Bust a Move: Matt Dike, Delicious Vinyl, and the Hip-Hop Hits That First Conquered Pop by Peter Relic
Big props to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for sharing
Peter Relic’s amazingly entertaining and detailed history of the Delicious
Vinyl Record Label, Bust A Move: Matt Dike, Delicious Vinyl, and the Hip-Hop
Hits That First Conquered Pop. I was so excited to read this book, and
Relic’s research and crate digging through the scattered bins of hip-hop
history has pieced together one of the most entertaining and astute books about
how Matt Dike and Mike Ross helped to craft funky, fly beats to propel hip-hop
for the pop charts. For those who don’t know, Delicious Vinyl was one of the
more popular record labels from the late 80s through the mid-90s that produced
some of the most popular and iconic hip-hop songs that are still played today (Tone
Loc, Young MC), at a time when hip-hop was not perceived as pop worthy. This
book traces the history of the label’s founders, Matt Dike, and Michael Ross,
how they met and moved from DJing in NYC to LA at some of the most popular
clubs in the early 80s. Furthermore, it examines the early challenges Delicious
Vinyl faced as an independent hip-hop label, as well as how they used the low
overhead to produce hip-hop beats in the pre-sample clearing 80s to craft a
unique, funky sound with obscure loops and samples. Relic’s relentless pursuit
and documentation of the label’s founding and apex (and its eventual demise) is
not only because he’s a music fan interested in how two white guys helped to
usher in a more popular form of West Coast hip-hop, but also because the
history of Delicious Vinyl Records also involves the mystery and enigma of Matt
Dike, who despite the success of his early records seemed to gradually
disengage from the label as it gained more prominence in the record industry.
While notable producers like Rick Rubin moved from hip-hop to metal and rock,
Dike gradually faded from his label, allowing Michael Ross and others to direct
the trajectory of the label, signing bands like The Brand New Heavies and The
Pharcyde, but also missing out on some other projects. Matt Dike, who also
contributed to the beats and sound of The Beastie Boys’ classic Paul’s
Boutique, became something of a phantom, never involved with music again
before his death from cancer in 2018. Relic’s book also tries to unravel the
mystery of Matt Dike, looking for answers as to why someone who helped to
sonically define hip-hop’s 80s and early 90s radio sound never worked on other
albums.
Relic’s book is not just a history, but rather a wild ride
in through the annals of hip-hop. Like all hip-hop histories, this ride goes
through NYC before eventually landing in LA. However, Relic pieces together the
winding journey of an unlikely Jehovah’s Witness from upstate New York who became
one of the most popular underground club DJs in New York and LA, who not only
hung around with Basquiat but also contributed to John Hughes’ soundtracks (Uncle
Buck). Relic’s narrative doesn’t follow a straight express track, but
rather takes the local route sometimes diverting down other pathways that allow
readers to better understand how much of a network Matt Dike established in
art, music, and the underground club scene through his DJing. It was
fascinating to learn about the connections Dike developed and how beloved his
DJ sets were at places like Power Tools and The Rhythm Lounge. I loved reading
about his vast record collection that eventually buckled his floor with its
weight. The book is filled with plenty of these observations and recollections
by those who knew Dike. Although Dike became something of a recluse, a kind of
stoned Norma Desmond who seemed to be perpetually planning his next LP, Relic’s
writing resurrects this fascinating character whose passion and knowledge of
music not only moved the crowds but also brought hip-hop to a larger audience.
The book is divided into 3 parts that pretty much examine
before Delicious Vinyl (Part One), the creation and hey-day and gradual demise
of Delicious Vinyl (Part Two), and the slow disappearance of Matt Dike (Part
Three). Relic includes some modern episodes throughout to allow readers to
better understand how much of an enigma Matt Dike’s disappearance is as
compared to other record producers, label founders, and other creative types
who helped to shape hip-hop’s popular sound. Nevertheless, his research and
reporting provide a fascinating look into various scenes and how hip-hop moved
from NYC to LA, and how Matt Dike and the Dust Brothers EZ Mike (Michael
Simpson) and King Gizmo (John King), two college DJs, shifted the West Coast
sound from electro to incorporate more vintage sampled beats and sounds. I
previously read Dan LeRoy’s 33 1/3 book on Paul’s Boutique, where he
presents the unique recording conditions, recorded in Matt Dike’s apartment
turned studio. Although Relic’s book relies on some of the same episodes from LeRoy’s
research, Relic covers other artists involved in Delicious Vinyl. Most
interestingly, Dike converted a closet into the vocal booth, so I was familiar
with this tidbit, but it was interesting to learn more about how much of a
creative supporter and collaborator he was in shaping some of the lyrics and
rhymes on the album, largely from his love of the first Beastie’s album, Licensed
to Ill.
