What is so magical about Hip-hop’s Golden Age is how the young genre was open for interpretation. We have seen what is defined as “real” hip-hop change throughout the genre’s lifespan, but in the mid to late 80s, “real” only meant that the music came from an authentic place. In the late 80s, a new trio arose from New York City in the form of 3rd Bass. The trio featured DJ Richie Rich on the turntables, with MC Serch and Pete Nice, two white men, handling the vocals. Immediately, critics started comparing 3rd Bass to Beastie Boys, not because 3rd Base’s smooth approach to Hip-hop resembled anything close to the punk aesthetics of Beasties, but because it was white people doing Hip-hop. The psychological phenomenon of “grouping” was no match for 3rd Bass’ The Cactus Album, the 1989 debut from the trio.
The trio responded to critics’ claims when they appeared on the Arsenio Hall Show in 1990, bringing us to this week’s Golden Age Thursday. On the last Thursday of September, we witness 3rd Bass put on a stellar performance of their hit “Gas Face.” The song, which also has a feature credited to Zev Love X, an unknown rapper at the time who would later change his name to MF DOOM, would be one of the reasons critics and Hip-hop fans fell in love with 3rd Bass. The chemistry between the trio echoes throughout this performance, which starts with an interview between Hall, Serch, and Nice. Then, it transitions into a head-spinning display of natural stage presence and face-melting turntable skills.
