Pimpin Aint Easy

June 22, 2011 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment  

Defunkd’s exclusive collection of vintage t-shirts for sale at reasonably exorbitant prices.


Item #30: Big Daddy Kane

Year: 1990

Circulation: Rarer than bad BDK lyrics.

Big Daddy Kane is one of the best lyricists in the golden age of hip hop. In fact, MTV put him at #7 on their list of greatest MCs of all time and Kool Moe Dee listed him as #4 on his list of 50. Pimpin Aint Easy is a single from BDK’s best selling album It’s a Big Daddy Thing. As you can tell by the design on this tee he’s also one of hip hop’s godfathers of bling and babes pimpin’ it when it was a novelty and not just a formulaic element to every single modern day hip hop video.

Brand: Hanes

Measurements: 19.25″ (pit-to-pit) 27.75″ (rear collar-bottom seam)

Condition: Near mint vintage condition.

Variables: None.

Price: $175.00 (includes expedited shipping w/tracking and insurance in U.S. and Canada)

Sorry, this item has been sold.



Getting Busy

June 1, 2011 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment  

Defunkd’s exclusive collection of vintage t-shirts for sale at reasonably exorbitant prices.


Item #27: The Arsenio Hall Show

Year: 1989

Circulation: Minimal

A.H. began his career as a stand-up comedian in L.A. who landed plenty of T.V. work including a stable gig voicing Winston for The Real Ghostbusters cartoon. In 1987 he filled the empty seat of Joan Rivers when she was fired from The Late Show and quickly proved himself in the ratings despite cancellation. After starring with Eddie Murphy in Coming to America Arsenio was given his own show in 1989 – Roo, Roo, Roo, Roo, Roo! [while pumping fist in the air]. But by 1994 the ratings for his Dog Pound went to the dog house while he and the network butted heads behind the scenes. Many believe his fate was sealed by inviting a controversial Nation of Islam leader to be a guest on his show who he proceeded to interview for the entire duration of the broadcast. No doubt, Hall’s early years were his best but his entire tenure was an important medium for hip hop given the other mainstream talk shows mostly ignored it. What other host put Vanilla Ice on the hot seat regarding his so-called street cred and called him out for dissing MC Hammer? That was a very important issue that needed to be dealt with.

Brand: Hanes (Beefy-T)

Measurements: 19.5″ (pit-to-pit) 29″ (rear collar-bottom seam)

Condition: Excellent vintage condition.

Variables: None.

Price: $50.00 (includes expedited shipping w/tracking and insurance in U.S. and Canada)



Wu-Tang

April 19, 2011 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment  

gallery am

A photographic tribute to the legendary DJ AM and his amazing vintage t-shirt collection.


Shirt #11: Wu-Tang Clan

Fact: Wu-Tang was on regular rotation on AM’s decks.

am memorial fund

Category: DJ AM, Hip-Hop


Somebody Beat The Biz

April 18, 2011 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment  

Defunkd’s exclusive collection of vintage t-shirts for sale at reasonably exorbitant prices.


Item #21: The Diabolical Biz Markie

Year: 1989

Circulation: Rarer than an on key Biz vocal.

In the early 1980s Marcel Theo Hall, aka Biz Markie, made a name for himself around Long Island as a beat-boxing rapper. A decade and three releases later he was among the first rap artists to be sued for unauthorized usage of a sample. But when the Biz got beat in court the landscape of the recording industry was forever changed. His experience prompted the entire industry to universally adopt strict sample clearance policies prior to release. The bad press was said to damage Biz’s reputation and hinder the sales of his two follow-up records, one of which was cheekily titled All Samples Cleared! Was there really a time that a rap artist being in trouble actually hurt their record sales?

Brand: Touch of Gold

Measurements: 20″ (pit-to-pit) 26.5″ (rear collar-bottom seam)

Condition: Great vintage condition.

Variables: Tiny hole lower rear.

Price: $225.00 (includes expedited shipping w/tracking and insurance in U.S. and Canada)

Sorry, this item has been sold.



Success Ain’t Nothing But Trouble

January 27, 2011 by Jimmy J · 4 Comments  

Defunkd’s exclusive collection of vintage t-shirts for sale at reasonably exorbitant prices.


Item #16: DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince

Year: 1989

Circulation: Rarer than a reunion with Ready Rock C.

GANBT was this trios debut single. Trio you say? That’s right, the outfit originally consisted of Will Smith, Jazzy Jeff Townes and Clarence Holmes aka Ready Rock C aka the human beatbox. But Ready Rock was more than just a beatboxer he also co-wrote and co-produced GANBT (before Jazzy Jeff was even involved) the very song that put the group on the map. Ready Rock was ousted from the group in 1990 after being told by Smith that beatboxing was tired (what the??) but he felt it was more about The Fresh Prince’s sites being set on going solo. A lawsuit ensued nine years later with Ready requesting royalties but the case was dissed and dismissed simply because the suit was filed beyond the statute of limitations. Ready Rock C had the skills at least a decade before the art of beatboxing exploded – I always wondered why he didn’t forge a solo career a-la Razel. But a Google search has him opting for fatherhood and a career in Philly real estate over the realized evils of the entertainment business and there ain’t nothing wrong with that! Check out the full story about Ready’s involvement in the group on his website. Respect.

 

Brand: Hanes

Measurements: 15″ (pit-to-pit) 23″ (rear collar-bottom seam)

Condition: Mint, deadstock.

Variables: None

Price: $125.00 (includes expedited shipping w/tracking and insurance in U.S. and Canada)

Sorry, this item has been sold.