B.K.N.Y.

This is a pretty cool, little 12" that's usually found pretty cheap.  It's by the production team known as The Heatmakerz, who've done work with The Diplomats (primarily), Melle Mel & others.  It's a 2-song 12" (plus clean versions and instrumentals), but it's pretty much all about the A-side.

Like you can see in the labelscan there, it's an unlikely - but effective - between M.O.P. and Big Scoob (as in Kane's former dancer, yes).  Fortunately, by this point, Scoob was past doing the cartoon-voice schtick he adopted around the time of Daddy's Home, and has actually put out a series of underrated, indie 12"'s.  Including this one.

Taking a gripping, head-nodding sample from the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack, and laying it over some slamming drums, The Heatmakerz make a solid foundation for M.O.P.'s high energy - well, shit; you don't need me to tell you how M.O.P. do.  The Heatmakerz almost ruin the hook, though with a super annoying chorus sung by... female singers? Kids? I can't even tell. Fortunately, M.O.P. do their own hook right over that shitty one, so once you get used to it, you can readily ignore it.  And for a while, it looks like Big Scoob is just gonna be relegated to playing back-up to M.O.P. (who definitely don't need it), but eventually at the end of the song he kicks a slick verse.  Flat out, the song's a banger that sounds good the first time and grows on you even more with repeated listens.

The b-side is kind of a throw away: "Back In the Building" by Hell Rell of The Diplomats.  The beat's alright and tries to inject some energy, but after the A-side, it's pretty underwhelming.  Hell Rell's flow is pretty simple and punch-liney, but without any particularly clever lines to back it up.  The hook is so subtle, you won't even realize when he switched between hook and verse unless you're paying close attention to the lyrics.  He does have fun with the delivery of a couple lines, though.  I mean, his verse is okay... the instrumental is okay... the hook is okay... you could ride along to it if someone played it in the car or on a mixtape.  But in a world where there's, like, eighty bajillion rap songs in existence now, and more being made every day.  It's not worth your time going out of your way to listen to it.

So forget the B-side, but pick this up for the A-side.  ...Not every producer can make a record that supports M.O.P.'s high-energy delivery, but these guys did it right; and Big Scoob's involvement just sweetens the pot.