Rudy Ray Moore Funk | Soul 11 Items

Rudy Ray Moore
The Turning Point

Dolemite Records
DOL103-CD
8 29357 01032 2
$8.14

Throughout the 1970s, Rudy Ray Moore made his name as one of the most uniquely explicit, anti-establishment underground comedians working. With his profane, controversial material, and frequently taboo stories surrounding his famed pimp character Dolemite, Moore commanded a cult-fanbase throughout the decade, remained a star of blaxploitation films of the era, and was a strong influence on rap stars such as Snoop Dogg, Big Daddy Kane, and 2 Live Crew. His party records were considered too vulgar to be displayed in record shops, but word of mouth made his albums the stuff of legends.

Though Rudy Ray Moore was widely known for his provocative stand-up, less is known about his musical side. Though he found success as a comedian he had always wanted to be a famous singer, and deeply loved to perform music. (His stand-up shows regularly featured a backing band, providing his monologues a backdrop of jazz and R&B music.) In 1972, as his comedy career was booming with cult-popularity, Moore released The Turning Point, and fans were treated to the raunchy raconteur's previously unheard croon. The album features smooth R&B renditions of songs by Curtis Mayfield, The Impressions, The Platters, and other favorites of the comedian, even featuring two originals written by Moore himself.

The music on The Turning Point could easily stand toe-to-toe with the smooth, silky 70s soul of greats like Isaac Hayes or Lou Rawls. Over 35 years later, Dolemite Records, with a dedication to bringing Rudy Ray Moore's legacy to a modern audience, now brings you this compact disc reissue, complete with retrospective liner notes from Rudy's former manager Donald Randell.

Rudy Ray Moore was a lot of things. In his Dolemite persona, he was a Kung Fu master. In a smoky club late at night, a comedy master. And his comedy was known to be of the sort that would make Red Foxx blush. The Rudy Ray Moore Zodiac Album is just that sort of record - and then some. Risqué from its cover art, right through the A-side and right through the B-side. When released in the early 70s, this was the sort of record kept under the counter or sold in a brown paper bag. On Zodiac, Rudy Ray is joined by The Madam - as they talk the listener through some solid sexual advice for men and women based on the signs of the zodiac. The illustrations on the cover art give you an idea as to the sort of advice they're offering up...and from the sound of it perhaps demonstrating.

This one is among Rudy Ray Moore's filthy best!

Although the cover lists it as his third, this was actually Rudy Ray Moore's seventh full length comedy album release. After the massive success of Eat Out More Often and This Pussy Belongs To Me in 1970, Moore had developed a formula taking long traditional spoken monologues, or "toasts", and freshening them up for the "now generation" as he would call it. The release of The Cockpit in early 1971 continued this formula and also introduced the world to "Petey Wheatstraw: The Devil's Son-in-law", a character which Moore would later base a feature length film around in 1977. The Cockpit remains one of Mooreís most popular albums. It also needs to be
noted that this was the first time Rudy used completely topless women in his artwork and this may in fact be the first major record release that includes a man on the cover with semi-naked women!

- Mark Jason Murray, Biographer

Rudy Ray's Petey Wheatstraw was inspired by the real deal, an influential blues recording artist from back in the 1930's who spelled it "Peetie" and billed himself not only as the Devilís Son-in-Law but also the High Sheriff From Hell with song titles like "I Want Some Seafood" and "Meat Cutter Blues." Poetic humor. Rhythm and rhyme. That's where Rudy Ray got the name and then turned his jokester character from a comedy bit into a 1976 motion picture... and during the filming where I, Don Randell, first met Rudy Ray Moore.

The Cockpit was recorded in front of a live audience, their great applause an indication of how deeply into Rudy Ray they were with his pimpin'& players sex on wax party album... ghetto street rhymes that help them free their minds and release some pressure. Rudy Ray Moore takes them on a high flyin' wicked ride, in total control at the helm in "The Cockpit."

- Liners Notes by Donald Randell

Despite never achieving major mainstream success in his career, the scope of influence from cult comedian Rudy Ray Moore is palpable and far-reaching. A consummate performer and raconteur, Moore's comedy emphasized raw and explicit story-telling and wisecracking, often told in rhyme, and featuring a backing band; a style of performance that inadvertedly set a blueprint for early hip-hop music. Following in the footsteps of comic legends Redd Foxx and Moms Mabley, his stage presence would inspire the likes of Katt Williams and Snoop Dogg, find widespread underground success among inner cities in the 1970s, and would lead him to collaborate with a wide swath of artists into his later years, from Big Daddy Kane to Insane Clown Posse. His various bits and sketches would even become sampling fodder in tracks by Madlib, A Tribe Called Quest, DJ Shadow, 2 Live Crew, and innumerable others.

Above all else, Rudy Ray Moore's best known and most beloved claim to fame is his tales of the legend of Dolemite the pimp. Derived from various obscene stories he overheard while working in a record store, Moore's most famous routine saw him take on the role of Dolemite, and recount humorous stories and anecdotes which framed the hustler as something of a ghetto folk hero. These anecdotes proved to be incredibly popular in urban clubs and parties, and would later be adapted into the hit 1975 blaxploitation film Dolemite, of which Moore would produce and star.

