Is there anything worse than catching a glimpse of somebody who clearly has a lot of natural talent but through poor timing, circumstances beyond their control or just sheer laziness they never fulfill that potential? In the rap world, this seems to happen with a disturbing regularity. Sometimes the record label was to blame, because for whatever reason the powers-that-be decide that an artist isn’t worth investing in any further once they’ve signed them and released a few singles that didn’t sell enough but refused to let them out of their contract out of sheer pettiness. Other times it’s just a case of a rapper getting to a certain level and just throwing on the cruise control.
Many of the dudes highlighted on my Salute To One Shot Wonders compilation embody this. What kind of a world do we live in where Jamose, Sugar Bear and Uptown never got the chance to drop at least one album, yet Father MC has five to his credit? Meanwhile, Grand Puba Maxwell annihilated microphones as the lead member of Masters of Ceremony and Brand Nubian before settling into a fairly underwhelming solo career, while EST from Three Times Dope was seduced by the ‘glamorous life’ of R&B songwriting despite having once showcased one of the most innovative and original vocal techniques seen in hardcore Philly hip-hop.
Spare a thought for the likes of Deshawn from Showbiz & AG’s ‘Represent,’ Taheen from Lakim Shabazz’ ‘Brothers In Action,’ Kid Hood from the ‘Scenario’ remix and the guy who guested on the second Tuff Crew album. Or the likes of Chill Rob G, who walked away from rap in his prime because of problems with his label despite being light years ahead of the competition. Better yet, imagine how much brighter Rakim may have shone if he hadn’t been weighed down by Eric B.? Or would would a Kool Keith solo album have sounded like in 1991, before he developed a taste for synths and Oakland bass? And of course their are the real tragedies of how much further Big L, Biggie and Big Punisher could have developed had their time not been cut short.
Who are some of the rappers who you feel were either robbed of their chance to fulfill their potential or those who just dropped the ball and stopped trying?
Scientifik from Lawrence, MA. L Da Head Toucha from Worcestor, MA. Saafir from Oakland, CA (He has a couple albums, but he should’ve been bigger in the west). Killa Sin (solo album), Staten Island, NY. Slum Village (Original Jay Dee/T3/Baatin) from Detroit, MI. 1st Down (Jay Dee/Phat Kat) from Detroit, MI. Main Source (If Large Professor never left after the first album) from NYC, NY/Canada. Consequence (making an album back in the mid 90s) from Queens, NY. T.D.S. Mob from Boston, MA. King Sun (Should’ve been bigger), Bronx, NY or Paterson, NJ? Masta Ace Inc. (As a crew and not solo Masta Ace, if they made a 3rd album), NYC, NY.
I forgot…InI from Mount Vernon, NY. Deda Baby Pa from Mount Vernon, NY? Meccalicious from Mount Vernon, NY?
One dude I’ve been wondering what happened to is Axel who made a name for himself spitting live at the Big L Tribute show with DITC shortly after his passing. I always wanted a solo from Armageddon and/or Prospect of TS. I think Geddy dropped an EP a few years back and Prospect had a Mixtape but like a legit album from either of them would have been the shit. Even both of them combined would make a fuckin banger.
True Mathematics
Kings of Pressure (preferably original version but LP version would do)
Anquette
Hot Day – the LP he did was dope as
Priority One
And fucking Edan needs to drop more LPs dammit
Milano Constantine, kid was dope. But L Da Head Toucha was my dude…
L tha Head Toucha did a guest verse on Japanese pop group “Morning Musume”‘s second album.
Some more unsung heroes that could have done more:
Jamal from Illegal
L.O.D.
Carlton Fisk
I had high hopes for ACD after “Street Life,” but it never happened.
Regardless of Eric B’s input (or lack of), all Rakim’s best material was when they were a duo.
Other nominees though:
Max B, Black Rob, Sauce Money, Nature, Half A Mil
Starang Wondah from OGC and Boot Camp.
Malik from Illegal
Yogi from Cru
Deshawn from ditc is a good. I wonder what ever happens to the song he had that was produce by diamond d. I heard it on a mixtape a long time ago. But I haven’t heard anything else from him. The Buashwackass had that song caught up in the game. Produce by buck wild. The disasters to.
