Electric Kingdom

Album: Twilight 22 (1983)
Charted: 79
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Songfacts®:

  • Twilight 22 was the creative moniker of Gordon Bahary. "Electric Kingdom" was Bahary's first solo recording. In our interview, Bahary told us the story behind this song: "I took the most seemingly opposite elements: my father's middle eastern record collection, and a hip-hop/dance beat and combined them. Then I co-wrote a rap encouraging people to make a positive life for themselves I suppose."
  • Few non-African Americans were involved with Hip-Hop in the early '80s, so Bahary's label insisted that he come up with a new name. "They were trying to hide that I was white," said Bahary. "I said, 'Call it whatever you want. Call me Twilight Zone for all I care.' Then the A&R guy said, 'What about Catch 22?' I said, 'Call it Twilight 22.'"
  • This song is sampled in DJ Maestro's "Cali Cuts" and Jocelyn Enriquez's "A Little Bit of Ecstasy."
  • "Electric Kingdom" peaked at #7 on the R&B charts.
  • Bahary is a coveted synthesizer player who has worked with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock and Ramsey Lewis. He has also produced for artists, among them Raven-Symoné of the Disney show, That's So Raven. In 2012, Bahary released his debut solo album, Unbreakable.

Comments: 2

  • Heidijo from NycAnd Peaked at #5 on The Billboard Club Chart.
  • Mark Ingoldsby from Nh"Electric Kingdom" was one of the first songs featuring rap to make it onto Billboard's Hot 100 (after "Rapper's Delight", "The Breaks", "Rapture", "The Message", "Planet Rock" and a few others). The song peaked at #79 on 1/21/84.
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