"Go See the Doctor" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Kool Moe Dee | ||||
from the album Kool Moe Dee | ||||
B-side | "Monster Crack" | |||
Released | 1986 | |||
Recorded | 1986 | |||
Genre | Golden age hip hop | |||
Length | 3:57 | |||
Label |
| |||
Songwriter(s) | Mohandas Dewese [1] | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Kool Moe Dee singles chronology | ||||
|
"Go See the Doctor" is a song by American rapper singer Kool Moe Dee. It was released in 1986 as the first single from his eponymous debut album. Originally published by Rooftop, it was later reissued by Jive. [2]
Produced by Kool Moe Dee himself with Lavaba and Teddy Riley, the song has messages of the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. [3]
"Go See the Doctor" became Kool Moe Dee's first single to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 89 in April 1987 and staying on the chart for five weeks. [4] It also peaked at number seven on the Belgian Ultratop (Flanders), number three on the Dutch Nationale Hitparade and number 82 on the UK Singles Chart, being his single with the highest impact outside the United States.
Bruce Pollock listed the song in his book Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era (2005) [5]
During the school year of 1985-1986, two high school students wrote the lyrics for Go See the Doctor. The lyrics were written on the inside cover of their Calculus text books. Eli Whitley and Steve Swank of Gilroy High School where more interested in rap lyrics and girls than calculus. Eli was from the Detroit area and with connections to Def Sound Studio, sold the song for minimal compensation. The studio would buy songs, then sell them for distribution to fill album space for recording artists. The original version did not have the triangle ding in it. Slight modification to the basic beat and kicker notes, it was refined for Kool Moe Dee to cut on a record. The two writers different backgrounds and witty story telling, painted the pleasure and price of bad choices.
During an interview in June 1987, Kool Moe Dee commented on "Go See the Doctor":
As an artist I have the attention of a lot of the younger kids. It’s a duty to say something worthwhile, rather than just get up and talk about sneakers and dancing all the time. Rap is an album market now rather than just a singles market, so you have the opportunity to branch out a little. You can expand and really talk about more things in depth, including lots of social issues." [6]
The song, which Los Angeles Times described as "a story, in explicit language, of the contraction and consequences of a sexually transmitted disease", aroused controversy in the United States, but was used in a public service announcement in Germany. [6]
In a later interview Kool Moe Dee stated that "Go See the Doctor" was "the hardest thing I had to do in my career":
I knew I was making a formula record, and I was about to make a killing; but I will lose all my reputation on the lyricist side. I knew that "Go See the Doctor" would blow because I had dumbed it down." [7]
Among the song's producers was Teddy Riley, who at that time was 18 years old and had previously worked on the Doug E. Fresh hit "The Show".
The song contains a sample of James Brown's "Funky Drummer" (In an interview with Vibe in 2012 Teddy Riley declared about this time that "Between me and Marley Marl, we were the first to sample James Brown"). [8] The song also interpolates Hank Williams's "Hey, Good Lookin'".
Hip hop magazine Ego Trip included "Go See the Doctor" on in its list of the Greatest Hip-Hop Singles of 1986. [9]
Bruce Pollock listed the song in his book Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era (2005) for "instructive editorial in the era of AIDS". [5]
A-side
B-side
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
The Ultramagnetic MCs is an American hip hop group based in the Bronx, New York City. Founded by Kool Keith, the group also includes Ced Gee, TR Love, and Moe Love. Tim Dog became an unofficial member in 1989. In 1990, DJ Jaycee was added as a road manager and backup DJ. Big.D was put down with the crew by Kool Keith in 1989. A former member, Rooney Roon, was fired following an assault arrest. Beat-boxer Rahzel was also involved with the group early in its career. The group's work was associated with unorthodox sampling, polysyllabic rhymes, and bizarre lyrical imagery.
Richard Martin Lloyd Walters, better known as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence as part of Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew in the mid-1980s. Their songs "The Show" and "La Di Da Di" are considered early hip hop classics. "La Di Da Di" is one of the most sampled songs in history.
New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley, Bernard Belle, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, new jack swing was most popular from the late 1980s to early 1990s.
