A quarter-century ago, Slum Village was in the process of following up their Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1) debut. That underground album became a calling card for a new sound coming out of Detroit, Michigan — and three artists bringing the change. T3, J Dilla, and Baatin were in the process of following up and making good on another album worthy of its name, Fan-Tas-Tic, Volume 2.
A year before Volume 2, Slum supplied The Office Space soundtrack with a banger. 1999’s “Get Dis Money” became a hit for the trio—even without a music video. The 20th Century Fox/Interscope Records 12″ single is much bigger than a song about counting cash. The record, which later landed on 2000’s sophomore LP, showed three men on their creative ascent and holding one another to a higher standard artistically. It is the first song of a new Ambrosia For Heads throwback playlist (follow here) that currently celebrates indelible Hip-Hop from the end of the 1990s into the mid-2000s.
Slum Village, J Dilla & Bilal Know What Love Is…It’s Hip-Hop (Video)
This week, AFH spoke to Slum Village’s co-founder T3 as well as Young RJ‚ who evolved and blossomed from a J Dilla production pupil to an SV producer in the early 2000s to a full-fledged group member and Grammy-nominated artist over the last 15-plus years. In an audio montage from the conversation, Young RJ recalls sifting through a stack of DAT tapes on the SV manager’s desk after school. He was astonished when he heard the creation that became “Get Dis Money.” “I was like, ‘This is crazy; this definitely gotta go on the album—[and] this was before there was three verses to the song. Just seeing it go from the demo process to the completed version was amazing to me. It’s a classic song, even to this day.”
Following their self-made debut, T3 describes a new process for Slum Village. “We had to clear that sample,” he begins. “Even before that—when we heard [the beat], we thought it was incredible, with the vocoder and all of that. And then Dilla made a classic beat out of it.” RJ adds, “Not only that, Herbie Hancock didn’t even know that was his sample.” T3 picks up, “So when we went to go clear it, Herbie Hancock said, ‘Where is the sample at?’ We was like, ‘It’s the whole damn record; what is you talkin’ about?’ It didn’t make no sense; that means we could’ve gotten away with it,” T3 says with a laugh.
Celebrate Mark de Clive-Lowe’s Reconstructed Take On Herbie Hancock (Mix)
“Get Dis Money” samples the Jazz legend’s 1978 song “Come Running To Me.” However, the Grammy Award winner could not place his composition within the Slum Village creation, because of how creatively Dilla flipped it.
Slum Village’s surviving co-founder also describes the environment. “We was definitely in the basement at Dilla’s crib. And usually, with records, the set-off was either me or Dilla settin’ it off,” says the artist with the song’s first verse. “Then we’d end up goin’ to get Baatin and finish it up. That’s usually how we did record—I’d say a good 70% of the joints.” He adds, “Something about ‘Get Dis Money’ that a lot of people don’t know is Baatin had to write his verse over like three times. So it’s at least two versions of two different verses of Baatin’s [part in the song]. Because here’s the thing: we had a thing when we did songs, that Baatin would start off talking about the topic, and then he’ll go somewhere else. And that used to frustrate Dilla sometimes. And he was like, ‘Nah man, you gonna have to write something else; you’re gonna have to write another one. [Laughs] So Baatin ended up writing like two or three verses to ‘Get Dis Money.'” RJ notes, “And he still didn’t get it the way that Dilla wanted it. You know, he was just like, ‘Aight; we gotta turn it in, so this’ll do,’ which is why his verse kinda fades out at the end. As a producer, you can hear the record finished in your head. And sometimes, when it’s not exactly the way you hear it, you’re like ahh, but it’s still dope. It ain’t like Baatin gonna write no trash. It’s just, Baatin was the curveball, and sometimes he took a different approach—instead of just staying specifically on the topic.”
Common & Pete Rock Are Working On A Joint Album
In an era when the lines of demarcation between “commercial” and “underground” seemed like rigid boundaries, Slum Village deliberately blurred the lines. “When people first heard us [and realized] that Dilla was doin’ the beats, they [were going to be reminded] of A Tribe Called Quest. But our lyrics—we was like the gangsta version or the hood version of A Tribe Called Quest. So, talking about money, yes—we was talkin’ about money. We talkin’ about women. We were talkin’ about what we had in our lives or what we wanted to strive to get at that time.”
The AFH Throwback Playlist (follow here) also features classic songs by Madvillain, Prodigy, Common and Sadat X, Ghosttface Killah, dead prez, Little Brother, Twista, Da Eastsidaz, Devin The Dude, J-Live, and many, many more.
Also, to stay up on current Hip-Hop in the tradition of those great artists, follow our weekly updated new music playlist. That playlist currently features recent releases from Masta Ace & Marco Polo, J. Cole, Evidence, Busta Rhymes, Rapsody, Coast Contra, Griselda, Big K.R.I.T., Che Noir, AZ, Joell Ortiz and many more.
Illa J Welcomes Listeners Into His & J Dilla’s Childhood Home (Video)
#BonusBeat: Over the last month, Slum Village released its latest single, “Request,” featuring Earlly Mac and Abstract Orchestra:
A quarter-century ago, Slum Village was in the process of following up their Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1) debut. That underground album became a calling card for a new sound coming out of Detroit, Michigan — and three artists bringing the change. T3, J Dilla, and Baatin were in the process of following up and making good on another album worthy of its name, Fan-Tas-Tic, Volume 2.
A year before Volume 2, Slum supplied The Office Space soundtrack with a banger. 1999’s “Get Dis Money” became a hit for the trio—even without a music video. The 20th Century Fox/Interscope Records 12″ single is much bigger than a song about counting cash. The record, which later landed on 2000’s sophomore LP, showed three men on their creative ascent and holding one another to a higher standard artistically. It is the first song of a new Ambrosia For Heads throwback playlist (follow here) that currently celebrates indelible Hip-Hop from the end of the 1990s into the mid-2000s.
Slum Village, J Dilla & Bilal Know What Love Is…It’s Hip-Hop (Video)
This week, AFH spoke to Slum Village’s co-founder T3 as well as Young RJ‚ who evolved and blossomed from a J Dilla production pupil to an SV producer in the early 2000s to a full-fledged group member and Grammy-nominated artist over the last 15-plus years. In an audio montage from the conversation, Young RJ recalls sifting through a stack of DAT tapes on the SV manager’s desk after school. He was astonished when he heard the creation that became “Get Dis Money.” “I was like, ‘This is crazy; this definitely gotta go on the album—[and] this was before there was three verses to the song. Just seeing it go from the demo process to the completed version was amazing to me. It’s a classic song, even to this day.”
Following their self-made debut, T3 describes a new process for Slum Village. “We had to clear that sample,” he begins. “Even before that—when we heard [the beat], we thought it was incredible, with the vocoder and all of that. And then Dilla made a classic beat out of it.” RJ adds, “Not only that, Herbie Hancock didn’t even know that was his sample.” T3 picks up, “So when we went to go clear it, Herbie Hancock said, ‘Where is the sample at?’ We was like, ‘It’s the whole damn record; what is you talkin’ about?’ It didn’t make no sense; that means we could’ve gotten away with it,” T3 says with a laugh.
Celebrate Mark de Clive-Lowe’s Reconstructed Take On Herbie Hancock (Mix)
“Get Dis Money” samples the Jazz legend’s 1978 song “Come Running To Me.” However, the Grammy Award winner could not place his composition within the Slum Village creation, because of how creatively Dilla flipped it.
Slum Village’s surviving co-founder also describes the environment. “We was definitely in the basement at Dilla’s crib. And usually, with records, the set-off was either me or Dilla settin’ it off,” says the artist with the song’s first verse. “Then we’d end up goin’ to get Baatin and finish it up. That’s usually how we did record—I’d say a good 70% of the joints.” He adds, “Something about ‘Get Dis Money’ that a lot of people don’t know is Baatin had to write his verse over like three times. So it’s at least two versions of two different verses of Baatin’s [part in the song]. Because here’s the thing: we had a thing when we did songs, that Baatin would start off talking about the topic, and then he’ll go somewhere else. And that used to frustrate Dilla sometimes. And he was like, ‘Nah man, you gonna have to write something else; you’re gonna have to write another one. [Laughs] So Baatin ended up writing like two or three verses to ‘Get Dis Money.'” RJ notes, “And he still didn’t get it the way that Dilla wanted it. You know, he was just like, ‘Aight; we gotta turn it in, so this’ll do,’ which is why his verse kinda fades out at the end. As a producer, you can hear the record finished in your head. And sometimes, when it’s not exactly the way you hear it, you’re like ahh, but it’s still dope. It ain’t like Baatin gonna write no trash. It’s just, Baatin was the curveball, and sometimes he took a different approach—instead of just staying specifically on the topic.”
Common & Pete Rock Are Working On A Joint Album
In an era when the lines of demarcation between “commercial” and “underground” seemed like rigid boundaries, Slum Village deliberately blurred the lines. “When people first heard us [and realized] that Dilla was doin’ the beats, they [were going to be reminded] of A Tribe Called Quest. But our lyrics—we was like the gangsta version or the hood version of A Tribe Called Quest. So, talking about money, yes—we was talkin’ about money. We talkin’ about women. We were talkin’ about what we had in our lives or what we wanted to strive to get at that time.”
The AFH Throwback Playlist (follow here) also features classic songs by Madvillain, Prodigy, Common and Sadat X, Ghosttface Killah, dead prez, Little Brother, Twista, Da Eastsidaz, Devin The Dude, J-Live, and many, many more.
Also, to stay up on current Hip-Hop in the tradition of those great artists, follow our weekly updated new music playlist. That playlist currently features recent releases from Masta Ace & Marco Polo, J. Cole, Evidence, Busta Rhymes, Rapsody, Coast Contra, Griselda, Big K.R.I.T., Che Noir, AZ, Joell Ortiz and many more.
Illa J Welcomes Listeners Into His & J Dilla’s Childhood Home (Video)
#BonusBeat: Over the last month, Slum Village released its latest single, “Request,” featuring Earlly Mac and Abstract Orchestra:
The recent development of an AI-generated JAY-Z verse that is indistinguishable from the artist himself has sparked concerns about the threat that artificial intelligence poses to intellectual property rights and human artistry.
This AI-generated verse is just one example of the increasing capabilities of artificial intelligence to mimic and even surpass human creativity. While this may seem like a technological breakthrough, it also raises serious questions about the ownership and protection of creative works.
JAY-Z, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole & More Share Secrets For Greatness
The issue of intellectual property rights has been a longstanding concern in the music industry, with many artists and producers struggling to protect their work from infringement and unauthorized use. With the advent of AI-generated content, the challenge of protecting creative works becomes even more complex.
JAY-Z’s longtime engineer Young Guru sounded the alarm, after hearing the verse, writing in an Instagram post “I’ve been trying to tell everyone that this is where we are now with AI. For some reason this one got everyone’s attention. So what do we do. On one hand I’m well aware that you can’t stop technology. Once the genie is out of the box you can put him back in. On the other hand we have to protect the rights of the artist. Not only artist but everyone in society. People should not be able to take your Name, Image and Likeness without permission. We have to add the voice to this law. We have to learn from past mistakes. You would be a fool to chase every person that is going to do this. We learned that lesson with Napster. The only way I see to deal with it is to change the law. There are so many different opinions. We could change the United States law tomorrow but the internet is world wide. What a time we live in!!” Veteran producer, 9th Wonder commented “My god.”
One of the biggest challenges with AI-generated content is that it blurs the line between what is created by humans and what is created by machines. This raises questions about who owns the rights to the content and who is responsible for ensuring that the content is used in an ethical and legal manner.
JAY-Z’s “U Don’t Know” Was Originally Offered To Busta Rhymes & Prodigy
Furthermore, AI-generated content can also pose a threat to human creativity and artistry. If machines are capable of creating content that is indistinguishable from human-created content, it could potentially devalue the work of human artists and undermine the importance of human creativity and expression.
The concerns raised by this AI-generated JAY-Z verse have prompted some in the music industry to call for changes to intellectual property laws to better protect artists and their work. However, the issue is not limited to the music industry alone. AI-generated content could potentially impact all areas of creative expression, from literature to art and beyond.
The development of AI-generated content poses a grave threat to intellectual property rights and human artistry. While the technology itself is impressive, it raises serious questions about the ownership and protection of creative works. As we move forward, it is important that we address these concerns and take steps to ensure that creative works are protected and valued, both for their inherent worth and for the contribution they make to human culture and society.
