So I'm 14 years old, riding in the back seat of a 98 Ford Taurus, burgundy red, on the way back from a family reunion in Tennessee to Indiana. Now it's 2007 and we're packed in a 98 Ford Taurus with no air conditioning. It was hot and making everyone tired and irritated. The only ones who were awake were me and my mother. I'm more like her than either of us care to admit, night owls, sense of humor and so forth. Eventually we get back into Indiana's radio range. We start picking up HOT 96.3!
I wasn't really happy about that. See 2007 was a bad year for rap music. Well, rap music had been on the decline before and after too. But 2007 was the year I realized "I gotta find something else to listen to, this stuff will kill me," so I had been listening to a lot of other sounds. Well it was about 2:00am and they start the "Mikki Fikki Mix" I really hated that. 30 seconds of a few songs and it's all garbage.
So they introduce the "DJ" for the night. Why do they call these guys DJs when they usually can't spin records? Anyway the DJ is Kenny Kixx. So he's playing all these old rap songs. My mom is "Jamming" to these old school songs that she used to party to and telling me how much better old school rappers were lyrically. I laughed because Kurtis Blow was killing those syllables and Lil B is a better writer than Whodini.
So they start playing friends by Whodini. It was a funny song and I wasn't any more interested in rap. Then I hear something crazy. Is this DJ scratching? Kenny Kixx was scratching the record like an old school DJ would. My mom starts freaking out like "You don't nothing about that" But I did, so I was just as excited. Kenny was just scratching for what seemed like an eternity and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Then he let the record spin and I hear this guy rapping:
I say okay, this is some typical hood rapper, but this guy has a high school education and is trying to throw in a few historical references to seem smart.
Told you.
Okay, this guy is witty, I'll give him that, I'm a little bit interested. Then Kenny starts scratching again, but only for a while before it's back to this educated whack rapper.
"Cause you could have all the chips, be poor or rich, still nobody want a nigga having shit" I don't know what is was about that one line that got to my 14 year old mind, but after that I was hooked on this mysterious voice. I was critical of all hip hop so I didn't realize how great this guy was when I first heard him speak. I needed more of this guy.
Then I hear this angel sing:
Then the beat just rides and the "Mikki Fikki Mix" is over. So for the next few days I'm frantically searching for this guy based only on that one line. And when I found him I was shocked. Nas was his name and he was not a new rapper. In fact he held one of the biggest rap feuds ever with another guy named Jay Z who was pretty good too.
I know what you're saying "How could the first time you heard of either of them be 2007" I live in Indiana. Any music played here comes from the West Coast or Chicago. I only discovered the Texas great rap scene because I liked "Ridin" by Chamillionaire. Most record stores in Indiana only carry rock music or country. That's the place I live, back to the story.
That month I baptized myself in Nas' music and was a born again rap fan. Nas saved hip hop for me. That's why he's my favorite artist. Not just because of his lyrical content either. You can't deny Nas is one of the best if not best story teller. Nas does so many things well. One of my favorite things is when he stops breathing and just continues to rap without slowing down. I just love the music Nas makes. I can't explain it, he's just my favorite.
You can hear Darrell on the CP Time and Powerbomb Jutsu podcasts. He also plays classic arcade games on The Cabinet
Follow @OriginalKingD
I wasn't really happy about that. See 2007 was a bad year for rap music. Well, rap music had been on the decline before and after too. But 2007 was the year I realized "I gotta find something else to listen to, this stuff will kill me," so I had been listening to a lot of other sounds. Well it was about 2:00am and they start the "Mikki Fikki Mix" I really hated that. 30 seconds of a few songs and it's all garbage.
So they introduce the "DJ" for the night. Why do they call these guys DJs when they usually can't spin records? Anyway the DJ is Kenny Kixx. So he's playing all these old rap songs. My mom is "Jamming" to these old school songs that she used to party to and telling me how much better old school rappers were lyrically. I laughed because Kurtis Blow was killing those syllables and Lil B is a better writer than Whodini.
So they start playing friends by Whodini. It was a funny song and I wasn't any more interested in rap. Then I hear something crazy. Is this DJ scratching? Kenny Kixx was scratching the record like an old school DJ would. My mom starts freaking out like "You don't nothing about that" But I did, so I was just as excited. Kenny was just scratching for what seemed like an eternity and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Then he let the record spin and I hear this guy rapping:
"The way to be, paradise like relaxing black, latino and anglo-saxon. Armani exchange the reins cash, Lost Tribe of Shabazz, free at last Brand new whips to crash then we laugh in the iller path"
I say okay, this is some typical hood rapper, but this guy has a high school education and is trying to throw in a few historical references to seem smart.