William Michael Griffin Jr., better known by his stage name Rakim, is an American rapper. He is one half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, with whom he released four albums: Paid in Full (1987), Follow the Leader (1988), Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em (1990), and Don't Sweat the Technique (1992). He also released three solo albums: The 18th Letter (1997), The Master (1999), and The Seventh Seal (2009).
Edward Theodore Riley is an American record producer, singer, and songwriter credited with the creation of the R&B and hip hop fusion genre new jack swing. He is the founder and lead singer of the musical group Blackstreet, as well as its predecessor, Guy. The genre also gained popularity from artists who heavily utilized Riley's production and songwriting, namely Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Heavy D & the Boyz, Keith Sweat, Hi-Five, and the Jackson 5, among others.
Mohandas Dewese, better known by his stage name Kool Moe Dee, is an American rapper, songwriter and actor. Considered one of the forerunners of the new jack swing sound in hip hop, he gained fame in the 1980s as a member of one of the pioneering groups in hip hop music, the Treacherous Three, and for his later solo career. During his career he released a total of seven studio albums, with 1994's Interlude being the last to date.
Antonio Hardy, better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper, producer and actor who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hip hop. Rolling Stone ranked his song "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" number 25 on its list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, calling him "a master wordsmith of rap's late-golden age and a huge influence on a generation of MCs".
How Ya Like Me Now is the second solo studio album by American rapper Kool Moe Dee from the Treacherous Three. It was recorded at Battery Studios in London, England and released on November 3, 1987, via Jive Records.
"You Want This" is a song by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson from her fifth studio album, Janet (1993). Released as the album's seventh single in October 1994, the track was written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The single version, also used in the music video directed by Keir McFarlane, featured an additional rap verse from MC Lyte. The song was listed in the book Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era (2005) by Bruce Pollock.
The Treacherous Three was a pioneering American hip hop group that was formed in 1978 and consisted of DJ Easy Lee, Kool Moe Dee, L.A. Sunshine, Special K and Spoonie Gee, with occasional contributions from DJ Dano B, DJ Reggie Reg and DJ Crazy Eddie. They first appeared on record in 1980 on the B-side of Spoonie Gee's single, "Love Rap".
Kool Moe Dee is the eponymous debut solo studio album by American rapper Kool Moe Dee from the Treacherous Three. It was released in 1986 via Jive Records, and produced by Teddy Riley, Bryan "Chuck" New, LaVaba Mallison, Pete Q. Harris, Robert Wells and Kool Moe Dee.
Knowledge Is King is the third solo studio album by American rapper Kool Moe Dee, released on May 30, 1989, via Jive Records.
Funke, Funke Wisdom is the fourth solo studio album by American recording artist Kool Moe Dee from the Treacherous Three. It was released in 1991 via Jive Records, making it the rapper's final album on the label.
"Wild Wild West" is a song by American rapper Kool Moe Dee, released in 1988 as a second single from his second studio album How Ya Like Me Now. It was recorded in 1987 at Battery Studios in London, England, produced by Bryan "Chuck" New, LaVaba Mallison, Pete Q. Harris, Teddy Riley and Kool Moe Dee, and released via Jive Records.
"Rump Shaker" is a song by American hip-hop group Wreckx-N-Effect. It was released in August 1992 as the lead single from their second album, Hard or Smooth (1992). It features production and guest vocals from Teddy Riley, brother of former Wreckx member Markell Riley.
"Follow the Leader" is a song by American hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim. It was written by group members Eric Barrier and Rakim Allah and released as the first single from their second studio album of the same name.
Redman Presents...Reggie is the seventh studio album by rapper Redman. It was released on December 7, 2010, through his own label Gilla House Records in conjunction with Def Jam Recordings. The original title of the album, as promoted in the booklet of Blackout! 2, was going to be Reggie Noble "0" 9 1/2. It would also be his final album with Def Jam, after being signed to the label for 19 years.
"Ruffneck" is a hip hop song recorded by American rapper MC Lyte. It was published on May 27, 1993, as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Ain't No Other (1993). The song was produced by Aqil Davidson with Walter "Mucho" Scott, who along with Lyte have songwriting credits.
This is the discography of Kool Moe Dee, an American recording artist from New York City.
"How Ya Like Me Now" is a song by American rapper Kool Moe Dee. It was released in 1987 as the first single from his second studio album of the same name.