Saturday, October 6, 2007

Misa - Misa (1990)

Now for something a little different... Here is the first rap artist to come to the isle, Misa. (The Icy Blu profile on Milk Carton Popstars made me drag this out). Who is Misa? Who knows? Obviously she was signed to Motown as they tried to capitalize on the success of female rap artists like Salt N Pepa, with a twist - she was white! And a rapper! And signed to Motown! This was truly a recipe for disaster. Like Icy Blu and Tairrie B, the other two white female rappers of the time, no one could take her seriously, and her album flopped. She certainly isn't the best rapper. But her album is lots of fun in spite, or perhaps because, of it. It's pop rap at it's cheesiest, and it works (for me at least). Dig the rock edge of single "Shake The House" (go HERE for the maxi-single) and the almost house vibe of the brilliant "House Of Love", which uses a sample from Kraftwerk's "Musique Non-Stop". The odds were stacked against Misa in terms of success, but thankfully her legacy lingers on with those of us who love cheesy pop classics. Move over, Icy - Misa is in da house!

**UPDATE - An anonymous person has wrote in the Comments with the following info on Misa. Thanks! Perhaps if 'Missy' comes across this she'd like to refute some things? ;)

"Misa's name is actually Missy. She is my relative. We are not close but I know a lot about her. She lives in Wisconsin with her three children. The boy Jordan is an amazing soccer player and went to Italy to play. He is gonna be famous. Missy was married to a rich man named Paris who left her and she has no clue where he is. He is probably in another country or changed his identity because he is the person that sets up the computer systems for Microsoft and stuff like that. Missy has not done anything with music since her contract with Motown because when she was with them she began to get really cocky and made demands. Motown showed her how good she really was and did not promote her anymore. That is why the album did not come out. Sadly Missy thinks she still is a superstar and acts like she is all that. Her children do also. She was a great performer. So there you have it."

**UPDATE #2: Well, how exciting is it that Misa HERSELF wrote in the comments here, and girl wants to clear things up?! She's clearly not pleased with the anonymous person's message above, and I am very glad she cleared it up. And Misa, I meant you absolutely no disrespect. This blog is meant as a tribute to artists like yourself, not to mock you (though I'm sorry about the judgment on your rapping abilities - I do think you're good, but unfortunately this post was made in the beginning of this blog's creation and then it was admittedly a bit more mean spirited. Hell, girl, you got a record deal, so you must have some skills!). And I would never compare you to Vanilla Ice! I was comparing you to Icy Blu, another white female rapper who released an album around that time. I'm sure that she and Tairrie B were also serious about hip hop, but unfortunately the public was wary of white rappers - but I obviously never was! And no, I don't know you, but that's why I made the blog, to hopefully find out more about artists like you. So, sincerely, thanks for sharing, and know that many followers of this blog LOVE this album! Here's Misa's response:

"Wowwwwwww! Whoever anonymous 8/31 is, has no clue what the f&*# they are talking about. First of all, my name is not Missy and I have very few relatives I actually keep in any kind of contact with. Whoever you are, you are a hater talking smack about me... I was married, and I LEFT his sorry butt. Get that straight if you are gonna put my business out there. I do have beautiful kids now, and my kids by no means "think" they are all that-they are. They are beautiful, and talented. Maybe the world will see them, maybe not. Not important. Talking sh&* about my deal is funny too. NOBODY in my family was around when I was in LA. No one in my family knows about my music career. I left my contract because of mgmt/$$ issues. I decided not to go back in the business, no one else. Got tired of people telling me that I had to be something else to do hip hop. Non-believers. By the way, whoever owns this site, no one does know me because I chose that path after I left LA. I'm forgotten on purpose, because that is what I wanted. The business left a bad taste in my mouth. I actually rapped, Motown wanted me to go pop (that was another major issue). I was a dancer first, Soul Train. I danced underground my whole life, immersed in hip hop. I have a trail of being authentic in my love for hip hop. I was NOT an artist who woke up one morning and decided to do this music, i.e. Vanilla Ice. So, please don't compare me. You stated no one knows me, you don't either. Thanks for your partial compliments and I have never lived on a deserted island...M"

Video for Shake The House

Download Misa

1
Shake The House
2
I Want U Boy
3
The Good Stuff
4
Thin Line (Between Love And Hate)
5
Live N' Learn
6
The Way It Feels
7
Rap N' Roll
8
House Of Love
9
Goin' Gold
10
Special "EFX" Misamix

36 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. This is my favorite album that you've posted.

    Kudos to you, Nasty G! Misa rocks!

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  3. Glad you liked the rock edge. I played lead guitar on the album.

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  4. Cool! Perhaps you can tell us more about her?

