Production Breakdown: DJ Kool’s “Let Me Clear My Throat” Posted by Richard on 02/25/11 | Filed under Top Stories, Features, Production Breakdown, David Rush, DJ Kool

For some, the idea of a new-school artist putting his or her own spin on a hip-hop classic is akin to that of an amateur sculptor striding up to Michelangelo's David with a hammer and chisel – kinda terrifying. And they have good reason for their trepidation: a masterpiece offers little room for improvement, but a lot of potential ways to f*ck up. Although, now that I think of it, there's one area where David might be grateful for a little improvement...too bad you can't add marble that ain't there.

Sh*t, where was I going with this statue analogy? I'm not really sure anymore. The point is, though I appreciate the old-schoolers' concerns, I'm personally thrilled whenever I catch an up-and-coming artist using a classic cut as raw material for a new record – not just because hip-hop has a proud tradition of reappropriating and recontextualizing its own past, but also because the fondly-remembered records in question usually have a complex and intriguing history of their own. In other words, perfect Production Breakdown material. DJ Kool's “Let Me Clear My Throat,” the '90s smash that served as inspiration for Jersey rapper David Rush's new mixtape single, “Party Like We,” is no exception to the rule.

A—hem! Released in 1996 as the lead single off Kool's junior set of the same title, “Clear My Throat” was a musical institution, a record that even those totally unschooled in hip-hop – i.e., yours truly as a grade-schooler – absorbed through osmosis during the record's heyday. Though Kool's gruff rhyme style had its appeal, it was the simple (sounding) yet brilliant, ingeniously catchy beat, with its intro brass fanfare and body-moving baritone sax verse groove, that made the joint unforgettable.



For those who missed Rush's cut when it hit the Booth:



Here, A.N.T. presents a fresh take on the classic, slicing and dicing Kool's shouted hook and “Ah-ah-ah-ah!” vocalízations (by the way, does anyone clear their throat like that?) while avoiding the record's memorable samples.

And, hey, what about those samples? I'm glad you asked. For starters, WhoSampled.com (props, as always), seems to beileve that the whole “Let me clear my throat” concept was derived from “The New Style,”off the Beastie Boys '86 debut, Licensed to Ill. The line in question comes at 3:10.



Was this the real inspiration? Could be - I haven't racked my brain for too long on the topic, but I can't think of anything else that would inspire someone to record a song about throat-clearing. I mean, unless Kool actually had to clear his throat. Which, considering his voice, doesn't seem all that unlikely.

Moving on to more certain matters, we have that famous brass intro. The responsible party turns out to be the same man who inspired Kool's stage name – specifically, Robert “Kool” Bell of Kool & the Gang fame. Here, we have “Hollywood Swingin',” a hit single off '73's Wild & Peaceful, which starts with the very same fanfare.


Kool & The Gang - Hollywood Swinging
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That's one mystery down. Next, the sample that underpins Kool's verses. As it turns out, that nifty horn-breakbeat loop had already achieved classic status by the time it was put to new use on “Clear My Throat.”



Released way back in '87, The 45 King's “The 900 Number” catapulted the Jersey native to prominence, scoring him a deal with Tuff City Records that very year – and getting sampled so much that it could serve as material for a Production Breakdown of its very own. If the name “45 King” rings a bell, it's likely because the beatsmith went on to craft instrumentals for two little records calle d”Hared Knock Life” and “Stan.”

As usual, though, there's more. If you suspected that 'The 900 Number's baritone sax solo didn't just play itself, you're right. In actuality, it dates all the way back to 1967. Produced by none other than James Brown – and bearing the Godfather of Soul's unmistakably funky stylistic mark – soul singer Marva Whitney's '67 cut “Unwind Yourself” was the single that started it all.



And there you have it - “Let Me Clear My Throat,” broken down to its component parts. As a bonus, here's the record's official “Old School Reunion Remix” with Biz Markie and Doug E. Fresh.



Which, I should add, also incorporates elements of this '79 record by funk group Gaz (skip to about 3:53).



Until next time, Production Breakdown faithful!

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