In 1983, a Seattle musical group named the Cosmic Tunas recorded a song titled “Draw The Line” for a compilation cassette called Local Product from Green Monkey Records. One member of the Cosmic Tunas was a man by the name of Bruce Scott. In 1984, Bobby and Jack Oram decided to record a parody rap record based on the TV character of Mr. T from the A-Team. Mr. T was known for saying “I pity the fool” on the program. Jack named himself Mr. X, and the track was called “I Pity The Man.” Bruce created his own record label to release this song, and later in 1984, he put the record out on B.S. Records.

The track itself was recorded in two parts. Part One is on Side A, and it features confrontational brags and boasts from Mr. X about how ‘bad’ he is. He tells the listener not to mess with him in a variety of entertaining ways. Side B features Part Two of the track. In Part Two, his backup singers get in on the act, and they sing about how bad Mr. X is. Part Two is looser, and Mr. X just riffs on his earlier themes explored in Part One. He continually reminds the listener that he “pities the man” who doesn’t step back from him.

The beat creates a funky backing groove, if somewhat repetitive. The music has some bounce, with a kind of Rick James feel to it. They were infringing on some intellectual property, but just like Weird Al Yankovic they were protected by the parody nature of their track. This is apparently only the fourth or fifth rap record to ever emerge from Seattle. Prior Seattle vinyl releases included Little Ray Rapper in ’81, Teleclere in ’82, Emerald Street Boys in ’83, and CT & The Record Band in 1984. B.S. Records never released another song, this was their lone contribution to the 206 rap canon. (Written by Novocaine132.)