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  5. Everybody thinks her album flopped...It NEVER was released...Caught up in red tape and $ issues between mgmt and Motown. Heard Motown wanted her pop, and Misa wanted to be more underground dance...She was ahead of her time and would of been huge. The girl could dance, danced on Soul Train for three years, this is where she was discovered. She actually was a talent and not like the mold of Vanilla Ice and other artists...She was more like the future artists who are accepted now no matter what their background...

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    1. .. this is incorrect. her album was in fact released and i have a copy.

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    2. Only promtional copies were released

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  6. Misa's name is actually Missy she is my relative. We are not close but I know alot about her. She lives in Wisconsin with her three children. The boy Jordan,is an amazing soccer player and went to Italy to play. He is gonna be famous. Missy was married to a rich man named P aris who left her and she has no clue where he is. He is probably in another country or changed his identity because he is the person that sets up the computer systems for Microsoft and stuff like that. Missy has not done anything with music since her contract with Motown because when she was with them she began to get really cocky and made demands. Motown showed her how good she really was and did not promote her anymore that is why the album did not come out. Sadly Missy thinks she still is a superstar and acts like she is all that. Her children do also.
    She was a great performer. So there you have it.

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    1. My dad was the black hair sunglasses man who played bass for this song.

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  7. I had this cassingle and loved this song when it came out....lol!

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  8. Wowwwwwww! Whoever anonymous 8/31 is, has no clue what the f&*# they are talking about. First of all, my name is not Missy and I have very few relatives I actually keep in any kind of contact with. Whoever you are, you are a hater talking smack about me...
    I was married, and I LEFT his sorry butt. Get that straight if you are gonna put my business out there. I do have beautiful kids now, and my kids by no means "think" they are all that-they are. They are beautiful, and talented. Maybe the world will see them, maybe not. Not important.
    Talking sh&* about my deal is funny too. NOBODY in my family was around when I was in LA. No one in my family knows about my music career. I left my contract because of mgmt/$$ issues. I decided not to go back in the business, no one else. Got tired of people telling me that I had to be something else to do hip hop. Non-believers.
    By the way, whoever owns this site, no one does know me because I chose that path after I left LA. I'm forgotten on purpose, because that is what I wanted. The business left a bad taste in my mouth. I actually rapped, Motown wanted me to go pop (that was another major issue). I was a dancer first, Soul Train. I danced underground my whole life, immersed in hip hop. I have a trail of being authentic in my love for hip hop. I was NOT an artist who woke up one morning and decided to do this music, i.e. Vanilla Ice. So, please don't compare me. You stated no one knows me, you don't either. Thanks for your partial compliments and I have never lived on a deserted island...M

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    Replies
    1. Hi Misa.....If by chance you read my comment I would LOVE to reconnect with you as this is Timothy J. One of the guys who sang and appeared in the Shake the House video. Hit me up on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram. CHEERS!

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  10. Misa, thanks SO MUCH for writing, and please see my repost of your comments and my response in the post itself. Big love.

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  11. we loved the music back then no matta what :)

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  12. Misa, I agree with you getting out of the business, Only you can do you!!! I loved Shaked Da House Even today I think it has that feel that Hip Hop needs. Something different ya know. I would def buy your records.........

    < EWF151>

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  13. Fell in love with her first time I heard the cassette on my old boom-box. Wore the tape out playing it over and over again. Luckily I found about 5 more copies at my local swap-meet. Played it about once a day for the the first five years, now 15 years later only play it about once a month and I only have one last tape left and its wearing out too. Do not know why but her music has something I can't get tired of - and normally I get bored with most pop music and usually leave jazz or classical on at my home base.
    ROCK THE HOUSE MISA!!!!
    IN FACT TRY IT AGAIN - YOU CAN STILL ROCK THE WORLD!!!!!!!!-love Ya

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  14. I LOVE HER! I HATED THE 90S FOR FASHION BUT I LOVED MISA IN THE SHAKE THE HOUSE VIDEO..HER FASHIONS WERE GORGEOUS!!! SHE LOOKED SO DAMN HOT! I SAID GET IT GIRL! THATS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT. WHETHER FOLKS THINK SHE HAD TALENT OR NOT IS NOT THE ISSUE AT HAND..ITS A CLASSIC IN ITSELF BECAUSE SHE WAS MISA! I SAW THAT SHE WROTE HERE AND I HOPE SHES STILL THIS GORGEOUS!

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  15. Daaaaaammmmnn! Flash on ‘em girl. That 1/31 sounds a lot like MIsa. How do I know? Cause I knew her before she was “Misa.” Even knew her before Soul Train. I knew her when she was selling clothes at the mall, and dreaming of making it big. And, if you were talkin’ smack about her, and you went too far… she would FLASH on you, too.

    While everyone can see she’s cute, she was more than just a pretty face. The Melissa I remember was funny, intelligent, thoughtful, and determined.

    As far as hip-hop… She could dance her ass off. She could also rhyme her ass off! For a small girl, she had a big ass! LOL. We would work on songs together – I was the DJ and she was Emcee (she could rhyme in German, too).

    We would perform at huge parties throughout the Bay Area. She was so good, that people would actually stop dancing, and head toward the stage to see who was rapping. Everyone loved the music, loved the rhymes, but… hated the “white” girl. She was definitely ahead of her time.

    When she started dancing on Soul Train, she would call, and we would catch up on things. Next thing I know, she’s on TV—music videos, talk shows, etc. We lost touch after that. I was glad to see she made it. Too bad the industry stifled her talent. Those were the days. Hit me up girl, so we can “catch up on things.”

    Peace.

    --Bryan
    hybrid.giant@gmail.com

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  16. wow brian! I feel amazed to just know that you even knew her! She sounds amazing and after listening to her album, i know she could have done more. Shes fabulous! and her fashions were everything in the shake the house video! :)

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  17. Love ya, Melissa "R"!! Won't display your last name, but us who knew u in Wiesbaden knew your true AWESOME character. I respect your well deserved privacy & your talents you displayed on & off camera. Very proud of u, but hardly surprised. GOD Bless & continued success my fellow Warrior :)

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    Replies
    1. Good old Gen. H. H. Arnold. Those were the days.

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    2. Hey, im not sure who will read this but if you guys know how to get in touch qith Melissa PLEASE tell her to contact me. I also know her. We both went to Gen HH Arnold High in Wiesbaden Germany. I really would love to hear from her. My email is mwatson22967@gmail.com. Please forward this to her.

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  18. Hope your doing well, Mellisa! Haven't seen you since high school, Gen. H.H. Arnold. You take care of yourself!
    Peace!
    Denny Shoopman

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  19. Yo: this is R from the OAK. Misa was definitely extremely talented in her skills and could out dance anybody. She would be a huge star if it wasn't for the "politics"of the industry. I know this first hand as I am in the industry. And the comments on Misa being beautiful and having a nice ass were right on time. I know this too as I was with her at the time, and would probably still be if I wasn't young and foolish and let my ego get in the way. But anyway that was a long time ago.It's good to know your doing good. Continued Blessings to you. Reach out.
    rated-r@att.net

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  20. I knew Misa when she was living in the Bay Area and trying to get her album out. I met her through Debbi, my best friend at the time, and Richard, who was a back-up dancer in her video Shake the House. We went to a few clubs in SF together, where she was promoting her single. She was a sweet girl, tiny and athletic. I was sorry to hear her album never came out, I still have a promo CD. I knew she was having management issues, and she ended up moving out of the apartment she was in, I think it may have been a condo owned by her manager at the time. All I can say is, Melissa, I hope you are well and happy. Seeing your comment on here makes me think you are. Take care, and much love. Sharyl empresssharyl@yahoo.com

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  21. I am a huge fan Of Misa. I always wondered what happened to her. I still have the CD and she is on my MP3. I would love it if she saw this comment or I at least had a chance to drop her a line and tell her myself what a fan I am even though she's not in the business anymore. I hate that things didn't work out for her musically. I don't want to bother her but just pay her a well deserved compliment. I am at stevencduncan@gmail.com

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  22. I have had the pleasure of working with her in Appleton, WI and I came to know her as a very kind and thoughtful person. She liked to keep everything low keyed as far as I was concerned. Great smile and not as previous profiles and stories depict her. I believe the know-it-alls in he biz missed out on a true gold mine. I enjoyed playing her video from time to time and had the dance floor going. Miss You , MADDOG Mike :)

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  23. I knew Misa and from what I remember she was from Boston.... We were both military brats and went to high school together in the early 80's, General H.H. Arnold, Wiesbaden, Germany.. look her up- Melissa Robertson

    Break dancing was a huge phenomenon at that time. We danced together in the same breaking crew, all females - Madmoiselle Breaking Crew. We even had a an endorsement from Puma at that time.

    She was a white girl with a lot of soul and a great dancer. I remember when she first appeared on Soul Train. And it didnt surprise me that she got signed to Motown, it just surprised me she was signed as a rapper. She had an amazing singing voice and would have went further with that.

    We had some good times, and a few bad ones.. but really and truly it was the best part of my teen age years.

    I hope all is well Melissa.. if you ever want to reconnect email me- HottCakezLV@yahoo.com

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  24. Misa, "Let's Shake the House." That's all I've got to say. You rocked that tune, and nobody can say otherwise. You will never be forgotten, in my book.

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  25. I just mentioned you Misa in a live stream recently. I hope you come back and do something in music. At least create a Youtube channel or Instagram or something, so your fans can show you love and encourage you! I think I was 12 years old when I first saw your video. Thanks for having the courage to do you!

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