Here’s a long-overdue tribute to Craig Mack, who left this mortal coil back in March at age 47. The Mack Attack has the distinction of being the only rapper dude to release music on both the legendary FRESH/Sleepi8ng Bag label and The House That Puff Built while never having to adjust his rhyme style too dramatically. As demonstrated over these fifteen selections, Craig had a wonderfully laid-back, free-flowing cadence and flow when matched with the right beat.
There’s not much else I can tell you about the fella other than his unfortunate decision to allow RapPages to photograph him sitting on the porcelain throne way back when; Eric B. fronted up the dough for Craig’s second album and during the 00’s he released a single produced by Staten Island’s greatest Italian-American producer of all-time – my buddy J-Force (who once introduced to me to an elderly wiseguy who claims to have dated Paul C.’s sister).
Download: A Tribute To Craig Mack
Track listing:
01. ‘Real Raw’ – Craig Mack
02. ‘Style’ – Craig Mack
03. ‘Flava In Ya Ear’ [Nashmack Club Mix] – Craig Mack
04. ‘NYC Let’s Go’ – Craig Mack ((Beat by J-Force on the SP))
05. ‘Making Moves With Puff’ – Craig Mack
06. ‘Wooden Horse’ – Craig Mack ((Produced by The 45 King during his show tunes phase))
07. ‘Let Me Get Down’ – Craig Mack feat. Notorious B.I.G.
08. ‘Get Down’ [Q-Tip Remix] – Craig Mack
09. ‘On Da Run’- Craig Mack
10. ‘Shinika’ – Craig Mack
11. ‘Please Listen to My Demo’ – Craig Mack
12. ‘Flava In Ya Ear’ [Remix] – Craig Mack feat. Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes
13. What I Need’ [Remix] – Craig Mack ((Easy Mo Bee was brought back to try to recapture the magic))
14. Get Retarded’ – MC EZ & Troup
15. You Dont Have To Worry’ [Remix] – Mary J. Blige feat. Craig Mack
You ever gonna write a book on your expieriences
Nice. I’d add the great “Jockin’ My Style” too, a.k.a. the only listenable thing (other than the “What I Need” remix) from his abysmal second album.
Also, I’ll defend Project: Funk Da World forever. It’s such a weird, blunted record, easily the least polished thing Bad Boy ever put out. The beats are all great.
Notable Omission: “Do you have what it takes” off the Streetfighter OST.
Wooden Horse produced by Mark “the 45 king” is an underground classic, sampling Sinatra.
Apart from Flava in Ya Ear and Get Down, there wasn’t much to cheer about Mack’s output. But he’s got at least three good tunes and that’s good enough for me.
I forgot Get Retarded… classic
@00sundoolah00: I’ve written a book of interviews that I haven’t published yet, but not about blogging.
@Dino: That song was kinda boring.
@Paul H: ‘Real Raw’ is the best Soap Opera Rap ever.
I heard Project Funk Da World in its entirety for the first time recently and came to the conclusion Craig was good for one off songs but his style didn’t work well for a whole album. With that said R.I.P. he deserved better on Bad Boy.
Tony D by a mile of fettuccine, for Romanesque beats… 😉
@3BM-Ark: Tony is from Jersey, but he was nice with the beats.
Hey Rob,
I just dropped my Craig Mack Tribute mix yesterday, featuring a track from 1994 that most people have never heard before. Would you be interested in posting it up? If so, just shoot me an email, and I’ll send ya the cover art + info.
Here’s the streaming link:
https://www.mixcloud.com/djfilthyrich1/craig-mack-a-mixtape-tribute-featuring-unreleased-tracks/
Peace,
Rich
Another dope track with a nice Craig Mack verse on it is the remix of “Vibin” ( The New Flava ) by Boyz II Men…
@ MAAD – yeah definitely. Here’s the tracklist of my Craig Mack Tribute mixtape:
TRACKLIST
FUNKALICIOUS SECTION
Filthy Rich Intro (ft Jay Lamont on beatbox)
Flava In Ya Ear RMX (ft Biggie, Rampage, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes) [Filthy Rich Easy Mo ReFix]
Mainline (ft Redman) [Filthy Rich blend]
Get Down (Orig + RMX ft Q-Tip)
Makin Moves With Puff
MuchMusic Rap City freestyle
Special Delivery (ft Ghostface Killah) [Filthy Rich blend]
NYC Let’s Go (ft Nas & Rakim) [Filthy Rich blend]
Straight In Ya Mouf
Judgement Day
Jockin My Style (ft Erick Sermon, Lord Finesse) [Filthy Rich’s “Jockin For Beats” blend]
The Most Beautifullest Thing RMX (w Keith Murray) [Filthy Rich blend]
Brand New Nigga [Filthy Rich blend]
Tony Touch freestyle
Press Rewind (Mastermind EXCLUSIVE)
Mack Come Thru
What I Need [Official RMX + Filthy Rich blend]
On Da Run
You Don’t Have To Worry (Verse)
Flava In Ya Ear [Filthy Rich blend]
What I Need (original version) [Filthy Rich blend]
Today’s Forecast
When God Comes (ft Kanye West) [Doo Wop RMX + Orig + Filthy Rich blend]
Get Retarded (ft Canibus, Roxanne Shante) [Filthy Rich’s “Retarded-er” blend]
Do You Have What It Takes? [Filthy Rich’s “Street Fighter 2” ReFix]
Real Raw
Craig Mack & Biggie – Let Me Get Down (Original unreleased version)
MACKALICIOUS SECTION
Please Listen To My Demo
Heard It All Before
No One But You RMX (w/ Veronica)
Kick Your Game RMX (w/ TLC)
Vibin RMX (w/ Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Boyz II Men)
It’s Alright (w/ Sista)
Spirit (w/ Sounds Of Blackness)
Wooden Horse (w/ Frank Sinatra)
If You Love Me RMX (w/ Brownstone)
Coronation Of A King
Tonight’s The Night (w/ Blackstreet & SWV)
BONUS TRACKS
Flava In Ya Ear (ft EPMD, Keith Murray, Redman, Das Efx)[Filthy Rich’s Hit Squad Mix]
Craig Mack & Biggie 1995 Westwood freestyle
Here’s the streaming link:
https://www.mixcloud.com/djfilthyrich1/craig-mack-a-mixtape-tribute-featuring-unreleased-tracks/
Yo, Filthy Rich, this is what I see when I try to check out your mix: “Sorry, this upload is unavailable in your country due to licensing restrictions.”
Bummer.