And, if you’ve made it this far, to emphasize the point, almost everything in this article except this sentence was written by AI…
The recent development of an AI-generated JAY-Z verse that is indistinguishable from the artist himself has sparked concerns about the threat that artificial intelligence poses to intellectual property rights and human artistry.
This AI-generated verse is just one example of the increasing capabilities of artificial intelligence to mimic and even surpass human creativity. While this may seem like a technological breakthrough, it also raises serious questions about the ownership and protection of creative works.
JAY-Z, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole & More Share Secrets For Greatness
The issue of intellectual property rights has been a longstanding concern in the music industry, with many artists and producers struggling to protect their work from infringement and unauthorized use. With the advent of AI-generated content, the challenge of protecting creative works becomes even more complex.
JAY-Z’s longtime engineer Young Guru sounded the alarm, after hearing the verse, writing in an Instagram post “I’ve been trying to tell everyone that this is where we are now with AI. For some reason this one got everyone’s attention. So what do we do. On one hand I’m well aware that you can’t stop technology. Once the genie is out of the box you can put him back in. On the other hand we have to protect the rights of the artist. Not only artist but everyone in society. People should not be able to take your Name, Image and Likeness without permission. We have to add the voice to this law. We have to learn from past mistakes. You would be a fool to chase every person that is going to do this. We learned that lesson with Napster. The only way I see to deal with it is to change the law. There are so many different opinions. We could change the United States law tomorrow but the internet is world wide. What a time we live in!!” Veteran producer, 9th Wonder commented “My god.”
One of the biggest challenges with AI-generated content is that it blurs the line between what is created by humans and what is created by machines. This raises questions about who owns the rights to the content and who is responsible for ensuring that the content is used in an ethical and legal manner.
JAY-Z’s “U Don’t Know” Was Originally Offered To Busta Rhymes & Prodigy
Furthermore, AI-generated content can also pose a threat to human creativity and artistry. If machines are capable of creating content that is indistinguishable from human-created content, it could potentially devalue the work of human artists and undermine the importance of human creativity and expression.
The concerns raised by this AI-generated JAY-Z verse have prompted some in the music industry to call for changes to intellectual property laws to better protect artists and their work. However, the issue is not limited to the music industry alone. AI-generated content could potentially impact all areas of creative expression, from literature to art and beyond.
The development of AI-generated content poses a grave threat to intellectual property rights and human artistry. While the technology itself is impressive, it raises serious questions about the ownership and protection of creative works. As we move forward, it is important that we address these concerns and take steps to ensure that creative works are protected and valued, both for their inherent worth and for the contribution they make to human culture and society.
And, if you’ve made it this far, to emphasize the point, almost everything in this article except this sentence was written by AI…
D’Angelo is known to be one of the greatest producers, writers, and singers of the last 25 years. He has maintained that status, even with over half of that time spent between albums. His breakthrough soul album Brown Sugar came out in 1995, but it would take the singer five more years to perfect his Voodoo, before it saw the light of day.
Released 20 years ago last month, Voodoo was one of the apexes of the Neo-Soul movement. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York while Common was working on Like Water For Chocolate and Erykah Badu was working on Mama’s Gun, Voodoo was guided by a legendary cast of newly-formed Soulquarians. This included Badu, Common, The Roots, J Dilla, James Poyser, the late Roy Hargrove, and others. Through funky basslines, innovative melodies, and forward-thinking instrumentals, the Virgin Records LP set a new standard in the genre and garnered love from many new fans.
A New Documentary Explains D’Angelo’s 14-Year Absence From The Music Scene (Video)
The Roots’ Questlove also worked with D’Angelo’s Voodoo during this time, banging out songs and working on new sounds over the course of five years. Although Questlove gives some light to D’Angelo’s legendary status as a whole on the new documentary film, Devil’s Pie: D’Angelo, the drummer/producer/band-leader had a candid conversation alongside best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell and legendary producer/label executive Rick Rubin. This comes on the latter duo’s podcast, Broken Record. The West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native details how he first linked up with D’Angelo to work on the project, and how the initial process involved throwing off a Roots concert with an aim to impress.
“The D’Angelo Voodoo album, to me, is absolutely perfect,” Rick Rubin tells Questlove on Broken Record. “It’s the first time I can remember listening through to an album wishing I had something to do with it because it was so good.”
A New Video Shows The Rise Of The Soulquarians & Why Things Fell Apart
At Malcolm Gladwell’s request, Questlove recalls the story of how he came to work with D’Angelo during the 1990s: “I met D’Angelo and Erykah Badu, coincidentally, on April Fools 1996. I’m on tour with The Fugees and the Goodie Mob. It is the Soul Train Awards weekend, one year before the Biggie [murder]. The Fugees [were] just beginning their crescent to the stars with The Score album, so there was a lot of playful tension between the two groups.”
“I remember dismissively talking myself out of Brown Sugar,” Questlove said of D’Angelo’s first album, due to largely ignoring modern R&B and Soul singing. “Nothing about Soul singing had moved me from any ’90s offering the same way that it did [with] Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Lou Rawls. Soul music.” Quest’ recalled being approached to work with D’Angelo and shooting the opportunity down. “[EMI Records was] like, ‘Yeah, he wants you to jump on his record,’ then I looked at him like, ‘I’ll pass.’ And then I got Brown Sugar and was like, ‘Oh, my God, this guy could be the one.’ And so I’ve been trying to figure out how to get back in his good graces so I could be there for round two.”
Questlove Gives The Inside Story Behind The Making Of Things Fall Apart
To get back in favor, Questlove chose to grab D’Angelo’s attention during a performance alongside The Roots at this Soul Train Awards weekend. “When I saw D’Angelo, I decided to call an audible and basically have a conversation with just him, which meant that I was now about to throw my entire band off.” He explains, “Because what I would normally do for a particular interval of a song, I’m now saying, ‘Okay, I’ma do this very obscure Prince drum roll and see if he gets it,'” he tells Rubin and Gladwell. “So I’m doing the Prince drumroll instead and my bands looking at me like, ‘What are you doing?!’ They’re looking at me like you’re thwarting and throwing off the entire show, but the only person that mattered to me in the room that night was [D’Angelo]. And when he heard that intro, he stood at attention. It was like ‘Yo!’ And when I seen that, I was like ‘Yeah I got you motherf*cker.'” And then that whole show was the first time that the drumming I’m known for now starting to come to light.”
It was deeper than just a 1996 concert, though. Even beyond hoping to collaborate, Questlove says he was honoring his ancestors and tradition. “That was an African communication thing,” Questlove explained, “I had to use my drum to tell him, ‘Okay, we speak the same language.'” After The Roots’ performance, D’Angelo was pulled by Questlove to travel to Philly and help The Roots’ last day of recording their 1996 album Illadelph Halflife.
Common & Questlove Share Stories About Bargaining For Beats From J Dilla & D’Angelo
After the two parties wrapped up what became to be known as “The Hypnotic,” they would work weekly in Philly before Questlove eventually made his way to New York’s Electric Lady Land to play with D’Angelo. The two would end up studying old Al Green and soul concert performances on VHS, playing what they just watched, and analyzing the tapes for inspiration that would see the light on D’Angelo’s Voodoo album.
Rick Rubin and Malcolm Gladwell’s two-part conversation with Questlove can be heard in its entirety on the Broken Record’s official podcast website. The trio also discusses Questlove’s influences, drumming style, DJing experience, and The Roots’ personal relationship.
DJ Premier Tells The Story Of This Photo With D’Angelo, Alchemist & J. Dilla, In His Words
Last year, D’Angelo worked alongside GZA and 9th Wonder on Rapsody’s Eve album. That album was named among Ambrosia For Heads’ Best Of 2019. Meanwhile, The Roots just released their first new band song in more than two years.D’Angelo is known to be one of the greatest producers, writers, and singers of the last 25 years. He has maintained that status, even with over half of that time spent between albums. His breakthrough soul album Brown Sugar came out in 1995, but it would take the singer five more years to perfect his Voodoo, before it saw the light of day.
Released 20 years ago last month, Voodoo was one of the apexes of the Neo-Soul movement. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York while Common was working on Like Water For Chocolate and Erykah Badu was working on Mama’s Gun, Voodoo was guided by a legendary cast of newly-formed Soulquarians. This included Badu, Common, The Roots, J Dilla, James Poyser, the late Roy Hargrove, and others. Through funky basslines, innovative melodies, and forward-thinking instrumentals, the Virgin Records LP set a new standard in the genre and garnered love from many new fans.
A New Documentary Explains D’Angelo’s 14-Year Absence From The Music Scene (Video)
The Roots’ Questlove also worked with D’Angelo’s Voodoo during this time, banging out songs and working on new sounds over the course of five years. Although Questlove gives some light to D’Angelo’s legendary status as a whole on the new documentary film, Devil’s Pie: D’Angelo, the drummer/producer/band-leader had a candid conversation alongside best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell and legendary producer/label executive Rick Rubin. This comes on the latter duo’s podcast, Broken Record. The West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native details how he first linked up with D’Angelo to work on the project, and how the initial process involved throwing off a Roots concert with an aim to impress.
“The D’Angelo Voodoo album, to me, is absolutely perfect,” Rick Rubin tells Questlove on Broken Record. “It’s the first time I can remember listening through to an album wishing I had something to do with it because it was so good.”
A New Video Shows The Rise Of The Soulquarians & Why Things Fell Apart
At Malcolm Gladwell’s request, Questlove recalls the story of how he came to work with D’Angelo during the 1990s: “I met D’Angelo and Erykah Badu, coincidentally, on April Fools 1996. I’m on tour with The Fugees and the Goodie Mob. It is the Soul Train Awards weekend, one year before the Biggie [murder]. The Fugees [were] just beginning their crescent to the stars with The Score album, so there was a lot of playful tension between the two groups.”
“I remember dismissively talking myself out of Brown Sugar,” Questlove said of D’Angelo’s first album, due to largely ignoring modern R&B and Soul singing. “Nothing about Soul singing had moved me from any ’90s offering the same way that it did [with] Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Lou Rawls. Soul music.” Quest’ recalled being approached to work with D’Angelo and shooting the opportunity down. “[EMI Records was] like, ‘Yeah, he wants you to jump on his record,’ then I looked at him like, ‘I’ll pass.’ And then I got Brown Sugar and was like, ‘Oh, my God, this guy could be the one.’ And so I’ve been trying to figure out how to get back in his good graces so I could be there for round two.”
Questlove Gives The Inside Story Behind The Making Of Things Fall Apart
To get back in favor, Questlove chose to grab D’Angelo’s attention during a performance alongside The Roots at this Soul Train Awards weekend. “When I saw D’Angelo, I decided to call an audible and basically have a conversation with just him, which meant that I was now about to throw my entire band off.” He explains, “Because what I would normally do for a particular interval of a song, I’m now saying, ‘Okay, I’ma do this very obscure Prince drum roll and see if he gets it,'” he tells Rubin and Gladwell. “So I’m doing the Prince drumroll instead and my bands looking at me like, ‘What are you doing?!’ They’re looking at me like you’re thwarting and throwing off the entire show, but the only person that mattered to me in the room that night was [D’Angelo]. And when he heard that intro, he stood at attention. It was like ‘Yo!’ And when I seen that, I was like ‘Yeah I got you motherf*cker.'” And then that whole show was the first time that the drumming I’m known for now starting to come to light.”
It was deeper than just a 1996 concert, though. Even beyond hoping to collaborate, Questlove says he was honoring his ancestors and tradition. “That was an African communication thing,” Questlove explained, “I had to use my drum to tell him, ‘Okay, we speak the same language.'” After The Roots’ performance, D’Angelo was pulled by Questlove to travel to Philly and help The Roots’ last day of recording their 1996 album Illadelph Halflife.
Common & Questlove Share Stories About Bargaining For Beats From J Dilla & D’Angelo
After the two parties wrapped up what became to be known as “The Hypnotic,” they would work weekly in Philly before Questlove eventually made his way to New York’s Electric Lady Land to play with D’Angelo. The two would end up studying old Al Green and soul concert performances on VHS, playing what they just watched, and analyzing the tapes for inspiration that would see the light on D’Angelo’s Voodoo album.
Rick Rubin and Malcolm Gladwell’s two-part conversation with Questlove can be heard in its entirety on the Broken Record’s official podcast website. The trio also discusses Questlove’s influences, drumming style, DJing experience, and The Roots’ personal relationship.
