"Its been a long time" as an iconic wordsmith once said, but we're back in full effect,so keep checkin in 'cos you know we're about to have this whole blog thing on lock.
Anyway, i thought it no better time than to kick off the weekend with some Gangsta Rap classics. I fucked with this old LA shit hard as a younger man, Cube and his scowl-faced, raiders cap wearing band of cohorts provided the soundtrack to my early teens, much to my (Catholic) parents complete distaste.
The following are a handful of gems from those days. While not being anything entirely obscure, its sometimes nice to stumble across videos you never even knew existed.
So in saying that you can thank The Geto Boys' "Crooked Officer" for this here trip down a "loc'd" out memory lane.
The Geto Boys "Crooked Officer"
I loved both The Convicts and The Geto Boys back in these days, so when Willie D went solo for good and Big Mike of The Convicts took his place alongside 'Face and Bushwick you can bet it was a pleasent supprise. Big Mike was a house mate of Snoop Dogg's in his early days and rumour has it that the good doctor himself Andre Young (Dr.Dre if you don't know) wanted this particular track for The Chronic. Now, we're not just talkin the beat, we're talkin the whole track chorus and all ghost writing included.
As we now know it never made it to The Chronic, but instead to The Geto Boys' 1993 release Til Death Do Us Part.
Above The Law "Black Superman"
ATL are criminally under-rated! One time label mates of NWA, thier influence on late 80's early 90's LA rap music is continually over looked. Above The Law's producer and musician Cold187um was a ghost producer for Dre back in the 100 Miles and Runnin days, and anyone with a discearning ear can hear his influence. Cold187um appeard to have introduced a more musical and funk laden sound to Dre's reppettoire, which is no more evident than on 1992's EFIL4ZAGGIN.
The influence would wind up resulting in a beef of sorts with the obligatory diss tracks from ATL's court. Though i'm unaware of a Dre response.
Kick back and bang this shit "Black Superman" off 1993's Uncle Sam's Curse.
WC & The Maad Circle "Ain't A Damn Thing Changed"
Ice Cube's current hype man and long time homie WC kicked off his career with DJ Alladin in the group Low Profile. After one album together they parted company and WC hooked up with his brother DJ Crazy Toones and future multi-platinum artist Coolio to form The Maad Circle. While WC has never found the commercial success that some of his peers and those around him have, his twenty something years of output has seen him become one of the most respected MCs in hip-hop as a whole, not just gangsta rap. His rapid fire flows have seen him appear and feature alongside countless artists from the underground to the mainstream.
Taken from '91 or '92s (i can't remember) album of the same name, "Ain't A Damn Thing Changed". Check the cameos from Boo Yaa and the Lench Mob.
King Tee "At Your Own Risk"
The perrenial under-dog of gansta rap, King Tee never seemed to get the props he deserved. While being around for longer than most (he sparked his career off with 1988's Act A Fool, widely regarded as a genre classic) and kicking off the careers of The Liks and Xzibit, not even a Dr.Dre co-sign could move "The King" from cult status to major contender, (King Tee was signed to Dre's Aftermath label in its infant stages, he would also make a great cameo on Dr.Dre's Chronic 2001).
His smooth deep flow was even cited by Biggie as a major influence on his career. Not unlike Biggie, Tee tread the road between underground statesman and style pioneer with ease. Sounding just as at home alongside Cube or Dre as he did alongside Defari or Phil The Agony.
In my opinion "Played Like A Piano" "I Got It Bad" and "Hoe B4 The Homie" are hallmark tracks of the genre.
Enjoy. "At Your Own Risk" off the 1990 album of the same name.
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