Good call on ACD.. Killa Kids never dropped an official album either, I think..
Nas’ homie Blitz (the street glory)
What about Kid Jazz – underground sensation, rumoured to have signed to Rhyme Syndicate and be making a solo album…then disappears. Anyone know what happened?
Freshco….with Miz
SugaBear
Kid you gonna be large.,,.
Terror green
Mister voodoo
Ig off and hazardous
Mike zoot
truth enola
Killa sin
Last emperor
Word to Mecc and deda
Powerrule
Mr live
Dooley o
Dstroy
Lord digga
I dont think anyone in that list of indie rap also rans couldve been bigger or shouldve dropped more material, with possible exception of Mr Live
Mr. Fantastik.
The D.O.C. and Eazy without a doubt. Rip Seagram from Oakland as well.
I always wondered what happened to Klepto from the Junior Mafia. That dude was nice. Probably could have put him in the curse of Puffy post.
Rappers who missed the boat, zigged when everybody else zagged or just never made it like they should have done:
UMCs/Kool Kim (the quintessential just-missed-the-boat act)
C-Rayz Walz (he’s still going and putting out stuff but he never blew up like he deserved and has been in Underground cruise-control for far too long).
RBX/Lady of Rage (Both had Death Row careers shelved and never recovered)
Thirstin Howl III (He’s still knocking about but rather aimlessly and with none of the flare of his first two CDs).
How about Invisees? Had a minor hit w/Haggin Daj in ’94,
Ground Floor they were even down with DITC,
Kwest the Madd Ladd
Ruffneck Bastards
Bas Blasta
Rumpletilskinz
Cracker Jax
Knucklehedz
Dreadnaughts
Trendz of Culture
I got a lot of respect for the Jamal/Malik- Illegal mentions …..
I’m gonna go w/Chi Ali, KMD, Rock/Heltah, D.O.C and DJ Screw, Slick Rick, DONDI and Basquiat- Robbed of
Special Mention goes out to RAMO/Beat Street!
And Jay Electronica as -All Time Dropped the Ball/Stopped Trying!
World Renown
Percee P. (No album during the ’90’s)
Lord Digga
and the kid who rapped on “Hawaiian Sophie”
I always wondered what an 1989 or ’90 ICE-CUBE Debut album would have sounded like with Dre,Yella,Donovan the Dirtbiker sound and LayLaw on the boards?Or an MC REN Debut Solo for that matter?Or a 1992-Pete Rock produced Grand Puba:Reel 2 Reel Solo Debut?Follow that with a Main Source ‘official’ sophomore-The Science!And after hearing-“It Ain’t hard to tell” & “Half-Time” and that ‘superb Remix for ‘The World Is Yours”by Q-Tip.What NAS Debut would have sounded like if either Q-Tip or Large Professor handled SOLO full-length production on THAT now CLASSIC!
1992 Pete rock Grand puba…. Like the sound of that.
A few pr vocals on it too would have been nice. (Ghost written by ???)
Where is Kwest tha Madd Lad at ???
I second Mr. Fantastik.
I always thought Artifacts should have been bigger. Also, Dres.
@that dude: Milano has a new EP coming out soon.
@Zero Dark: MC Chill talks about what happened to Kid Jazz in my interview with him from 2013: http://www.unkut.com/2013/07/mc-chill-the-unkut-interview-part-2/
INI, Trendz and Rumpletilskinz all got to release albums at least, while Artifacts proved that they had run out of ideas by the second album where they were already repeating themselves.
I always had a soft spot for MC Trouble after that large pro track she did.
Snagglepuss. Now there was an emcee with an unsual flow. If he’d kept that up, he could have… well, maybe made one good album. Actually, maybe not. Forgot I mentioned him.
Jamie Summers although Ghostface was writing her lyrics but still her flow was phenomenal
I always thought J.R. Writer should have been bigger but once Dipset broke up it was a wrap
I’d have to go back and listen again but there was one particularly standout artist from Erick Sermon’s Insomnia. I think it was either Tommy Gunn or Domo. Nothing came after that album that I’m aware of.
