The Egyptian Lover

One of the most innovative producers of the old-school/electro era, Egyptian Lover's Greg Broussard recorded a parade of singles during the mid-'80s that proved influential for decades. Influenced himself by <a href="spotify:artist:0dmPX6ovclgOy8WWJaFEUU">Kraftwerk</a>/hip-hop soundclashes like <a href="spotify:artist:7cg61q8kK8jlFi8TKKw70p">Afrika Bambaataa</a>'s "Planet Rock" and <a href="spotify:artist:2HKVO06HXqGmQxZJ8xIqgr">Man Parrish</a>'s "Hip-Hop Be Bop (Don't Stop)," as well as the extroverted loverman soul of <a href="spotify:artist:5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j">Prince</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:396Kh0m4wGUvcMUULw71yi">Zapp</a>, Broussard began recording from his Los Angeles base in 1983. One year later, he emerged with the breakdancing anthem "Egypt, Egypt," released on the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Freak+Beat%22">Freak Beat</a> label. Similar to excellent tracks being produced all over America -- from Detroit (<a href="spotify:artist:5Mr6zawZ90BzjY14EROmSm">Cybotron</a>) to New York (<a href="spotify:artist:0grZF2s6ADKiTGwf8EVZEY">Mantronix</a>) -- "Egypt, Egypt" and successors "What Is a DJ If He Can't Scratch," "And My Beat Goes Boom," and "Computer Love (Sweet Dreams)" spent a lot of time in DJ crates during the '80s and '90s. Broussard also released several LPs from the mid-'80s through the '90s, highlighted by 1984's On the Nile (practically a greatest-hits compilation), 1986's One Track Mind, and 1994's Back from the Tomb. He returned in 2006 with Platinum Pyramids, continued to perform live -- including dates with <a href="spotify:artist:0QJIPDAEDILuo8AIq3pMuU">M.I.A.</a> -- produced a track for <a href="spotify:artist:0S05AeePINj4CeTVMfysIu">Rye Rye</a>, and, in 2015, released the long-in-the-works 1984. The following year, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Stones+Throw%22">Stones Throw</a> compiled 1983-1988, a proper anthology of Broussard's early highlights. It included a couple re-edits from label boss <a href="spotify:artist:3KjYnDT3cEQ8ngiCLTCIl9">Peanut Butter Wolf</a>, who sampled "What Is a DJ If He Can't Scratch" during his early-'90s partnership with MC <a href="spotify:artist:1Bi4XLEzsbw5ilxli07KYS">Charizma</a>. ~ John Bush & Andy Kellman, Rovi