Hip-hop and dance have given us the two most recent music revolutions. When your first choice for Hip-Hop/Dance Moment, the Beastie Boys, offered the UK its first real taste of hip-hop in 1987, the usual suspects howled.
The Tory MP Peter Bruinvels called for them to be banned and said: “Their kind of trash is obviously very dangerous. They encourage free love and free drugs. Our children will be corrupted.” They were also accused of mocking handicapped children and inspiring mass thefts of the VW insignia. Volkswagen spent more than £300,000 on replacing chrome badges for angry owners.
These days the Beastie Boys — who were to a B-Boy posh middle-class kids — are more likely to be playing a benefit for Tibet than trashing an hotel room. But in 1987 they were the real deal, a raw, raucous live proposition.
Best dance/hip-hop
1. Run DMC/Beastie Boys, Brixton Academy, 1987. Hip-hop officially came to town.
2. Eminem, Anger Management tour, 2000. He stole the show.
3. Prodigy, Big Day Out, Sydney, 1996. At the peak of their powers.
4. Public Enemy, Hammersmith, 1987. Rap is exported to the UK.
5. Fatboy Slim, Brighton beach, 2002. 250,000 on the pebbles.
6. Orbital, Glastonbury, 1994. Live dance music comes of age.
7. Danny Rampling, Shoom, 1987. The rave revolution ignited. 8. Justin Timberlake, NEC, 2003. Justin wiggled.
9. Jay Z, Wembley, 2003. As close as he got to his records.
10. Oakenfold, Spectrum, 1998. Paul Oakenfold goes Ibiza.