Lord Digga and Herb McGruff could have been so much more. I know that he fought his way through tons of BS, including Nasty Nasir, and came through for a brilliant 00 carrier, but Cormega was still robbed from a possible great 90s carrier by fuckin Def Jam, suckas!! Even though I LOVE Roc Marcis solo outputs, I would have loved to hear a couple more LPs from the UN. Poor Righteous Teachers saw a decreasing interest in 5 % rap but IMAO they made a fuckin great debut who has been outshone by great LPs from Brand Nubian, X Clan and P.E. So many more but I forgot who, huhuhuh…
Mikey D
Young Zee
Jin
Breezly Brewin
Malik B
John Forte
Canibus
Mic Geronimo
Jemini the Gifted One
Finsta Bundy
Rockafella [Redman’s friend; snippet from Dare iz a Darkside]
Smoothe Da Hustler, Mannish, Killa Sha
Dred Scott (one excellent album then went off to produce for his Mrs)
Phoenix Orion (Zimulated Experiences is a great album but nothing he’s done since has been listenable let alone good – especially that Cloak’n’Daggar collabo with Canibus)
To those who said Saafir and Kwest tha Madd Ladd, good calls.
KID JAZZ
B-1
SHORTY LONG
SHORTY NO MAS
HOBO JUNCTION
IMAM THUG (THAT IRON SHIEKS SHIT WAS HIS BEST)
360 DEGREES (PELON IS STILL FIRE)
SONS OF SAM
RAS KASS
ANTEXX (UNDERSTAND ME VANESSA WAS FLY)
HOMELESS DERELIX
MONEY BOSS PLAYERS!!!!!
“Deshawn from ditc is a good. I wonder what ever happens to the song he had that was produce by diamond d. I heard it on a mixtape a long time ago. But I haven’t heard anything else from him.”
That song was called “Snakes”, it appears on the DITC Unreleased 1994 Production CD. There’s also a few other under-appreciated rappers on that disk, most notably Silky Black (he’s really dope).
But back to DeShawn: isn’t he on the Big Pun track “Wrong Ones” from Yeaaaah Baby? He’s going under the name Sunkiss, but he sure sounds like DeShawn to me, plus Pun’s tentative relationship with DITC makes sense.
And looking it up on Discogs, it seems to check out, and it looks like there’s a few more Sunkiss joints I’ve never heard.
@Robbie – I don’t see anything on the MC Chill interview link you sent that mentions Kid Jazz?
Erule. I always thought that synopsis twelve was amazing but then???
Brainsick mob
@Zero: Apologies, I got him mixed with Bango.
Half-A-Mil-Should have put out an album in the mid ninties with songs in vein of Another Homocide Scene
Killa Sin-Made sitting through all those wack verses from the other members of Killarmy worth it but I doubt will get a solo now cause he’s doing 16 years
Sauce Money-Been dropping tracks here and there over the years but nothing ever seems to come of it
Ike Eyes-Always thought he stole the show on various Agallah joints over the years but hardly has any music of his own
A-Mafia-Even though he had a dipset affiliation he got lost in the shuffle of dipset weed carriers which is to bad cause he can get busy
In addition to many of those already mentioned, I always thought that Don Scavone (Sketchy Situation) had potential.
Joe Sinistr
Where he at?
Tony Bones
Strang wonda
Black rock and ron
$amhill
Rawcotiks
Brother Arthur
nine
evil twinz
snagglepuss
preacher earl
tito from the fearless four
silver fox
yaggfu front
street smartz
the list goes on and on and on and on
Shades of Brooklyn
Phase n rhythm
Also if jvc force had released their lp on big beat, it would have been good based on the chopped herring eps.
@f jackie: A Preacher Earl LP produced by Greg Nice would have been phenomenal.
Forgot about Troubleneck Brothers & TJ Swan
puma
sir ibu
boss money
joe sinistr
hard white
jim snooka
un pacino on sid roams beats
& i still wait for the shepard
@ Bird’s Eye View: I’m probably the only one still interested, but I just did some diggin’ on DeShawn, and holy shit. He had a career as turbulent and interesting as Prodigy or ODB. Check this out:
DeShawn Barzey was born in Harlem in 1975. He would spend most of his youth in the South Bronx, living downstairs from Larry Davis (yeah, you read that right). At age twelve DeShawn started pushing drugs with his older brother, selling a brand of crack they dubbed “Sunkiss”.
