Back in the Day - The Show/La Di Da Di (Hip Hop History)

Back in the Day - The Show/La Di Da Di (Hip Hop History)

On August 13th 1985, the hit record ‘The Show/La Di Da Di’ was released by Doug E Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew. The single also featured rapping from Get Fresh Crew member, MC Ricky D who would be known later as the Hip Hop legend Slick Rick.

Doug E Fresh is known as the Human Beat Box and as one of the original beat boxers from the early years of Hip Hop. The single sold over half a million records in the US and was number 4 on the RnB chart. In the UK it reached the top five spot and was a best seller for rap singles across Europe. In 1987 when Doug E Fresh released his first album ’Oh, My God!’, a remix of the 'The Show' appeared on it.

Now apparently, due to copyright issues, there are two versions of the song. The original release on tape and vinyl have the ‘It’s because of you…’ lyrics that Slick Rick sings in the middle of his rap. The version of the single that appears on the CD does not. The lyrics come from a song named ‘Sukiyaki’ by the group ‘A Taste of Honey’.

La Di Da Di has been sampled and influenced by other musicians for years. Everyone from Hip Hop groups and producers to mainstream and pop acts. Whether it's a direct sample or the lyrics borrowed and sung with a new song, La Di Da Di has left it's mark on the music world.

Even though Doug E Fresh doesn’t have a large amount of albums under his belt he is still very active in music and is still performing worldwide.