If you're a fan of music, especially Hip-Hop, Ralph McDaniels should be listed among your heroes. Every hip-hop artist was influenced by the work that Uncle Ralph (as he is affectionately known) has done over the 40 years he has been working in this fickle industry. No matter who you support or are a fan of, more than likely, they were influenced by someone who was influenced by Ralph.
Starting as a budding entrepreneur in 1983, Ralph and his former partner, Lionel C. Martin, set out to present music videos to an audience who may not have had many options, as Ralph and Lionel's show, Video Music Box, predated rap video shows like "Yo! MTV Raps!" The duo set up shop in Manhattan, NY, and landed at WNYC-TV, where they showed music videos every weekday. Hip-Hop videos weren't the staple they are today, and there were very few being broadcast, but the ones that were available found a home at Video Music Box.
But Video Music Box was just a part of Ralph McDaniels's legacy and that of his partner, Lionel, who also used the name The Vid Kid. There weren't many companies producing videos, specifically Hip-Hop videos, when the duo-owned company, Classic Concepts, set out to give recording artists visuals to accompany their vocals and art. They didn't only do Hip-Hop videos; once they started, Hip-Hop artists found them.
The number of videos the duo did was so great that many companies that performed the same work couldn't compare. Too many artists to name, mostly from New York City, because that's where the bulk of the artists were from and grew up. Classic Concepts became a mainstay in the Hip-Hop world.
As Ralph continued to make his mark in the industry, after the Vid Kid went off to Hollywood to direct some movies, Ralph stayed the course with Video Music Box, adding several hosts like Tuffy, Crazy Sam, Ray DeJean, and Kevin Lawrence, to name a few. The magical moments captured on film included not only videos but also appearances at local events, where the infamous phrase "I want to give a shoutout to....." became popular and a mainstay of the Hip-Hop lexicon.
We can go on, as Ralph has done SO many things for the industry, which we may discuss today, but the rich history of this man has him labeled as legendary not only for his popularity but also for the doors he opened for others to follow. Even those who mimicked his work have to credit him for their success.
Nas produced a documentary, "You're Watching Video Music Box," which premiered on Showtime in 2021 and explores Ralph's work. As much as I can say about Ralph, there are layers to him that most people will never get to know, but we can acknowledge his greatness in real time.
I would like to personally thank Ralph for his guidance and for putting up with me as he directed me in several of the videos Classic Concepts produced and worked with me through various ventures, including celebrity basketball games, parties, and other functions.
