May 2, 2013

Chris Kelly — Mac Daddy — of the 1990s kid rap duo Kris Kross...

... has died at the age of 34, apparently of a drug overdose.

They had a big hit song, "Jump" — video at the link — and they made it a trend to wear your pants backwards. The 2 boys in Kriss Kross were 13 years old, and my sons were 11 and 9, back in 1992 when that song seemed to be every kid's favorite song. I can remember sitting in the audience for a show at school where various kids — pants on backwards — attempted to dance like those 2 boys. Sample lyrics:
I'm the Mac and I'm bad give you something that you never had
I'll make ya jump jump wiggle and shake your rump
Cause I'll be kicking the flavor that makes you wanna jump
How high? Real high
Cause I'm just so fly
A young loveable, huggable type of guy
20 years ago.  

29 comments:

Mark O said...

We need a tag for drug overdose. Sad ending for anyone.

CatherineM said...

This made me sad because of course I picture him/them as 13 year olds.

It's not good to peak at 13

Shanna said...

This made me sad because of course I picture him/them as 13 year olds.

I feel the same. I just see them jumping around in their incredibly stupid backwards clothes in loud, 90's colors. Very sad.

George M. Spencer said...

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Sonnet 29: Shakespeare.

It even rhymes.

Scott M said...

Ah...back when hip-hop was just fun and hadn't descended into gansta rap, self-destructive nonsense.

Kid 'n Play were at least three times more dope than Kris Kross, though, one must admit.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

Years ago, when I was in grade school, these older students were playing baseball and this guy put his clothes on backwards as a joke and then he got hit in the head with a bat and knocked unconscious.

A teacher came to his aid and screamed out loud when she thought he got his head spun around.

Now that I've typed out the story, it pretty much seems like someone just made it up.

Probably an older student.

Sorun said...

"I can remember sitting in the audience for a show at school..."

Now it's settled. I'm going to home-school.

KJE said...

Sad ending for everyone?

Not so much. Pretty sure it was a voluntary choice in the beginning.

sakredkow said...

Now that I've typed out the story, it pretty much seems like someone just made it up.

At this point what difference does it make? Funny as get-out anyways.

virgil xenophon said...

Had TOTALLY forgotten them (But not Kid 'n Play, strangely)

Time flies..

Scott M said...

(But not Kid 'n Play, strangely)

See above. KnP was three times more dope.

Tim said...

Victimless crime.

Obviously, we need to legalize drugs.

Wince said...

I can see the future headline: "Middle Aged 'Lil Poopy' Shits the Bed".

Unknown said...

Is it talent that's required to perform hip hop music? I can't tell because it just sounds random and discordant to me and the lyrics are so often banal and base.
When the lyrics are typed out and you can read them without the rhythm masking them they sound terrible. Not at all innocent.

Anonymous said...

Well, this DOES move Shaq up one step in the rankings of the Best Living Rappers.

Freeman Hunt said...

Aw. I was twelve when that song was popular. I remember listening to that over and over with my roommate at summer camp.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

@ Freeman

Band camp?

:-D

Freeman Hunt said...

Ha ha. No. "Gifted and talented" camp. (Which was so great but sounds so lame.)

Freeman Hunt said...

I went to a lot of camps as a kid. That was the best one. I went for all four years that I was in the right age range. Unfortunately that particular camp has since shut down. Too bad. It was phenomenal.

Smilin' Jack said...

See above. KnP was three times more dope.

So...does that mean they had an IQ of 90, or 10?

Shanna said...

The only camp we had when I was a kid was church camp.

MadisonMan said...

Never heard the song. Which is odd to me. But that was before kids, and I was all into WBRU then.

Another song I never heard much was Mickey by Toni Basil. That was my first year away from home. No TV, so no MTV for me.

tiger said...

Meh.

No sympathy from me. But then I thought the video and song were bad and anyone shooting up is asking for trouble.

mccullough said...

Now I have the song stuck in my head. They were cute kids.

Methadras said...

Are they going to bury him with his pants on backwards?

Jupiter said...

GIGO

Freeman Hunt said...

I went to an outdoorsy camp once. The bathrooms were full of spiders, so I never went back.

Freeman Hunt said...

I think the outdoorsy camp was a church camp. I remember they wanted us to promise that we'd never watch R-rated movies, and I wouldn't promise it. I said I'd promise to hold off until I was old enough.

Bruce said...

I mostly associate "Jump" with the TV show "My Name is Earl". It was the theme song of Catalina, the hotel maid/stripper.

What was funny (to me) was that they tried to make her dancing very unsexy. She literally just jumped up and down to the song. But the actress was so attractive that their mockery of a strip tease was still pretty darn hot.