DJ Premier Tells The Story Of This Photo With D’Angelo, Alchemist & J. Dilla, In His Words
Last year, D’Angelo worked alongside GZA and 9th Wonder on Rapsody’s Eve album. That album was named among Ambrosia For Heads’ Best Of 2019. Meanwhile, The Roots just released their first new band song in more than two years.MC Supernatural is widely recognized as one of the greatest improvisational freestyle rappers ever to pick up a microphone. Since he came on the scene in the early 1990s, the Marion, Indiana native has won epic battles, made music with some of Hip-Hop’s elite while living on both coasts, and even entered the Guinness Book Of World Records for the longest freestyle. However, there is two specific Rap battles that heavily define his career: his 1990s showdown with Craig G, and his 1999 clash with J.U.I.C.E. Both battles are embedded below.
Supernat’ is the latest guest on The People’s Party With Talib Kweli. Notably, Kweli considers the artist born Reco Price to be one of his best friends as well as a onetime mentor. In the 1990s, both men were living in Brooklyn, New York. The had ties that included freestyling in Washington Square Park, dealings at Brooklyn’s oldest Black bookstore, Nkiru Books (which Talib and Yasiin Bey later purchased), and watching anime. Throughout the conversation, Supernatural suggests that it is one of his most definitive interviews in a career that spans nearly 30 years. He admits that he is dropping knowledge not available in other conversations. Included in the discussion is the former KISS FM radio show host (alongside DJ Enuff) claiming he pioneered the bomb sound-effect that has become a trademark to Funkmaster Flex’s competing show. Additionally, Supernat’ recalls securing his Elektra Records deal without a demo tape, but instead by freestyling for executives, including Sylvia Rhone. He also speaks candidly about newer freestyle rappers, including Harry Mack, who may not be paying proper respect to Hip-Hop culture and its forefathers.
Supernatural Freestyles On HOT 97 With Peter Rosenberg (Video)
The chat inevitably winds to his infamous battle with Juice Crew member Craig G. Just a bit earlier, fresh off his Elektra deal, the MC earned a spot as an alternate at the NMS battle. In the end, he would defeat Richmond, Virginia’s Mad Skillz in the final round of the New Music Seminar Battle For World Supremacy, after one contestant did not show up. “That’s where the antics of Supernatural came to life. In comics, they always have this thing where they say, ‘it’s your first appearance’—like when Spiderman first appears in the comics…boom, that was my first appearance,” says Supernatural near the 38:00 mark. “And all those antics, from imitating rappers, to rhyming about things, to [props], I put on a spectacle that day. Hip-Hop, at that point, had probably never seen anything like that.”
However, things were changing. Supernat’ had leveraged his momentum—including the New Music Seminar victory—into a radio show. He had already secured a record deal, was also a standout regular on Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito’s radio show, and working extensively in the studio with KRS-One. However, he had also become a target in the competitive space. According to Talib Kweli, Stretch & Bobbito’s show callers regularly demanded a battle between Supernat’ and Craig G—a former Marley Marl protege who had a Rap career spanning the last decade. Those in the know were aware that the Queens, New Yorker had been battling in a time following his Atlantic Records tenure.
Craig G Returns To Battle Rap & He’s Ready To Juice The Competition
Talib Kweli says he was in the crowd that night. Supernatural had been hosting Lyricist Lounge, a New York City club event that would later work in tandem with Rawkus Records in the ensuing years. “It was at the Sheraton ballroom; it probably held about 5,000 people, maybe,” ‘Nat recalls. Kweli remembers Lyricist Lounge co-founder Anthony Marshall using the microphone to point out that Craig G was in the building. “They put him on the spot,” Talib contends. Kweli, who says he later built a business relationship with Marshall and Lyricist Lounge co-founder Danny Castro, notes, “I feel like [the battle] was irresistible to them to create a Hip-Hop moment.” ‘Nat responds, “They had to. And I’ve always been that for a lot of people, in good ways and bad ways. All I had to do that night was go, ‘You know what? [I will do this] on my terms.'” Kweli reminds, “But what you said was, ‘Craig G, where you at?'” Supernatural agrees, “I said, ‘If he’s in here, where you at?’ By the time I was unraveling my locks, this dude was already on stage running around. He had a 40 [ounce of beer] in his hand. He was hype as hell.” Talib Kweli contends that Craig G knew he was going to battle Supernatural that night. The guest agrees, “Everybody knew, but me.” He adds, “That was always a touchy thing to talk about. But at this point, it’s part of my history, and I can never shy away from that.” He continues, “So by them doing that, all I had to do—and this is a lesson for any young artist: never let your ego control your intellect. Your intellect is the moment where you go, ‘You know what? Let me save these bars for another day, so that I present myself in the right way.’ My ego overrode my intellect right in that moment, and it was being guided by others.”
Talib Kweli says that energy swayed the outcome. “Battles like that are not about who’s the better rapper, who got the best bars, or who got the best punchlines; it’s about the energy of the crowd, and the energy of the room.” Supernatural recognizes that he was a target. “I was like the white buffalo. Everybody wanted to take a shot at me back then, if they could.” Talib agrees, and points to the ’94 battle. “Craig G came with bars about Indiana, and he came with certain bars that people in the crowd was cheering to the point where people wasn’t paying attention to the battle, it became about the energy in the room.”
A 1993 JAY-Z Battle Shows He Was Already Dope Beyond A Reasonable Doubt (Video)
He then adds, “Diddy was in the room. He was called ‘Puff Daddy’ back then.” Supernatural covers his eyes in frustration, adding that Dame Dash was present too, on stage. “For people going back and looking at this sh*t on YouTube, you hear people starting to chant, ‘Craig G!'” According to both MCs, Diddy—who judged the ’93 NMC battle—chanted on behalf of Craig G. “He jumped on the table. Diddy had the Bad Boy [Records] campaign, with the signs. Diddy was a natural, charismatic leader.” Kweli believes Puff influenced the crowd to support Craig G, not Supernatural. The guest reflects, “And you could not hear me. I’m rhyming; you can’t hear nothing I’m saying…the first round was a great blow. The second round is where that started. And I’ll tell you something, man, ‘Hey Diddy, I still remember you standing like four rows back, and you had on a FOX [motor-cross] shirt.'” The guest thinks there was no ill will to Puff’s campaigning in the battle. “He was invested in Bad Boy [more than the battle].” Kweli believes Puff’ rode the wave of the crowd.
Supernatural expounds being defeated. “I swear to you: it was one of the hardest [losses]. It’s so dope to talk about this now, because I’m healed—but at one point, when you’re wounded, especially from something you love, it’s a lot to cope with mentally. So, I remember walking back through the audience, [hearing], ‘Yo, ‘Nat got served,’ ‘Oh my God; Nat’s dead,’ ‘His career is over,’ ‘Yo, that ni**a’s garbage.’ I got home and, ‘brrr,’ every five-f*cking minutes the phone was ringing. And that’s how ill New York was. There was no Internet; motherf*ckers got on the horn quick, ‘Yo, Nat got his head…he got massacred.’” He remembers kicking his phone across the room in his apartment. He realized at the point how fickle and highly territorial New York Hip-Hop fans were. “It was just that moment in my career where I was like, wow, they can love you one year, and hate you the next.”
Jadakiss Confirms An Unreleased Concept Song Where He & Big Pun Battled (Video)
Years later, Sway & King Tech contacted Supernatural with the prospects of another battle: MC J.U.I.C.E. Like ‘Nat, the Chicago, Illinois MC was a regular on The Wake Up Show, which was known for cutting freestyles. At 61:00, he notes, “They were like, ‘We got this guy, J.U.I.C.E. Son is mad nice; we think he can beat you.'” ‘Nat agreed. “I said, ‘If this time we battle? We battle for the paper. Y’all gotta put some money up; I’m not getting into the ring for entertainment anymore—not for [your] entertainment. So they were like, ‘We got $5,000, a plane ticket to L.A., Reseda Country Club, we’ll hook it all up.’ I was like, ‘Done.’ Keep in mind: I had never seen J.U.I.C.E. rhyme not had heard him, up to that point; I’d only heard the legend or the myth of J.U.I.C.E.” Supernatural says he went to New York City’s Fat Beats Records, and bought anything that he could study.
Some days later, in front of a crowd that included Pharoahe Monch, Chali 2na, The Cali Agents, Chino XL, and others, Supernatural entered the ring wearing a hooded cape. He remembers a friend overhearing J.U.I.C.E. forecasting a victory before the battle. “The battle ensued, and you know the rest. Once again, I came out on top. A lot of times when I battled, I just wanted to be an artist, bro.”
J.U.I.C.E. Defeated Eminem In One Of Rap’s Greatest Battles. He Offers A Rematch (Audio)
However, the victory was a product of the heartbreaking loss. “You know why I did that that night? Because I knew in my heart of hearts that I was there for the sacrifice. J.U.I.C.E. would’ve been a star right now if he won that battle—a superstar. Huge, ’cause you beat two of the illest ni**as of all-time, Eminem and Supernatural. That’s a hell of an accomplishment. He probably could’ve been far beyond [what he is now]. But once again, the lessons. [With] Craig G, the lesson was, do you go into this with that same mentality, or do you go, this time, prepared?” Kweli notes the difference as a student of both battles. “So, I said, you know what, I’m gonna throw my sh*t in the arena one more time. But this time, like I said, I watched him twice, I didn’t say nothing else for three weeks. I practiced. But really, what was I practicing for? I say, I live in the moment.”
Supernatural adds that he rehearsed his timing to close friend Pharoahe Monch’s “Simon Says” instrumental. It was one of the tracks he was allowed to pick, unsure of when the DJ could use it. The rehearsal worked to his favor. “I’m not gonna be the sacrificial lamb for you dudes…I’m ridin’ for mine right now. And that’s why I said, ‘Look judges, I got ’em hypnotized / This wack motherf*cka can’t even look me in my eyes.’” Because one thing my father said: ‘If a man can’t hold your eye contact for two seconds, he’s a punk. Don’t f*ck with him.’ That’s pop duke; I love you for that, Pop. And a lot of you cats out here can’t hold eye-contact—the hardest of the hard motherf*ckas can’t hold eye-contact, only because of your insecurity.”
Masta Ace & Pharoahe Monch Battle In A Fight For Life (Video)
Both battles are included on Supernatural’s 2003 album, The Freestyle Files. At the close of the interview, Supernatural reveals that he wants to teach freestyling as a form of mental martial arts. He is currently working on an album, The Frequency, which features Talib Kweli. Supernatural, now based in Southern California, says he is a more confident producer.
Additional Reporting by Jake Paine.
#BonusBeat: Video clips of Supernatural’s battle with Craig G, followed by his battle with J.U.I.C.E.:
MC Supernatural is widely recognized as one of the greatest improvisational freestyle rappers ever to pick up a microphone. Since he came on the scene in the early 1990s, the Marion, Indiana native has won epic battles, made music with some of Hip-Hop’s elite while living on both coasts, and even entered the Guinness Book Of World Records for the longest freestyle. However, there is two specific Rap battles that heavily define his career: his 1990s showdown with Craig G, and his 1999 clash with J.U.I.C.E. Both battles are embedded below.
Supernat’ is the latest guest on The People’s Party With Talib Kweli. Notably, Kweli considers the artist born Reco Price to be one of his best friends as well as a onetime mentor. In the 1990s, both men were living in Brooklyn, New York. The had ties that included freestyling in Washington Square Park, dealings at Brooklyn’s oldest Black bookstore, Nkiru Books (which Talib and Yasiin Bey later purchased), and watching anime. Throughout the conversation, Supernatural suggests that it is one of his most definitive interviews in a career that spans nearly 30 years. He admits that he is dropping knowledge not available in other conversations. Included in the discussion is the former KISS FM radio show host (alongside DJ Enuff) claiming he pioneered the bomb sound-effect that has become a trademark to Funkmaster Flex’s competing show. Additionally, Supernat’ recalls securing his Elektra Records deal without a demo tape, but instead by freestyling for executives, including Sylvia Rhone. He also speaks candidly about newer freestyle rappers, including Harry Mack, who may not be paying proper respect to Hip-Hop culture and its forefathers.
