Ras Kass Demos Remastered

If there's one thing Ras Kass is consistent at being, it's uneven. For every amazing rhyme, there's a weak beat. For every strong album track there's a generic west coast cliche. Even if you're a strictly east coast head and not a fan, you have to begrudgingly admit he's had some really impressive moments in his catalog. And even if you're a die-hard Stan with "Ras Kass" tattooed across your belly, you have to admit there are a few low points you can't bring yourself to cosign. Every time he releases an album, you can't help feeling you're missing out on something else that could've been tighter and more exciting had it been released differently, like a master chef's immaculate souffle that burnt for being left in the oven too long.

So it's only natural for us to hope that this release of Ras Kass's Pre-Soul On Ice Demos from Dope Folks Records will finally be the answer to our hunger for a flawless masterpiece. But as we should've expected by now, it's not... but still pretty damn compelling.

So where to start? Ras Kass demos have been circulating the tape trading circuit before most of us even knew what the internet was. Complex, of course, included some of them in their famous "Greatest Demos" article in 2011, and back in 2008 Rap Reviews reviewed his demo tape, calling it, "a poorly preserved album-length [tape] that, allegedly, was even better than his official debut, at least lyrically, and certainly better than any of his new stuff. ...a few great tracks, and a lot of mediocrity fabricated into whole-cloth greatness." In short, a potential masterpiece marred by unevenness. The track-listing typically looked like this:

1. Everything I Love
2. Core Audience
3. High IQ
4. Won't Catch Me Running
5. Capital R-A-S
6. Blood Is Thicker Than Water
7. Interlude
8. Take a Deep Breath
9. Remain AnonymouS
10. Take a Deep Breath (Remix)
11. Walk the Walk

A large part of why people might've been nonplussed Ras's demo tape certainly has to be that much of it was turned into Ras's debut album, Soul On Ice. So rather than being a collection of completely unheard songs, it was a collection of a few unheard songs and a lot of rough drafts of songs we already heard. So any given song might be slightly weaker lyrically, but have harder production... or the inverse. And it didn't help that a number of the demo tracks, though not featured on any of his albums, were pressed on vinyl as his earlier singles. "Remain AnonymouS" is great, but any head dedicated enough to track down his demos has already got a much better copy.

So Dope Folks has made the wise move of making more of a "best of" demo EP, which includes the only strongest tracks from that original tape... plus some other stuff.  There's really no better away to explain it any further than to dive right in, track by track, so let's go:

1) Capital R.A.S. - As you can see from the track-list above, this is right from that tape. And what's more, it's one of the tightest tracks, with some of Vooodu's cool, original production. Lyrically, the punchline heavy flow (every other sentence has a "like" line like "so get to steppin' like the Delta Sigma Thetas") does sound dated and wouldn't really fly today. But for all of us fiending for vintage Ras Kass material, it's a welcome artifact of its time. Plus Ras did it better than almost anyone, so no one checking for this release should get hung up on it.

2) "Core Audience" - Also from the original tape and probably the strongest one. It's got a dark, rugged track by Bird and some serious, compelling rhymes from Ras:

"We all lick shots with unregistered burners,
And at one time or another played Ike Turner.
Ain't shit to be braggin' for,
Ass backwards actors pack gats for show and tell
So they can sell and certify gold,
Chart billboard claimin' they killed more niggas.
Underground hardcore.
But far more mainstream than Hammer.
Poppin' trunks, stuffin' pumps and smokin' blunts
Sells more records than 'Pumps and a Bump.'
Violence is a new platinum gimmick.
Call it the double-cross crossover;
A rose by any other name is Seal.
You claimin' that you represent the real niggas' life,
But only represent it for a price.
'Cause if next week the new fad was hip-hop fags,
You'd find a lot of hardcore niggas in drag.
Shit is bad; and we acknowledge this,
But after a certain point, you only perpetuate it.
So next time you rhyme about physically buckin' somebody.
Instead of 'nigga' say 'white boy'
And see how quick the devil protest it.
Wanna see your ass arrested?
Your label wouldn't suggest it.
They say it's best if you're stickin' niggas,
So some 10 year-old can claim he pimps hoes.
Find his daddy's glock nine and give his sister a 2 inch hole
Between the eyes. The influence is obvious.
Music ain't supposed to be raisin' your kids,
But in nineteen ninety-five it is."

