VH1's Black in the 80s 2/1/05 - 2/3/05
This three part VH1 series explores African-American culture in the 1980s. Third Watch's own Coby Bell shows up in all three parts (Color TV, Def Jams, and Color in Film). Turns out Coby was quite the breakdancer in his younger years.

{about breakdancing}
Coby: I was the king of the cardboard...or the linoleum, as it were.
video(588kb)

{about African-American culture}
Coby: Soon as the mainstream grabbed onto it and says "I wanna use this to make money, I wanna use this to start selling hamburgers and shit..." then it's over.
O(296kb)

{about drugs}
Coby: Crack in the 80s changed everything.
Common: It...took people's souls, really.
Coby: When crack hit, it definitely affected the music.

{about NWA}
Coby: Everybody said "ooh," you know, "they can't say that, lemme buy it."

{about Mr. T}
Coby: People say he was playing the buffoon. I think he was just an unusual guy.
Chris Robinson: He had his own cartoon, he had lunchboxes, like, Mr. T was a huge star.
Coby: He used his celebrity to send a good message to the kids and that's huge. I mean, a lot of people don't do that, so you gotta give him respect for that.
O(356kb)

{about Arsenio Hall}
Coby: He had on all that nice late 80s gear, all that bright colors, and he had the long-ass finger.
O(148kb)

{about Arsenio Hall}
Coby: People you would not expect to do this {imitates Arsenio Hall}, were doing this. "Oh, nice sho--- nice putt, John." You know what I mean? {imitates Arsenio Hall} "Woo woo."
video(992kb)

{about A Different World}
Coby: Dwayne Wayne was the man.

{about A Different World}
Coby: My first year of high school everybody was wearing those glasses with the flip-up shades.
video(932kb)

{about African-Americans in entertainment}
Coby: Just look at the role of African-Americans in entertainment and it's always been "make us laugh" or, you know "sing and dance for us."
O(140kb)

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