Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious 5's rarely heard sequel to "White Lines (Don't Do It)" embraces 1980s hip hop

David Pescovitz 9:58 am Wed Nov 2, 2022

In 1983, Sugar Hill Records released the transformative track "White Lines (Don't Do It)" by Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious 5. (Listen below.) By some accounts, the song was an ironic commentary on cocaine excess and the "Don't Do It" was added to increase its commercial appeal. While the track was a massive hit that crossed over to the mainstream, the sequel "White Lines '89," above, didn't enjoy that same success. Still, it's worth a listen for curiosity's sake and also to hear how the artists clearly took flow and funk cues from Public Enemy.

image: Melle_mel_original.jpg: Samantha Lauren derivative work: Gobonobo (CC BY 2.0)

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