See? That's the kind of must-have shit we've been needing on wax!  ...If only we could surgically excise that contrived line about Seal and "Kiss From a Rose." But it'a still a fantastic verse on a fantastic song, and it's flat-out crazy to think that this has lived only as a revered, unreleased dub until now.

3) "Handle the Truth" - This is not from the same demo album, but an equally legendary unreleased track that's been a jewel in tape trader's collections for just as long. You don't need production credits to tell it's produced by the same man (Vooodu) who produced "Nature Of a Threat" and other greats. It's a sick posse cut featuring Saafir, Vooodu and The Almighty Arrogant that's been in desperate need of a legit release for decades. As a matter of fact, I'm proud to say I suggested this one to Dope Folks when they were still conceiving this project. Another 100% absolute must have.

4) "Blood Is Thicker Than Water" - Back to the O.G. tape, this is the song where he kicks the punchline "like Jeru's enema, I come clean," which he later re-purposed for his Chino XL guest spot, "Riiiot!" as "I come cleaner than Jeru's enema." Actually, it's unfair that silly lines like this overshadow what's otherwise a killer song with some nice, rare production by Bird, with a phat piano riff and Marley Marl-style echoed horns. It's also got a pair of R&B chicks crooning on the hook and background, one of whom, from her last name, I'm guessing is a close relative of Ras Kass. That, of course, would fit in perfectly with the song's theme.

5) "H20 Mash-Up" - Now we veer off into oddball territory here. This isn't really a proper Ras Kass song, and certainly not a demo song circa or pre- Soul On Ice. As its title suggests, it's a mash up, presumably taken from a mix-tape by Ras V, since he's credited as a featured guest. The first half is just "H20 Proof," a single off of Ras Kass's Rasassination album, then mid-way through, it cuts to an old Big L freestyle. It's the Kay Slay one that's been featured on several of L's unauthorized albums. I'm not exactly mad at having this as long as you think of it as a sort of random bonus; but it's crazy to think one of the many other demo songs - even if they aren't quite as good as the ones we do get - was left off for this. The two aren't even artfully blended, though at least the cut between the two pieces is timed so that it remains on beat. It's a pretty big WTF moment for this EP, but oh well... it doesn't take away from the rest of it.

6) "Deep Breathe" - Finally, we're back on track with one last cut from the original tape. Personally, this is one of the most exciting inclusions for me, simply because it features some of the other Western Hemisfear guys who sadly never got enough material out in their prime. It's a little posse cut with Vooodu, Meen Green and another beat by Bird. I'm not sure why they altered the title, especially since the vocal sample they use for the hook clearly says "take a deep breath," but this is the song known as "Take A Deep Breath" - #8 on the track-list above, not the remix below it. I actually kind of preferred that remix, but both are dope and I"m happy to get either one on wax. This is exactly the kind of song I was pining for back in the 90s.

Unfortunately, now I must address one more point before I can wrap this up with a 100% recommendation. Right in Dope Folks' item description, it says, "We've cleaned up the demos as much as possible, to give you the best versions of these rare tracks. Taken from Ras Kass' own personal archives." So yeah, these are not crisp new masters taken from original DATs or reels. These are remastered by their guy (Justin Perkins, who always does impressive work for DF) forced to work with the same kind of crappy recordings we've all been stuck with for decades. Now I've got the vinyl right here and have compared it with my old tape from the 90s, older Youtube uploads and an old folder of mp3s I downloaded from SoulSeek years ago. I invite you to compare along with me by checking out Dope Folks' Youtube uploads (which, now having the wax on hand, I will say are highly accurate representations of what you get on the EP) directly to past Youtube uploads from previous sources.

On the one hand, I am pleased to report that this new EP sounds buttloads better (to use a technical term) than anything we've heard before. It tramples the worst sounding copies and even exceeds the best. But on the other hand, even if you just placed this record on your turntable and knew nothing of the history or what was sourced from where, it's immediately apparent these are taken from old tape and digital recordings. They do not sound perfect or even great. They sound like old demos pressed on wax, so if you're expecting the usual limited on vinyl, top notch sound quality, buyer beware. But again, there is a definite, substantial improvement. And what can you do? Dope Folks was working with Ras Kass himself on this release, and even he didn't have anything better.