In 1992 DeShawn cut his teeth on the magnificent “Represent,” going under the moniker DeShawn E. Thunder. He appeared on another song during this period, a collaboration called “Snakes” with fellow DITC affiliate Terror Tongue. This song remained largely unheard and DeShawn’s career was quickly derailed by a flurry of legal problems and personal tragedies:
1993: His brother was killed by a rival drug dealer.
1995: He became the main suspect in the senseless murder
of a man on the subway.
1996: He was arrested on drug charges and jumped bail,
spending the next two years on the run.
1998: He was finally convicted on the drug charges and
sentenced to serve time in Pennsylvania.
Then, in 1999, DeShawn suddenly appeared back on the rap scene, going under the name ’Sunkiss.’ He shopped a few demos and made a strong impression during an audition at Elektra Entertainment, during which he tore off his shirt and jumped on the table while rapping for top executives. The label immediately offered him a “substantial deal,” but after a few underwhelming appearances with various Terror Squad members, DeShawn/Sunkiss suddenly disappeared from the scene again.
JAZ-O
@Slappy White: Let’s not forget that he had a battle league where the winner got to bang a broad as the prize (!) and ran with T La Rock when he was fifteen.
Wow! That guy was insane, huh?
Frescho and Miz
Almighty and KD Ranks
Style: the Assassinator
Broadway
C.P.O
Shortie No Mass and Truth Enola from the De La/Native Tongue camp…Mentally Gifted from the Hilltop Hustlers (Steady B, Youngstas, 3XD, Cool C) Scott Caan (from the Whooliganz…whatever happened to that other guy? Ha ha…) Joe Fatal’s Soul Assassins album…
The Knucklehedz from the Hitsquad…
A HUGE one: Paul C. Ain’t no telling what his sound would have been like had he not gotten murked. And whatever happened to Fric and Frac, the duo that was supposed to be on Just Rhymin’ With Biz? An even though he managed to grind out a respectable career, Ras Kass should have been an icon by this point.
Speaking of Sunkiss, check out his DJ Premier produced track “We go back”,if you don’t know by now.
Peace
Verbal Threat had potentiel.
@Cykoloen: Nice!
Here’s a little discography I’ve put together:
Sunkiss
Real name: Deshawn Barzey
Origin: Harlem/The Bronx
Alias: DeShawn E. Thunder
Style: Thug/Gangsta
1992 Represent (feat. Big L, Finesse, and Show & AG)
Producer: Showbiz
1994 Snakes (feat. Terror Tongue)
Producer: Showbiz
2000 Wrong Ones (feat. Big Pun)
Producer: Just Blaze
2000 Project Party (feat. Cuban Link)
Producer: UNKNOWN
2000 The Foundation (feat. Big Pun and Reif-Hustle)
Producer: 8-Off the Assassin (Agallah)
2000 Live at Jimmy’s (feat. Big Pun, Cuban Link, Domingo,
and Angie Martinez)
Producer: Salaam Remi
2001 DJ Enuff Freestyle
Producer: UNKNOWN
? We Go Back
Producer: DJ Premier
Sugar Bear, the Powerful Powerlord.
OK HERE WE GO
1.THE U.N.
2. JAMAL FROM ILLEGAL
3.DA YOUNGSTAS AFTER THE AFTERMATH(2ND ALBUM)
