The Show (Doug E. Fresh song)

"The Show" is a 1985 hip hop single by Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew. Described as "a reality show of a Hip Hop performance" the track focuses on a conversation between Doug E Fresh and MC Ricky D (later known as Slick Rick) as they prepare for a show.^[1] The song samples the theme song from the animated series Inspector Gadget.^[2]

Originally released as a single, the track was later remixed and included on the 1986 Oh, My God! album.

Reception

"The Show" was named Spin magazine's top rap single of the year, and in Europe (where it received air time on pop music stations such as BBC Radio 1) it broke the record for the best selling rap single of all time.^[3] The song peaked at #7 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1985^[4] and was #8 on Jet's top 20 for the same month.^[5]

While one 1985 critic for Spin included the song in a list of "stupid music"—making fun of Doug E. Fresh's lyrics about his shoes, and calling Slick Rick's sendup of "Michelle" "pathetic"—he still concluded that the single is "the shit".^[6] Billboard refused to take it seriously, declaring it the "funniest comedy album of the year".^[7] Even when the album became only the fourth rap single ever to reach gold record status, the same reviewer stated that it only proved that "talk isn't always cheap".^[8]

Legacy

The song is featured in New Jack City and CB4, but is not included in the soundtrack album of either film. Chris Rock, star of both these films, would have Slick Rick perform the song live to introduce his HBO special Bigger & Blacker.

In response to the song's popularity, Hurby Azor and his female hip hop group Super Nature recorded a diss track entitled "The Showstopper". While not a hit in its own right, it did become the breakout track for the group that would later be known as Salt-n-Pepa.^[9]

References