Flush it Friday: On Goin’ Hyphy and Other Trends
In 2006, Bay Area Legend E-40 (aka 40 Water aka Charlie Hustle) released My Ghetto Report Card, and, with it, introduced the rest of the universe to a whole host of Bay Area slang, rappers, and general activities. Of course, 40 had been releasing albums since the early ’90s, including several certified classics on Jive. Mac Dre had been murdered two years prior in Kansas City and was at his death, like 40, a true legend of hip-hop. But just like it took “Still Tippin'” to make everyone aware of Third Coast hip-hop—and not the popularity success of DJ Screw, UGK, etc.—it took the song and video for “Tell Me When to Go” to announce Town Business to the broader public.
And though we could spend the rest of our time talkin’ about Jesus Christ with dreads or Keak da Sneak and his bizarre and unique and beautiful flow, we’re instead going to jump straight to the point that Hyphy jumped the proverbial shark: December 31, 2006, when Mistah F.A.B. premiered the hit single “Ghost Ride It.” If you’re anywhere near my age, you can already hear the hyphy’d Ghostbusters beat in your head. You can probably already see the video, too, particulary F.A.B.’s thick lenses, the dopest school bus, and all that beautiful ghost riding.
And if you’re exactly (like) me, you listened to this song the other day on the treadmill and started laughing so hard you had to stop the machine to text a friend about the time you all tried to ghost ride your friend’s Saab in the fraternity parking lot.
Sometimes we all fall victim to trends. It’s sort of what being in high school and college is all about. You’re more or less trying on various affinities to see which turn out to be long-standing interests and which fizzle away. If you’re fortunate, you get to hold on to memories like that one: a bunch of Jewish kids trying to ghost ride a Saab sedan—the friend who owned the car was so obnoxious about it, he got mad at me for putting my feet up on the dash—in the parking lot of their fraternity house. No one got hurt, somehow, and no one learned that they were, actually, any good at ghostriding a vehicle. I don’t know how one becomes good at ghostriding, but I’m guessing it’s a messy road.
As I was thinking about this, I went to the Genius page for “Ghost Ride It.” I will close this anecdote, one that I hope you find as funny and stupid and embarrassing and full of youthful nonsense as I do, with this tidbit from the Genius page: “While ghostriding was already a relatively common phenomenon in the Bay Area, this single took it mainstream (along with E-40’s ‘Tell Me When To Go’). Soon even rich white kids everywhere were ghostriding and subsequently crashing their parents’ Land Rovers. Don’t try this at home!” Jesus Christ with dreads, Genius page editor: did you have to read me that thoroughly and viciously?
So: What trends caught fire for you in your teens/early 20s? What goofy shit did you get into? What goofy shit are you currently into? What are the kids up to? When the 00s become hip again, will we see Mistah F.A.B. resurrected and will they bring back the Thizz Face? Will we ghostride our electric scooters into a sinkhole that swallows our city? Let me know below.
But first! It’s time to flush.
Hans is the mans with the plans. Get your shit bumped and/or grinded.
Joe and Jordan should honestly be banned for forcing us to know who John Widowmaker is. [Ummm AKHTUALLY it’s WidōmMākr duhhhh -Roldy]
Toilet ov Jake continues his spree. The latest installment augurs well:
You know what to do, beloveds. Share silly stories of past hijinks. Share your Goods, your Bads, your Uglies. I hope your Goods are Great. I hope your Bads aren’t too Bad. I hope your Uglies are actually just the fruit.
Happy Tomb Mold Day to you all.