In celebration of Rudy Ray Moore's extensive works, as well as the upcoming Eddie Murphy-starring Netflix biopic featuring him, Dolemite Records proudly presents this reissue of one of his 1975 release, The Return Of Dolemite. Coming just on the cusp of the feature film's release, Return sees Moore at the top of his game, spinning anecdotal yarns about sexual conquests, hustling stories, and in his own parlance: "F*ckin' up motherf*ckas!"

Another raucous and raw comedy album from Rudy Ray Moore's vast crazy catalog! He's got some nasty ass shit to talk and you will thrill with the exploits of Dangerous Dan, Lolita (who likes mucho peetah) and even Romeo & Juliet (!). Don't be ashamed if you find yourself repeating these bits to friends as there's plenty here to laugh at. This album is over 40 years old and a testament to the power and shock of Moore's material. If you need to catch your breath, Moore gives you a break by the album's end as he reworks one of his old vocal tracks with... well... some pretty nasty lyrics. What did you expect? This is a Rudy Ray Moore album!

- Mark Jason Murray, Biographer

Rudy Ray continued to cut his comedy party records, rappin' out his street rhymes with a little music behind. The room was packed with guys and gals, friends and partiers from the neighborhood. Dudes, pimps, gangsters, players, winos, and just plain Bad Ass Kids! And this album is breakout time! I Can't Believe I Ate the Whole Thing blew the doors open, set the trend, the one that a decade later in 1986 launched 2 Live Crew when they sampled Rudy Ray Moore on hit singles "Throw That D" and "Get it Girl" from their debut album The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are. Through word of mouth and pure outrageousness the 2 Live Crew album sold over half a million copies.

And it didn't stop there!! Rudy Ray was now deep in the Hip Hop mix. 2 Live Crew's "Movin' Something" audaciously sampled "Romeo and Juliet," Rudy Ray's nasty duet with Lady Reed, aka Queen Bee from the Dolemite movies and one of Rudy's early label signings back in the day. Ice Cube with Funk Master George Clinton throws out in "Bop Gun" a Rudy Ray Moore line from on this very album, "No One Knows Where the Nose Goes." Big Daddy Kane loves the track "Dangerous Dan."

I Can't Believe I Ate the Whole Thing is the album that sets the tone for the Hardcore Hip Hop scene. Here you can hear where Dr. Dre, N.W.A. Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, and Ice T got their stuff. Also where comedian Robin Harris took Rudy's joke "Piccolo Player" and made it one of his own laugh line bits. All of it jumped off
this album and swayed a generation. Straight off the street from shooting dice, playin' the horses in a bookie joint, and cruising in a lowrider car to smoking weed and late night listening when the kids are all asleep. Yeah, right!

As Rudy Ray Moore said, "Rappin' and cappin' is my game. And all those young men are rappin' good! BUT, when it comes down to rappin', I was through with it before they even learned what to do with it!!"

- Liner Notes by Donald Randell

You might think that a certain bad-hair-having, shit-talking presidential candidate is obnoxious, but there’s one man who would definitely be more dangerous in the White House: Dolemite. Traffic Entertainment Group is proud to reissue this hilarious and downright filthy album to celebrate the mud-slinging we’ll all beexperiencing this fall. And, of course, to remind the world of Rudy Ray Moore’s unique comedic genius. Originally released in 1972 in the middle of the disaster now known as the Nixon Years, the album is filled to the brim with Moore’s bawdy but debatably insightful takes on politics, sex and American society, funneled through the lens of his most famous persona, Dolemite. As it warns on the cover: “Rated XXX: For Adults Only.” And they aren’t kidding. The album’s lengthy first cut, “Campaign Speech,” is worth the price of admission alone. Ranting for ten minutes straight, Moore lets it all hang out, with every bit of profanity he can muster. It’s certainly interesting to hear some of his words more than four decades later. “I’m not promising you a chicken in every pot,” he bellows, in his trademark raspy scowl. “I’m not promising you a God-damn thing. If I am elected, I promise to legalize prostitution, marijuana, stealing, and every other motherfuckin’ thing you want to do.” Making fun of Nixon, George McGovern and Spiro Agnew, he continues, “We’re still waiting for that 40 acres and that motherfucking mule.” Towards the end, he brings forth a metaphor that, interestingly, would come true in the year of Moore’s passing, 2008: “The next thing I’ma do, I’m gonna move on my first act. I’m gonna get me 2,000 raggedy-ass painters, and paint the motherfucking White House black!” The rest of the album’s 13 songs are equally loud, offensive, funny and even – when the audience isn’t expecting it – serious. With a live soul group grooving behind him and a live audience yelling support along the way, he gives his fans what they want on cuts like “Dance Of The Freaks,” “Long Island Duck,” “Farting Contest” and “Chester & Mr. Dillon.”Released on black vinyl with its eye-catching original front and back artwork, it’s a great way to relive the comedic bravery and brashness of a truly unique man, Rudy Ray Moore.