast Rap pioneer. [1]
He is best known for his politically conscious song " Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)", which was a West Coast response to Grandmaster Flash's " The Message." [2] [3]
Glenn's musical career started in 1981 when he was signed to a small indie label called Rappers Rapp Records. His first record, party-oriented, "Gigolo Rapp" was a minor hit on the East Coast yet the record failed in his home state. [1]
In 1983, his most successful single "Bad Times" came out on Saturn Records and reached number 23 on Billboard Dance Charts. [4] The single was arranged and performed by emerging Contemporary R&B moguls Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. [1] with Rich Cason.
In 1992, Glenn recorded a sequel to his previous hit single, titled "Bad Times, Part 2: The Continuance." [1]
"Bad Times" lyrically touches sensitive topics, including unemployment, child sexual abuse, AIDS, Salvadoran Civil War and even nuclear war, in contrast to uptempo synth-funk melody and soulful vocals. [5]
The song is a West Coast variant of " The Message" whereas the title is lampooning a name of the most sampled song in hip-hop history, " Good Times" by Chic. [2] [3]
Year | Song | Label | Chart positions [4] | |
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U.S. Dance |
U.S. R&B | |||
1981 | "The Gigolo Rapp" (with Disco Daddy) | Rappers Rapp | – | – |
1983 | "Bad Times" | Saturn | #23 | – |
1984 | "When Doves Cry Rapp" | Rappers Rapp | – | – |
1985 | "Bite Em" | Evejim | – | – |
1985 | "Agony" | Evejim | – | – |
12" / SAT-2003 [6] |
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Captain Rapp had recorded 'Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)', a sort of West Coast bite of 'The Message' with its reversing of the title of the famous Chic track that was a staple of the commercial old school.
Captain Rapp Rapp is an old school rapper, famed for 'Badd Times (I Can't Stand It)', a Los Angeles answer to 'The Message.