Saying goodbye to the man who brought us ‘booyah!’

by Chris Aaland

Sports fans – particularly those under the age of 50 – wept on Sunday morning when ESPN broke the news that cancer had taken popular sportscaster Stuart Scott from us. The 49-year-old announcer was a hero for many, including millions of African-American kids, countless cancer survivors and a horde of young, aspiring sports journalists and athletic administrators like me.

Back in 1992, my alma mater hired me as its sports information director. For more than two decades, I was part of the games management team, first in, last out on game days. In those 22 years, Scott influenced my work, even though he was thousands of miles away and a world apart. He started at ESPN the next year and suddenly, hip-hop culture was thrust into white, middle-class and small-town living rooms on a nightly basis. Within a few years, hip-hop was mixed alongside safer classic rock and country on stadium speakers. My game recaps became fresher, with urban references. Websites, brand-new at the time, had all the bling of “Yo! MTV Raps” (I’m seriously dating myself here).

The late, great ESPN sportscaster Stuart Scott.

This was all-too long in coming. Much like blacks were scarce in the coaching and management ranks at the time, the music played during pre-game and timeouts was either provided by a school band or, more likely, the Bob Seger and Rolling Stones tunes that the old white guys in the crowd were accustomed to.

Scott’s “Boo-yah” and “As cool as the other side of the pillow” catchphrases became iconic. “He must be the bus driver cuz he was takin’ him to school.” “Just call him butter ‘cause he’s on a roll.” The funny-looking kid from North Carolina became a 20th century Shakespeare.

But from his three battles with cancer came his strongest words: “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.”

Fight the power, Stu. I’ll think about you every time I flip the pillow on a hot summer night. Boo-yah.

Up in Telluride, the Tony Furtado Band plays the Sheridan Opera House at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. He’ll also play the Animas City Theatre with support by Andreas Kapsalis at 8 p.m. next Thursday (Jan. 15) if you’d like to see him a wee bit closer to home.

Moe’s hosts Funked Up Fridays with dancing to the sounds of DJs CK and Baby Bell from 9 ‘til close Friday, while DJ Nuffsaid spins from 10 ‘til close on Saturday.

In drinking news, BREW has a new beer on tap named after the Norse god, Loki. It’s a spirited, dark farmhouse ale infused with tea from the White Dragon Tea Room. The tea gives Loki a very unique flavor with a plethora of spices.

This week’s Top Shelf list is provided by one of my fellow Telegraph contributors, Luke Mehall. You may have recently read his interview with The Grouch and Eligh prior to their Animas City Theatre performance. A proud dirtbag who professes to be a recovering hippie, Mehall’s list features his 10 favorite hip-hop albums of all-time:

1. Outkast, “ATLiens,” 1996. Even though this album is nearly 20 years old, it’s futuristic. To quote the album, “Visualize the yin and yang in a battle so intense that we get them confused.” Truth.

2. Jay-Z, “Reasonable Doubt,” 1996. Jay’s first album, and his most eloquent work to date. This is pre-Big Pimpin’ when he was reflecting on a life as a drug dealer, with brutal honesty, aware of the damage crack cocaine was inflicting on his community and living with the regret of poisoning his people.

3. “Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star,” self-titled, 1998. This is the essence of an intelligent 1990s hip-hop album. Perhaps the finest track is “Brown Skin Lady” in which Kweli raps, “You fruitful, beautiful, lovable, huggable, doable like art, suitable to be part of my life.”

4. Outkast, “Aquemini,” 1998. This album melts my heart, with creative use of the English language, the Southern duo somehow improved on “ATLiens,” even poking some fun at their ever evolving style in the skits in between tracks. And perhaps the best name for a hip-hop track of all time, “Spottieottiedopalicious,” with the line, “Her neck was smelling sweeter than a plate of yams with extra syrup.”

5. Mos Def, “Black on Both Sides,” 1999. The culmination of an all-too-brief era in hip-hop, Mos Def’s debut album is without a doubt his best. Is Brooklyn in the house? Yes, indeed.

6. Talib Kweli, “Reflection Eternal,” 1999. This is when Kweli was at the top of the hip-hop game. A little seldom-known secret, the Nelson Mandela introduction at the beginning of the album is actually Dave Chappelle.

7. Dr. Dre, “The Chronic 2001,” 1999. His best work, long before marijuana was legalized, this doctor was promoting the use of this sacred herb for medicinal uses. Not really, but this album has some of the best beats of all time, and some seriously adrenaline-charged guest appearances from luminaries such as Eminem.

8. Blackalicious, “Blazing Arrow,” 2002. Another futuristic album that should be more critically praised than it is. The Gift of Gab, the group’s main MC, and his lyrical wordplay is astonishing; his recent show last year in Durango proved he still can remain true to his namesake.

9. Outkast, “Speakerboxx/The Love Below,” 2003. The famous double album, with each member of the duo putting together their own album and releasing it together. “The Love Below” half is the reason this is on my list; Andre 3000 is the bravest rapper of his time, opening up his soul and showing what love means to him. “Behold a Lady” gives props to the women who carry themselves in a respectful manner, contrary to a lot of the hip-hop music going on at the time.

