Newspaper Page Text
P6
The Clark Atlanta University Panther
November 22, 1993
Wu Tang Clan:
Kickin' Underground Grooves
Hip hop group Wu Tang Clan has an underground style.
New Professor Strides' Into
CAU With Extraordinary Skill
By Corey Cavalier
Contributing Writer
Slicing their way through a
mass of hip hop mediocrity
come the Wu Tang Clan.
The Wu Tang Clan hails
from Staten Island New York, a
place not commonly known for
turning out quality rap groups
like the Bronx, Brooklyn, and
Queens.
Nevertheless, the Clan man
ages to get on the microphone
and make good records like the
rest of those New York acts.
From the first single Protect
‘ya Neck it is evident that they
kick a definite underground fla
vor.
Following in the footsteps of
the Fuschnikins, the Clan adopts
the genre of karate films that
were popularized in the early
70’s by martial arts pioneer
Bruce Lee.
Released last summer,
Protect Ya Neck has been enjoy
ing much rotation on the turnta
bles of DJ’s around the country.
The cut includes an eerie “DJ
Premier type” piano loop
accompanied by a screeching
horn sample, coupled with a
violin in the background.
The Clan comes through
with a wide array of deliveries.
First you have the hollering,
aggressive type flow of The
Genius along with the rough
and raspy delivery of the
Method Man, who has been
compared to rappers Busta
Rhymes of L.O.N.S and
Redman of the Hit Squad.
The Clan also does well in
the lyric department. The Rebel
who claims to, “make more
noise than heavy metal” kicks
this lyrical gem, “Too hot to
handle/you battle your sayin’
Goodbye like Tevin Campbell.”
Not to be upstaged by the
crew, the “Method Man" puts
his two cents in and kicks the
lyrics claiming, “...and like
Fame my style will live forev
er.”
Combining lyrical skills,
beats and delivery, the Clan
manages to give rap fans a taste
of the unusual. This album is
strictly for the underground rap
fan. If you like hot beats and
cool rhymes check out the Wu
Tang Clan.
By Alex Waldron
Staff Writer
Dr. Luther, “The Panther”,
Williams is a man who has defi
nitely made strides in the world
of music.
Williams, a professor in the
Clark Atlanta University Mass
Media Arts Department, plays a
rare style of piano known as
stride. According to Williams, it
is an advance approach to the
piano that flourished in Harlem
between the world wars. It is
based on ragtime, blues, and the
traditional jazz musical style in
collaboration with the black reli
gious experience and the creativi
ty of the European classics. It
features the pulling away of right
hand rhythms from a solid left
hand bass.
The professor contends being
known as the only black stride
pianist in the world is a great
accomplishment. However, he
said with this achievement also
comes frustration. “No one who
is black is doing stride, everyone
is white; such as Dick Hyman,
Louis Mazatler, the late Francois
Rilhac, the Swiss Henery Chaix,
Germany’s Burndt Ludsky and
Britain’s Nevelle Dickie. If
Atlanta is supposed to be the
‘black Mecca,’ why hasn’t it pro
duced at least one stride pianist?”
With the exception of a six-
month lesson when he was six-
years-old, William taught himself
to play by listening to artists like,
Erroll Gamer, Ocar Peterson Art
Tatum, Ray Charles, and Bernard
Addison.
His album Declaration of
Reclamation, Part I captured rave
reviews throughout Europe. “I’m
declaring a reclaiming of that
which was lost, that which now
must be reclaimed. If we (blacks)
don’t do that, we will never know
who we are as a people,” he said.
With a bachelors degree in
Philosophy, a Masters in Drama
Communications, and a Ph.D. in
Mass Communications, Williams
said he chose not to teach music
at CAU because of his lack of
formal training.
He said he has noticed an
overall hostile attitude toward
music in institutions of hire edu
cation. This, he said, stems from
an American culture that deval
ues self-expression. “Black peo
ple don’t want to hear what hap
pened yesterday; but, that is not
their fault. It is the fault of the
older generation because they did
not teach us our history. I don’t
teach music because my urgency
is communication and I teach it
to articulate and illuminate
music,” Williams said.
As an affirmation of his mem
bership to the community of
stride piano, Williams was given
the nickname “The Panther”. “I
believe ‘The Panther” is an
appropriate nickname; it symbol
izes black consciousness and
awareness. According to Williams,
there was a time people believed
he was directly affiliated to The
Panther Movement.
Williams said he has received
positive feedback from the CAU
family, “The reception has been
overwhelmingly warm and enthu
siastic. Especially by students.
We’ll just have to see how long
the honeymoon lasts.”
First Album Plans To Be A Hit
By Nicole McMillan
Staff Writer
Chantay Savage is a woman of
the 90’s and on her way to the
top.
Her debut album Here We Go
is full of hot new songs with cool
beats and lyrics that define every
day life.
It is a reflection of Savage’s
confidence as well as her sensi
tivity. There is even a little bit of
Shabba Rank’s dance hall to help
keep you feelin’ trie.
On Betcha’ll Never Find, a
new jack/funk throwdown, she
sings, “I won’t cry, 1 won’t ask
you why. If your gonna go do
what your gonna do. I know that
I’m a special kind. ”
The album is full of many
upbeat dance songs, but mid-way
through the album she slows it
down with Give it to you. This
sultry ballad will fill you with a
deep passion for that special
someone.
No matter what your need (to
dance, chill, make love or
groove) Savage has got an album
that will fulfill them all.
Like so many others, Savage
began singing in the church choir
at the age of four. Both of her
parents were jazz musicians.
According to Savage it seemed to
be a natural career choice.
Producer/remixer Maurice
Joshua fell in love with Savage’s
voice and featured her as a vocal
ist on jiyhat became an interna
tional club hit, I Got A Hold On
You.
This led to a development deal
with I.D Productions in Chicago
that launched the diva's solo
career and won her a record deal.
Savage has co-written many
songs for several artists such
as We Got a Love Thang by CeCe
Peniston. In addition, she has
also co-penned eight out of the
10 songs on her album.
Like her song Here We Go
suggests, this is only the begin
ning for this talented artist.
Chantay Savage makes her singing debut with Here
We Go.