On this date in 1995, Dr. Dre, along with producer Sam Sneed, put together the lead single “Keep Their Heads Ringin’” from silver screen hood favorite Friday. Within two months, the Death Row Records-owned single was certified gold and appeared on Death Row’s Greatest Hits just a year later.
TheF. Gary Gray-directed video of the single features Friday cast members Faizon Love (Big Worm), Chris Tucker (Smokey), and Nia Long, ending with Chris Tucker and Faizon Love taking the plane and flying away from the police.
Shout out to the Doctor and Sam Sneed for cooking up this classic hit for a timeless flick! Salute!
Born on this date in 1974 in the City of Brotherly Love, Dwight Grant aka Beanie Sigel aka Beans morphed into a icon in the Philly Hip Hop scene as the leader of the now defunct Roc-A-Fella Records’ State Property. Even with all of his legal troubles and the untimely split of the Roc, Beanie is still regarded as one of the best emcees of his era and one of the very few who lives what he speaks in the booth.
With six solo albums, three State Property collabos and four silver screen blockbuster appearances, it’s difficult to argue that Beans has not had a successful career. Anyone who was able to hold Hova’s attention for more than one album has some obvious skills to match his street bravado.
Happy born day to Beans and many more in the future!
On this day in Hip-Hop history, Brand Nubian founder Maxwell Dixon a.k.a. Grand Puba, was born today in 1966.
Grand Puba made his musical debut with the group Masters of Ceremony. The group’s first album Dynamite was released in 1988 and had an excellent critical reception. However, due to the lack of sales, the group disbanded shortly after the album’s release. This was when Puba emerged as the lead emcee of Brand Nubian.
Shortly after the 1990 release of the group’s debut, genre-less album One for All (which spanned reggae to Hip Hop to new jack swing), Grand Puba again parted ways from his group and embarked on a solo career. He recorded and released two albums, Reel to Reel, in 1992 and 2000 in 1995. Reel to Reel had much commercial success peaking at #28 on the Billboard 200 and toting the #1 hit single “360 Degrees (What Goes Around).” 2000 was also a success reaching the #48 spot on the Billboard 200 and its single “I Like It (I Wanna Be Where You Are)” hitting #91 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 1997, Grand Puba returned to Brand Nubian, and the group released Foundation in 1998. This album marked the reunion of the four original members. It was the first time they appeared together since their debut. This was their most successful album as a group peaking at #59 on the Billboard 200 chart, and the single “Don’t Let It Go To Your Head” reached #53 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was their highest climbing track.
In 2001 Grand Puba released Understand This, and in 2009, he released his fourth solo album Retroactive featuring production from Q-Tip, Large Professor, and Kid Capri. Over the years, Grand Puba has worked with Beanie Sigel, Missy Elliot, Mary J. Blige, and more. He was even sampled on the hook on the 2Pac record “Old School.”
We here at The Source would like to wish Grand Puba a happy born day. May you see many more years of success and prosperity!
On this date in 1987, “Blastmaster” KRS-One, DJ Scott La Rock, “The Human 808” D-Nice and the rest of the Boogie Down Productions crew released their highly anticipated debut album Criminal Minded on B-Boy Records.
With the “South Bronx” vs. “The Bridge” aka BDP vs. The Juice Crew beef on wax was at its height, the Criminal Minded album proved to be one of the most important instructional projects for up and coming emcees on how to take out the top dog and start your own reign. As KRS mentioned in the QDIII Beef documentary, if MC Shan wouldn’t have responded to “The Bridge Is Over”, one of the premiere singles from the album, there probably would not have been the rise and success of KRS and BDP.
With Boogie Down Productions aligned with DJ Red Alert on the FM dial at 98.7 KISS and The Juice Crew siding with the one and only Mister Magic and Marley Marl on 107.5 WBLS, it also began the early radio wars, which is actually the origin of the HOT 97 and Power 105 battle on the dial.
Tracks that will forever be etched in Hip Hop history include intellectually adept “Poetry”, the street sagas in “My 9mm Goes Bang” and “P Is Still Free”, the late Scott La Rock-inspired “Super Hoe” and the extensive lyrical lesson in the album’s title track. Ironically, Scott Sterling, better known as DJ Scott La Rock, was killed less than six months after the album’s successful release.
