Paul’s Boutique

In 1989 i popped to the record shop, New Records here in Venezia. The only hip hop, funk, reggae outlet we had back in the days. Thats where i started buying stuff that was beyond rock in 1987. PE, Ice T, Cool J, Eric B & Rakim, the entire oeuvre of Run DMC, you name it. 1987-91 was basically RAP’s golden era, the coming of age of a genre that was just facing the Long Player format with enough chops and creativity, up until the massive uni directional boredom that gangsta brought along.
Well, i had already been caught by the sampledelic extravaganza that was De La Soul’s 3 ft High And Rising. But when i heard Pauls Boutique, it was much more crystallised, more real.. it was cool, it was a lifestyle of dusted records, parties and weirdness.. What a blow. Too funky, too trippy, too good.
I seriously think that ANYTHING that is good, and cool, musically and in terms of lifestyle nowadays is nothing other than the stream of influences that Beastie Boys/ Dust Bros record had on my generation.
I cannot think of a record thats funkier, freakier, younger and hungry and cool than Paul’s imaginary shop!
And then Grand Royale magazine came, to take our journey deeper and deeper.