The 7 D.E.P. Chronicles: The Curious Case of Pretty Rickie

*Juke walks up to the band leader and requests a selection.  The song: Untitled (How Does It Feel) by D'Angelo.*

This story is one that is built on the strength of our confidence as both a line and as the Delta Delta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha.  The participants have been aliased in order to protect the privacy of those in question (since we may wanna run for office one day.) 

Greek life is a societal undertaking that can be both a blessing and a curse.  In the right hands, the title of frat/soror can be a unifying experience, but in the wrong hands, it can be a detriment to the esteem of the whole institution.  On occasion, the difference between the right hands and the wrong hands depends on the situation, as many members of the BGLO system have been on both sides of this coin.

It is understood, however, that when you become a member of a BGLO, that you carry the name and esteem of that organization with you, and therefore, your decisions should be based on the fact that this is most definitely the case.  However, depending on the situation, the leniency of what is unsavory may vary.  One place where leniency tends to be giving in larger doses...

STEPSHOWS!

Now don't get me wrong.  A good stepshow should always represent the respect and admiration that has been bestowed in the participants by the chapters they represent.  Good stepshows are exercises in theatrics, precision, team work, a few dances, and occasionally, something slightly provocative for the opposite sex (within the realms of good taste.)

The last quality is the one where this story will develop.

So Fall 2002 was the very first Homecoming stepshow for 7 D.E.P.  Our deuce, who will go by the alias T.P., was the stepmaster, and honestly, should have been the stepmaster for any and all movies regarding this delicate art.  Simply put, your stepmaster can't top T.P. on his worst day, and I promise that he didn't pay me to say that.  Starting that summer, T.P. and our prophytes went to work developing a stepshow that would be different from anything that ASU had ever seen.  And as members of the step team, we had a short time to catch up to the stepping curve.

The months of August and September were devoted to developing this show.  The team practiced hard four times a week, since we were basically instructed to practice that much or leave the team.  But you know what?  Winners do what it takes to win, so we practiced our asses off.  Additionally, we went into endurance training to ensure that we don't tire on stage so that we could give a fully energetic performance.

I don't have to tell you that we won the step show.  The show was based on the coming of The Rapture, as foretold in the Bible.  The show was amazing.  Hardcore stepping, spirtual music, and an overall uplifting theme made the audience feel spiritually revived and our advisors relieved. (They honestly always get on edge before shows since they don't always know what we plan on doing before we do it.) 

Now that was a serious show, but anyone that knows 7 D.E.P. knows that we love to have fun and can clown with the best of them.  We had another show in two weeks, but the crowd at that show, we knew, would not be the dignified, uplifted crowd that we performed for at ASU.  These would be n*ggas...in every sense of the word.  Yet, we wanted that money for the chapter, so we went with it.

The theme of the show changed to something more comical.  We did a Gorillas in the Mist theme...sure, it is a little hackneyed, but it was meant to be fun, and we made sure it was. The steps were just as crisp as they were in the very first show, and we were so used to doing them that I STILL remember the entire show 8 years later. 

But something was missing...

We had to do something for the ladies. In the homecoming show, we were able to get around it because it was a Biblically-themed show. (Besides, who wants to go to hell for slow grinding in a gospel stepshow? Not us...)  But this crowd would not be as forgiving if we didn't give the women something to remember.

We devised a nefarious plot. It was one that hinged on the audacity of ignorance...steeped in the courageous efforts of one man and one man only...his name is Pretty Rickie.

Now anyone that knows Pretty Rickie knows that he is a dude of impeccable swag. I hate that word, but sometimes, you have to use what is the best term to describe the situation, and Rickie embodies that.  But this plan was something that even he, in all his swagacity, had to be nervous about.

The show started off as planned.  We were stepping hard and precise.  The crowd loved us...especially since some other group in Blue and White had bored them prior to our show. (I think they were Crips, but don't quote me on that.)  The crowd was into us, and we were giving them their money's worth.

Then it was showtime for Pretty Rickie.

The lights went dim, and the DJ cued the music.  Our plan: to re-enact the D'Angelo "How Does It Feel" video, but with Rickie as the spotlight. And just to give you an idea of where this is going...

This is D'Angelo...

This is Pretty Rickie...


Yeah, we went there. Clearly you can see the resemblance.

So the female gorilla (played by the beautiful and vivacious Nikkie L.) came on stage and saw an oiled up Pretty Rickie standing on stage in nothing but a towel.  The audience laughed hysterically.  As PR sung the song, you could see the old women in the audience reaching in their bras for tips to throw on stage and hear the laughter that spread through the entire scene.

Then, he dropped the towel.

Now of course, we didn't let him stand naked on the stage.  We put a large "CENSORED" sign in front of him, which only added to the hysterics. (And he had on some shorts behind the sign...we weren't THAT crazy.)  By now, the entire crowd was rolling with laughter.  In fact, it took everything we had on stage not to laugh as well.

Needless to say, that solidified our win.  We won the show hands down, and to this day, we still get people asking us, 'WHY?"

I will never understand how we, as a team, decided that this was okay, nor will I ever understand how we were able to talk PR into doing the unthinkable.  But in the end, it was one of those moments that we will never forget. So if you should ever see any member of 7 D.E.P., make sure to ask about the Case of Pretty Rickie and the Stepshow hijinx.  They would love to tell the tale.

Thank GOD YouTube was not out back then...

*Dropping the mic*