"The Villa house is for the crew, how we do. Trees for breakfast, dime sexes and Benz stretches"
Told you.
"So many years of depression make me vision. The better living, type of place to raise kids in. Open they eyes to the lies history's told foul. But I'm as wise as the old owl, plus the Gold Child. Seeing things like I was controlling, click rolling. Tricking six digits on kicks and still holding. Trips to Paris, I civilized every savage. Gimme one shot I turn trife life to lavish. Political prisoner set free, stress free. No work release purple M3's and jet skis. Feel the wind breeze in West Indies. I make Coretta Scott-King mayor the cities and reverse fiends to Willies. It sounds foul but every girl I meet to go downtown. I'd open every cell in Attica send em to Africa"
Okay, this guy is witty, I'll give him that, I'm a little bit interested. Then Kenny starts scratching again, but only for a while before it's back to this educated whack rapper.
"Imagine smoking weed in the streets without cops harassing, imagine going to court with no trial, lifestyle cruising blue behind my waters. No welfare supporters more conscious of the way we raise our daughters. Days are shorter, nights are colder, feeling like life is over, these snakes strike like a cobra, the world's hot my son got knocked evidently it's elementary, they want us all gone eventually. Trooping out of state for a plate of knowledge, coke was cooked without the garbage we'd all have the top dollars. Imagine everybody flashing, fashion designer clothes, lacing your click up with diamond vogues. Your people holding dough, no parole. No rubbers, go in raw imagine law with no undercovers. Just some thoughts for the mind. I take a glimpse into time, watch the blimp read The World Is Mine"Okay that was a little better I guess, maybe I can tolerate this guy. Then a little more scratching and then this.
"You'd love to hear the story how the thugs live in worry, duck down in car seats, heat's mandatory. Running from Jake, gettin chased, hunger for papes, These are the breaks many mistakes go down out of state. Wait, I had to let it marinate we carry weight, trying to get laced, flip the ace stack the safe. Millionaire plan to keep the gat with the cop camera making moves in Atlanta, back and forth scrambler.Cause you could have all the chips, be poor or rich, still nobody want a nigga having shit. If I ruled the world and everything in it, sky's the limit, I push a Q-45 Infinit. It wouldn't be no such thing as jealousies or B Felonies, strictly living longevity to the destiny. I thought I'd never see but reality struck, better find out before your time's out, what the fuck"
"Cause you could have all the chips, be poor or rich, still nobody want a nigga having shit" I don't know what is was about that one line that got to my 14 year old mind, but after that I was hooked on this mysterious voice. I was critical of all hip hop so I didn't realize how great this guy was when I first heard him speak. I needed more of this guy.
Then I hear this angel sing:
"If I ruled the world, imagine that. I'd free all my sons, I love em em baby, black diamonds and pearls. Could it be, if you could, be mine, we'd both shine, if I ruled the world. Still living for today, in these last days and times. If I ruled the world, if I ruled, if I ruled, imagine that. I'd free all my sons, if I ruled, if I ruled, I love em love em baby. Black diamonds and pearls, black diamonds, could it be, if you could, black diamonds,be mine, we'd both shine. If I ruled the world, still living for today, in these last days and times.If I ruled the world, if I ruled, if I ruled, I'd free all my sons, black diamonds, I love em love em baby, black diamonds and pearls, if I ruled, if I ruled the world, if I ruled the world, I love em love em baby"
Then the beat just rides and the "Mikki Fikki Mix" is over. So for the next few days I'm frantically searching for this guy based only on that one line. And when I found him I was shocked. Nas was his name and he was not a new rapper. In fact he held one of the biggest rap feuds ever with another guy named Jay Z who was pretty good too.
I know what you're saying "How could the first time you heard of either of them be 2007" I live in Indiana. Any music played here comes from the West Coast or Chicago. I only discovered the Texas great rap scene because I liked "Ridin" by Chamillionaire. Most record stores in Indiana only carry rock music or country. That's the place I live, back to the story.
That month I baptized myself in Nas' music and was a born again rap fan. Nas saved hip hop for me. That's why he's my favorite artist. Not just because of his lyrical content either. You can't deny Nas is one of the best if not best story teller. Nas does so many things well. One of my favorite things is when he stops breathing and just continues to rap without slowing down. I just love the music Nas makes. I can't explain it, he's just my favorite.
You can hear Darrell on the CP Time and Powerbomb Jutsu podcasts. He also plays classic arcade games on The Cabinet
Follow @OriginalKingD