4. HELTAH SKELTAH
5.FRESHCO & MIZ
6.THE BEATNUTS AS A PRODUCTION TEAM ESPECIALLY AFTER THEIR 2ND ALBUM STREET LEVEL
7.THE ALAKHOLIKS
8. MC REN
9. C.P.O.
10.ANTOINETTE SHE HAD THE LOOKS AND THE SKILLS TO GO WITH IT
11. KOOL G RAP IF HE WOULD HA CONTINUED TO MAKE SONGS LIKE KOOL IS BACK, PLAY IT AGAIN POLO, POISON, MEN AT WORK, BAD TO THE BONE INSTEAD OF ALL THE GUN, STREET SHIT THAT FOLLOWED AFTER WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
12.TRENDS OF CULTURE
13.THE HITSQUAD IF EPMD DIDN’T BREAK UP MIGHT HAVE BEEN BIGGER THAN WU TANG AS FAR AS BEING A CREW IS CONCERND
14.ERULE
15.EVERLAST IF HED STAYED WITH RHYME SYNDICATE
16.CANIBUS
17.SILK TIMES LEATHER THEY HAD GIRLY TYPE DANCE SINGLES BUT THE ALBUM WAS RAW DON’T LET THE VIDEOS OR THE FACT IT SAYS PRODUCE BY JERMAINE DUPRI FOOL YOU THESE TWO FEMALES WERE A HANDFULL ON THE MIC BASE OFF THE ALBUM CUTS AS FAR AS THE BEATS WERE CONCERNED JERMAINE WAS DOPE HERE DON’T KNOW WHAT IN THE HELL WENT WRONG AFTER THIS.
18.PARIS BUT HIS ALBUM COVERS AND CONTENT WOULD SCARE AWAY THE MASSES. PLUS WHEN HE WENT TO G FUNK STYLE TRACKS IT WAS DOWN HILL AFTER THAT FOR ME
19.KAM
20. 3RD BASE IF THEY DIDN’T BREAK UP WHAT WOULD HAPPEN?DERELICTS OF DIALECT WAS DOPE TO ME.
21.FLATLINERZ MAYBE?
22.GRAVEDIGGAS SAME THING
23.CELLAR DWELLARS
24.BONNIE &CLYDE TERMINATOR X VALLEY OF THE JEEP BEATS
25.MC SHAN’S 2ND ALBUM BORN TO BE WILD GOT OVERSHADOWED BY OTHER JUICE CREW MEBERS AT THIS POINT
26.CHINO XL
27.LIL BASTARDS BITCH GET A JOB WHAT EVER HAPPEN TO THEM?
28.A.D.O.R.E. LET IT ALL HANG OUT WHAT HAPPEN I HEARD HE HAS A VIDEO OUT OR SOMETHING.
29.XCLAN AFTER THE XODUS ALBUM I KNOW SUGAR SHAFT THE DJ DIED IN 95 AND PROFESSOR X IN 06 BUT THE ALBUMS THAT PROCEEDED DARK SUNRIDERS COULDN’T COMPREHEND WHAT BRO J WAS SAYING RETURN TO MECCA BEATS ALL KEYBOARDISH AND WACK AND MAINSTREAM OUTLAWS MEDIOCORE AT BEST.
30.TARRI B IM JUST JOKING WANTED TO SEE IF ANY OF YOU ARE READING MY LIST.
Was always a big fan of a Shells.
Do an article interview please Rob.
@derrick Ha! I forgot all about Lil Bastards “Bitch Get a Job”!! That’s like my break up anthem for 90% of the woman who’ve passed through my life.
Killa Sin (been mentioned)
Strang Wondah (been mentioned)
Ali Vegas (wouldn’t have been a huge star, but he was nice)
G Dep
PRETTY SURE SUNKISS HAD BEEF WITH FAT JOE AND THE ALMIGHTY FLIPPER OF JACK BRUCE SAMPLES SHOWBIZ MADE THEM SETTLE IT WITH A FAIR ONE.
GUYS THAT TEAM SLIPMAT WANTED MORE MUSIC FROM:
DUTCHMIN, JUGGAKNOTZ, B1, ROTTIN RAZKALS, JAMAL, MECCALICIOUS, ERULE, SUPERB, TEFLON, DEEZL DON, LADY OF RAGE, BLAC MONKS, OMNISCIENCE
After gettin into all the Deshawn talk id forgot Robbie already done a good article.
http://www.unkut.com/2008/02/sunkist-aka-deshawn-we-go-back/
Yes, I consider A-Dog third verse on the song as one of the best QB verses of all times
Yeah! Deshawn is indeed Sunkiss!
Always loved the rawcotiks. They have two unreleased joints that could be found on YT “New york style” and “Big shit”.
FORGOT A FEW MORE
1. LOW PROFILE:THAT ALBUM THEY DID IN 9O “WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER WAS PRETTY DAM GOOD FOR A DEBUT WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTING TO SEE IF THEY’D STAYED TOGETHER WHAT THE
FOLLOW UP WOULD’VE BEEN LIKE. ALSO FROM ICE T’S RHYME SYNDICATE KID JAZ AND DONALD D
2.MANTRONIX:IF THEY WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH HIP HOP THAT 5TH ALBUM OF THEIRS THE INCREDIBLE SOUND MACHINE WAS HORRIBLE!!!!