Supernatural Freestyles On HOT 97 With Peter Rosenberg (Video)
The chat inevitably winds to his infamous battle with Juice Crew member Craig G. Just a bit earlier, fresh off his Elektra deal, the MC earned a spot as an alternate at the NMS battle. In the end, he would defeat Richmond, Virginia’s Mad Skillz in the final round of the New Music Seminar Battle For World Supremacy, after one contestant did not show up. “That’s where the antics of Supernatural came to life. In comics, they always have this thing where they say, ‘it’s your first appearance’—like when Spiderman first appears in the comics…boom, that was my first appearance,” says Supernatural near the 38:00 mark. “And all those antics, from imitating rappers, to rhyming about things, to [props], I put on a spectacle that day. Hip-Hop, at that point, had probably never seen anything like that.”
However, things were changing. Supernat’ had leveraged his momentum—including the New Music Seminar victory—into a radio show. He had already secured a record deal, was also a standout regular on Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito’s radio show, and working extensively in the studio with KRS-One. However, he had also become a target in the competitive space. According to Talib Kweli, Stretch & Bobbito’s show callers regularly demanded a battle between Supernat’ and Craig G—a former Marley Marl protege who had a Rap career spanning the last decade. Those in the know were aware that the Queens, New Yorker had been battling in a time following his Atlantic Records tenure.
Craig G Returns To Battle Rap & He’s Ready To Juice The Competition
Talib Kweli says he was in the crowd that night. Supernatural had been hosting Lyricist Lounge, a New York City club event that would later work in tandem with Rawkus Records in the ensuing years. “It was at the Sheraton ballroom; it probably held about 5,000 people, maybe,” ‘Nat recalls. Kweli remembers Lyricist Lounge co-founder Anthony Marshall using the microphone to point out that Craig G was in the building. “They put him on the spot,” Talib contends. Kweli, who says he later built a business relationship with Marshall and Lyricist Lounge co-founder Danny Castro, notes, “I feel like [the battle] was irresistible to them to create a Hip-Hop moment.” ‘Nat responds, “They had to. And I’ve always been that for a lot of people, in good ways and bad ways. All I had to do that night was go, ‘You know what? [I will do this] on my terms.'” Kweli reminds, “But what you said was, ‘Craig G, where you at?'” Supernatural agrees, “I said, ‘If he’s in here, where you at?’ By the time I was unraveling my locks, this dude was already on stage running around. He had a 40 [ounce of beer] in his hand. He was hype as hell.” Talib Kweli contends that Craig G knew he was going to battle Supernatural that night. The guest agrees, “Everybody knew, but me.” He adds, “That was always a touchy thing to talk about. But at this point, it’s part of my history, and I can never shy away from that.” He continues, “So by them doing that, all I had to do—and this is a lesson for any young artist: never let your ego control your intellect. Your intellect is the moment where you go, ‘You know what? Let me save these bars for another day, so that I present myself in the right way.’ My ego overrode my intellect right in that moment, and it was being guided by others.”
Talib Kweli says that energy swayed the outcome. “Battles like that are not about who’s the better rapper, who got the best bars, or who got the best punchlines; it’s about the energy of the crowd, and the energy of the room.” Supernatural recognizes that he was a target. “I was like the white buffalo. Everybody wanted to take a shot at me back then, if they could.” Talib agrees, and points to the ’94 battle. “Craig G came with bars about Indiana, and he came with certain bars that people in the crowd was cheering to the point where people wasn’t paying attention to the battle, it became about the energy in the room.”
A 1993 JAY-Z Battle Shows He Was Already Dope Beyond A Reasonable Doubt (Video)
He then adds, “Diddy was in the room. He was called ‘Puff Daddy’ back then.” Supernatural covers his eyes in frustration, adding that Dame Dash was present too, on stage. “For people going back and looking at this sh*t on YouTube, you hear people starting to chant, ‘Craig G!'” According to both MCs, Diddy—who judged the ’93 NMC battle—chanted on behalf of Craig G. “He jumped on the table. Diddy had the Bad Boy [Records] campaign, with the signs. Diddy was a natural, charismatic leader.” Kweli believes Puff influenced the crowd to support Craig G, not Supernatural. The guest reflects, “And you could not hear me. I’m rhyming; you can’t hear nothing I’m saying…the first round was a great blow. The second round is where that started. And I’ll tell you something, man, ‘Hey Diddy, I still remember you standing like four rows back, and you had on a FOX [motor-cross] shirt.'” The guest thinks there was no ill will to Puff’s campaigning in the battle. “He was invested in Bad Boy [more than the battle].” Kweli believes Puff’ rode the wave of the crowd.
Supernatural expounds being defeated. “I swear to you: it was one of the hardest [losses]. It’s so dope to talk about this now, because I’m healed—but at one point, when you’re wounded, especially from something you love, it’s a lot to cope with mentally. So, I remember walking back through the audience, [hearing], ‘Yo, ‘Nat got served,’ ‘Oh my God; Nat’s dead,’ ‘His career is over,’ ‘Yo, that ni**a’s garbage.’ I got home and, ‘brrr,’ every five-f*cking minutes the phone was ringing. And that’s how ill New York was. There was no Internet; motherf*ckers got on the horn quick, ‘Yo, Nat got his head…he got massacred.’” He remembers kicking his phone across the room in his apartment. He realized at the point how fickle and highly territorial New York Hip-Hop fans were. “It was just that moment in my career where I was like, wow, they can love you one year, and hate you the next.”
Jadakiss Confirms An Unreleased Concept Song Where He & Big Pun Battled (Video)
Years later, Sway & King Tech contacted Supernatural with the prospects of another battle: MC J.U.I.C.E. Like ‘Nat, the Chicago, Illinois MC was a regular on The Wake Up Show, which was known for cutting freestyles. At 61:00, he notes, “They were like, ‘We got this guy, J.U.I.C.E. Son is mad nice; we think he can beat you.'” ‘Nat agreed. “I said, ‘If this time we battle? We battle for the paper. Y’all gotta put some money up; I’m not getting into the ring for entertainment anymore—not for [your] entertainment. So they were like, ‘We got $5,000, a plane ticket to L.A., Reseda Country Club, we’ll hook it all up.’ I was like, ‘Done.’ Keep in mind: I had never seen J.U.I.C.E. rhyme not had heard him, up to that point; I’d only heard the legend or the myth of J.U.I.C.E.” Supernatural says he went to New York City’s Fat Beats Records, and bought anything that he could study.
Some days later, in front of a crowd that included Pharoahe Monch, Chali 2na, The Cali Agents, Chino XL, and others, Supernatural entered the ring wearing a hooded cape. He remembers a friend overhearing J.U.I.C.E. forecasting a victory before the battle. “The battle ensued, and you know the rest. Once again, I came out on top. A lot of times when I battled, I just wanted to be an artist, bro.”
J.U.I.C.E. Defeated Eminem In One Of Rap’s Greatest Battles. He Offers A Rematch (Audio)
However, the victory was a product of the heartbreaking loss. “You know why I did that that night? Because I knew in my heart of hearts that I was there for the sacrifice. J.U.I.C.E. would’ve been a star right now if he won that battle—a superstar. Huge, ’cause you beat two of the illest ni**as of all-time, Eminem and Supernatural. That’s a hell of an accomplishment. He probably could’ve been far beyond [what he is now]. But once again, the lessons. [With] Craig G, the lesson was, do you go into this with that same mentality, or do you go, this time, prepared?” Kweli notes the difference as a student of both battles. “So, I said, you know what, I’m gonna throw my sh*t in the arena one more time. But this time, like I said, I watched him twice, I didn’t say nothing else for three weeks. I practiced. But really, what was I practicing for? I say, I live in the moment.”
Supernatural adds that he rehearsed his timing to close friend Pharoahe Monch’s “Simon Says” instrumental. It was one of the tracks he was allowed to pick, unsure of when the DJ could use it. The rehearsal worked to his favor. “I’m not gonna be the sacrificial lamb for you dudes…I’m ridin’ for mine right now. And that’s why I said, ‘Look judges, I got ’em hypnotized / This wack motherf*cka can’t even look me in my eyes.’” Because one thing my father said: ‘If a man can’t hold your eye contact for two seconds, he’s a punk. Don’t f*ck with him.’ That’s pop duke; I love you for that, Pop. And a lot of you cats out here can’t hold eye-contact—the hardest of the hard motherf*ckas can’t hold eye-contact, only because of your insecurity.”
Masta Ace & Pharoahe Monch Battle In A Fight For Life (Video)
Both battles are included on Supernatural’s 2003 album, The Freestyle Files. At the close of the interview, Supernatural reveals that he wants to teach freestyling as a form of mental martial arts. He is currently working on an album, The Frequency, which features Talib Kweli. Supernatural, now based in Southern California, says he is a more confident producer.
Additional Reporting by Jake Paine.
#BonusBeat: Video clips of Supernatural’s battle with Craig G, followed by his battle with J.U.I.C.E.:
Late last month, Compton rapper Game released his ninth (and reportedly final) album, Born 2 Rap. The LP, clocking in at 90 minutes in length, showcases the many sides and versatile styles of the veteran Compton, California MC. It features the late Nipsey Hussle (who also has a song dedicated to him), as well as Anderson .Paak, and Dom Kennedy. Approaching 15 years since The Documentary, Jayceon Taylor is looking to bookend a provocative discography.
Promoting Born 2 Rap, Game appeared The People’s Party With Talib Kweli, for a nearly two-hour conversation (embedded at the bottom of this article). The chat centered on his early life, gang-affiliated experiences, and career highs and lows. Notably, he shed light on his beef with 50 Cent during his come-up while recording The Documentary alongside Fif and Dr. Dre. Once an artist on G-Unit, The Game quickly became 50’s arch-nemesis, within the same label family. Going rogue, The Game dropped a series of mixtapes and diss tracks aimed at 50, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck. According to Game, the smear campaign affected the label, clothing line, and other endorsement deals. “If me and [50 Cent] didn’t have beef, ni**a, we’d be billionaires by now,” Game admits. In mid-2016, the two men buried their tensions with a documented peace offering. However, there has yet to be any new collaborative material. “Even though he forgives, he don’t forget,” The Game admits. “I put G-Unit in flames, and he didn’t like that.” Kweli suggests a proper reunion tour after Jayceon believes that it’s in 50’s best interest to reunite with him on wax.
The Game Explains Why He Wants To Battle Kendrick Lamar & J. Cole (Video)
When People’s Party co-host Jasmin Leigh asks the guest which of his songs with 50 Cent was his favorite, he didn’t hesitate long to reply with this highest-charting song to date, 2005’s Cool & Dre-produced “Hate It Or Love It.” Game remembers recording in the song, and how the two worked well together: “Me and him in the studio, by ourselves, with an engineer [was special chemistry]. He knew what to do; I knew what to do. We put our voices together, and that sh*t made magic. I got songs with me and 50 that are still on hard drives at my house that are timeless.” Before joining the G-Unit Records/Aftermath Entertainment fold, The Game was an artist on San Francisco rapper JT The Bigga Figga’s Get Low roster.
He says that while Cool & Dre produced the song, Dr. Dre oversaw “Hate It Or Love It.” “The first half of the hook, ‘Hate it or love, the underdog’s on top,’ that’s how 50 felt about me at the time. He wrote that by himself. I came in and wrote the second half, furthermore stamping the fact that 50 didn’t write sh*t for me; he wrote for himself— on a Game album.” The Game praises his mentor and collaborator as “one of the most melodically-inclined ni**as, ever.” He also says that song was the beginning of the end.
This Is How We Do: 50 Cent & The Game End Their Beef (Video)
“I’ll let you know something that a lot of people don’t know: on that record—we recorded that record in Connecticut at Mike Tyson’s old mansion that 50 [later] owned—when we did that, 50 had already [distanced himself from me]. He did the record, but he was already moving away from The Game and 50 situation. I blame Dr. Dre; Dr. Dre spent too much time on the completion of The Documentary, and he didn’t spend the fourth-quarter of 50’s The Massacre album working with 50. The Massacre still did numbers, but 50 felt like Dre should’ve did that, and then finish Game since 50 had lended his time to me. I felt like in a perfect man’s world, Dre should’ve focused on 50 and then [seen] The Documentary [through], but The Documentary was coming out so amazing that no one wanted to take time off of it. [Meanwhile], everybody felt like 50 knew what he was doing. So when we started to distance ourselves when we were recording ‘Hate It Or Love It.’ That was one of the nights where we really ain’t talk. We did what we did, and we made an incredible record. I went back to The W [hotel] in Times Square, and he stayed at his house. After that, the next time you heard of me and 50 was having a shootout at HOT 97, in the snow.”