Now who knows? It's possible someone will track down Bird for an interview and it will turn out he's got a closest full of original recordings. More likely, if they still exist at all, they're dissolving into a puddle in Priority Records' basement, never to be shared with the public. So basically, this is likely to be the best we'll ever hear them. And they are mostly (I don't know what to say about "H20 Mash-Up") terrific, must-have songs that are finally making their debut on wax. And Dope Folks doesn't exactly charge One Leg Up prices. So while the sound quality issues have necessarily diffused much of the excitement that would've otherwise surrounded this release, it's up to you to decide if it's still worth the purchase. For me it certainly was, despite being traditionally uneven.

The Undying Dream of Biggie Smalls

(Youtube version is here.)

Mad Skillz and Ras Kass: Together Again for the Very First Time

This is a single that sorta came out of nowhere. In 2002, an label called Madd Game released a 12" called, "Six Figures," a collaboration between Mad Skillz and Ras Kass. Now, 2002 is when Skillz was still signed with Rawkus, and Ras still only had his first two albums under his belt. In other words, neither had really collected many detractors yet, both were well-regarded lyricists at a time when punch-lines were held in high esteem and a collaboration between the two seemed like a very long thing coming. In fact, they were sort of at stages where both of there fans were wondering just what was up with these guys' long-delayed projects. So it was sort of odd that this little, indie 12" suddenly popped up on sites like Sandbox with no fanfare, well under the radar.

Well, Madd Game was actually an upcoming Virginia label that had put out a 12" or two before of their own artists. You've probably not heard of any of the artists or labels outside of VA, though Bedroom Wizard, a producer who made a name for himself thanks to some projects with The Supafriendz when they were getting big, was involved with at least one of their early singles. Well, anyway, I guess the label decided to grab some attention for itself, put their own artists aside, and hire some big guns for this 12" release.

So, how is it? Well, they didn't quite manage to grab these guys when they were in their prime, but they got close. So, lyrically, it won't blow any minds, but it's pretty decent. Sometimes it feels like some slick wordplay with a thoughtful hook ("only two ways out the streets, up or down, look around. Either six figures or six feet under the ground") and sometimes it feels too cloyingly jokey, forcing in bad Monica Lewinsky jokes like a hacky Jay Leno routine.

The production is handled by Trackula, who was Madd Game's in-house producer. It's not bad, but nothing special either. A keyboard loop over a typical drum track and some understated bass. It'll get your head nodding, but the emphasis is clearly meant to be on the MCs' lines rather than the beat - nobody's gonna pick this up 'cause they need to have the instrumental.

It is on here, though. You get Street, Radio, Instrumental and Acapella versions of "Six Figures;" so they do it up right. What's more, you get a B-side.

"In the Game" is a posse cut, again featuring Mad Skillz. It also features $K-Mo$, Josef X-Plosiv and Mic Source, most of whom I've ever heard of, before or since. Actually, I think I heard Skillz say "Josef X-Plosiv" on another song, but I thought it was a joke name, like when he told Method Man, "if you're Johnny Hot, then I'm James Flames." But I guess there really is such a guy. ...I suppose these are just local VA MCs, but I think only one of them ($K-Mo$) was actually on MaddGame's roster.

Anyway, this song's pretty on-par with the A-side. The beat - again by Trackula - is a little nicer, and the posse cut vibe is more energetic. This one lacks the star-power of Ras Kass, but after multiple spins, I think you'll come to prefer this side. It comes in just Street and Radio versions.

So yeah, nothing amazing; but it's a pretty cool little single if you can find it for cheap (and you probably can). It's got a nice, underground vibe compared to the crass, pop efforts both Skillz and Ras later stooped to. They also shout-out the label's website (I checked - it's no longer active) constantly on both songs. It's almost like you're listening to a song on a mixtape, with the DJ shouting his name all over it. Anyway, I recommend this so long as you go in with tempered expectations. Surprisingly, this is the only time Skillz and Ras did a song together until Ras's just recently released A.D.I.D.A.S. album.

