I’m Sheila E and I want to say
that I’m a super high powered, cold-krushin’ lady
and I’m here to talk about this thing called rap
to all the party people at the party that’s packed

– Sheila E “Krush Groovin'”

The above lyrics from Sheila E pretty much sum up the entire problem with Krush Groove.  The movie is about a rap label, called Krush Groove Records, and yet here is one of the leads of the movie referring to the genre as “this thing called rap.” The stand-offish attitude towards rap is what made the movie so disingenuous.

The soundtrack reinforces how uncomfortable the studio was with is subject matter.  Here we are with a movie about the origins of Def Jam records, yet the soundtrack is on Warner Brothers records and consists mostly of R&B. Furthermore there are only two Def-Jam artists on the record.  The Beastie Boys and LL Cool J.

LL Cool J’s “I Can’t Live Without My Radio,” remains a classic.

“She’s On It,” is an early working blueprint for the multi-platinum License To Ill-era Beastie Boys (power chords, drum machine, sophomoric mysogyny, guitar solo,) but it’s clear that Rubin and the Beasties were still honing their craft. It’s a one trick pony that despite clocking in at only three and a half minutes, feels twice as long.

The track somewhat illustrates how pre-mature this movie was green-lit. Def Jam didn’t yet have the juice, or the goods, to warrant the spotlight.

The Beastie Boys – She’s On It

Krush Groove All Stars – Krush Groovin’