The Game goes on to detail February 28, 2005, the night of the shooting. He calls it “one of the coldest nights in New York history,” adding, “I had on Converse [sneakers. I was] runnin’ in snow. I must’ve slipped 80 times trying to get to the Escalade.” He emphasizes, “We was bussin’ real bullets. One of my homies [Kevin Reed] got hit—he’s still alive, and in jail, but, yeah man, we was shooting, they was shootin’, sh*t was crazy. Me and 50 stared at each other in the eyes with guns drawn. Guns drawn. Two ni**as that was friends and homies and came up in Hip-Hop together. I don’t even know who fired the first shot; I just know we was shooting at each other. And at that moment, everything was in slow motion. It wasn’t about nobody else that was there, even though I had 30 ni**as with me, and 50 had 30 ni**as with him, it’s almost a blessing that only one person got hit, and in the leg, for that matter.”
The Game & Anderson .Paak’s Collaboration Is A New Westside Story (Video)
The two Interscope-backed artists appeared together for a photo following the shooting. However, the next 11-plus years would be marred with beef between collaborators-turned-bitter rivals. The Game points to the ensuing beef as one that cost lives to the entourages on both sides.
The lengthy interview with Kweli also unveils Game’s feelings to the conversation around gang culture, meeting Nipsey Hussle for the first time, admiring great MCs, and being a Blood in a high school full of Crips.
The Game Freestyles Over Old Town Road. This Ain’t Country (Video)
New music by The Game is presently featured on Ambrosia For Heads‘ official playlist.
#BonusBeat: The full episode of The Game on The People’s Party With Talib Kweli:
Late last month, Compton rapper Game released his ninth (and reportedly final) album, Born 2 Rap. The LP, clocking in at 90 minutes in length, showcases the many sides and versatile styles of the veteran Compton, California MC. It features the late Nipsey Hussle (who also has a song dedicated to him), as well as Anderson .Paak, and Dom Kennedy. Approaching 15 years since The Documentary, Jayceon Taylor is looking to bookend a provocative discography.
Promoting Born 2 Rap, Game appeared The People’s Party With Talib Kweli, for a nearly two-hour conversation (embedded at the bottom of this article). The chat centered on his early life, gang-affiliated experiences, and career highs and lows. Notably, he shed light on his beef with 50 Cent during his come-up while recording The Documentary alongside Fif and Dr. Dre. Once an artist on G-Unit, The Game quickly became 50’s arch-nemesis, within the same label family. Going rogue, The Game dropped a series of mixtapes and diss tracks aimed at 50, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck. According to Game, the smear campaign affected the label, clothing line, and other endorsement deals. “If me and [50 Cent] didn’t have beef, ni**a, we’d be billionaires by now,” Game admits. In mid-2016, the two men buried their tensions with a documented peace offering. However, there has yet to be any new collaborative material. “Even though he forgives, he don’t forget,” The Game admits. “I put G-Unit in flames, and he didn’t like that.” Kweli suggests a proper reunion tour after Jayceon believes that it’s in 50’s best interest to reunite with him on wax.
The Game Explains Why He Wants To Battle Kendrick Lamar & J. Cole (Video)
When People’s Party co-host Jasmin Leigh asks the guest which of his songs with 50 Cent was his favorite, he didn’t hesitate long to reply with this highest-charting song to date, 2005’s Cool & Dre-produced “Hate It Or Love It.” Game remembers recording in the song, and how the two worked well together: “Me and him in the studio, by ourselves, with an engineer [was special chemistry]. He knew what to do; I knew what to do. We put our voices together, and that sh*t made magic. I got songs with me and 50 that are still on hard drives at my house that are timeless.” Before joining the G-Unit Records/Aftermath Entertainment fold, The Game was an artist on San Francisco rapper JT The Bigga Figga’s Get Low roster.
He says that while Cool & Dre produced the song, Dr. Dre oversaw “Hate It Or Love It.” “The first half of the hook, ‘Hate it or love, the underdog’s on top,’ that’s how 50 felt about me at the time. He wrote that by himself. I came in and wrote the second half, furthermore stamping the fact that 50 didn’t write sh*t for me; he wrote for himself— on a Game album.” The Game praises his mentor and collaborator as “one of the most melodically-inclined ni**as, ever.” He also says that song was the beginning of the end.
This Is How We Do: 50 Cent & The Game End Their Beef (Video)
“I’ll let you know something that a lot of people don’t know: on that record—we recorded that record in Connecticut at Mike Tyson’s old mansion that 50 [later] owned—when we did that, 50 had already [distanced himself from me]. He did the record, but he was already moving away from The Game and 50 situation. I blame Dr. Dre; Dr. Dre spent too much time on the completion of The Documentary, and he didn’t spend the fourth-quarter of 50’s The Massacre album working with 50. The Massacre still did numbers, but 50 felt like Dre should’ve did that, and then finish Game since 50 had lended his time to me. I felt like in a perfect man’s world, Dre should’ve focused on 50 and then [seen] The Documentary [through], but The Documentary was coming out so amazing that no one wanted to take time off of it. [Meanwhile], everybody felt like 50 knew what he was doing. So when we started to distance ourselves when we were recording ‘Hate It Or Love It.’ That was one of the nights where we really ain’t talk. We did what we did, and we made an incredible record. I went back to The W [hotel] in Times Square, and he stayed at his house. After that, the next time you heard of me and 50 was having a shootout at HOT 97, in the snow.”
The Game goes on to detail February 28, 2005, the night of the shooting. He calls it “one of the coldest nights in New York history,” adding, “I had on Converse [sneakers. I was] runnin’ in snow. I must’ve slipped 80 times trying to get to the Escalade.” He emphasizes, “We was bussin’ real bullets. One of my homies [Kevin Reed] got hit—he’s still alive, and in jail, but, yeah man, we was shooting, they was shootin’, sh*t was crazy. Me and 50 stared at each other in the eyes with guns drawn. Guns drawn. Two ni**as that was friends and homies and came up in Hip-Hop together. I don’t even know who fired the first shot; I just know we was shooting at each other. And at that moment, everything was in slow motion. It wasn’t about nobody else that was there, even though I had 30 ni**as with me, and 50 had 30 ni**as with him, it’s almost a blessing that only one person got hit, and in the leg, for that matter.”
The Game & Anderson .Paak’s Collaboration Is A New Westside Story (Video)
The two Interscope-backed artists appeared together for a photo following the shooting. However, the next 11-plus years would be marred with beef between collaborators-turned-bitter rivals. The Game points to the ensuing beef as one that cost lives to the entourages on both sides.
The lengthy interview with Kweli also unveils Game’s feelings to the conversation around gang culture, meeting Nipsey Hussle for the first time, admiring great MCs, and being a Blood in a high school full of Crips.
The Game Freestyles Over Old Town Road. This Ain’t Country (Video)
New music by The Game is presently featured on Ambrosia For Heads‘ official playlist.
#BonusBeat: The full episode of The Game on The People’s Party With Talib Kweli:
Nearly a decade ago, J. Period was commissioned by Sony Records to make a companion mixtape to The Roots & John Legend’s WAKE UP! album. That LP, which got The Roots two more Grammy Awards for the trophy case, involved some great MCs such as Common and C.L. Smooth to rework a few Soul classics. Meanwhile, J. Period, who’d worked with Black Thought, dropped WAKE UP! RADIO. It had some of the album’s flavor spill over into a high-quality, promotional mixtape. Music from Q-Tip, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, dead prez, Blu, and other Hip-Hop artists was paired with joints by Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Nina Simone.
Included in J.’s companion tape was a spiritual remake of Eric B. & Rakim’s Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em single, “In The Ghetto,” featuring legendary rappers Rakim and The Roots’ very own Black Thought, as well as John Legend. This weekend, J. Period surprised fans with the song arriving on digital streaming services, as apart of the producer’s effort in making his old mixtape discography available for a new generation of listeners.
Rakim Raps His Unreleased Lyrics That Were Dissing Big Daddy Kane (Video)
For this new version of “In the Ghetto,” J. Period reworks Eric B.’s original sample flip of 24-Carat Black’s “Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth,” and samples Rakim himself to remind us that in the ghetto, “nobody’s smiling.” Black Thought kicks things off with a fiery verse full of vivid street imagery: “Yo, if you’re coming here to keep you a gat close / Ain’t a lot of tolerance for people that lactose / You can get your back broke stumped out, choked / Or slashed throat or poked in a cloud of black smoke / Old heads tell you ’bout the trouble with Black folk / Coke heads tell you ’bout the difference in crack smoke / Chicken-heads doing the back stroke, lot of sleep ni**as that act woke, People cashed in on their last hope.”
Rakim follows up with a potent second verse, depicting a harsh realities of the city ghetto through fictional storytelling: “Yeah, welcome to the concrete city, everybody carry metal when / It’s impossible to settle in, you can hear the seven sins / Blowing through the ghetto wind, my eyes seen the evil, That’ll make the devil grin / Paying in misery’s heroin, it gets depressing when the bad news never end / Pops shot and killed, robbing the bodega, I was 11 and / Moms was a shot of booze away from shooting heroin / Too true, my element, my future’s irrelevant, it’s evident / Then I’ma either end up dead or in the pen.”
Black Thought Is Teaching A Free Master Class On How To Be An MC
The song closes out with John Legend delivering a soulful finale.
J. Period took to Instagram to shed more light on his effort to bring his older mixtapes to streaming services, calling the releases “time capsules” and revealing he’s working on breaking timeless mixtapes and singles from his own discography onto streaming platforms.
This 1998 Black Thought & Common Freestyle Is An Incredible Hip-Hop Moment In Time
Last year, J. Period released The Live Mixtape, featuring Rakim, Black Thought, and Pharoahe Monch. Smif-N-Wessun and Dres also appear.
At AFH TV, there are interviews with Black Thought, J. Period, many others. We are currently offering free 7-day trial subscriptions.
Rakim Is A Top MC, But He Ain’t No Joke As A Producer Either (Video)
New music by Black Thought is also presently available on the official Ambrosia For Heads Playlist.Nearly a decade ago, J. Period was commissioned by Sony Records to make a companion mixtape to The Roots & John Legend’s WAKE UP! album. That LP, which got The Roots two more Grammy Awards for the trophy case, involved some great MCs such as Common and C.L. Smooth to rework a few Soul classics. Meanwhile, J. Period, who’d worked with Black Thought, dropped WAKE UP! RADIO. It had some of the album’s flavor spill over into a high-quality, promotional mixtape. Music from Q-Tip, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, dead prez, Blu, and other Hip-Hop artists was paired with joints by Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Nina Simone.
Included in J.’s companion tape was a spiritual remake of Eric B. & Rakim’s Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em single, “In The Ghetto,” featuring legendary rappers Rakim and The Roots’ very own Black Thought, as well as John Legend. This weekend, J. Period surprised fans with the song arriving on digital streaming services, as apart of the producer’s effort in making his old mixtape discography available for a new generation of listeners.
Rakim Raps His Unreleased Lyrics That Were Dissing Big Daddy Kane (Video)
For this new version of “In the Ghetto,” J. Period reworks Eric B.’s original sample flip of 24-Carat Black’s “Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth,” and samples Rakim himself to remind us that in the ghetto, “nobody’s smiling.” Black Thought kicks things off with a fiery verse full of vivid street imagery: “Yo, if you’re coming here to keep you a gat close / Ain’t a lot of tolerance for people that lactose / You can get your back broke stumped out, choked / Or slashed throat or poked in a cloud of black smoke / Old heads tell you ’bout the trouble with Black folk / Coke heads tell you ’bout the difference in crack smoke / Chicken-heads doing the back stroke, lot of sleep ni**as that act woke, People cashed in on their last hope.”
Rakim follows up with a potent second verse, depicting a harsh realities of the city ghetto through fictional storytelling: “Yeah, welcome to the concrete city, everybody carry metal when / It’s impossible to settle in, you can hear the seven sins / Blowing through the ghetto wind, my eyes seen the evil, That’ll make the devil grin / Paying in misery’s heroin, it gets depressing when the bad news never end / Pops shot and killed, robbing the bodega, I was 11 and / Moms was a shot of booze away from shooting heroin / Too true, my element, my future’s irrelevant, it’s evident / Then I’ma either end up dead or in the pen.”
Black Thought Is Teaching A Free Master Class On How To Be An MC
The song closes out with John Legend delivering a soulful finale.