Snippets On Ice

(Youtube link here.)

The One That Didn't Make It

This is kind of a rarity. ...I see a bunch of online sellers hyping how "crazy rare" this record is, but that's the thing: a bunch of sellers. So it can't really be that rare - at any rate, if you decide you want it after reading this, you won't have a hard time finding a copy.

Now, if you haven't looked at the thumbnail to the left yet, I'm talking about Ras Kass's "Home Sweet Home" 12", which Priority Records released promotionally in 2001. It was meant to be the lead single off of his third album, Van Gogh, but that didn't wind up getting released either. It all got leaked on Napster and what-not, but this is the only legit release of the song, available just briefly as a promo-only before it was pulled.

A lot of you probably already know why it was pulled, but if not - here's the story: the track's produced by Alchemist. There were delays with his label (just a small part of a long and ugly history of Priority delaying Ras's material), and when he was just getting his 12" to mixtape DJs, he heard the same beat on another record, by Jadakiss. At the time, he said to MTV News, "I paid him for the track and picked the track. I don't know what the circumstances were, but he ends up trying to sell it to Ruff Ryders and Jadakiss specifically and tries to play like he didn't do it. ...Dude cashed the check and now he's playing stupid. After we try to resolve the situation, they take it to Hot 97 and try to blast off on the shit and give it to DJ Clue. That's some foul shit. Alchemist needs to step up and be a man. For him to sell them the same beat, that's his wrong. At the same time, I don't know what the conversation was for them to go and take it to Hot 97 when we've been trying to deal with this for the past two weeks with our lawyers."

Listening to Ras declare on this song, "Heard I was one hit from being a star, baby; like Boy George, one dress from bein' the First Lady," then, it's easy to imagine how frustrating it must have been when Jada's version BLEW THE FUCK UP and became the huge hit, "We Gone Make It" with fellow Lox member Styles P. on Interscope. Styles P, by the way, later released a 12" version of this song himself, remixed to add a verse from Eve, and there was a video produced for that mix as well. But you guys reading this don't need me to tell you what a big hit it was - you've surely heard it eighty million times already.

Still, I'm doubtful if Ras could've had nearly as much of the hit as Jada managed with this instrumental. His career just wasn't in the same place and his label obviously wasn't as behind him. And while his hook flows a little more naturally than Jada's, honestly neither version really outshines the other lyrically. In both cases, the MCs get a couple of clever lines in and flow nicely but unexceptionally over a hot track that overshadows them. ...But it probably would've sold enough copies to get Priority to at least release Van Gogh.

Anyway, a little while later, The Alchemist came out with his side of the story (also to MTV News), "Priority put me on hold and left me hanging. After I got the first half [of the payment], they left me on hold. ... For whatever reason, his A&Rs and whoever was related to his project was ignoring me... I tried to call everybody to let them know [other artists were interested], but nobody wanted to return my calls. So finally when I reach him to tell him that I'm using it, I start hearing it on mix tapes. I called Priority and was like, 'Hold up, we don't have any paperwork for this.' ...Now I see in the press that Ras is saying, 'I bought this beat off of Alchemist eight months ago, and he just sat around with the paperwork.' What he's talking about is eight months ago when he found out that it was coming out with somebody else, he had his lawyers send over paperwork for the production of one beat, 'Home Sweat Home,' $7,500 full payment. They just took it upon themselves to make that first half of the three beats the full payment for one beat, which we never discussed. Of course, I just put that paperwork to the side. I laughed at it. ...I tried to call Ras and extend my hand to him. I said, 'If you want that money back, I'll give it right back because I don't want it to feel like I got over on you or your record label. I'm not trying to get over on anybody. I got beats. I wish we could just continue to work. ... It's a shame that it had to happen like this."

And for his part, Jadakiss eventually commented on the issue to MTV, too, simply saying, "that controversy is with Alchemist and Ras Kass. He played the beat for me, I paid him his money and I laid my vocals on it. I ain't got nothing to do with that other shit. I ain't get a call from Ras Kass, no nothing, so I'm good. The album is my only concern for the next six to eight months."

