Shabazz The Disciple "Death Be The Penalty" (1995)

Shabazz The Disciple aka Scientific Shabazz is an MC out of the Red Hook Houses of Brooklyn. An original member of the Sunz Of Man, he appeared on "Diary Of The Madman" by the Gravediggaz and dropped "Death Be The Penalty" in 1995, with follow-up singles leading up to his planned debut album in 1998, but it went unreleased. The album "The Book Of Shabazz" finally dropped in 2003, including the old joints and more. Along with work with Freestyle of the Arsonists, he's also done collab work with Killah Priest and most recently, Hell Razah for the release of "Welcome To The Red Hook Houses" in 2008 as T.H.U.G. Angels. Beyond that, there have been some compilations and mixtapes released here and there. A lot of MCs built their style around his flow and messaging, a strong-minded brother with hella bars. Watch the video below discussing his single "Death Be The Penalty," as well as the role religion plays in his music and earlier tracks like "Diary of a Madman." 

Also, check the visuals to "Death Be A Penalty."

Big Pun "Rest In Peace" (CMJ, February 2000)

"Rapper Big Punisher, born Christopher Rios, died on February 7 of an enlarged heart and attendant complications. According to MTV News, Big Pun, known for an aggressive rhyming style on the order of Biggie Smalls, was pronounced dead on arrival at the White Plains Hospital in New York at 4pm. He was 28... The Puerto Rican MC came to hip-hop prominence through guesting on records by Fat Joe, Raekwon and the Beatnuts. His debut record, 1997's Capital Punishment, which featured Beatnuts, RZA, Inspectah Deck, Wyclef Jean, Kool G Rap, Noreaga and Busta Rhymes, was certified double platinum, and earned him critical praise and a Grammy. During this time, Big Pun worked with Fat Joe and their collective the Terror Squad. It was 1998's "Still Not A Player," however, that brought him widespread fame. A former basketball player and boxer, Big Pun also hosted the Rap City channel b-ball documentary Soul In The Hole and contributed a song to the soundtrack." Cont'd below...

"Despite his athletic past, Big Pun's weight at the time of death was nearly 700 pounds. His size mad it difficult for him to perform or move about. (According to the Daily News, paramedics had to use a construction dolly to take the rapper to the ambulance.) Though fans and family voiced concern, Big Pun brushed it off. "When a big guy could do something that skinny people can do, it's even more impressive. It looks even better," he told MTV News in 1998. "When you got a fat guy... it'll stand out even more. It's like, 'Wow, I didn't expect him....' Like when (Fat) Joe will rhyme and I'll come out people will think I'm his bouncer and I'll be spittin' ... people are like 'Wow!' Big Pun was expected to release third album, Yeehah Baby, in April. His publicist told the Associated Press that the record would be released posthumously. He is survived by his wife, Liza, son, Christopher, and two daughters, Vanessa and Amanda." - CMJ New Music Monthly, February 21, 2000. R.I.P., Big Pun.

Lord Finesse At Fat Beats Opening Day (August 1996)

From DJ Eclipse, a performance clip from Fat Beats grand opening day of the 6th Ave location. Lord Finesse on the mic and DJ Three on the wheels.  You even see the owner of the store Joseph Abajian pop back behind the tables for a minute to talk to Three.  Lord Finesse killed these two verses and had the crowd oohing and ahhing with his punchlines.  It meant a lot to us that Finesse came by because he was the biggest name we had come through all day.  And once again you get a glimpse of some of the other people in the store who were just vibing out to the sounds or waiting their turn to get on the mic. Some classic memories from Fat Beats. Check it out below.

Black Moon "How Many eMCees?" (Video, 1993)

Black Moon's "Enta Da Stage" was an important record for me and for New York. For me, the promotion of the album and its eventual release took me from middle school, over that summer, and into my freshman year in High School. My boy's older brother had an advance copy, back when "Who Got Da Props?" was already burning up New York radio from the year prior ('92). When "How Many eMCee's? dropped, it was the summer of '93 and the album dropped in the fall, taking me into a new school and a whole new stage in my life. Due to all the remixes, it forced me to dig more into vinyl; I started making tapes and really was consumed by the culture. Da Beatminerz's production brought a new flavor to the city & as a kid from Queens, that just became what Hip-Hop from Brooklyn sounded like to me. Later, the Wu had 36 Chambers reppin' Staten Island; Nas hit with Illmatic & Mobb Deep with The Infamous for Queens & maybe with all that (and more), Black Moon got somewhat left out the conversation of who originally brought NY back ... but like all things, the first one over the hill takes the hit. I think in retrospect, history remembers Black Moon in its rightful place & the whole Boot Camp Clik has been solidified as legends in the game. Listen below.

