Sad news that rap pioneer passed away from a heart attack on 8 February, 2018 while appropriately moving speakers, which seems a somewhat appropriate way to go for this rap pioneer. I don’t claim to know a great deal about him, but from what I’ve read Lovebug Starski no doubt saw and did things most of us could only dream about during his glory days rapping with Grandmaster Flash (pre Furious Five) in the park and later spinning at Disco Fever and Harlem World, not to mention his work with the late Larry Smith, as told to Billy Jam last year:
“I had the biggest selling record on the Fever label “You Betta Believe” and “At The Fever.” Me and Larry Smith did those records. We did “It’s Like That,” “Sucka MCs” and “You Gotta Believe” in three days! And if you really do your homework, those records all came out in the same month. We toured together, me and Run-D.M.C. and Russell really wanted me with him but I was all tangled up with Sal [Fever Records].”
DJ AJ (of Kurtis Blow fame) cut his teeth as DJ by teaming up with Starski when he gave up promoting Kool Herc to make it on his own, and it’s also been said that Sylvia Robinson had approached Starski to record her first rap record, but much like the other big names of the late seventies the idea of recording singles didn’t make sense at the time compared with the big money that the biggest DJ’s of the day could earn doing parties and club residencies, which turned out to be a lucky break for Big Bank Hank and the rest. Starski also recorded the title track for the Rappin’ movie but wasn’t invited to appear (clearly because his sweet moves would have made Mario Van Peebles look like even more of a rap dummy).
Most importantly, Starski held the crown as the most animated performer of the early eighties, as evidenced by the following amazing television performances:
The Disco Fever Reunion show, 1986:
‘You’ve Gotta Believe’ on New York Hot Track, 1982:
‘Amityville (The House on the Hill)’ on Top of the Pops, 1986:
‘Amityville (The House on the Hill)’ on Solid Soul, 1986:
My personal favourite Lovebug track is of course ‘Say What You Wanna Say’, thanks to it being featured in the Big Fun In The Big Town documentary from 1986…
‘Say What You Wanna Say’:
RIP lovebug the legend.
So who pioneered the bong titty bong b bong b bong boogie boogie? Him or busy bee?
rest in power to the legendary love bug starski
R.I.P. Starski (now I see Busy B really did jack your swagger)
I always liked Do The Right Thing. Too bad it wasn’t on the album.
1. Positive Life
1. You Gotta Believe
3. Starski Live At The Disco Fever
4. Do The Right Thing
5. Live At The Fever part 2
6. Rappin
7. Fight Rap (which I’ve never heard but it’s produced by Larry Smith so it should be good)
^^^ If you added those songs to his album, you’d probably fill up a CD.