10 Greatest Forgotten Songs Of The 1990s
6. Lucas With The Lid Off - Lucas
Lucas Secon, a.k.a. Lucas, is a successful music writer and producer. He has worked with the likes of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and The Pussycat Dolls. Back in 1994 however, Lucas had just released his second album, Lucacentric. The Danish rapper struck minor gold with the record’s lead single, Lucas with the Lid Off.
The track sampled the 1935 Benny Goodman tune, When Buddha Smiles. A contrast to the popular gangster rap acts of 1994, Lucas with the Lid Off opted for a jazzy, meandering tone that worked wonderfully.
Lucas brought in MC Junior Dangerous to provide “ragga” vocals to compliment Lucas’s cleaner tone. The final product was a smooth and accessible head-bobber that earned the track a number 29 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100.
A large part of the song’s appeal was its technically impressive music video. Popular French film maker Michel Gondry shot the video in one long continuous single take with no edits, cuts or digital enhancement. The video was nominated for a Grammy in 1995.
After the release of Lucacentric, Lucas turned his efforts to music production and songwriting. Lucas with the Lid Off may be a footnote to an earlier era, but it’s still fun to “catch the vibes, catch the vibes” with this relic from hip hop's halcyon days.