Random late Friday throwback post.
This vastly underrated track appeared on Put It On The Line, which was mostly a showcase for Trife with a handful of Ghost rarities sandwiched in. It’s a perfect example of late-era Ghost excellence, go for broke nostalgia rapping over a supercharged heavy funk instrumental. You could consider it as a conceptually simpler companion piece to “Shakey Dog”, or just a continuation of the “Apollo Kids” lineage.
DOWNLOAD: Ghostface Killah – Struggle
FLY YOUR WHOLE CABBAGE TO PARIS… oh god I hope I’m hearing this right
DOWNLOAD: Ghostface, Roc Marciano, Killa Sin – The Black Diamonds
It’s rare when a mashup or a bootleg remix outshines the original, but here the original isn’t particularly well produced and the Shirelles song is beyond classic and fits Ghost’s sentiments in the lyrics, so this version wins.
DOWNLOAD: Ghostface – Tooken Back VS The Shirelles – Foolish Little Girl (Created by Frail Limb Purity)
If Dre was the sound of G-Funk and Snoop was voice, then Nate Dogg was surely the harmony. Tying together lush production and smooth vocals with his rich, raspy melodies, Nate brought a defining quality to the music. Raised as a gospel singer in East Long Beach, he crashed onto the regional scene with his work on Mista Grimm’s “Indo Smoke” and Dr. Dre’s “Lil’ Ghetto Boy,” but it was his appearance alongside Warren G on “Regulate” that pushed him into the national spotlight. When Death Row Records collapsed under it’s own misdeeds, he took his talents from coast to coast, never failing to impress as the go to guy for that Californian vibe whilst giving career defining hits to the likes of Ludacris, Fabolous and 50 Cent. Many have tried to imitate him and some have even tried to snatch the crown as the king of the rap hook, but to no avail. They can come closer than close. Original they never could be.
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Today’s (pretty decent) Rick & Rae team up got me thinking about this far superior Rick & Rae combination. As a friend of mine always points out, starting at around the 1:50 mark Rae breaks into such a heady stream of free associations and non-sequiturs that Rick has no choice but to cheer him on with stunned ‘yeah yeah yeah yeah’ from somewhere in the background.
Then of course there’s this, even more appropriate since Molasses also features Ghost.
DOWNLOAD: Ghostface Killa – The Sun ft Slick Rick, Raekwon, RZA
BONUS FEATURES: I always wondered where this ‘so-so beat’ that Slick Rick made monstrous originated. Turns out it samples a piece of Bill Conti’s OST from For Your Eyes Only. The sample is at about 20 seconds in.
This pic has been making rounds on the net lately, I think it started from realniggatumblr. For whatever reason, the first thing that came to mind when I saw it was this random homegrown remix. I have no idea where I found it, nor why the title was changed from healthy to deadly. The sound of this one goes directly against the grain of the original, dusty chopped weirdness replaced with easy smoothness that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Curren$y or a Camp Lo song. Works like a motherfucker though.
DOWNLOAD: Ghostface Killah – Mighty Deadly (Siik’s Forces Of Nature Rmx)
After listening to Ghostface’s In Tha Park feat. Black Thought, first posted on T.R.O.Y., I have come to realize it might be impossible NOT to include Black Thought among the 5 best rappers today. Follow me on this one, go back to ’94 when A&R extraordinaire Wendy Goldstein signed them to Geffen Records. Months later (Jan ’95) they dropped their major label debut Do You Want More?!!!??!.
Many consider that very album to be a true blue classic with stellar tracks such as Proceed, Silent Treatment, Distortion to Static and The Lesson, but it wasn’t until later in his career that Black Thought truly developed into one of the best all-around emcees in the game. Like vintage wine, he got better with age. It happened to Steven Tyler, Phil Collins to even rappers like Lil Wayne and MF Doom.
Ghostface Killah -In Tha Park feat. Black Thought
The album drops next week and you can pre-order for $10.99 @ Amazon. It won’t be a true album. Not many tracks where all three are together. After a few great tracks, the rest seems pretty thrown together. But I’m sure there will be some greatness on here. As for the video, hot bitches and Ricky Cordero kills it again! –Philaflava
Tracklist:
1. Criminology 2.5 – Raekwon, Ghostface Killah & Method Man
2. Mef vs. Chef 2 – Method Man & Raekwon
3. Ya Moms Skit – Method Man & Raekwon
4. Smooth Sailing Remix – Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Solomon Childs & Streetlife
5. Our Dreams – Raekwon, Ghostface Killah & Method Man
6. Gunshowers – Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck & Sun God
7. Dangerous – Raekwon, Ghostface Killah & Method Man
8. Pimpin’ Chipp – Ghostface Killah
9. How To Pay Rent Skit feat. Tracy Morgan
10. Miranda – Raekwon, Ghostface Killah & Method Man
11. Youngstown Heist – Ghostface Killah, Trife, Sheek & Bully
12. It’s That Wu Sh*t – Ghostface Killah & Method Man
Nature Sounds, an independent Hip-Hop label home to releases by Pete Rock, J Dilla, Masta Killa, MF DOOM, RA The Rugged Man, etc answers some pertinent questions from fans via the latest social networking craze formspring.
While most of these lame ass blogs were rushing their “best of…” lists in the final months of 2009, I kept mine on ice. You know, just in case Detox 2 was to secure a prosperous December 31st release date or something. But now that the 00s are a distant memory of crunk, emo and rappers not wanting to be rappers, it’s the perfect time to take a hindsight look over the best 5 releases of the decade.
Please note: the opinions herein do not represent a consensus from Steady Bloggin’. Nay, it’s just me bluffing my way through 10 years of hip-hop history and pretending to know things through a delicate mixture of disjointed hyperbole, speculative thought and advanced cliche. Enjoy!
