How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, Cypress Hill, Geto Boys, Gabrielle, Skee-Lo, Ice-T, Keith Sweat, LL Cool J, Shabba Ranks, Maxi Priest, Will Smith
They are the performers of twelve vintage hip-hop, soul, etc. tracks that were ranked in various charts, this week (50/52) BUT … in the Nineties 90s.
1. What type of film accompanies Michael Jackson’s environmentally themed song?
- A A romance film
- B An action film
- C A short film
2. Which collaboration helped the song “One Sweet Day” reach the top of the charts?
- A Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men
- B Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston
- C Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton
3. What impact did Cypress Hill’s “I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That” have on Saturday Night Live?
- A They received an award
- B They were banned
- C They gained more airtime
4. What mental state does “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” by Geto Boys explore?
- A Happiness and joy
- B Psychological distress
- C Romantic longing
5. Who co-wrote Gabrielle’s song “I Wish”?
- A Jon Douglas
- B Lionel Richie
- C David Foster
6. Which sample is used in Skee-Lo’s “I Wish”?
- A Bernard Wright’s “Spinnin'”
- B Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On”
- C Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”
7. What notable achievement did Ice-T’s “That’s How I’m Livin'” attain?
- A Grammy nomination
- B Gold certification
- C Charted at No. 1
8. Which two artists collaborated on “Come and Get with Me”?
- A Keith Sweat and Snoop Dogg
- B Michael Jackson and Tupac
- C Nas and Jay-Z
9. What sample forms part of the “Mama Said Knock You Out” track?
- A James Brown’s “Funky Drummer”
- B The Beatles’ “Come Together”
- C The Doors’ “Light My Fire”
10. What genre fusion is heard in “Slow and Sexy” by Shabba Ranks and Johnny Gill?
- A Jazz and funk
- B Dancehall and R&B
- C Rock and blues
11. What unique feature is shown in the music video for “Just Cruisin'” by Will Smith?
- A Flying cars
- B Transforming vehicles
- C Time travel devices
12. Who later performed a cover of “Human Work of Art”?
- A Cliff Richard
- B Elton John
- C Madonna
Tracklist
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1 . Michael Jackson – Earth SongFeatured on the 1985 album “HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I”.
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2 . Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men – One Sweet DayFeatured on the 1995 album “Daydream“.
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3 . Cypress Hill – I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like ThatFeatured on the 1995 album “Black Sunday”.
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4 . Geto Boys – Mind Playing Tricks On MeFeatured on the 1993 album “We Can’t Be Stopped”.
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5 . Gabrielle – I WishFeatured on the 1991 album “Find Your Way”.
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6 . Skee-Lo – I WishFeatured on the 1993 album “I Wish”.
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7 . Ice-T – That’s How I’m Livin’Featured on the 1995 album “Home Invasion”.
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8 . Keith Sweat – come and get with me (w/ Snoop Dogg)Featured on the 1993 album “Still in the Game”.
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9 . LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You OutFeatured on the 1998 album “Mama Said Knock You Out“.
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10 . Shabba Ranks – Slow & Sexy (w/ Johnny Gill)Featured on the 1990 album “X-tra Naked”.
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11 . Maxi Priest – Human Work of ArtFeatured on the 1992 album “Bonafide”. |
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12 . Will Smith – Just Cruisin’Featured on the 1990 album “Men in Black: The Album”.
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And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. The song by Michael Jackson features a short film addressing environmental themes. It was directed by Nicholas Brandt and earned a Grammy nomination.
2. “One Sweet Day” was a chart-topping collaboration between Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men. It reflects on the loss of loved ones and was inspired by the AIDS epidemic.
3. Cypress Hill’s performance of “I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That” led to their ban from Saturday Night Live, due to an on-air incident involving cannabis.
4. The Geto Boys’ “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” explores psychological distress. Its lyrics touch on paranoia and loneliness, aspects of life on the streets.
5. Gabrielle co-wrote “I Wish” with Jon Douglas. The track received positive reviews for its soulful production and Gabrielle’s vocal delivery.
6. Skee-Lo’s hit “I Wish” features a sample from Bernard Wright’s “Spinnin'”. The song humorously conveys Skee-Lo’s personal aspirations.
7. Ice-T’s “That’s How I’m Livin'” achieved Gold certification. The track appeared on his fifth studio album “Home Invasion”.
8. Keith Sweat and Snoop Dogg teamed up for “Come and Get with Me”. The single marked a successful blend of R&B and hip-hop styles.
9. “Mama Said Knock You Out” samples James Brown’s “Funky Drummer”. LL Cool J’s grandmother inspired the song’s defiant tone.
10. Shabba Ranks and Johnny Gill gave us “Slow and Sexy”, blending dancehall and R&B. It was Shabba Ranks’ first Gold-certified single.
11. In the “Just Cruisin'” video, Will Smith drives a car that transforms into various vehicles. The track appeared on the *Men in Black* soundtrack.
12. “Human Work of Art” was later covered by Cliff Richard. The Maxi Priest original appeared on the album “Bonafide”.
For THE FULL HIP-HOP & SOUL COLLECTION click here