10. Kendrick Lamar, “Section 80,” 2011. Kendrick’s second album, just before he got super famous. His hunger and passion are evident on every song; “F**k Your Ethnicity” is a creative and poetic take on race, and what it means to the current generation. Rapping about his audience he says, “Look at that line it’s so diverse and they wanna see Kendrick.”

Holla at a playa when you see him in the street? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.

Yes, orange cone season is upon us. And, like you, I’m getting accustomed to using alternate routes like Roosa or Highway 3 to avoid the mess. But I’m a crotchety old cuss who is fully excited that my advanced age affords me opportunities to do things like wear socks with Crocs or shake my fist at people who don’t use their turn signals. So take some advice from Uncle Chris and obey the signs.

One of the spookiest blues guitarists around, Eddie “Devil Boy” Turner, plays Crash Music at the Historic Aztec Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Throughout the late 1990s and early ’00s, Turner’s electric guitar added ambience to five of Boulder bluesman Otis Taylor’s albums. Turner and Taylor go way back to their days in the seminal Colorado ban,  Zephyr, which also featured future heavy metal guitar hero Tommy Bolin. Turner now performs with his own band as singer/songwriter/guitarist and has garnered Independent Music Awards for his recent album, “The Turner Diaries.”

Moe’s has one of its biggest weeks ever in terms of live music, with national acts mixed in with local stuff. Salsa Night kicks off with the one-and-only Nosotros at 7 p.m. tonight (Thurs., May 29). Nosotros combines Latin rhythms with elements of flamenco, jazz, salsa and rock. They’ve played locally nearly a dozen times, including past Music in the Mountains performances. This time around, you get to learn to salsa dance, too!

Then at 9 p.m. Friday, Moe’s hosts a hip-hop show with national DJs Glife, Pookie and Neutron. That follows a 6 p.m. Funked Up Friday with Bacon. On Saturday, there’s live music with Fno2 at 6 p.m. and a farewell show with Juice Money at 9.

The Lawn Chair Kings are back at the Balcony from 5-9 p.m. Friday. It’s also the Nord’s first day on summer break after another year of teaching all y’all’s offspring, so expect him to be in fine form. The current lineup of Hap Purcell (banjo), Pat Dressen (drums, mandolin), Dan Leek (electric & upright basses) and Erik Nordstrom (electric & acoustic guitars) roams from bluegrass to rock, so be prepared to mix drinking and dancing.

The Lindells – comprised of the married duo of Kim and Chris Lindell – play the Dolores River Brewery at 8 p.m. Sunday. The duo has performed together in the high and wild places of the American West for 30 years, playing original songs that blend roots-rock, folk and blues. They’ve shared the stage with the likes of J.J. Cale, Arlo Guthrie, Robert Earl Keen and Dark Star Orchestra, among others. Best yet, they call Dolores home. Cement Pond joins them on the bill.

The James Ranch starts something new this week – its summer dining and music series. With a covered stage on the terraces, the ranch now offers views, tunes and delicious food produced on-site. Each Thursday from 5-8 p.m., the James families offer Burger and a Band, with Hello Dollface kicking things off this week. Admission is $20, which includes a Harvest Grill signature burger (beef or veggie) and bag of Chip Peddler chips. Kids under 12 have no band admission fee and can order from the menu. Seating is limited and attendees are encouraged to bring picnic blankets. The series continues weekly through Sept. 4, with 15 local bands serving up rock, country, bluegrass, blues and more.

Also of note: Jack Tallmadge brings hogjaw, thump & twang to the Sporting News Grill in the Holiday Inn at 6 p.m. tonight;  the Pete Giuliani Band rocks the Balcony at 5:30 p.m. tonight, while Pete goes solo at Mesa Verde’s Farview Lodge from 6:30-10:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday (an ongoing gig that continues throughout the summer); Jack Ellis brings the blues to the Office Spiritorium at 7 p.m. Friday; Kirk James does solo blues at the Seven Rivers Steakhouse from 6-10 p.m. at the Sky Ute Casino Resort in Ignacio; and the Black Velvet duo does Dalton Ranch Golf Club at 5 p.m. Sunday.

This week’s Top Shelf list is provided by Rick Carney of Moe’s, whose tastes are all over the map. “It’s way harder than it sounds,” Rick said of the challenge. From the looks of it, it reads from my cassette collection of the 1980s … not a bad thing at all. Here are Rick’s Top 10 albums of all time:

1. The Clash, “London Calling,” 1979.
2. The Kinks, “One for the Road,” 1980.
3. MC 900 Ft. Jesus, “One Step Ahead of the Spider,” 1994.
4. Bob Marley & the Wailers, “Live!” 1975.
5. Beastie Boys, “Paul’s Boutique,” 1989.
6. Ramones, “Rocket to Russia,” 1977.
7. Devo, “Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!,” 1978.
8. Frank Zappa, “Joe’s Garage,” 1979.
9. Faith No More, “Angel Dust,” 1992.
10. Oingo Boingo, “Farewell: Live from the Universal Amphitheatre, Halloween 1995,” 1996.

With a tongue like a cow? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.