3.KING SUN:AFTER RUTHLESS BUT RIGHTOUS HE DID SOME THINGS WITH COLD CHILLIN AND THEN THE ICE CUBE WICKED CONTROVERSY BUT WHAT HAPPEN AFTER ALL OF THAT
4.MC RELL & THE HOUSEROCKERS:KIND OF WEAK BUT I HAVE THE FIRST ALBUN AND IT HAD SOME CUTS ON IT WANTED TO SEE HOW HE WOULD FAIR WITH HIS NEXT ONE
5.K-9 POSSE: EDDIE MURPHY’S YOUNGER BROTHER’S GROUP THEY WERE WEAK.
6.AUDIO TWO: 2 ALBUMS AND THEN NOTHING UNTIL FIFTY SAMPLE MILKS VOICE
7. QUEEN MOTHER RAGE:FROM BLACKWATCH MOVEMENT ONE ALBUM IN 91 BUT AFTER THAT SHE DROP OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH WHERE IN THE HELL IS SHE
8. ISIS AKA LIN QUE: ALSO FROM THE BLACKWATCH MOVEMENT WAS RUNNING WITH MC LYTE IN THE MID 90’S HAD A COUPLE SINGLES “LET IT FALL ON EM” LATER IN 2000’S A ALBUM WAS SUPPOSED TO SURFACE BUT NO DICE
9. PETE NICE & DADDY RICH:DROP SOLO ALBUM AFTER SERCH DROP HIS THEN NOTHING I KNOW ABOUT THE BASEBALL MEMORABILIA SHOP AND 3RD BASE REUNITING 2 YEARS AGO BUT ALWAYS THOUGHT HE COULD WENT FURTHER THAN SERCH
10.THE HILLTOP HUSTLERS: 3XDOPE: STARTED OFF PRETTY GOOD BUT THEN DID THAT ALBUM WITH WEAK AT THE KNEES AND WENT TO SHIT & STEADY B HAD HIM AND COOL C DIDN’T DO THAT ROBBERY WHO KNOWS.
11.CHI ALI:HAD HE NOT WENT TO JAIL AND STAYED ON THE RIGHT PATH. I KNOW ABOUT HIS NEW STUFF LIKE I SAID STAYED ON THE RIGHT PATH
12.YZ:2 ALBUMS AND THEN DISAPPEARED I KNOW ABOUT THE D NICE TRUE HIPHOP STORIES BUT WOULD’VE BEEN NICE TO SEE HIM KEEP GOING
13.J SWIFT:PRODUCER FOR PHARCYDE WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO SEE HIM DO MORE MUSIC BEFORE HE GOT HOOK ON DRUGS
14.DA BUSH BABIES: 2 ALBUMS THEN NOTHING
15.THE BOOGIE-MONSTERS: SAME THING
16.THE B.U.M.S:FIRST ALBUM WAS COLD WHAT HAPPEN
17. CHANNEL LIVE: SAME THING
18.SAFFIR: THERE WAS A TIME THE WEST COAST WAS SPLINT IN TWO THOSE THAT DID G FUNK AND GANGSTER RAP AND THOSE WHO DID BOOMBAP AND WERE SOMEWHAT INFLUENCED BY THE EAST COAST HE WAS ONE OF THEM ALONG WITH THE B.U.M.S. HIEROGLYPHICS,THA ALKAHOLIKS,AHMOD,RAS KASS, & THE LIKWIT CREW
19.NIKI D
20APACHE R.I.P.
THERES LOTS MORE BUT THESE WERE SOME THAT I FORGOT TO PUT IN MY FIRST LIST BEFORE I GO SOME MORE POP IN MY HEAD AS I LOOK A T MY COLLECTION WHAT ABOUT
TWIN HYPE: BOTH ENDED UP IN PRISON
HEATHER B: I KNOW SHE DOES THE THING WITH SWAY BUT WANTED ANOTHER ALBUM FIRST ONE WAS DECENT
EC ILLA: OUT OF CHICAGO INDEPENDENT ARTIST MADE A LITTLE NOISE IN THE MID 90’S BUT THAT WAS IT
@CEASER GLAD YOU PICKED UP ON THAT HOMIE. THEY DROP THE SINGLE ON LIVING LARGE RECORDS A SUBSIDIARY TO COLD CHILLING RECORDS BUT AFTER THAT NO ALBUM THIS WAS BACK IN 92
I’m surprised nobody mentioned Lord Shafiq. I know he did an album with DJ Doc from BDP but it was a dud.
