A decade ago, the magic of the Blogger platform allowed many an aspiring rap message board warrior step into the big leagues and pull themselves up by their bootstraps to become the media big dogs that they are today. The characters covered here have risen to the ranks of published authors, college professors, internets celebrities, Tumblr cult leaders and even presidents of important international movements. Let’s take a look back at some early rap blog gawds…
Byron Crawford
On 3 Novemeber 2003, Bol set it off with some Fantasy Basketball action, which also included his high school pal Fitz, aka the guy who originally coined the term “weed carrier”: Fantasy Basketball Week 1. Later that month, we get more of a glimpse into future Crawford musings with this, which reveals the rather disturbing fact that Byron once enjoyed those retarded Final Fantasy games. Nullus.
Dallas Penn
3 September 2003 marked the first DP drop, titled JUVERT Death March a/k/a West Indian Day parade, which is headed by a now trademark Outfit Architecture style pic of Dallas sporting some candy striped Nike socks to rep for the Red Sox, accompanied by his usual mix of party scene fuckey with social commentary on whatever fucked-up shit just went down in his hometown. The second post, of course, is about wacking-off to Vanessa Williams.
Rafi Kam
Although Oh Word started in September 2005, it wasn’t until 8 October the same year that the blog section was added. The first real post was To the tick-tock, ya don’t stop, which was an indicator of the type of left-field snarky commentary the site would provide in the following years, peaking with the genius that is Cambougini.
Noz
Technically his first post from 17 December 2003 included references to McGriddles and Flavor Flav alarm clocks, but Yung Noz’s first real drop was a rant about the future king of rants Kanye West which ends with a declaration that David Banner is a far more interesting rapping producer, indicating Noz’s perchent for backing the underdog in much of his future work.
eskay
Nah Right set sail on 24 May 2005, and the first week consisted of news posts and references to man-style drinking, but it was this rant against Shaq’s snitching on weed smokers that gave us a real insight into where eskay’s priorities lay. Not to mention his first shots at the little homie…
O-Dub
Despite having had a strong online presence years earlier, 12 June 2003 marked his adoption of the blog format, with Soul Sides. His debut post for the new spot was a write-up about Patti Drew’s I’ve Been Here All The Time LP and an analysis of the whether or not Gang Starr‘s “Too Deep” deserved a European 7″ release, reflecting the diverse and detailed music coverage Oliver would continue to provide.
Unkut
My first attempt at dropping word bomb’s on your mom’s was The Start of Your Ending on 11 February 2004. Featuring a typo and no header image, it did however indicate my appreciation for Godfather Don and QB rap. This was followed by an embarressingly backpackerish rant against DJ Clue tapes in June, followed by the beginning of my long-standing shade cast against Nas.
I’m trying to get the original kut of la di da di, with the verse about Vanessa Williams. G-Wiz is my cousin.