The Jungle Brothers Tell the Origin Story of Native Tongues

August 14
58 mins

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Episode Description

On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with hip-hop pioneers The Jungle Brothers to revisit the friendships, records and unlikely moments that helped shape one of rap's most influential eras.

The Jungle Brothers take Don back to their teenage years, from high school talent shows and homemade cassette recordings to basement studios, legendary New York clubs and their earliest encounters with DJ Red Alert, Q-Tip, De La Soul and the artists who would become the Native Tongues collective. They also unpack the story behind “I’ll House You,” their groundbreaking collision of hip-hop and house music, and explain why genre boundaries simply didn't matter to their generation.  The Jungle Brothers breakdown:

  • Meeting as teenagers, touring Europe and the communal studio culture of early hip-hop
  • Why Red Alert deserves greater recognition in hip-hop history
  • De La Soul, Buddy and Calliope Studios
  • How “I'll House You” emerged before rap and house became rigid categories.

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Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide.


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