TheMeaningOfDope

» Published by Ace Six

Photo Credit-Thesmokingsessions on flickr. Thanks Gotty and Crew!

Word the fuck up. Last night was ill. Ag, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, O.C., Extra P, Juju and Psycho Les ALL in the building for the NY Giants Dj series. Finesse tore it up more than anyone in my opinion but the whole night was banger after banger.

To get people in the mood for tonight’s festivities at The Opera House in Toronto, I’ve compiled a list of my 13 Showbiz and Ag tracks that I want to hear tonight. Whether this actually happens, who knows..I tend to like album cuts way more than singles, but either way this is a thoro list, y’all.

1. Giant In The Mental from the Party Groove/Soul Clap EP

i’m hittin hard/and what does my card say? i’m unstoppable/you had to find out the hard way

Ag steps to the world on this one, like fuck all y’all…I’m a 5′3 tornado on the mic. The fierce horn stabs and drums sound like some Bomb Squad shit just way crispier. This was probably the first song after Party Groove and Soul Clap that I heard and I was bugging out. He is so proving a point that he really felt he was better than everyone else out.

2. Catchin’ Wreck from the Runaway Slave LP

a petty diss, i’ll ignore it..

Ag is way more simple and less furious on this joint, but it’s just so clean. The flute loop and bassline just keep my head bopping and both Show and Ag rhyme proper on this one. I really think it’s the chorus to be totally honest. Shit gets stuck in my head like crazy.

3. Diggin’ In The Crates from the Soul Clap/Party Groove EP

back when i was a hoodlum/beatin on nerds..

This is the joint that really really did it for me. It was pretty much the first time I realized how thoro this click really was. Diamond sets it off, then Showbiz with a tight verse including the quote above, Ag then Lord Finesse. Wow. The horn sample in the chorus is butters, and the piano breakdown that comes in a couple times, too. Not to mention this has the vocal sample that Show later used for Fat Pockets. This is definitely one of the best posse cuts of all time. I have realized that all over again.

4. Still Diggin’ from the Runaway Slave LP

when show drops the beat/i say holy mackerel!

This track is on some Yaggfu Front-Busted Loop shit. Chaotic, tight and almost abrasive horn samples. The whole basis of the song is horn samples..so sick. Wtf happened to horns? They aren’t cool anymore, producers? Take a page from Show and Diamond on this shit. Horns can be super ill. Somehow Ag and Finesse didn’t make this one, but Diamond makes up for it with the opening verse for sure.

5. Hold Ya Head from the Runaway Slave LP

it’s too easy to kill another young muthafucka

Ok. The fucking drums on the intro to this shit? Bananas! I swear Premo flipped those on the intro to You Know My Steez. Anyways, like I said. I love album cuts, and I love songs that are saying something. This is the mostly-Showbiz rhyme joint where he gives a little life advice and they shout out some peeps in tough times or who passed away. The filtered bassline is so smooth, and the whole track gives me a dope happysad feeling.

6. Silence Of The Lambs from the Runaway Slave LP

you think you’re able to win, huh/you better chill/cuz you never will/you ain’t even never been

Another sick intro! This time with Freddie Foxxx and him talking shit over a sick little loop that Show probably cooked up in 3 minutes. The flute loop is my favourite part of this track by far, and there’s a different effect on Ag’s voice that sounds ill. He goes in on this joint, really setting the bar with his layered rhyme patterns and staggered punchlines. I love Ag’s flow and he’s still fucking with it to this day, and it’s STILL just as dope as when I first figured it out.

7. Bounce Ta This from the Runaway Slave LP

my respect/and all that dough/that’s all that counts

How the fuck does Cipha Sounds not like this track? Yeah I heard you making fun of it, B! That doesn’t make any sense. To me, this is like the perfect pairing. 2 emcees that no one ever bit or emulated because their structure was just way too fucking advanced for the rest of the fools to catch up to. Seriously, this song was such a banger. I lost it when this first played on a mix show here, Ciph you need a good reason to hate that hard.

8. Next Level OG Version from the Good Fellas LP

the shit is type hype/cause the sample is tight, right?

Indeed it is, AG. Indeed it is. I don’t give a shit, sorry. The Premo remix is the obvious choice and I’m not the obvious guy. I think I even heard this version AFTER the remix and appreciated it that much more. The subtle strings that fade in and out here and there(I think they’re strings) are so dope, and the guitar loop in the chorus? Hell yeah, I’m still GOIN’ IN. Ag’s flow on this is absolutely razorsharp. Considering how long it was between Runaway Slave and this, it was good to hear how tight Ag still was, not to mention that he had totally improved. Quiet is kept, it’s best that you step on the low. I could quote this song all day.

9. Got Ya Back from the Good Fellas LP

and momma duke gets nuff respect/because she kept me in check/one deep..now that’s a roughneck

Another feelgood album cut. Right up my fucking alley for sure. The Wally World who we’ve been hearing shouts out for since the first EP ends up rhyming on a cut. Ill. I did like your debut quite a lot, good sir. After seeing DITC all together(minus Crack TS and Show) last night, I totally believe everything Ag is saying in this cut. They have each other’s back for real and shit like that is why they’ve had such longevity and are true legends in this game. Period.

10. Medicine from the Good Fellas LP

the loot’ll come through if we stay true now/but some can’t stay true/cuz they don’t know how

Definitely on some dark, eerie sounding mid 90’s NYC underground shit. I love this track though. That snare is basically punching you in the face everytime it hits. I think Deshawn does the chorus on this, right? Either way, Ag goes in like every single track on this album and the sneaky Masta Ase vocal sample here and there adds an extra dimension to the track. I just love how this song feels.

11. Hidden Crates from the Full Scale LP

look at all these fakes/musically you imitate the crates

Kae. What the hell is this sample? Jeebus! Show absolutely murders this beat on some I was always better than these other dudes, you just didn’t realize shit. Once again, years pass and Ag just got way tighter but still keeps the same flow. I wonder if Show did the cuts on the chorus? Hmmm so many questions.

12. Hold Mines from the Full Scale LP

respect this culture like i’m supposed ta/different from the jokers that talk that talk/i’m true and livin

Diamond D said it best. Keep It Simple Stupid. This beat isn’t anything crazy, just a dope fucking bassline and drums and Ag just rolling with it. I also really love the chorus, this song is just some smooth rap shit.

13. Full Scale title track from the Full Scale LP

I got some new shit here for y’all to rock to..

I’m on my own dick/like sleeping on my stomach

Arguably, the most bangin’ beat on this record. Classic Showbiz murky bassline and heavy drums. Reminds me of the joint he did on The Equinox for Organized Konfusion, just a little slicker. O.C. on the chorus? It’s a wrap. I ended the post with this joint for a reason. This is truly how hip-hop is supposed to sound and feel.

Here’s a zip file for all you new jacks or cats without digital versions of shit, hold that. You’re welcome and if you’re in TO, we better see you at the show tonight. The significance of this concert is huge.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 29th, 2008 at 8:28 am and is filed under Audio, Dope, Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.