My Mic Is On Fire was tight!
Also MC Mitchski from Brooklyn Blew Up The Bridge
WORD OF MOUTH – KING KUT/COAST TO COAST….
K ROB?
Diamond Shell? Lmao
This is strictly for the ladies,like a funky technician :
Apani : The Ass track with Pharaoe Monch was tight
Lady Luck : Got a big buzz and nothing
Amil : Rockafella curse ?
Pazzaz : Remember b.boy records ?
Big Lady K : SHe was on mission
Sister Souljah : Could achieve more
Vita : No I m jocking….
To be continued
Whatever happened to Lazy/Lazy Laze? I remember reading on here that he claimed to have been offered a cool milly for a record deal, then vanished
Sister Souljah is not a case of wasted potential because she never had any. She was shit as a rapper, shit as a childrens’ book writer and just generally shit.
Lyn Que dropped her album via CDBaby or Bandcamp or one of those sites. Wasn’t all that. Her singles are good tho.
Didn’t King Sun make a comeback as “Sun Dula” or somemat? Never rated him myself.
Few more examples of wasted potential:
Lord have mercy
Da Lench Mob (group cut short by jail and Ice Cube being a dick)
The Jungle Brothers (killed by their label and/or Hip House).
Bahamadia (So much potential quashed by the whole soulquarian sound)
Kam (2 good albums then became yet another generic Westcoaster)
Gon (very interesting Jordanian Chicago rapper who dropped a couple excellent EPs and a superb “Consider violence” album).
Paradime (One of Detroit’s finest who was overshadowed by contemporaries such as Royce and Eminem and who ended up as Kid Rock’s tour DJ. 1st 3 albums all solid).
Moka Only (potential snuffed by the fact he has no sense of quality control and puts out far too much material. 2016 sees him putting out an album a month. If he focussed on one album a year he might make something outstanding but dude insists on flooding the market with dross).
Nosign on Sista Soulja. She might not have been much of an MC but she wrote a book called Coldest Winer Ever which is a must read.
Also anybody remember Sweey Daddy Ceville? He had a song that came out in 1988 called Partners in Crime. It sampled the Nautilus beat. Pretty decent song but I’ve never heard anything from him since.
Journalist from Philly
Scribes of Life was my shit back in the day.. Pen game was way ahead of a lot of dudes that were popping’ on the mixtape level at the time..
Siah.
None of yall know bout brainsick enterprize? and of course, there are lot of cats we could add and add on… Good column for on this one Robbie
@ 5 Grand co-sign about Sister Souljah! While she most definitely was NOT an emcee,her lone DEBUT had all the beats and production P.E.’s-Fear Of A Black Planet & the B-side of Cube’s-Amerikkka’s Most Wanted( in MY opinion) DID NOT!SHOUT OUT to Eric ‘vietnam’ Sadler!
“PRETTY SURE SUNKISS HAD BEEF WITH FAT JOE AND THE ALMIGHTY FLIPPER OF JACK BRUCE SAMPLES SHOWBIZ MADE THEM SETTLE IT WITH A FAIR ONE.”
@DICK SLIPMAT: Who won?
@ 5 Grand
Thank you for the Grand Daddy Ceville, I had his song on the tape since 88,and since I was always searching for it,I found it on youtube today
@SLAPPY WHITE I ALWAYS HEARD SUNKISS GOT HIM. MET EM BOTH AND I CAN SEE IT. JOE IS A BIG MEAN DUDE NO DOUBT BUT SUNKISS WAS KINDA A PITBULL LOOKING DUDE (THE DOG NOT THE HORRIBLE RAPPER) LIKE ON SOME MIDDLEWEIGHT BOXER SHIT.
Melquan from “krunchtime”
Dino on jungle bros… Did you catch their 93 one “with the remedy” Or the 97 (?) One raw deluxe?
