Retro Video of the Week: "Mr. Wendal" by Arrested Development

Tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Atlanta hip hop group Arrested Development's stellar debut album, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of . . ., which is a reference to how long it took the group to get a record deal, not that they were counting.

The album was a breath of fresh air, standing in stark contrast to the gangsta rap that dominated the era, and that was actually kind of the point of the group.  It was founded specifically as an alternative to gangsta rap, focusing on social issues and Afrocentric issues, and melding them with a much brighter and eclectic sound.  And it certainly worked.  The album was a smash, both critically and commercially, reaching #7 on the Billboard album chart and eventually going quadruple platinum in the U.S.  It was also a huge influence on the Southern rap genre that would start to blossom a few years later.

The group's three biggest hits -- all Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 -- came from this album:  "Tennessee" (#6), "Mr. Wendal" (#6), and "People Everyday" (#8).  They're all great songs, but I've always liked "Mr. Wendal" just a touch more than the other two, so that's what I'm going with today.  "Mr. Wendal" is all about empathy and understanding for the homeless, and it was not only a huge hit in the U.S., but around the world as well, reaching the Top 10 on the pop charts in five other countries.