September 09, 2014

90s Cipher: 50 Cent, Noreaga, Punch & Consequence (Video)


Captured by Kurt Nice & Shades of Hip-Hop is this now-infamous freestyle cipher of a young 50 Cent, Consequence, Punchline, and Noreaga. It's dope to see this flashback of 50 Cent rhyming - before he got shot - and catch his youthful energy, which is matched only by the off-the-wall style and personality of Lefrak City's own, Noreaga. That said, if you ask me, it's Punchline that caught a body! As 1/2 of "Punch & Words" with Wordsworth, Punch was no stranger to the ciphers and Lyricist Lounge days of Hip-Hop; he was sharpening his skills with one of the best lyricists in NYC's underground scene. This video had been floating around for some time, but it was reposted by Nore's peoples, 57th Ave, back in 2010 or so. Props to them for the link, and re-sharing a time in Hip-Hop when MCs were vocally supportive of one another and weren't afraid to jump in a cipher (cameras or no cameras) and do their thing. Worth mentioning: Noreaga was early to support 50 Cent - through Trackmasters - on 50's song, "Money By Any Means" off the "Power Of The Dollar" album. This cipher would've went down around the time Noreaga was recording his N.O.R.E. album, which eventually went platinum on Penalty Recordings. Queens get the money. Peep the cipher...