Lisa Lisa & C+C Music Factory

Sorry, smaller post, but we've been getting vaccines, dealing with post-vaccine vibes, and general everyday weirdness. So here's a little one for your listening pleasure.

Back on one of my earlier blogs, I'd posted this 12" but put the links up on SoundCloud. I thought this was pretty cool as you could listen to it and download the file if you wanted. That said, I was unexpectedly hit with a strike for posting copyrighted material, almost certainly by a copyright bot. Now, this song is available on streaming platforms and digital storefronts, sure, but neither of these versions are as they were issued on an advance promo 12" that didn't identify Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, only that the tracks were produced by Robert Clivilles and David Cole. It genuinely had a large question mark at the top of the label and the words "Guess Who?" instead of an artist or song name. I'm sure someone thought this was an edgy tactic to get people wondering whose lovely vocals were coming out of their speakers, but it doesn't seem very smart in retrospect. What makes this all the more peculiar is that neither of these versions were ever released outside of this promo. The A side is basically an alternate extended mix that's missing some samples and features others that never appeared in any of the released mixes. The B side features all the same details but is more or less an instrumental/dub version. I have to assume these were both early versions of the track, and since we didn't have artificial intelligences listening to the radio to identify samples at the time, no one was worried about a promo only release without all the important bits cleared. Personally, I could probably listen to hours of early mixes of Let the Beat Hit 'Em, so Mr. Clivilles, if you're reading this, would you consider releasing some more? I've always loved everything about this song, from Lisa Lisa's amazing vocals to your production and edits. As Lisa says at the end of the instrumental or dub version, GIVE ME MORE!!!!



Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Let the Beat Hit 'Em (Promo Mix)

Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Let the Beat Hit 'Em (Promo Dub)


On a related note to this song, I've reached out to Robert Clivilles on Twitter about this song several times over the years but he's never responded to me. I was hoping to interview him at one point about it. I have also wondered who was rapping on the extended mix, and thought it might have been C+C Music Factory associate and member of The Arsonists, Q-Unique. Mr. Unique DID respond to me, and confirmed that IT IS NOT HIM rapping on the extended mix, nor does he know who it is. Bummer, but at least I got an answer. What can ya do?



Comments

  1. Max S.April 9, 2021 at 2:17 PM

    Thanks for sending me down this rabbit hole. The rapper might be Duran Ramos who has a writing credit on the song (???) Sounds similar:

    https://youtu.be/-A_2jNpnc_k?t=34

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The UnheardApril 26, 2021 at 5:29 PM

      You may be on to something, Max! Totally forgot about Trilogy, especially since I generally think about Q-Unique in this era.

      Delete

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