Despite the risk of creating an awful pun, you might say that a "bad rap" is something a hot new genre of pop music has earned in recent weeks, thanks in no small measure to the notoriety drummed up (and, unfortunately, exploited) by a group known as 2 Live Crew.
Another young group with a similar name, but a refreshingly less vulgar approach - The U-Krew - will perform on Tuesday, June 26, at 8 p.m. at Jags Dance Club, 8700 S. Sandy Parkway, across from the Sports Park.An up-and-coming "dance rock" group, Utah's own Magi, will also perform at the concert.
James "J. Mack" McClendon, one of the five U-Krew members, talked to us earlier this week from San Antonio, Texas, another stop on a national tour that will take the group to Salt Lake City next week, then on to the Pacific Northwest for three final concerts in Seattle, Vancouver, B.C., and all five performers' home town - Portland, Ore.
J. Mack said the recent controversy over 2 Live Crew's records and concerts being banned in the South hadn't caused too many problems for The U-Krew, except for the cancellation of one relatively minor concert date in Tennessee. (The club owner tried to reschedule the concert after he learned that The U-Krew was not 2 Live Crew, but it was too late.) Rap has its roots in the New York City ghettos, where musicians would gather informally and spend their time rappin' - talk-singing poetry to a rapid beat.
Good rap, according to J. Mack, is lyrical and often romantic.
The five U-Krew performers grew up in the same neighborhood in Portland. The leader is Larry "Grandjammer DLB" Bell (whose nickname is derived from the fact that he was grand at jammin' and he worked for some time as a disc jockey - hence the initials for Deejay Larry Bell). J. Mack and Hakim "Mellow B.J." Muhammad, both vocalists, used to spend their time at Bell's house, experimenting with various rap styles.
They eventually teamed up with Lavell "P. Kookie" Alexander, who operates the turntables, and Kevin "Hough-Kough" Morse, the youngest of the group, who does lead vocals and background.
("Hough-Kough" is another rap term. I had presumed it was pronounced like "koff," but J. Mack said it more like a fast "Hong Kong" with long "oh" sounds.)
J. Mack said the group prefers playing clubs - such as Jags Dance Club - instead of arenas, where the audience is barricaded away from the musicians by a stage.
"We like to get involved with the crowd. Rap is `partying' music and we like to invite people up to dance with us and we like to get down into the audience," he said.
Many of the songs for the concert come from the group's new Enigma Records album, plus some newer numbers that the group wants to test before going back into the recording studio.
Cash Box Magazine, in its review of "The U-Krew" album, said, "This is a solid and impressive debut that announces the arrival of one of the few real bands in quite a while."
Magi, a Utah-based rap group originally from Michigan, made its Utah debut at the first annual Music Festival at the Salt Palace about two years ago, when it took first place.
Magi's lyrics are positive and upbeat, and the band has received acclaim from state legislators and leaders in the entertainment industry.
Members of Magi are Shawn McLelland and Tara Martinsen, a brother and sister who both do lead vocals and keyboards; Cheryl and Amy McLelland, backup vocals; Lane Martinsen, bass guitar; Joe "J.T." Tate, guitar; Terry Jeffs, drums; and Matt "Boxer" McLelland, percussion and vocals.
Another member of the McLelland family, Kristen, helps out occasionally between classes at BYU.
Magi has a song now getting some airplay on the radio, "Straight 2 U."
Shawn McLelland and Tara Martinsen do most of the writing of the group's original music, with other members of the band working out the arrangements.
Shawn McLelland said Magi features a "dance rock" style, incorporating some rap into their music.