Both are actually pretty good and in my opinion stand the test of time.
@ oneam: Yeh Raw Deluxe was OK – I however stand by my belief that JBs having their true 3rd album shelved/neutered and their decision to pursue the pop/Hip House/Dance market meant they never realised their full potential.
@DICK SLIPMAT: That makes me happy. I’m not the biggest Fat Joe basher in the world, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him get stomped out.
Raggedy Man
Tray Deee (EastSiderz) – Prison recked his career shame cause ive never heard a wack verse.
Tragedy Khadafi -Sometimes wish him and capone had done the war report album cause NORE aint saying nothin compared to Trag and Pone.
Jadakiss – He need a vicious A&R or manager or someone to pick his beats, make the label stop fuckin wit his albums/singles and put them out quicker than every 5 years. Make Kiss go independent he never gonna come close to making a solo classic on a label go see the Alchemist they always make classics
Snyp Life (D-Block) He deserve a deal he stepped his bars up when J-Hood ran away He do that gun/knife/street stuff so effortlessly
“INI, Trendz and Rumpletilskinz all got to release albums at least, while Artifacts proved that they had run out of ideas by the second album where they were already repeating themselves.”
@ Robbie: Nah, “That’s Them” was a step forward from “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”, both musically and lyrically.
“Between a Rock” has a great D.I.T.C. vibe (with T-Ray handling the lions-share of production and Buckwild picking up the slack) while “That’s Them” has an early-Rawkus-before-they-got-awful sound (with Shawn J and Ghetto Pros producing most of the songs). Now, Shawn J is no Buckwild, but the selection of beats on That’s Them at least demonstrates a progression of sound, not a step backwards.
And lyrically, That’s Them blows Between a Rock right out of the water. Tighter compounds, sharper punchlines, and ballsier attitude. Plus Tame One and El da Sensei have a better chemistry on their sophomore effort, they sound much more comfortable and natural. The subject matter may have been familiar, but that’s what you want from an Artifacts record.
Whether the Artifacts would’ve delivered the goods on a third effort is questionable, since Tame and El’s solo projects have been spotty and labored affairs, and their new material together is meh…
But those two Artifacts albums are classics, no doubt.
@Slappy: The fact that they included a song titled ‘Return To The Wrongside’ says otherwise. I do agree that the second album had some great beats though.
@Robbie: Is it possible that “just sheer laziness they never fulfill that potential” is why they ran out of ideas in regards to the Artifacts?
One of my biggest regrets in life is that around 2010 I started a conversation with Kwest through YouTube messaging. I didn’t want to be a fanboy so I didn’t ask him many questions and he dropped off before I could get back into contact. He was the nicest fucking guy ever. He told me if I had any questions to feel free to ask him, but I didn’t want to be “that guy.” He gave me the names of several side project songs that I had never heard before, but that most of you probably would know. It sounds like he is just living a normal person life. He said he just got disenfranchised by the state of hip-hop, and that it had just gotten so much worse but he probably wouldn’t do anything anymore. He actually asked me to send him a beat and he would wrap over it. But I don’t make beats. That was my last interaction with him. Just saying this makes me want to stab myself in the heart. The main point however, is that he was so fucking nice. So humble. And so fucking cool. It bothers me to this day.
Voice to text is not my strong suit, so please read my comment accordingly.
I thought I should also add that I have contacted both Wendy Day and Dan Charnas, who both raved about him, Dan as a talent ( they had their problems), and Wendy as a talent and a person. But neither of them had spoken to him for years. Still searching…
Mr.Voodoo,Inspectah Decks album that got flooded, BCC LP circa 97 produced by the Beatminerz and Another Premier produced Her album in 98 that shit would have been legendary
I meant Jeru not Her
He also did a rap battle winner makes a porno video
To anyone who’s wondered where Deshawn Barzey aka Sunkiss has been. I sure hope he’s been on his knees asking God for his forgiveness for killing my only brother in 1995 on the train who was only a kid for looking at Mr. Barzey’s girlfriend. As for me and my family, we suffered and hated him for many years. However, I have forgiven him because I know that’s it’s not my battle. God is always in control and will have the final judgment. …
Ricky Dixon’s faithful sister!!