Following Scott’s death, KRS began dropping socially conscious singles and albums, prompting Hip Hop’s “Stop The Violence” movement and the iconic, star-studded “Self Destruction” single.
On this day in 1962, Scott Monroe Sterling known widely as DJ Scott La Rock of the famous Boogie Down Productions was born in the Bronx borough of New York City. Scott La Rock was the producer for rap icon KRS-One until his untimely death on August 27th, 1987.
La Rock was born in the Bronx, New York City, New York and was raised by his mother Carolyn Morant. As a child, he moved from Queens to the Morrisania neighborhood in the South Bronx then to the Morris Heights projects. La Rock attended Our Savior Lutheran High School where he was a great student and athlete. He originally intended to attend Castleton State University to play basketball but decided to switch his focus to music upon graduation. In college, he used to DJ at a local bar called Dugan’s Bar on Friday nights. From there his musical career blossomed.
La Rock graduated college in 1984 and returned to New York City. He worked a few jobs in the city while at night spinning records at the Broadway Repertoire Theatre. Through his work as a social worker, La Rock met his future partner in crime Kris Parker aka KRS-One at the Franklin’s Men’s Shelter. The two, along with Derrick Jones or DJ D-Nice, formed Boogie Down Productions.
In 1987 the group released their first LP, Criminal Minded, which has become a classic Hip Hop album. Criminal Minded has been ranked by The Source as one of the 100 Best Rap Albums. Rolling Stone ranked it as one of the 500 greatest albums. Complex Magazine ranks the track South Bronx from the album as #9 on their list of best diss-songs of Hip Hop.
La Rock life came to a stretching halt in 1987 due to senseless street violence. In an effort to support his friend and partner DJ D-Nice, La Rock was shot in the neck and died of his wound. As the story goes, La Rock, DJ D-Nice, Scotty “Manager Moe” Morris, DJ McBooo, and BDP bodyguard Darrell rolled up to the Highbridge Homes Projects in the South Bronx. They were there to handle a problem between D-Nice and a man who’s ex-girlfriend we was acquainted with at the time. After they handled their disagreement, bullet began to fly toward the white on red Jeep CJ-7 that they were riding in. La Rock was hit and later died at Lincoln Hospital within one hour of being shot.
KRS-One’s Stop the Violence Movement was a direct result of La Rock’s murder. Despite the loss of La Rock, KRS-One kept the Boogie Down Productions name alive and continued to release music and grow to be one of the most respected voices in Hip Hop. DJ Scott La Rock’s righteous legacy lives on forever through his music and the empire that he helped shape. Take some time today to listen to his classic album and pay some respect to his greatness.
On this date in 1971, the Shaolin Island emcee who was virtually named after the term “John Blaze”, was born in Long Island, New York.
Admired for his unique voice and witty lyrics, Method Man is known for his one of a kind sound. The Long Island-born/Staten Island bred rapper raised the bar for the ideal Shaolin emcee alongside Wu brothers Raekwon and Ghostface Killah. Trailblazing the 90s, Johnny Blaze has pioneered an impressive portion of verses that are considered as one of the greatest in hip-hop history. His unpredictably bouncy flow hit wax in 1993 on Wu-Tang’s debut Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, which featured what would later become his anthem, “M.E.T.H.O.D. M.A.N.” His signature stance continued into creating essential tunes as featured in his 1994 solo debut, Tical, along with guest features on the solo debuts of fellow Wu members and the only featured emcee on Biggie’s Ready To Die LP.
The wavering style and persona of Method Man have allowed him to flourish in many different pursuits in both music and entertainment. His iconic r&b collaboration with Mary J. Blige “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By” is sanctioned as a cult classic and also snagged the class-act rapper a Grammy in 1996. Dubbing another innovative vibe, his musical duality with Redman became one of the most distinct and successful in the light of hip-hop duos, which triggered Method Man’s acting career. Bound to craft commendable works, starting from his role as Father Sha in Belly (1998), to How High, and now Power II: Book Of Ghost, the man with the iron lung has maintained a stellar track record of creating classics that are timeless. His deeds as an emcee, actor, showman, and overall creative make him one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time. A certified legend.