J. Period took to Instagram to shed more light on his effort to bring his older mixtapes to streaming services, calling the releases “time capsules” and revealing he’s working on breaking timeless mixtapes and singles from his own discography onto streaming platforms.
This 1998 Black Thought & Common Freestyle Is An Incredible Hip-Hop Moment In Time
Last year, J. Period released The Live Mixtape, featuring Rakim, Black Thought, and Pharoahe Monch. Smif-N-Wessun and Dres also appear.
At AFH TV, there are interviews with Black Thought, J. Period, many others. We are currently offering free 7-day trial subscriptions.
Rakim Is A Top MC, But He Ain’t No Joke As A Producer Either (Video)
New music by Black Thought is also presently available on the official Ambrosia For Heads Playlist.Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s own DJ Cosmo Baker is known worldwide for his connection to Hip-Hop and Neo-Soul, frequently creating classic party series such as The Rub and The Remedy. The latter, which he hosted alongside DJ Rich Medina, helped to spotlight artists such as The Roots, J Dilla, Jill Scott, and others.
This week, Baker shared a “you-had-to-be-there” freestyle session by The Roots’ Black Thought, Common, Dice Raw, and others from the early 2000s. “The epicenter of Philly Hip-Hop culture could be found every Monday night at a small second-floor nightclub directly off South Street called Fluid,” he wrote of the bygone club.
Black Thought Details Making The Roots’ “New Years @ Jay Dee’s” Collaboration With Dilla
More than just a weekly party, The Remedy served as a breeding ground for Hip-Hop heads to connect, compete, and contend for the spot of illest lyricist in the City of Brotherly Love. “The Remedy became the destination for music and culture lovers alike,” Baker shared. From hometown acts like The Roots and Bahamadia to out-of-towners enjoying Philly’s vibes such as Slum Village and Pharoahe Monch, it was not uncommon to have these parties featuring noteworthy guests and attendees.
“On this particular night in 1998, it was DJ Jazzy Jeff on the ones-and-twos,” Baker wrote, flashing back to the legendary moment, “And we brought up Philly’s own Black Thought to bless the mic, followed by Common who ripped it to pieces.” Roots Crew affiliate Dice Raw, Scratch, Maylay Sparks, and =ehani all stepped up to rip the session to shreds, and it was an impressive display of rapping abilities.
Are You Really Ready for Some Super Dynamite Soul? DJ Cosmo Baker is on the Job (Mix)
Rapping to Spoonie Gee’s “Love Rap” instrumental, Tariq sets it off with off-the-top rhymes that weave in the club, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Slum Villa’, and more. Sharp-eared rap heads can hear Black Thought even kick a bunch of the rhymes that would go on to appear as “Adrenaline!” on The Roots’ iconic album Things Fall Apart, which is celebrating its 20th-anniversary this year.
After some beat-boxing from Scratch, the beat blends into Bob James’ “Take Me To The Mardi Gras.” Black Thought returns to the mic to pay homage to Philly O.G. Schoolly D’s “Saturday Night.”
Questlove Gives The Inside Story Behind The Making Of Things Fall Apart
At AFH TV, there are interviews with Black Thought, Common, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and many others. We are currently offering free 7-day trial subscriptions.
New music by Black Thought is also presently available on the official Ambrosia For Heads Playlist.Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s own DJ Cosmo Baker is known worldwide for his connection to Hip-Hop and Neo-Soul, frequently creating classic party series such as The Rub and The Remedy. The latter, which he hosted alongside DJ Rich Medina, helped to spotlight artists such as The Roots, J Dilla, Jill Scott, and others.
This week, Baker shared a “you-had-to-be-there” freestyle session by The Roots’ Black Thought, Common, Dice Raw, and others from the early 2000s. “The epicenter of Philly Hip-Hop culture could be found every Monday night at a small second-floor nightclub directly off South Street called Fluid,” he wrote of the bygone club.
Black Thought Details Making The Roots’ “New Years @ Jay Dee’s” Collaboration With Dilla
More than just a weekly party, The Remedy served as a breeding ground for Hip-Hop heads to connect, compete, and contend for the spot of illest lyricist in the City of Brotherly Love. “The Remedy became the destination for music and culture lovers alike,” Baker shared. From hometown acts like The Roots and Bahamadia to out-of-towners enjoying Philly’s vibes such as Slum Village and Pharoahe Monch, it was not uncommon to have these parties featuring noteworthy guests and attendees.
“On this particular night in 1998, it was DJ Jazzy Jeff on the ones-and-twos,” Baker wrote, flashing back to the legendary moment, “And we brought up Philly’s own Black Thought to bless the mic, followed by Common who ripped it to pieces.” Roots Crew affiliate Dice Raw, Scratch, Maylay Sparks, and =ehani all stepped up to rip the session to shreds, and it was an impressive display of rapping abilities.
Are You Really Ready for Some Super Dynamite Soul? DJ Cosmo Baker is on the Job (Mix)
Rapping to Spoonie Gee’s “Love Rap” instrumental, Tariq sets it off with off-the-top rhymes that weave in the club, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Slum Villa’, and more. Sharp-eared rap heads can hear Black Thought even kick a bunch of the rhymes that would go on to appear as “Adrenaline!” on The Roots’ iconic album Things Fall Apart, which is celebrating its 20th-anniversary this year.
After some beat-boxing from Scratch, the beat blends into Bob James’ “Take Me To The Mardi Gras.” Black Thought returns to the mic to pay homage to Philly O.G. Schoolly D’s “Saturday Night.”
Questlove Gives The Inside Story Behind The Making Of Things Fall Apart
At AFH TV, there are interviews with Black Thought, Common, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and many others. We are currently offering free 7-day trial subscriptions.
New music by Black Thought is also presently available on the official Ambrosia For Heads Playlist.Twenty years ago today (November 16, 1999), Dr. Dre released his sophomore solo album, 2001. It became a benchmark album that book-ended a decade that the producer and rapper had fueled. Personally and musically, plenty had happened since The Chronic, which marked Dre’s first album since leaving N.W.A. and Eazy-E.
The Compton, California producer, rapper, and DJ had left Death Row Records three and a half years earlier, in 1996. In a new interview, he compares that year to “Vietnam.” In the exit, he’d reportedly forfeited an ownership stake and his personal song publishing in a Gangsta Rap empire. Dre had launched Aftermath Entertainment, also distributed by Jimmy Iovine’s Interscope. This label, using the mantra “We don’t set trip; we set trends,” began as something of a musical playground. Dre’s early signings included Compton O.G. King T and Death Row’s first pardon, RBX. Leaving Daz, Sam Sneed, and others, Dre created a new musical team of West Coast pioneer Chris “The Glove” Taylor, as well as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Mel-Man and Bud’dha, among others. In its first year, Dre released a compilation of his new roster. He also released Nas’ super-group The Firm’s Album, compromised of Escobar, AZ, Foxy Brown, and last-minute Cormega-replacement, Nature. However, even with Nas’ project topping the charts, many fans felt like Dre’s new venture was lacking compared to the glory of N.W.A. or Death Row.
The D.O.C. Reveals Which Songs He Wrote For Dr. Dre’s The Chronic (Video)
Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine appear together for a video that recalls the making of 2001. “That day at Jimmy’s house, in his garage, completely changed the course of my life forever,” Dre says. At Interscope’s Chairman’s house, Dre heard a demo tape and reportedly some battle material from a Detroit, Michigan MC by the name of Eminem.
At that time, Dre was looking for talent. Dre recalls, “It was the same approach [as The Chronic], because I’m trying to put myself in the studio with a lot of great artists, as far as the microphone, and where it goes. [Meanwhile], I’m just trying to get on a song or two, here and there. My first album, The Chronic and 2001, I believe I might be on four or five songs. It sounds and appears like I’m on more, because of the way I sequenced the song and structured it. I didn’t want to appear on the album at all, to be honest. I just wanted to produce—find artists and produce ’em. The D.O.C. talked me into getting on the mic and doing this thing.” However, few could deny that Dre was the biggest star on his label.
Scott Storch Explains His Role On Dr. Dre’s 2001 & Defends Dre’s Production Contributions (Video)
Meanwhile, Hip-Hop wanted to see how Dr. Dre would respond to haters. Namely, Suge Knight’s label had used artists to take jabs at Dre, personally and musically. His 1996 album single “Been There Done That” was remade disparagingly by J-Flexx, a disgruntled writer from Dre’s Row team. Meanwhile, earlier in ’99, Knight released a compilation, The Chronic 2000, shoplifting Dre’s touted title. Dre’s former manager-turned-partner used matching artwork to The Chronic, and originally planned to pack the double-album with unreleased and remixed Dre tracks. As legend has it, Dre offered Suge points from 2001 to recant the name. The friend-turned-foe and his staff refused. Dre and those around him, including Eminem and Snoop, were being trolled in the years before the term existed. 2001 demanded a reply.
Dr. Dre remembers 1999 that way too. “In the ’90s, Hip-Hop was a contact sport. All of a sudden, I’m on my own again. And I have to go find new artists and musicians to work with. Fortunately for myself, I had done it once before when I separated from Eazy and Jerry Heller and Ruthless [Records]. So I know what the feeling of starting over feels like. But the second time, I had Jimmy.” Iovine, who had been in the music business for more than 30 years, was taken by Marshall Mathers. He brought Eminem to Dre.
Xzibit Details How Dr. Dre Operated On His Career & Brought It To Life (Video)
The introduction changed things, even before 2001. “Eminem was the missing link. Hearing [Eminem’s] demo and how it made me feel, and then meeting him, and how we say eye-to-eye as far as the work goes, and what we wanted to do in the studio—he was hungry, I was hungry, and it was just that spontaneous combustion. We just clicked, and that just brought everything and everyone together that was happening at the time,” Dre says. “We found out that what we were doing really works, and that’s all we needed. It’s like, ‘Okay, The Slim Shady LP, they like that.’ Now that we know what works, wait til’ they hear this.'” In early 1999, Dre executive produced Eminem’s major label debut, which eventually was certified quadruple-platinum. It presented Dre’s ear in a new way, outside of West Coast Gangsta Rap. It also introduced the mainstream to a witty, profane, and incredibly agile lyricist from the battle circuit.
Eminem kept that same energy for Dre’s project. He wrote “Forgot About Dre,” which would become a video single (embedded below). “He wrote the song for me and Snoop, originally,” remembers Dre. “He laid the reference vocals for Snoop, and I liked the way it sounded [better].” That’s the version that made the LP. Dre never addresses his haters by name, but the song gave Young the latest word. He addressed the lukewarm response to 1996’s compilation as well as the jeers from the cheap seats of the music industry.
Eminem Discusses The Slim Shady LP In 1 Of His Earliest Interviews (AFH TV Video)
Dre and Jimmy also recall “The Next Episode.” Dre reveals that it was the last song recorded for 2001. While he wished it to be the first single, Iovine vehemently refused, suggesting that Young was chasing a hit in his reunion with Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and Tha Dogg Pound’s Kurupt—building on an early ’90s-era demo routine that did not make the first album.
Iovine recalls rushing the release after that final approved addition. “You put the album out the minute you can, ’cause [Dr. Dre] may change his mind. Doggystyle came out, I think nine days after it was finished,” the music mogul says of Snoop’s Dre-helmed debut six Novembers earlier. “The greatest promotion man is the person with the best record.”
Dr. Dre Is Finishing Busta Rhymes’ 1st Album In 7 Years
Ultimately, Young and Iovine settled on “Still D.R.E.” Dre recalls, “JAY-Z wrote those lyrics. I think they came back in maybe 24 hours with the whole song written.” That song became the comeback single. The video recreated a new “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang,” complete with older, wiser Dre, Snoop, and D.O.C. cruising the streets of Los Angeles in the deep purple 1964 Impala lowrider. It packed a new, different sound, and it showed a confident Andre Young reclaiming his props as Hip-Hop’s best ear.
At AFH TV, there is a 1999 interview with Eminem. We are currently offering free 7-day trials.
Dr. Dre & LL Cool J Have Recorded More Than 40 Songs Together (Audio)
#BonusBeat: Dr. Dre, Eminem and Hittman’s “Forgot About Dre” video:
Twenty years ago today (November 16, 1999), Dr. Dre released his sophomore solo album, 2001. It became a benchmark album that book-ended a decade that the producer and rapper had fueled. Personally and musically, plenty had happened since The Chronic, which marked Dre’s first album since leaving N.W.A. and Eazy-E.
