Melle Mel was basically an early KRS-One, before Kris Parker was KRS-One. Besides being a Bronx native MC, that would rap about social/conscious issues, Melle Mel is his era, along side Kool Moe Dee and Grandmaster Caz, was a lyrically superior top-feared battle MC, with so much heart and balls that WOULD. AND I'M BEING SERIOUS HERE, WOULD RAID STAGE & LIVE SHOW, grap the microphone, and challenge you to a live battle whenever he wanted to battle you. KRS-One at times has said that Melle Mel was major influence on him, and has even called Melle Mel his 'teacha', as he grew up on Melle Mel. When Melle Mel, left Sugarhill Records in the mid-80's and was without a record deal, Melle Mel kept his legacy & rep on the streets, through live shows, and battling MC's to maintain his street credibility. So here's where the story begins of the KRS-One vs. Melle Mel battle:
Melle Mel; an established Old Skool, legend, going up against KRS-One; a young New Skool, new commer. Who would win??
This battle took place at the Latin Quarters Nightclub. on 48th St. between Broadway and 7th Ave, New York, in 1987.
The battle happened on the spur of the moment. Melle Mel was there challenging any MC in the crowd to battle for $1000, KRS walked in on the stage as he had a scheduled show, while Melle Mel was still there. Scott La Rock was already on stage, and informed KRS of Melle Mel's challenge, just when KRS was about to accept the challenge Melle Mel had already walked off the stage, so, as it seemed the battle wasn't gonna happen KRS continued to go on stage and do his show. So KRS was doing his show, and was performing the song 'Poetry', the crowd, was rocking, cherring, yelling YEAAHHHH. But suddenly during KRS's performance of 'Poetry' the crowd quickly screamed OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHOOO O. So KRS, looked to his right to see what was happening as, cuz to him, the crowd's OOOOHHHHHOOO's sounded like BOOOOOOS. And when KRS looked to his right, Melle Mel had suddenly returned to the stage in a b-boy stance position. And Melle Mel was a big muthaf**ka, and KRS (at that time, cuz he kinda bigger now) was just a tall skinny kid. And like I said, Melle Mel was an Emcee that would raid your stage, grap the microphone, and challenge you to a live battle whenever he wanted to battle you. Therefore as Melle Mel had returned to the stage...KRS's show stopped and had no choice but to battle Melle Mel right there and then. So KRS, walked up to Melle Mel and starts the battle off and says a line from 'Poetry':
"Say someting now?...(points the mic to Melle Mel and snatches it back and says)............Thought So"
Crowd goes wild. SO THE BATTLE WAS ON!!!!!!! As KRS & Melle Mel went back and forth
The rhymes which KRS laid down in the battle, were later later for the song 'Still No.1', I believe if you listen to that song, you'll pick them up from the first verse and 1/2 of the second verse. Particularly these lyrics:
"People still takin' rappin' for a joke/A passing hope or a phase with a rope/Sometimes I choke and try to believe/when I get challenged by a million MCs"
"Rap is still an art, and no-one's from the Old School/cuz Rap is still a brand-new tool/I say no-one's from the Old School cuz Rap on a whole isn't even twenty years old/Fifty years down the line, you can start this/cuz we'll be the Old School artists/And even in that time, I'll say a rhyme/A brand-new style, ruthless and wild/Runnin' around spendin' money, havin' fun/cuz even then, I'm still number one"
KRS has said, that when he made the song 'Still No.1' in the studio, he modified certain words from the originals which something like this:
"People still takin' Kris for a joke/A passing hope or a Rapper with a rope/Sometimes I choke and try to believe when I get challenged by Melle Mel & his 5 MCs" (as some Furious 5 MC's, like Scorpio were there supporting Melle Mel)
"Rap is still an art, and how can you call yourself from the Old School/cuz Rap is still a brand-new tool/I say how can you call yourself Old School cuz Rap on a whole isn't even twenty years old/Fifty years down the line, you can start this/cuz we'll be the Old School artists/And even in that time, I'll say a rhyme/A brand-new style, ruthless and wild/Runnin' around spendin' money, havin' fun/cuz even then, I'm still number one"
"You know what you need to learn?/Old School artists don't always burn/You're just another rapper who's had his turn/Now it's my turn"
So when the battle was over, Melle Mel left the stage, (I wonder if Melle Mel left the $1000 on stage!?!), and someone threw a chain at him while he stormed off the stage. KRS stayed on and received word that Biz Markie & Roxanne Shante were in the audience, and as BDP were battling the Juice Crew around that time, KRS bust SOME OF SHOTS AT THEM TOO, while he was still on stage after the Melle Mel battle.
Now I understood when it was said the KRS-One took on THE WHOLE JUICE CREW especially in 'My Philosophy' when he goes:
"KRS-One is just the guy to lead a crew/right up to your face and dis you"
KRS explained this whole battle on the Wake Up Show. The Wake Up Show has a website
www.wakeupshow.com (but it's currently in reconstruction)
Also The Source magazine, did an article on this battle in the issue dedicated to old school with Bam, Flash, and Herc on the cover.
Biz Markie said in a recent interview that he has that whole show on tape.
All I've gotta say is SOMEONE BETTER GET THAT TAPE, and I wonder how Melle Mel felt if he heard the song 'Still No.1' which came out in 1988, especially hearing the lyrics that were used in that song & against him the previous year in 1987.
HOLLA BACK WITH THE FEEDBACK
Linear Mode
