Gimmick- (noun) A trick or device intended to attract attention, publicity, or business.
So what are we looking for? Anything added to the product that doesn't improve the quality of the product, but is just there to make the product stand out, is a gimmick. What is the product here? Ostensibly the music, while one could rightly argue that having a video for a song is itself a gimmick, lets just assume the video is a part of the presentation of said music. So everything else can be considered a gimmick. The artist' image? Gimmick. A trademark fashion? Gimmick. Controversy surrounding the artist or song? Gimmick. In fact anything attached to the music/video that isn't about the quality of the music or the video is a gimmick. Just for fun try naming the gimmicks before you read them. If I missed anything feel free to point it out in the comments.
Ah Kris Kross, what are the gimmicks here? First the very artists here are a gimmick. The song was actually written by Jermain Dupree, the kids were just there for the sake of the demographic. One must remember this was the era of Another Bad Creation moving plenty of records, Jermain wanted in on that market so he created Kris Kross. Second the name of the duo is a gimmick, grab to kids named Chris, call them Kris Kross, voila, marketing genuis. Third the backwards clothes, calling the kids the mack daddy and daddy mack and giving them matching braids. Fourth dissing Another Bad Creation. Obviously these kids didn't know the members of ABC or have any real problems with them, but calling them out was another way to draw attention. Fifth the "iggety iggety" at the end of the song. I might go so far as to say the entire song was a gimmick.
Kwame, not hard to spot the gimmicks here, the gumby with the blonde streak down the middle. The infamous polka dots. I want to say the dancers too. Maybe I'm being too harsh, they do add to the presentation of the song and video after all...
Das EFX, First off, the whole sewer motif. Straight from the sewer? What are you a Ninja Turtle? Second, the "iggety" which came back to bite them. They originated it, then when people copied, they went away from it on there sophomore LP, when it didn't sell as well as the first one, the went back to it, but alas it was too late. The damage had been done, plus people were just over it, and over them. Third, playing up their association with EPMD, this is similar to when TV networks with put a new show in the time slot behind a proven winner. At blatant attempt to get EPMD fans to buy into Das EFX.
K Solo, another EPMD product. The whole spelling thing. Um, yeah... Him and DMX actually had beef behind this style. You'll recall on "Get At Me Dog" "That nicca K-Solo can suck my d*&!" The story goes they were up north together and K Solo came home first and ran with DMX's spelling style. I wasn't there so I don't know how true it is or isn't, but I do find it amusing that two grown men would beef about who needed hooked on phonics more.
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