Wrecks-N-Effect - "New Jack Swing" discussion.

**Badger** · 04-22-2012, 01:40 PM

I have a (hopefully) fun set of questions for my fellow old-schoolers out there.

One of my favourite dance tracks from 1989 is Wrecks-N-Effect's "New Jack Swing." I've had the 12" single since back in '89, but I finally saw the video for the first time a few years back. Since then ,I've had a lot of questions about the song and the video.

Click here for mobile viewing.

If anyone could help me answer these questions, I would really appreciate it:

Who are the men in the very beginning - the one standing at the grill and the one in front of the jukebox? They both look extremely familiar.
**UPDATE - This part is still unknown.**

Obviously, I know who Teddy Riley is... but who is the older, shaved-headed gentleman sitting with him at the craps table, who first appears at the two-minute mark? He almost looks a little like Quincy Jones... but I don't think it's him.
**UPDATE - This part is solved - It's Gene Griffin.**

Are any of the others shown at the craps table recognizable performers?
**UPDATE - This part is solved - Most likely Redhead Kingpin and Aaron Hall.**

At 2:05, it sounds like Riley asks, "Yes, GR is movin' it, right?" As he asks this, the camera pans back over to the shaved-headed fellow. Is he "GR?" Since the verse concentrates on the accomplishments of Teddy Riley, one would think that he would say "TR is movin' it right," especially since he calls himself "TR" at the beginning of the verse. However, in every copy of the song I've ever heard, no matter how clear the audio has been, it has sounded like he's said "GR is movin' it."
**UPDATE - This part is solved. "GR Productions" was the partnership of Teddy Riley and Gene Griffin.**

Right after that point, Riley goes through a roll call of performers that he's "got," some of whom are shown on camera, some of whom are not. I obviously know a number of them, but I'm confused about a few, which I've highlighted in red:
.

Keith Sweat
Heavy D (shown with the Boyz)
Today
"Moe Dee" (Kool Moe Dee)
"B. Sure" (Al B. Sure!)
Bobby Brown
"Zann the Man" (maybe "Cinnamon?")
**UPDATE: This is probably a reference to William "Zan" Aquart. See posts below.**
Redhead (Redhead Kingpin)
"Boy George" (certainly he's not talking about Culture Club's Boy George... is he?)
**UPDATE: That's the one! See posts below.**
"James and" (???)
**UPDATE: This is most likely "James Ing," short for "James Ingram." See posts below.**
"Deja"
**UPDATE: Déja was a group/duo formerly known as "Aurra." See posts below.**
Guy

.

I know this is an odd thread... but I've been wondering these things for quite some time and I'd really like to clear them up. Thank you in advance to everyone!

**Mark_Spit** · 04-24-2012, 12:49 PM

Sorry I don't have too much to give you Badger, but I do agree the two at the beginning look familiar - from where, I don't know The guy at the BBQ's name is Frank though..... . Teddy IS refering to the bald guy at the craps table as "G.R."; I played it over a few times on my 12" and does not sound like "T.R.".. Once again I don't know who he is. Red Head Kingpin, and (I think) Aaron Hall of Guy are at the table too.
I'm pretty sure he is indeed talking about THE Boy George of Culture Club as he produced a track ("Don't Take My Mind On A Trip") on his "High Hat" album .
As for the others:

Zann the Man -

Deja:

James and: Not sure either, but I think he's really saying "James Ames"

Sorry, I suck.

**akswun** · 04-24-2012, 01:07 PM

I have to say Badger... you going in deep on this one. deeeeeep!!!...

**c-hawk** · 04-24-2012, 01:38 PM

I think the bald guy (GR) at the 2 minute mark is Gene Griffin

**Badger** · 04-28-2012, 09:00 AM

First off, I want to apologize to everyone for not replying sooner. Even though I had subscribed to the thread, I wasn't seeing updates in my Settings whenever people responded to it. Thank you to all three of you for the posts.

