Extra T’s
“E. T. Boogie” (Sunnyview)

After disco’s boom and bust resulted in bankruptcy for TK Records, Miami entrepreneur Henry Stone enlisted notorious industry figure Morris Levy to fund Sunnyview Records. Stone then turned to musician Freddy Stonewall — who also worked on Blowfly’s “rapp” novelty records — for this spin on two youth fads: electro and E.T the Extra-Terrestrial. Despite its kitschy origins, “E.T. Boogie” has a frizzy robotic groove that’s tailor-made for b-boys commanding the dance floor, helping it land on Billboard’s Disco Singles chart. Years later, its rhythmic pulse was sampled on Busta Rhymes’ 1998 hit “Dangerous.”

(November 8, 2023 update): In Dave Tompkins’ How to Wreck a Nice Beach: The Vocoder from World War II to Hip-Hop, Amos Larkin II claims that he made “E.T. Boogie.” It’s unclear why Larkin’s not credited on the single, or if he made it alone or in conjunction with Stonewall.

Read More: The 50 Best Rap Singles of 1982

Humthrush.com will always be free to read and enjoy. If you like my work, leave a tip at Ko-fi.com/humthrush.