The Compton, California producer, rapper, and DJ had left Death Row Records three and a half years earlier, in 1996. In a new interview, he compares that year to “Vietnam.” In the exit, he’d reportedly forfeited an ownership stake and his personal song publishing in a Gangsta Rap empire. Dre had launched Aftermath Entertainment, also distributed by Jimmy Iovine’s Interscope. This label, using the mantra “We don’t set trip; we set trends,” began as something of a musical playground. Dre’s early signings included Compton O.G. King T and Death Row’s first pardon, RBX. Leaving Daz, Sam Sneed, and others, Dre created a new musical team of West Coast pioneer Chris “The Glove” Taylor, as well as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Mel-Man and Bud’dha, among others. In its first year, Dre released a compilation of his new roster. He also released Nas’ super-group The Firm’s Album, compromised of Escobar, AZ, Foxy Brown, and last-minute Cormega-replacement, Nature. However, even with Nas’ project topping the charts, many fans felt like Dre’s new venture was lacking compared to the glory of N.W.A. or Death Row.
The D.O.C. Reveals Which Songs He Wrote For Dr. Dre’s The Chronic (Video)
Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine appear together for a video that recalls the making of 2001. “That day at Jimmy’s house, in his garage, completely changed the course of my life forever,” Dre says. At Interscope’s Chairman’s house, Dre heard a demo tape and reportedly some battle material from a Detroit, Michigan MC by the name of Eminem.
At that time, Dre was looking for talent. Dre recalls, “It was the same approach [as The Chronic], because I’m trying to put myself in the studio with a lot of great artists, as far as the microphone, and where it goes. [Meanwhile], I’m just trying to get on a song or two, here and there. My first album, The Chronic and 2001, I believe I might be on four or five songs. It sounds and appears like I’m on more, because of the way I sequenced the song and structured it. I didn’t want to appear on the album at all, to be honest. I just wanted to produce—find artists and produce ’em. The D.O.C. talked me into getting on the mic and doing this thing.” However, few could deny that Dre was the biggest star on his label.
Scott Storch Explains His Role On Dr. Dre’s 2001 & Defends Dre’s Production Contributions (Video)
Meanwhile, Hip-Hop wanted to see how Dr. Dre would respond to haters. Namely, Suge Knight’s label had used artists to take jabs at Dre, personally and musically. His 1996 album single “Been There Done That” was remade disparagingly by J-Flexx, a disgruntled writer from Dre’s Row team. Meanwhile, earlier in ’99, Knight released a compilation, The Chronic 2000, shoplifting Dre’s touted title. Dre’s former manager-turned-partner used matching artwork to The Chronic, and originally planned to pack the double-album with unreleased and remixed Dre tracks. As legend has it, Dre offered Suge points from 2001 to recant the name. The friend-turned-foe and his staff refused. Dre and those around him, including Eminem and Snoop, were being trolled in the years before the term existed. 2001 demanded a reply.
Dr. Dre remembers 1999 that way too. “In the ’90s, Hip-Hop was a contact sport. All of a sudden, I’m on my own again. And I have to go find new artists and musicians to work with. Fortunately for myself, I had done it once before when I separated from Eazy and Jerry Heller and Ruthless [Records]. So I know what the feeling of starting over feels like. But the second time, I had Jimmy.” Iovine, who had been in the music business for more than 30 years, was taken by Marshall Mathers. He brought Eminem to Dre.
Xzibit Details How Dr. Dre Operated On His Career & Brought It To Life (Video)
The introduction changed things, even before 2001. “Eminem was the missing link. Hearing [Eminem’s] demo and how it made me feel, and then meeting him, and how we say eye-to-eye as far as the work goes, and what we wanted to do in the studio—he was hungry, I was hungry, and it was just that spontaneous combustion. We just clicked, and that just brought everything and everyone together that was happening at the time,” Dre says. “We found out that what we were doing really works, and that’s all we needed. It’s like, ‘Okay, The Slim Shady LP, they like that.’ Now that we know what works, wait til’ they hear this.'” In early 1999, Dre executive produced Eminem’s major label debut, which eventually was certified quadruple-platinum. It presented Dre’s ear in a new way, outside of West Coast Gangsta Rap. It also introduced the mainstream to a witty, profane, and incredibly agile lyricist from the battle circuit.
Eminem kept that same energy for Dre’s project. He wrote “Forgot About Dre,” which would become a video single (embedded below). “He wrote the song for me and Snoop, originally,” remembers Dre. “He laid the reference vocals for Snoop, and I liked the way it sounded [better].” That’s the version that made the LP. Dre never addresses his haters by name, but the song gave Young the latest word. He addressed the lukewarm response to 1996’s compilation as well as the jeers from the cheap seats of the music industry.
Eminem Discusses The Slim Shady LP In 1 Of His Earliest Interviews (AFH TV Video)
Dre and Jimmy also recall “The Next Episode.” Dre reveals that it was the last song recorded for 2001. While he wished it to be the first single, Iovine vehemently refused, suggesting that Young was chasing a hit in his reunion with Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and Tha Dogg Pound’s Kurupt—building on an early ’90s-era demo routine that did not make the first album.
Iovine recalls rushing the release after that final approved addition. “You put the album out the minute you can, ’cause [Dr. Dre] may change his mind. Doggystyle came out, I think nine days after it was finished,” the music mogul says of Snoop’s Dre-helmed debut six Novembers earlier. “The greatest promotion man is the person with the best record.”
Dr. Dre Is Finishing Busta Rhymes’ 1st Album In 7 Years
Ultimately, Young and Iovine settled on “Still D.R.E.” Dre recalls, “JAY-Z wrote those lyrics. I think they came back in maybe 24 hours with the whole song written.” That song became the comeback single. The video recreated a new “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang,” complete with older, wiser Dre, Snoop, and D.O.C. cruising the streets of Los Angeles in the deep purple 1964 Impala lowrider. It packed a new, different sound, and it showed a confident Andre Young reclaiming his props as Hip-Hop’s best ear.
At AFH TV, there is a 1999 interview with Eminem. We are currently offering free 7-day trials.
Dr. Dre & LL Cool J Have Recorded More Than 40 Songs Together (Audio)
#BonusBeat: Dr. Dre, Eminem and Hittman’s “Forgot About Dre” video:
Today (September 10) marks Big Daddy Kane’s birthday. Commanding audiences far and wide since he was a teenager, the now 51-year-old living legend continues to be among the culture’s best performers. From collaborations with Ghostface Killah and Joell Ortiz, as well as new freestyles, King Asiatic continues to add to a respected catalog—even if he keeps fans waiting on a potential eighth LP.
In less than a month, the MC born Antonio Hardy will join 9th Wonder in entering North Carolina’s Music Hall Of Fame (the Brooklyn native has made a home in NC). On his B-day, we salute one of the greatest rappers with a rarity that reminds of his excellence.
Big Daddy Kane & Kool G Rap Battle Song-For-Song, In Concert (Video)
In April of 1988, Marley Marl was giving a lot of shine to his and Mr. Magic’s Juice Crew. With Marley playing the records, they did so at New York City’s 107.5 WBLS FM. At the time, the two radio juggernauts were expanding their New York City collective including Roxanne Shanté, Biz Markie, and MC Shan. Kane represented a battle-tested emerging Brooklyn artist on the Queens-based arsenal of lyricists. Ahead of Long Live The Kane, Marley played a rendition of “Raw” that did not make the album. It featured another MC on the rise, Kool G Rap.
Kane’s rhymes in the first verse are the same as the eventual “remix” version on the Cold Chillin’ Records LP. However, in this rawer version of the record, he keeps going without the scratch chorus. Kane throws out his elbows with bars like “Nothin’ but the finest, your supreme Highness / Out to diminish, delete and minus / All rappers that’s inferior, playin’ my area / Rhymes I recite will make them deteriorate away / And just get this straight / To compete, I will defeat and totally humiliate / All imitation with the combination / Of rhymes more deadlier than Freddy or Jason / I’ll be on ya like Robitussin on a cough / If you know like I know, you’d step the hell off.” Even before his LP was out, Kane was proclaiming himself a Rap idol. Few could argue. Kane makes his own transition, honoring a classic rhyme routine, and shouting out his Bally footwear.
Big Daddy Kane Details Recording This 1988 Mixtape Collabo With JAY-Z (Video)
Moments before the 3:00 mark, Kane specifically welcomes G Rap to his lyrical terror-dome. “Kool G Rap, my mellow, my man / Get on the mic with the gangsta plan,” spits B.D.K. Even then, the Corona, Queens MC was known for kicking street-savvy rhymes that would ultimately make him one of the pioneers in the subgenre.
In a major moment, G flexes with compound rhymes. “This little note is like a formula, the antidote / For copy-catters, I quote, they wanna deep-throat / Lyrics that I wrote, placed upon a beat so neat / Orchestras and bands can’t compete or compare / Or even come near to this here This is a mere affair, you just stare and cheer,” begins the then-teenager with the slick cadence. Like Kane, G Rap approaches the moment like a battle: “Musical master, rhyme reacts as a / Brain that has the knowledge of NASA / You’re just a Kit Kat, small as a Tic-Tac / But I’m a Big Mac, ’cause I’m G Rap / Well equipped with a Hip-Hop lip / My memory bank is like a microchip / My bass’ll give a shake of an earthquake / It’ll make you, sucker MC, wanna jump in the lake / ‘Cause I’m murder, homi-cide, comma / Crush, kill, destroy with excitement and drama.” The MC rhymes right until Marley ends the segment. Notably, several of G’s bars would end up on the last verse of “Jive Talk” years later. With a more matured voice, he would lay those bars a bit differently for the ’90s.
The Symphony 2016 ft Kane, G Rap, Royce, Monch, Black Thought, Freeway & More (Exclusive Video)
This version was uploaded by producer, historian, and curator, Will C. Previously, Will has made songs and mixes inspired by The Juice Crew and this era. It also appeared on the 2006 Traffic Entertainment Group’s re-release of Kool G Rap & DJ Polo’s Road To The Riches.Today (September 10) marks Big Daddy Kane’s birthday. Commanding audiences far and wide since he was a teenager, the now 51-year-old living legend continues to be among the culture’s best performers. From collaborations with Ghostface Killah and Joell Ortiz, as well as new freestyles, King Asiatic continues to add to a respected catalog—even if he keeps fans waiting on a potential eighth LP.
In less than a month, the MC born Antonio Hardy will join 9th Wonder in entering North Carolina’s Music Hall Of Fame (the Brooklyn native has made a home in NC). On his B-day, we salute one of the greatest rappers with a rarity that reminds of his excellence.
Big Daddy Kane & Kool G Rap Battle Song-For-Song, In Concert (Video)
In April of 1988, Marley Marl was giving a lot of shine to his and Mr. Magic’s Juice Crew. With Marley playing the records, they did so at New York City’s 107.5 WBLS FM. At the time, the two radio juggernauts were expanding their New York City collective including Roxanne Shanté, Biz Markie, and MC Shan. Kane represented a battle-tested emerging Brooklyn artist on the Queens-based arsenal of lyricists. Ahead of Long Live The Kane, Marley played a rendition of “Raw” that did not make the album. It featured another MC on the rise, Kool G Rap.
Kane’s rhymes in the first verse are the same as the eventual “remix” version on the Cold Chillin’ Records LP. However, in this rawer version of the record, he keeps going without the scratch chorus. Kane throws out his elbows with bars like “Nothin’ but the finest, your supreme Highness / Out to diminish, delete and minus / All rappers that’s inferior, playin’ my area / Rhymes I recite will make them deteriorate away / And just get this straight / To compete, I will defeat and totally humiliate / All imitation with the combination / Of rhymes more deadlier than Freddy or Jason / I’ll be on ya like Robitussin on a cough / If you know like I know, you’d step the hell off.” Even before his LP was out, Kane was proclaiming himself a Rap idol. Few could argue. Kane makes his own transition, honoring a classic rhyme routine, and shouting out his Bally footwear.
Big Daddy Kane Details Recording This 1988 Mixtape Collabo With JAY-Z (Video)
Moments before the 3:00 mark, Kane specifically welcomes G Rap to his lyrical terror-dome. “Kool G Rap, my mellow, my man / Get on the mic with the gangsta plan,” spits B.D.K. Even then, the Corona, Queens MC was known for kicking street-savvy rhymes that would ultimately make him one of the pioneers in the subgenre.