I'm going to start with c-hawk's post:

Originally Posted by c-hawk

I think the bald guy (GR) at the 2 minute mark is Gene Griffin

Thank you very much - you're absolutely right! I looked up information about Griffin and found that he and Riley ran "GR Productions" (Gene-Riley Productions). So, that makes perfect sense. I found out quite a bit more about Griffin and his 2009 death here:

http://www.njs4ever.com/index.cfm/pageId/547

Originally Posted by Mark_Spit

Sorry I don't have too much to give you Badger, but I do agree the two at the beginning look familiar - from where, I don't know The guy at the BBQ's name is Frank though..... . Teddy IS refering to the bald guy at the craps table as "G.R."; I played it over a few times on my 12" and does not sound like "T.R.".. Once again I don't know who he is. Red Head Kingpin, and (I think) Aaron Hall of Guy are at the table too.
I'm pretty sure he is indeed talking about THE Boy George of Culture Club as he produced a track ("Don't Take My Mind On A Trip") on his "High Hat" album .
As for the others:

Zann the Man -

Deja:

James and: Not sure either, but I think he's really saying "James Ames"

Sorry, I suck.

There is no need for an apology whatsoever. I had a feeling that I'd be getting different pieces of the puzzle, and you definitely helped. I had no idea that Teddy Riley had ever done production for Boy George. In fact, I just listened to "Don't Take My Mind on a Trip" after reading your reply, and it's really amusing to hear Boy George singing a legitimate new jack swing song. (Yep, Gene Griffin worked on that song as well.)

I think you're right about Redhead Kingpin being at the craps table. That very well might be Aaron Hall behind him; I can't be sure either.

Now that I listen to the "James and," I think you might be right about that - it does sound like "James Ames." However, I can't find anyone musically famous named "James Ames." It's a good try, though!

So, you filled in some blanks and you really helped me out. Your information definitely did not "suck." Thank you!

Originally Posted by akswun

I have to say Badger... you going in deep on this one. deeeeeep!!!...

Hahahaha... I've wanted to post a thread about this video for months, and finally got around to it. Normally, I don't decide to "examine" a song/video on such a granular level, but this was a special case. I'm really glad that I've had such a positive response to the thread.

**moyo wilde** · 04-28-2012, 10:35 PM

i think that boy george is referring to cross dressing boy george. in the article you linked about griffin it says they worked with him, also they specifically did a song in 89, actually they did three or four songs on his 89 album, hi hat.

**Mrspyaman** · 05-02-2012, 03:58 PM

I believe that "James and" or "James Ames" being referred to is James Ing or James Ingram of which TR produced a song for in 1989. I got the Promo

**Mrspyaman** · 05-02-2012, 04:39 PM

Also Deja may be referring to TRs daughter that was born during the recording of this song.

**DJ Que Yi** · 05-02-2012, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by Badger

I have a (hopefully) fun set of questions for my fellow old-schoolers out there.

One of my favourite dance tracks from 1989 is Wrecks-N-Effect's "New Jack Swing." I've had the 12" single since back in '89, but I finally saw the video for the first time a few years back. Since then ,I've had a lot of questions about the song and the video.

Click here for mobile viewing.

If anyone could help me answer these questions, I would really appreciate it:

Who are the men in the very beginning - the one standing at the grill and the one in front of the jukebox? They both look extremely familiar.

Obviously, I know who Teddy Riley is... but who is the older, shaved-headed gentleman sitting with him at the craps table, who first appears at the two-minute mark? He almost looks a little like Quincy Jones... but I don't think it's him.

Are any of the others shown at the craps table recognizable performers?

At 2:05, it sounds like Riley asks, "Yes, GR is movin' it, right?" As he asks this, the camera pans back over to the shaved-headed fellow. Is he "GR?" Since the verse concentrates on the accomplishments of Teddy Riley, one would think that he would say "TR is movin' it right," especially since he calls himself "TR" at the beginning of the verse. However, in every copy of the song I've ever heard, no matter how clear the audio has been, it has sounded like he's said "GR is movin' it."

Right after that point, Riley goes through a roll call of performers that he's "got," some of whom are shown on camera, some of whom are not. I obviously know a number of them, but I'm confused about a few, which I've highlighted in red:
.

Keith Sweat
Heavy D (shown with the Boyz)
Today
"Moe Dee" (Kool Moe Dee)
"B. Sure" (Al B. Sure!)
Bobby Brown
"Zann the Man" (maybe "Cinnamon?")
Redhead (Redhead Kingpin)
"Boy George" (certainly he's not talking about Culture Club's Boy George... is he?)
"James and" (???) -James "ING"gram
"Deja"
Guy

.

I know this is an odd thread... but I've been wondering these things for quite some time and I'd really like to clear them up. Thank you in advance to everyone!

Aaron Hall from Guy - Teddy's main band is also at the craps table

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFLPdQjBzNU