one of the founding members of revolutionary hip-hop group x-clan has passed on. professor x, most notable for the most famous line from any x-clan song: "VANGLORIOUS! THIS IS PROTECTED BY THE RED, THE BLACK AND THE GREEN WITH A KEY SISSIEEEEEE!" (Sissy!)" died on March 16 of complications from spinal meningitis.
i remember seeing them as one of the acts during famu's homecoming in 1991 to promote their album to the east, blackwards. i had discovered them just that summer on the recommendation of my boyfriend at the time (the most militant the brotha would ever be), so by the time the concert came, i knew all of the lyrics by heart (don't ask me to recite them now, though).
but i gotta admit, the cat who impressed me the most was professor x. brotha had a strong presence on stage and there really was no ignoring him. and when it was time for him to drop his line, everyone in the stadium got hyped and we'd all scream at the top of our lungs...
"VANGLORIOUS! THIS IS PROTECTED BY THE RED, THE BLACK AND THE GREEN WITH A KEY SISSIEEEEEE!"
brotha helped me to expand my vocabulary, fo sho. i would use that phrase for all kinds of things, from cussing brothas out to telling off a white person who had the balls to try to call me nigger (mind you the cat looked at me like i was crazy, but then nothing is scarier than a crazy black heffa).
this group helped me re-establish my faith and pride in my culture. that don't make me anti-white, just pro-black.
thanks for the memories, professor x.
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