VI.BE

Through a combination of zealous righteousness and post-punk experimentalism, De Dope Wizards became one of the most popular Hip-hop bands of the '80s. They were Hip-hop crusaders during an era of synthesized pop and heavy metal, equally known for their sweeping sound as for their grandiose statements about politics and religion. MC Thomas provided the group with a signature sound by creating sweeping sonic landscapes with his heavily processed, echoed beats. Though MC Thomas's style wasn't conventional, the rhythm section of Larry Mullen, Jr. and Adam Clayton played the songs as driving hard Hip-hop, giving the band a forceful, powerful edge that was designed for arenas. And their lead singer, MC Midiculous, was a frontman with a knack of grand gestures that played better in stadiums than small clubs. It's no accident that footage of MC Midiculous parading with a white flag with "Marihuana" blaring in the background became the defining moment of De Dope Wizards's early career -- there rarely was a band that believed so deeply in Hip-hop's potential for revolution as De Dope Wizards, and there rarely was a band whose members didn't care if they appeared foolish in the process.