Born and raised in a small sliver between Melvindale and River Rouge

April 25, 2022 6:01 AM

The Library of Congress announced the 2022 National Recording Registry inductees, from FDR's presidential speeches to the Robin Williams episode of the WTF with Marc Maron podcast.

Classic hip-hop albums The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest and Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan have entered the registry, as well as historical documentation including the call of Hank Aaron's record-breaking 715th home run and the WNYC archive of September 11th, 2001, and a formal recognition of the most important musical question of all time: Where the hell is south Detroit?

posted by Etrigan (7 comments total)

1. I hope that WTF republishes the Robin Williams interview to their free feed, although the article is dated 4/13 so seems unlikely now.

2. I didn't think he was going to do Moon River but then--BAM!--second encore!
posted by neuron at 8:39 AM on April 25, 2022

it's called delray - i had friends who lived there
posted by pyramid termite at 9:33 AM on April 25, 2022 [2 favorites]

It's cute that you believe that, Ricky Martin, but your English-language debut album was not the first album recorded entirely digitally.

Not just The Low End Theory and Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), but also We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite and Terry Riley's In C--I like this list a lot.
posted by box at 10:47 AM on April 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

Having spent decades living in metro Detroit, and knowing many people from all walks of life there, I have to say I never, EVER heard any part of Detroit referred to as "south Detroit" except in reference to that song. Besides Delray, that "sliver" mentioned above is composed of the neighborhoods of Boynton, Springwells, and Oakwood Heights. My .02 worth, pre-tax.
posted by charris5005 at 6:10 PM on April 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

i never heard anyone call it south detroit, either - what they say is "downriver"
posted by pyramid termite at 6:49 PM on April 25, 2022

i never heard anyone call it south detroit, either - what they say is "downriver"

I know it came up in the article, but depending on one's commitment to the idea of Manifest Destiny, it could be "Windsor."
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:19 PM on April 25, 2022

Late to the party.

So incredibly happy (and shocked, honestly) that Low End Theory got this recognition. Absolutely deserved.

And, now, I have to track down that Duke Ellington album....

(and there is a 1,001 albums to listen to before you die? Ack!

Thanks, Etrigan, for the awesome post. I'll be busy for a long time going down various wormholes because of it.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 4:47 AM on April 30, 2022