In a major moment, G flexes with compound rhymes. “This little note is like a formula, the antidote / For copy-catters, I quote, they wanna deep-throat / Lyrics that I wrote, placed upon a beat so neat / Orchestras and bands can’t compete or compare / Or even come near to this here This is a mere affair, you just stare and cheer,” begins the then-teenager with the slick cadence. Like Kane, G Rap approaches the moment like a battle: “Musical master, rhyme reacts as a / Brain that has the knowledge of NASA / You’re just a Kit Kat, small as a Tic-Tac / But I’m a Big Mac, ’cause I’m G Rap / Well equipped with a Hip-Hop lip / My memory bank is like a microchip / My bass’ll give a shake of an earthquake / It’ll make you, sucker MC, wanna jump in the lake / ‘Cause I’m murder, homi-cide, comma / Crush, kill, destroy with excitement and drama.” The MC rhymes right until Marley ends the segment. Notably, several of G’s bars would end up on the last verse of “Jive Talk” years later. With a more matured voice, he would lay those bars a bit differently for the ’90s.
The Symphony 2016 ft Kane, G Rap, Royce, Monch, Black Thought, Freeway & More (Exclusive Video)
This version was uploaded by producer, historian, and curator, Will C. Previously, Will has made songs and mixes inspired by The Juice Crew and this era. It also appeared on the 2006 Traffic Entertainment Group’s re-release of Kool G Rap & DJ Polo’s Road To The Riches.Over the last decade, GZA has been one of the most reserved members of Wu-Tang Clan. The legendary Brooklyn, New York lyricist participated in this year’s Sacha Jenkins-directed documentary, Wu-Tang: Of Mics And Men. He will also be portrayed in next week’s dramatic series, Wu-Tang: An American Saga. However, The Genius has not released a solo album in more than a decade. Additionally, on recent Wu releases, his contributions have been relatively minimal. In a new interview with Sherron Shabazz for The Real Hip-Hop, the renowned MC opens up about why he’s been less prolific in the 2010s, and how that will soon change. He also provides some fascinating facts about writing several rhymes used by Ol’ Dirty Bastard.
Shabazz asks GZA if it is true that he penned rhymes for O.D.B. “Correct,” confirms The Genius. Elaborating, the Liquid Swords creator details, “This is how it happened: some of the rhymes that he used on his [Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version] album were written by me—but they were written by me as a teenager. They were routines we used to do. As we got older, and Wu-Tang formed, we started doing solo projects.” Ol’ Dirty released his solo debut in 1995, the same year that GZA released his acclaimed sophomore solo LP. “He wanted to go back and touch on those [rhyme routines]. I felt we were grown men at the time, and those types of rhymes didn’t fit me [anymore]. Dirty, his whole style was different and unique. His [original] name was [Ason] Unique, and he was able to pull it off. That’s how that came about. Those were rhymes I wrote as routines with Dirty when we were in our late teens that he just happened to use. I wasn’t in the studio sitting down with him.” In the 1980s, before Wu-Tang Clan was founder, GZA, RZA, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard made up Brooklyn trio, All In Together Now.
The Story Of How ODB Recorded His Verse For Mariah Carey’s Remix Is Fantastic
Getting specific about his contributions, GZA says he authored parts of “Don’t U Know.” “If you listen to the rhymes, ‘Sittin’ at my class at a quarter-to-10 / Waitin’ patiently for the class to begin,’ I was in high school when I wrote that! He was able to use those [bars]. I had verses and lines on my Words From The Genius album, before Wu-Tang even existed, that Dirty had written. We did them as routines, but he wrote the rhyme, and I was able to use it.”
He also points to “Damage” from O.D.B’s ’95 Elektra Records LP. “I wrote, ‘I grab the mic, and I’ll damage ya / Crush your whole stamina.’ That’s a verse that’s straight through that we did together on his album. But he was able to flip it in a way that he out-shined me on the track, and took over! We did use each other’s rhymes, but it wasn’t like when he did Return To The 36 Chambers [that] I went in the studio and wrote for him. No, those were routines we did as youngsters, and he was able to flip them. ‘Approach your school, 9:30, you’re late / The time doesn’t have you disillusioned with the date / Get to your class, walk to your chair / Flop in your seat and impatiently stare / At the teacher, the board, students who were blocking you,’ quotes GZA from “Don’t U Know.” “That’s a rhyme from high school. That’s his own flow; that’s how he flipped it. I wasn’t rhyming like that; he put his own touch on it.”
Rapsody, GZA & D’Angelo Revisit “Liquid Swords” On A 9th Wonder Produced Song (Video)
GZA adds that the “Liquid Swords” chorus is another derivative from All In Together Now’s routines. “It used to be a verse that said, ‘When the MCs came / To live out the name / Some rocked the rhymes that was all the same / And when I elevated and mastered time / They were stimulated from the high-powered rhyme / They was shocked, ‘cause they knew they were rocked / Like the sucker MCs from off my block.” He explains, “Those were just routines that we used and revamped, and they worked. I didn’t even want to use that. RZA was the one who said to use that. I was like, ‘Nah, I don’t wanna use that routine for a hook.’ He was like, ‘Nah, I’m telling you, just do it!'” That song was recently the basis of an homage by Rapsody. The 9th Wonder-produced “Ibtihaj” features GZA on the song and in the video. D’Angelo, who worked with GZA on “Cold World,” also provides vocals to the track.
While looking back at the 1990s, GZA also confirms that 2005’s Grandmasters contains lyrics he wrote that were intended for O.D.B. “I wrote two rhymes for Dirty that I wanted to present to him. And then he passed, and never got to use them. I actually used one of them on the Grandmasters album with DJ Muggs; it was called ‘All In Together Now.’ That was a rhyme I had specifically for him. I’ve used some of his rhymes also, but he didn’t write them for me.” The Genius does not elaborate which of his songs contain Ol’ Dirty-penned verses.
Wu-Tang Clan Was Originally RZA, GZA & ODB But “Protect Ya Neck” Changed Everything (Video)
Notably, Shabazz also asks GZA about when fans will get a follow-up to 2008’s Pro Tools. “The time just has to be right,” he responds. “I know it’s been several years, but it’s coming soon. I’ve got a lot of stuff written. There’s a lot of stuff I want to release and let out and get back again. I look forward to that.”
Elsewhere in The Real Hip-Hop interview by Sherron Shabazz, GZA discusses enjoying his recent Rapsody collaboration. He reveals that O.D.B.’s brother Ramsey is in his current touring band. The respected lyricist also addresses potential retirement after his upcoming release plans. GZA and his live band are co-headlining this week’s Muddy Roots Festival in Cookeville, Tennessee.
Inspectah Deck’s New Video Is An Amazing Tour Through Hip-Hop History
#BonusBeat: Some 1991 Video Music Box footage of GZA and Ol’ Dirty Bastard freesyling. For more VMB videos, visit AFH TV. We are currently offering free 7-day subscriptions.
Over the last decade, GZA has been one of the most reserved members of Wu-Tang Clan. The legendary Brooklyn, New York lyricist participated in this year’s Sacha Jenkins-directed documentary, Wu-Tang: Of Mics And Men. He will also be portrayed in next week’s dramatic series, Wu-Tang: An American Saga. However, The Genius has not released a solo album in more than a decade. Additionally, on recent Wu releases, his contributions have been relatively minimal. In a new interview with Sherron Shabazz for The Real Hip-Hop, the renowned MC opens up about why he’s been less prolific in the 2010s, and how that will soon change. He also provides some fascinating facts about writing several rhymes used by Ol’ Dirty Bastard.
Shabazz asks GZA if it is true that he penned rhymes for O.D.B. “Correct,” confirms The Genius. Elaborating, the Liquid Swords creator details, “This is how it happened: some of the rhymes that he used on his [Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version] album were written by me—but they were written by me as a teenager. They were routines we used to do. As we got older, and Wu-Tang formed, we started doing solo projects.” Ol’ Dirty released his solo debut in 1995, the same year that GZA released his acclaimed sophomore solo LP. “He wanted to go back and touch on those [rhyme routines]. I felt we were grown men at the time, and those types of rhymes didn’t fit me [anymore]. Dirty, his whole style was different and unique. His [original] name was [Ason] Unique, and he was able to pull it off. That’s how that came about. Those were rhymes I wrote as routines with Dirty when we were in our late teens that he just happened to use. I wasn’t in the studio sitting down with him.” In the 1980s, before Wu-Tang Clan was founder, GZA, RZA, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard made up Brooklyn trio, All In Together Now.
The Story Of How ODB Recorded His Verse For Mariah Carey’s Remix Is Fantastic
Getting specific about his contributions, GZA says he authored parts of “Don’t U Know.” “If you listen to the rhymes, ‘Sittin’ at my class at a quarter-to-10 / Waitin’ patiently for the class to begin,’ I was in high school when I wrote that! He was able to use those [bars]. I had verses and lines on my Words From The Genius album, before Wu-Tang even existed, that Dirty had written. We did them as routines, but he wrote the rhyme, and I was able to use it.”
He also points to “Damage” from O.D.B’s ’95 Elektra Records LP. “I wrote, ‘I grab the mic, and I’ll damage ya / Crush your whole stamina.’ That’s a verse that’s straight through that we did together on his album. But he was able to flip it in a way that he out-shined me on the track, and took over! We did use each other’s rhymes, but it wasn’t like when he did Return To The 36 Chambers [that] I went in the studio and wrote for him. No, those were routines we did as youngsters, and he was able to flip them. ‘Approach your school, 9:30, you’re late / The time doesn’t have you disillusioned with the date / Get to your class, walk to your chair / Flop in your seat and impatiently stare / At the teacher, the board, students who were blocking you,’ quotes GZA from “Don’t U Know.” “That’s a rhyme from high school. That’s his own flow; that’s how he flipped it. I wasn’t rhyming like that; he put his own touch on it.”
Rapsody, GZA & D’Angelo Revisit “Liquid Swords” On A 9th Wonder Produced Song (Video)
GZA adds that the “Liquid Swords” chorus is another derivative from All In Together Now’s routines. “It used to be a verse that said, ‘When the MCs came / To live out the name / Some rocked the rhymes that was all the same / And when I elevated and mastered time / They were stimulated from the high-powered rhyme / They was shocked, ‘cause they knew they were rocked / Like the sucker MCs from off my block.” He explains, “Those were just routines that we used and revamped, and they worked. I didn’t even want to use that. RZA was the one who said to use that. I was like, ‘Nah, I don’t wanna use that routine for a hook.’ He was like, ‘Nah, I’m telling you, just do it!'” That song was recently the basis of an homage by Rapsody. The 9th Wonder-produced “Ibtihaj” features GZA on the song and in the video. D’Angelo, who worked with GZA on “Cold World,” also provides vocals to the track.
While looking back at the 1990s, GZA also confirms that 2005’s Grandmasters contains lyrics he wrote that were intended for O.D.B. “I wrote two rhymes for Dirty that I wanted to present to him. And then he passed, and never got to use them. I actually used one of them on the Grandmasters album with DJ Muggs; it was called ‘All In Together Now.’ That was a rhyme I had specifically for him. I’ve used some of his rhymes also, but he didn’t write them for me.” The Genius does not elaborate which of his songs contain Ol’ Dirty-penned verses.
Wu-Tang Clan Was Originally RZA, GZA & ODB But “Protect Ya Neck” Changed Everything (Video)
Notably, Shabazz also asks GZA about when fans will get a follow-up to 2008’s Pro Tools. “The time just has to be right,” he responds. “I know it’s been several years, but it’s coming soon. I’ve got a lot of stuff written. There’s a lot of stuff I want to release and let out and get back again. I look forward to that.”
Elsewhere in The Real Hip-Hop interview by Sherron Shabazz, GZA discusses enjoying his recent Rapsody collaboration. He reveals that O.D.B.’s brother Ramsey is in his current touring band. The respected lyricist also addresses potential retirement after his upcoming release plans. GZA and his live band are co-headlining this week’s Muddy Roots Festival in Cookeville, Tennessee.
Inspectah Deck’s New Video Is An Amazing Tour Through Hip-Hop History
#BonusBeat: Some 1991 Video Music Box footage of GZA and Ol’ Dirty Bastard freesyling. For more VMB videos, visit AFH TV. We are currently offering free 7-day subscriptions.
The post GZA Opens Up About Writing Some Of ODB’s Classic Verses appeared first on Ambrosia For Heads.