Some of my favorite revelations from the book were that
Mellow Man Ace was set to be one of the first Delicious Vinyl artists, but was
eventually signed over to Capitol Records. I loved this album when I was
younger and remember how cool the beats and samples were, as well as how Mellow
Man Ace rapped in Spanish and English, something that wasn’t happening frequently
in hip-hop at the time. The Delicious Vinyl crew helped produce and record the
album, encouraging Mellow Man Ace to develop his own flow. I remember seeing
the album insert, including a sign that pointed to Havana and Cypress Hill, who
were related to Mellow Man Ace and were part of his early crew. B-Real writes
the foreword for the book, sharing his own recollections of the recording of
that album and how hanging around the Delicious Vinyl studios encouraged him to
develop his own unique sound. These are the kinds of hip-hop networks that
Delicious Vinyl helped to encourage that served as an funky alternative to the
electro- and gangsta rap that was coming out of LA. It was also interesting to
learn more about Young MC, who served as the kind of in-house writer for many
of the hits on Delicious Vinyl. Young MC, who had his own hits with “Bust a
Move” and “Principal’s Office”, also wrote “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina”.
Others who were involved with Delicious Vinyl described Young MC as a kind of
machine who could pump out narrative raps in a short amount of time. Although
he was a student at USC when he ended up working with the Delicious Vinyl crew,
some of Young’s raps were written when he was in middle school (like “Principal’s
Office”). It enjoyed learning more about his path to hip-hop, as well as how
his style kind of contrasted with Tone Loc’s laid-back partying style. There
are many other great stories that Relic has gathered and organized into a neat
narrative about how hip-hop evolved with the help of radio play and videos, and
how Tamara Davis, who went on to make films like CB4 and Billy
Madison, was instrumental in shaping the visuals that became an integral
part of the Delicious Vinyl brand. I forgot that the video for “Wild Thing” was
a play on Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” video, so it was fun to revisit these
memories from back in the day.
Although Young MC’s rhymes and Matt Dike and the Dust
Brothers’ beats drove much of the early and unanticipated success of Delicious
Vinyl, it also brought about their demise. Paul’s Boutique, although
released on Capitol, largely flopped and took years for a critical reexamination.
Other artists, like Mellow Man Ace, signed to other labels. Delicious Vinyl
signed a deal with Island Records that provided them with some cash but did not
help them out with royalties. Young MC also felt that he was undercompensated
and sued Delicious Vinyl, ultimately leaving the label and releasing his second
album on Capitol Records. There’s a lot of speculation about the beats that
were ready for Young MC’s second album, but the release on Capitol did not sell
well. When combined with the shift in clearing samples, which Delicious Vinyl relied
on for their sound, the label struggled to promote new acts in hip-hop, turning
eventually to acid jazz like the Brand New Heavies and even metal with Masters
of Reality, a band originally signed to Def American, Rick Rubin’s rock label.
As the label shifted priorities to try to keep up with the evolving world of
hip-hop and popular music, Matt Dike stopped showing up for work, but made his
presence known with after-hour visits and notes left on artwork and records.
Relic’s reporting suggests that Dike developed a drug habit and an attempted
intervention with Rick Rubin and Michael Ross seemed to drive Dike further into
isolation. Relic’s relentless pursuit of Matt Dike leads to a late-night visit
and interview at Dike’s home, and it is one of the most fascinating chapters in
this book.
This was such a great book, especially for fans of music and
hip-hop. It ranks among the best music books I’ve read and provides a unique
insight into the evolution of hip-hop, as it moved from the underground to the
mainstream. Peter Relic spins an engaging narrative about how music lovers
converged in New York and LA to remix the sound of popular music. Highly
recommended!
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