So in the end, I favor this version for a slightly better hook, and this is the version I recommend. I also want to give it the edge simply for being Ras Kass instead of Jadakiss, just based on both artists' legacy of work... but honestly, comparing each MC on this one pair of songs only, the difference is academic.

There is one more thing that the Ras Kass 12" has in favor over the Jadakiss 12" (or the Styles P 12" for that matter) - a b-side. Flip this sucker over and you get "4 Much," a posse cut featuring Bad Azz, Lil J, Nate Dogg and Tash. ...Or basically Tash and a lot of filler. Battlecat's beat, like all of Battlecat's beats, is decent, even effective, but nothing anyone's going to get excited about. The bassline is catchy and overall it's an ok song... it actually would be a lot better if it was just stripped down to Ras Kass and Tash's verses (making a special point of removing the hook); but as it is you'll mainly just want this if you're a serious fan.

It's a nice collector's item for serious Ras Kass fans. And for the more casual listeners, it's still worth picking up if you can get it for a good price.

That loop sure gets in your head, huh?

Coming soon: the return of the Instant Messenger interview (my favorite kind)! It's a brand new one (not a Necro) with a dope MC. I'm excited - hopefully it will be ready tomorrow.

Tags: Ras Kass, Alchemist, Jadakiss, Styles P., Tash, Battlecat

(Werner Necro'd) Top Ten Top Tens

Ok, for a couple years I was asking various MC's for some top ten lists... Some were fun; some were lame... i.e. eight of DJ Rhettmatic's top ten mix-tapes were Beat Junkies tapes and The Wu-Tang Clan's top ten music videos were all their own videos... or some, like asking T-La Rock his Top Ten Oscar picks of the year, just don't quite stand the test of time... and others were kinda lame because they weren't my question, like Fat Joe's top ten holiday gifts, and he just lists various brand name products. So I've gone through them all (well most - a few are missing) and am giving you the best. My Top Ten Top Tens:

Kuttin' Kandi's Top Ten Albums of the Century (in no particular order)
1. BlackStar - Mos Def & Talib Kweli
2. The MisEducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill
3. The Moment of Truth - Gangstarr
4. Ready To Die - Biggie Smalls
5. 36 Chambers - WuTang
6. Step Into The Arena - Gangstarr
7. People's Instinctive Travels & The Paths of Rhythm - De La Soul [sic. - dude, I know]
8. Bizarre Ride to the Pharcyde - Pharcyde
9. Criminal Minded - KRS One
10. Raising Hell - Run DMC

Album Of All Time: Future Shock - Herbie Hancock (contains "Rock IT" which was the first non hiphop song to feature a hiphop artist - DJ GrandMaster DST now known as DXT)

Thirstin Howl III's Top Ten Polo Spots in NY
1. Atrium's
2. Albert's on 36th between 5th & 6th
3. The Polo Mansion on 72nd
4. S+D's
5. the Bloomingdale's on 59th and Lexington
6. any Macy's in New York
7. any Filenes' Basement you see on the highways around the suburbs have the best selections; they don't focus on the flashier stuff like we do in the city
8. any T.J. Max's
9. Transit for Polo Sport shoes and accessories
10. that's really all of them; there is no 10th

The Outsidaz' Top Ten Things To Do In Jersey
1. Get the money
2. Do drugs
3. Freestyle
4. Fuck the girls
5. Basketball
6. Video games
7. Wax the stolen cars
8. Fight dogs
9. Hike on each other
10. Battle each other

Professor Griff's Top Ten Under-Addressed Topics in Hip-Hop
1. How drug dealers become record execs and CEOs of labels.
2. How money buys your career. For example, radio and video play or how people straight-up buy DJ's and street promotional teams
3. Positive rappers, especially overseas. I travel a lot, and I meet and see all these positive rappers, but I never read about them.
4. Women in hip-hop, especially behind the scenes.
5. Good records that never get play or press because they aren't the "in thing."
6. Different forms of hip-hop music. For example Chuck D and I put together a group called Confrontation Camp (coming out in a couple of months), that's a combination of rock, hip-hop and spoken word...
7. All of the artists that got jerked and the labels that jerked them. People want to know what happened when an album didn't come out, or when an artist gets dropped.
8. Failures of major producers. For example, when a big-time producer like Premiere or Jermaine Dupri produces a record that isn't a hit.
9. Who really, REALLY, truly writes and produces these hit songs... and what exactly IS a real producer? For example, is Puffy a real producer?
10. What's really happening behind the glitz and the glamour? You read about the cars and the iced gold chains, but never about who got liposuction or breast implants... Not that I really care about it at all, but that's the kind of things people approach me about. For example, people ask me what was the real story behind why I wasn't in the "He Got Game" video, even though I'm officially back in the group.

