Nothing says holiday music like Hypnotized Minds. Ok, maybe not exactly, but anytime Project Pat appears on the iPod is a day worth giving thanks for. Those who were unable to appreciate Project Pat and Three 6′s underground dominance during the late ’90s and early 2000s were cheated out of one of the most unique, and timeless sounds rap ever produced.
I’m not sure what caused it, but I’m glad it happened. This past weekend, I found myself on a No Limit kick. Given the Tank’s history as of the past decade, Master P’s brainchild sometimes fails to receive the credit it deserves. But anyone who was around to appreciate the music when it was as in-demend as anything at the moment, they’ll tell you P and crew were a force to be reckoned with.
The interesting facet about Tupac’s catalog is that many of the songs which never landed on any of his “living” albums are just as popular as some of his biggest hits. The other day, “Made Niggaz” came on shuffle. It was one of those tracks Pac recorded sometime in 1996; the same year which would prove to be the last of his life and the year which would spawn some of the more mythical marathon studio sessions the culture of Hip-Hop has ever known.
The other day on Twitter, someone mentioned G-Unit and Joe’s throwback debonair single, “Wanna Get To Know You.” And instantly, my man flashed back to that time in my life when G-Unit reigned supreme from a mainstream scheme, tall tees were all the rage and jean shorts were still cool. Allow me to wax poetics with the following random thoughts.
One thing about me. I’ve never needed a rhyme, reason, time or place to listen to Cam’ron. Having said that, one of the most interesting facets about Killa and his catalog stems from the issue a handful of his best records never found an official home and/or legitimate push. Remember “Weekend Girl”?
“If you ever lost a homie, you know friendship is God-given…”
There was one point during rap’s storied history when Jayceon Taylor was one of the most talked about, controversial and – wait for it – talented MC’s worth paying attention to. This isn’t to Game finds himself in a position now where he fails to craft good music (The R.E.D. Album was quietly one of 2011′s best works), but trace back to the summer of 2005. Specifically, lament on Game’s defiant, radical and spearheading mixtape, You Know What It Is, Vol. 3.
Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa. Both seem like swell guys, no? Of course they do when the bulk of your job descriptions center around smoking weed, recording music and performing it in front of throngs of faithful followers almost every night. And getting paid for doing so. Their collaboration, “Friendly,” found on both Wiz’s Deal Or No Deal and their joint classic, How Fly, led to what you’re reading right now. In an industry which births more force-fed friendships, Wiz and Spitta give off the impression they’ve been buddies for years and never once had an argument. Granted, maybe that’s because they’re high all the time, but they’ve never seemed like two guys who take themselves too seriously.