De La Soul & Teenage Fanclub "Fallin" (Video, 1994)

"Fallin'" is a collaboration between Scottish pop band Teenage Fanclub and hip-hop trio De La Soul. It was released in early 1994. The song was recorded for the Judgment Night soundtrack, which featured other collaborations between well-known rock, metal and hip hop groups. In an interview with LA Weekly, Posdnuos of De La Soul, said, "We actually went to the studio, and they started pairing up different artists, and we could've been paired up with familiar names. But we didn't know who Teenage Fanclub were at the time, so we picked them. When we did the song with them, we were in Scotland, and we had no idea what we were going to do... We're both musicians obviously, so we just started vibing and we happened to be sitting in a little reception area outside the studio, and Tom Petty's "Free fallin'' video came on. I've always been the person in the group, who when he hears certain words I take it and apply it to a certain thing. It started as a joke, hey, let's make a song based off a Tom Petty video. Then Dave said, let's spin it about us falling off as a rappers. So we went to the store, bought the Tom Petty CD, and based it around the song. Then we got the bassline from "Nobody Beats the Biz," the Steve Miller sample, and a snippet of Petty's voice and it came together pretty fast." Check out the lyrics and visuals to this cautionary tale, cont'd below...

"...remember when I used to be dope, (yeah!)

I owned a pocket full of fame

(But look what you’re doing now), Well I know, I know

I lost touch with reality, now my personality

Is an unwanted commodity (believe it)

Can’t believe I used to be Mr Steve Austin on the mic

(Six million ways) I used to run it

I guess Oscar Goldman got mad

Cause I got loose circuits (so loose, so loose)

I be the mother goose with the eggs that seemed to be

Fallin’..."

Common in Rap Pages (February, 1995)

"With songs like "I Used to Love H.E.R.," Common obviously wants to help guide Hip-Hop to another level. "I'd just like to see Hip-Hop come back to the creativity. I just want the soul back. I want it to progress, but for us to keep some elements that were there back in the days. Like when you heard Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, BDP and Super lover C, it was a feeling that you had that just hit you. It was Hip-hop expression for our people." From Common's feature in the Unsigned Hype section of The Source in '91, to linking with No I.D., and discussing his sophomore (classic) album, 'Resurrection,' this is a solid interview with Common in Rap Pages from February, 1995. Whether he meant 'Hip-Hop in its Essence is Real' or 'Hearing Every Rhyme,' Common's 'I Used to Love H.E.R.' will remain one of Hip-Hop's greatest tracks and metaphors. And, just as it was '95, “We’ve wasted too much oxygen on the never-ending Hip-Hop debate over who’s real and who’s not — “real.” Stop it.

Lord Finesse "Diggin' On Blue" (Mixtape, 1999)

Originally released in 1999, this is the Funky Technician Lord Finesse's contribution to the Diggin' On Blue mixtape series. The mixtapes pay tribute to Blue Note Jazz legends, such as Donald Byrd, Ronnie Laws, Ronnie Foster, Brother Jack McDuff, Gene Harris, Jimmy McGriff, Bobby Hutcherson, Marlena Shaw, Lou Donaldson, Lee Morgan and more. By now, I hope you've come to appreciate the influence that Jazz has had on music, especially Hip-Hop, which was birthed from many musical genres. I think Finesse may have overdone it on the shout-outs, but it's still a good mix of music.

The Fugees "A New Birth In Hip Hop" (1994)

I seen this OG sticker on an old notebook & had to post it up real quick. It's from back when the Fugees released their debut album in '94, 'Blunted on Reality.' Their lead single 'Boof Baf' didn't connect at all, so it's really thanks to Salaam Remi, who had the hand of God with his remixes to 'Vocab' and 'Nappy Heads' for really giving that album any life. Of course, they'd return with 'The Score,' which was commercially a grandslam. Sticking with 'Blunted On Reality,' I still get good vibes from 'Nappy Heads' and Lauryn Hill's targeted lyrics will forever resonate as social commentary: "Peace to Mr. Magic, things are getting tragic / Now we on some new stuff, I never feared the Ku Klux / My own clan is actin up, I blame it on the Phillie blunt / What you gonna do, kids are acting oooohhhh..." Ya know, I hope she's well, I can never quite tell. The last time I physically saw her perform, it was uninspired, but I've been in this industry long enough to see that to some of our most forward-thinking artists. Lauryn said, "I pay the toll fighting for my own soul," in Vocab below.