Biohazard's Top Ten Hip-Hop Albums
1. Eric B and Rakim - Paid in Full
2. Run DMC - King of Rock
3. Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions...
4. NWA - Straight Outta Compton
5. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
6. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
7. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the 36 Chambers
8. Old Dirty Bastard - Return to the 36 Chambers
9. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - The Message
10. Ice-T - Power

See you in the pit.

Dose One's Top Ten MCs
1. Why
2. Sole
3. Mikah 9
4. Buck 65
5. Nick Feelgoodpill
6. Circus
7. Lyrix Born
8. Pedestrian
9. Sluggo
10. Radio Inactive

Ras Kass' Top Ten Books
1. Mind Control in the US - Steve Jacobson
2. The Art of Persuasion - Wayne C. Minnick
3. Webster's Dictionary
4. The International Jew - Henry Ford Sr.
5. Peoples' History of the United States - Howard Zinn
6. The Holy Bible (King James' version)
7. Stolen Legacy - George G.M. James
8. The autobiography of Malcolm X - Alex Halley
9. The Forty-Eight Laws of Power - Robert Green
10. The Isis Paper - Francis Crest Welsing

[note: The Scribe actually came up with this question]

Tash's Top Ten Albums from High School
1. EPMD's first two albums
2. Ice-T 'Rhyme Pays'
3. Roger Troutman 'Many Faces of Roger'
4. Parliment and all the p-funk
5. Boogie Down Productions 'Criminal Minded'
6. Ice Cube 'Amerikkka's Most Wanted'
7. Tash demo tapes
8. LL Cool J 'Radio'
9. De La Soul '3 Ft. High and Rising'
10. Stezo 'Crazy Noize'

Saafir's Top Ten Annoying Hip-Hop Songs
1. Vanilla Ice - "Ice, Ice Baby"
2. MC Hammer - "Can't Touch This"
3. Will Smith - "Men In Black" or "Getting' Jiggy With It"
4. Puff Daddy - "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down"
5. Arrested Development - "Tennessee"
6. Wrecks N Effect - "Rump Shaker"
7. MC Hammer - "Pumps and the Bumps"
8. Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz - "Deja Vu"
9. Mase - (Anything he does)
10. Skee-Lo - "I Wish I Was a Little Taller"

Shock G's Top Ten Most Memorable Moments In Hip-Hop (to date 10/5/98)
Chronologically:
1. First Time I ever heard "Super-Sperm" scratched and backspinned in 1978 on an underground tape by DJ Prince, a hardly-known basement dj from Queens Village.
2. Hearing about the huge line at Downstairs Records in 42nd St. Station the day "King Tim the Third" came out.

3. Six-months after moving to Florida, and not hearing hip-hop since N.Y., hearing "Rapper's Delight" for the first time on a major Tampa Bay F.M. radio station.

4. The moment the cassette door opened and L.L. appeared out of a giant 20ft. radio at one of the huge hip-hop tour/extravaganzas of the 80's.

5. Hearing EPMD and "You're a Customer" for the first time out of a strangers car at a gas station in Oakland.

6. The phone call in 1988 when our manager told us "Your Life's a Cartoon" (d.u.'s first 12 inch single) was no. 1 in Amsterdam.

7. The phone call in '89 when he told us Tommy Boy Music was interested in us. (Shock: "Could you hold on a minute please?," Drops phone… Whole group: "OOHHHH-SHITTTT!!!!"

8. The adrenaline I felt, laughing at myself in a Berkley California joke store while looking in the mirror with the Humpty-Nose on for the first time, instantly realizing the possibilities.