Who remembers waiting for that Thelma & Louise album from rappers Lil Kim and Foxy Brown back in 1996?
While the album was one of the most anticipated albums of that year, it would never see the light of day after the two Brooklyn femcees dissolved their personal and work relationships. Before any beef ruined the project, Kim and Foxy were just two beautiful chicks from the hood repping their crews and grabbing the baton from Queen Latifah, Mc Lyte, and more.
The two decided to cause a frenzy and appeared together on The Source Magazine’s iconic cover, which appeared in the February 1997 issue. It was a groundbreaking moment in hip-hop culture featuring the two girls in colorful wigs, seductive outfits, and heavy makeup.
At the time, female rappers achieving commercial success was still a relatively new phenomenon in the industry. There was a lot of criticism about their place in hip-hop culture. Many critics argued that female rappers were cashing in on a trend and didn’t have the same level of lyrical skill or street credibility as their male counterparts.
The Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown cover was a direct response to those criticisms, as well as a celebration of the power and influence of female rappers. By appearing together on the cover, Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown was saying they were not to be underestimated or dismissed. They were talented, confident, and proud to embrace their sexuality.
The Source also proved they were committed to giving female rappers a platform and a voice in the industry.
The Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown cover was a decisive moment in hip-hop a culture that helped to break down barriers and pave the way for more diverse representation in the industry. It remains an iconic image that continues to inspire and empower female rappers and hip-hop fans around the world.
Today, we will come to the end of what would be the 47th year of celebrating Black History Month. The historical celebration began in 1924 after Dr.Carter G. Woodson believed that African Americans were not being taught enough about the history and accomplishments of their ancestors.
Woodson turned to his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, to help him get the message of ‘Negro History Week’ out, spreading negro history and literature for a week in February of 1924. Out of all months in a year, Woodson chose February because of the birthdays of both Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
Schools and organizations across the nation took in Woodson’s initiative. However, Woodson had a hard time finding course materials and building a curriculum. This led Woodson to believe that a week of celebration was simply not enough to cut down the achievements of ancestors into. In the early 1940s, Woodson begins to make efforts to expand Negro History Week.
On April 3rd, 1950 Dr. Carter G. Woodson, died of a heart attack. With Black history still being prominent in the community, and civil rights and The Black Panthers coming to light in the 1960s, more people began to agree with the notion that Negro History Week should be expanded. On the 50th anniversary of the celebrated week, the Association for the Study of African American History would officially shift the week of celebration, to a month, giving February as we know today, Black History Month.
Eleven years ago during the NBA All-Star Game, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by self-appointed Neighborhood Watch person George Zimmerman in his father’s neighborhood of Sanford, Florida, outside of Orlando. Martin was only carrying a can of Arizona Ice Tea and a pack of Skittles.
After Martin’s death and Zimmerman’s acquittal, a epidemic of young Black males dying at the hands of law enforcement and citizens alike hit the streets of America, such as Jordan Davis, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Akai Gurle and a host of others in which almost no one was held responsible for their deaths. In some of the cases, the municipalities of the cities where the deaths occurred, sued the estates of the deceased.
If Trayvon would’ve lived the life of a normal teenager instead of being killed by an overzealous citizen, he would be 28 years old. Even President Obama made a declaration at the time of Martin’s death, saying, “Trayvon Could’ve Been Me”, which sent shockwaves across the globe. The death of Trayvon marks a dramatic turning point in the history of America and proves that racism is alive, well and as American as an NBA All Star Game.
On this date in 2001, Slum Village producer Jay Dee changed his name to J Dilla and released his debut solo album entitled Welcome 2 Detroit. The 16 track BBE distributed LP featured otherwise unknown artists from Dilla’s hometown such as Elzhi and Phat Kat among others.
Although it is a solo album, on several cuts, such as the first single “Pause”, Dilla takes a backseat and lets others command the mic. Dilla also sings the lead vocals on his cover of Donald Byrd’s “Think Twice”, which also has Motown crooner Dwele playing the keyboard and singing background vocals.
Salute to the late beat making icon J Dilla and the rest of his BBE family for bringing Hip Hop such an unforgettable classic!
