Captain Rapp Explained

Captain Rapp
Landscape:	yes
Birth Name:	Larry Earl Glenn
Origin:	Los Angeles, California
Years Active:	1981–present
Genre:	Conscious rap Post-disco West Coast hip hop
Label:	Saturn Records JDC Records Rappers Rapp Records
Associated Acts:	Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis

Captain Rapp is the stage name of Larry Earl Glenn, an American hip hop/post-disco musician, producer and West Coast Rap pioneer.^[1]

He is best known for his politically conscious song "Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)", which was a West Coast response to Grandmaster Flash's "The Message."^{[2] [3]}

History

Glenn's musical career started in 1981 when he was signed to a small indie label called Rappers Rapp Records. His first record, party-oriented, "Gigolo Rapp" was a minor hit on the East Coast yet the record failed in his home state.^[1]

In 1983, his most successful single "Bad Times" came out on Saturn Records and reached number 23 on Billboard Dance Charts. The single was arranged and performed by emerging Contemporary R&B moguls Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.^[1] with Rich Cason.

In 1992, Glenn recorded a sequel to his previous hit single, titled "Bad Times, Part 2: The Continuance."^[1]

Themes

"Bad Times" lyrically touches sensitive topics, including unemployment, child sexual abuse, AIDS, Salvadoran Civil War and even nuclear war, in contrast to uptempo synth-funk melody and soulful vocals.^[4]

The song is a West Coast variant of "The Message" whereas the title is lampooning a name of the most sampled song in hip-hop history, "Good Times" by Chic.^{[2] [3]}

Discography

Charts

Year	Song	Label	Chart positions^[5]
			^U.S. Dance	^U.S. R&B
1981	"The Gigolo Rapp" (with Disco Daddy)	Rappers Rapp	align=center	–	align=center	–
1983	"Bad Times"	Saturn	align=center	23	align=center	–
1984	"When Doves Cry Rapp"	Rappers Rapp	align=center	–	align=center	–
1985	"Bite Em"	Evejim	align=center	–	align=center	–
1985	"Agony"	Evejim	align=center	–	align=center	–

Singles

"Bad Times"

12" / SAT-2003^[6]	"Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)" – 6:57 "Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)" (Part 2) –5:34 "Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)" (Part 3) (instrumental) –5:50 Label: Saturn Written-by: Larry Earl Glenn Guest singer: Kimberly Ball

Notes and References

1. Web site: ((Captain Rapp)). Allmusic. 2011-08-05.
2. Book: Cross, Brian. 1994. It's not about a salary--: rap, race, and resistance in Los Angeles. Captain Rapp had recorded 'Bad Times (I Can't Stand It)', a sort of West Coast bite of 'The Message' with its reversing of the title of the famous Chic track that was a staple of the commercial old school.. Verso, 1994, (originally) the University of Michigan. 24. 0-86091-445-3. registration.
3. Book: Larkin, Colin. 1994. It's not about a salary--: rap, race, and resistance in Los Angeles . Captain Rapp Rapp is an old school rapper, famed for 'Badd Times (I Can't Stand It)', a Los Angeles answer to 'The Message.. Guinness Publishing, 1994 & the University of California (originally). 22. 0-85112-788-6.
4. Book: Rescher, Nicholas . 1998. Getting Present as an Art: Predicting the future: an introduction to the theory of forecasting . SUNY Press. 49. 0-7914-3554-7.
5. Web site: Captain Rapp on Billboard charts. Allmusic, Billboard. 2011-08-05.
6. Web site: Captain Rapp discography. Discogs. 2011-08-05.