9. My first step on a real stage opening for the D.O.C. with Third Base in St. Louis, 1989.

10. Hearing Pac pronounced dead over the radio in my car.

Tags: Kuttin Kandi, Thirstin Howl III, The Outsidaz, Professor Griff, Biohazard, Dose One, Ras Kass, Tash, Saafir, Shock G

We Went All Around the Planet, Pitchin', and No One Hit It

This is a nice 12" of a nice song that's not too hard to come by and definitely worth snagging. MC Hammer (of all people) put together a surprisingly nice compilation consisting of mostly talented, underground west coast artists like The B.U.M.s, Paris, Nas (back when he was still underground) and this stand-out posse cut featuring Ahmad, Ras Kass & Saafir, and produced by King Tech. It seemed like a slightly odd choice at the time... both Ras Kass and Saafir had both just made huge names for themselves with classic, lyrical debuts, but Ahmad... was that one hit wonder who made the minor crossover hit "Back In the Days" and then disappeared. Who knew he'd be competing for the illest verse with two legends, much less winning (though an equal case could probably be made for Ras's verse)?

"Gave it all that I had,
Just to have what I got.
Brothers tryin' to be bad,
And they mad 'cause they not
Gonna defeat the rapper
Who's who's got three ways to sack a
Quarterback and slaughter wack
MC's with ease.
These nuts:
whatcha get and a busted lip's
What ya have when you come at me
With busta shit.
Get it right
'Cause I get it night in and night out;
I am but a covering of wack MCs like white out.
Don't doubt
That they just be ok rappers: overrated,
Who hated
That a nigga from the West blew up and made it
...
They think they can defeat
The man that can't be beat;
I do the breast stroke, clown,
While you drown in three feet.
'Beep beep!'
Like robots on Buck Rogers,
Plus I bust
twenty-fifth century rhymes,
So you decline
To battle at any time.
Had skills since I was nine;
Dope rhymes
Are the only weapon that I brought.
I'm never caught,
Or cloned, 'cause biting's never condoned.
From the West side, 4th Avenue,
Crew: Jones."

Speaking of odd choices, by the way, here's the ad that ran for the Street Fighter soundtrack when it came out; definitely made me laugh:

Can you read it (again, AOL takes too much of a liberty shrinking these graphics)? The characters at the top are saying:
"Yo! Kid, did you peep that 'Street Fighter' movie?!"
"I'm sayin', though... that sh!t was wack!"
"But yo!!! Did you check for the album?"
"Man! That sh!t was dope!"
Ha ha! That was the official ad, from Universal Pictures, and they straight up said their movie was wack! I mean, it's certainly true enough, but they had home video sales coming up... what were they thinking?

Ahmad would go on to show his surprising, previously hidden skills on tracks for the Pump Ya Fist compilation and Jason's Lyric soundtrack and eventually make a full-fledged comeback with his crew, 4th Avenue Jones, which was good but not quite as lyrically impressive. Around the time of his best stuff, he also had a song out called "Ahmad Is Like," which I remember thinking was really dope. I asked Ahmad about it a few years later and he said he never put it out. He gave the only existing masters to Tech and Sway at The Wake Up Show, so if it's ever going to get released, it would have to be through them. So, yeah. Get to work on that, guys.

Anyway, back to the twelve-inch. This was the indy 12" (the commercial one was Hammer's duet with Dion Sanders *shudder*), and it featured three dope mixes by three hot, underground producers to match the 3 MCs on the track. One, of course, is the album mic by King Tech... Definitely a cool, slow but hardcore beat that gives you just enough to bob your head while keeping the focus on the MCs. Producer Joe Quixx smooths it out a bit, with an addictive, slow bassline you could just sit and listen to for hours, and a horn sample on the hook that sounds like it could be out of Diamond D's catalog. But it's Fredwreck Nassar's remix that's my personal favorite, taking the jazz feel from Quixx's mix several steps further... it's really nice, and to my mind, the definitive version.

Ahmad and 4th Avenue Jones are still together, though they've gone the Christian rap route these days. Here's their myspace, and here's Ras Kass's. Ras also has an official site at: raskass-central.com, with some good content. Also, Joe Quixx's crew has a website called oaklandfaders.com and, of course, he has a myspace. Fredwreck does, too, as well as an official site at: fredwreck.com. I already covered Saafir's in a previous post, so.... 'till next time: cheers!