Welcome to another edition of Sick Sundays. We’re gonna get it in today with a few things. First off, we’re looking at the crap ass candy ass singles that people have been releasing in order to “get the ladies.” We think it’s garbage, and it’s softening up Hip-Hop into something we can barely recognize.
Then we have other cats making music “fuh the cluuub.” And that’s not just down South either. Every region is falling for that crap. In honor of (or dishonor of) this trend, we’re gonna look at some of the hardcore singles in Hip-Hop history.
Of course some will be missed, and some of you will have suggestions so we’ll make allowances for that. We’ll make this a special edition of Sick Sundays that will expand with your support. In your responses, you tell me something we missed and I’ll add them to the post and give you a shout out. The topic: Hardest Singles In Hip-Hop! Now hard is subjective and I’m sure you may disagree with some of them.
Tonites Da Night
Redman took Isaac Hayes’ “Few More Kisses To Go” and straight gullied it up. Brandishing pistols in the video, black and white film, hoodies and Timbs, Mr. Noble gave you the essence of the hardcore aesthetic. Stuck tissue up the nose to stop the snot from making spots. Hurricane G’ had to tell Red to get off that “punk, smooth s**t, and get wit the rough s**t. Consider it done.
Made You Look
Nas was playing no games on this one. With “Apache” as the foundation, accented by the click clack pow of “the ratchet, blingy, the biscuit, the burner,” Nas proclaimed that it wasn’t rapping, it was street hop. This was the icing on the cake to complete his return to the top following his Nastradamus hiatus. At that point, New York was his.
Murder Was the Case
Although the G-Funk was melodic, this was straight gangsta s**t. Snoop Doggy Dog at his most frightening, before he became a character, in the midst of a real-life murder trial, dealing with the devil, busting shots, and painting pictures. The angelic monotone singers added a melancholy to it that was hard to match.
We In There
KRS at his bullying best, stepping to wack emcees and putting pressure on b***h ass rappers to say something. Physically or lyrically, Kris dared you to challenge his position. Not with gun talk but with verbal, and possibly physical beatings (shout to P.M. Dawn). His role as teacher was put to the back for this joint. Boom Bap at its core.
Warning (Amended Version) – The Notorious B.I.G.
Warning
This single from Ready To Die, had Biggie going hard over more Isaac Hayes. Perfect pacing, great diction, and crisp storytelling. Had the nerve to be in the bed, belly hanging out unapologetically, tech 9s’ spraying. This was cinema noir on wax. It was everything that “Juicy,” “Big Poppa,” and “One More Chance” weren’t.
Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos – Public Enemy
Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos
This single was hard for a different set of reasons. Chuck D went hard at the government, he went hard at the prison industrial complex, he went hard at capitalism. It gets no harder than that. Every rapper you could think of at the time was in this video. No chorus, no hijinx just Terminator X on the cut splitting up the verses.
Where I’m From
Before he got flossed out, Marcy’s finest rocked from the gutter to the tenement. This ode to Brooklyn was devoid of any trace of R&B. He paints a bleak picture of the borough where “You can’t put your vest away, and say you’ll wear it tomorrow cause the day after we’ll be say ‘damn I was just wit’ him yesterday.’” That line alone tells you what you need about this. Ain’t nothing nice.
Ante Up
M.O.P is gully. They don’t sing. They don’t dance. They clap and B###! What’s dope about this is that even with the remix (with a girl on it) the whole place got dirty! But here we going with the original without the extra sauce. The beat is banging, not in that sinister 2nd Round KO way (more on that in a second) but in a get off your ass and jump unless you a p***y kinda way. “Gimme the watch before I pop one in your brain.” Ahem. Hold that.
2nd Round K.O.
We had already heard him on “Beast from the East.” We had heard him rip mics on numerous cameos. But this was something else. We heard there was beef over “4,3,2,1.” We just didn’t know it was like this. The young dude just grabbed LL by the throat and bodied him. I don’t care what you think bout the outcome of the war but if you say you heard this and didn’t think it was over for LL you’re a bobdamn liar. Straight up. “Stick you for your Vanguard Award in front of your moms, your first second and third born make your wife get on the horn call Minister Farrakhan.” Ugly.
Always Into Something
Fresh from Ice Cube’s departure and building momentum from the EP 100 Miles & Runnin’, N.W.A set out to prove that they could do it without him. They took it up a notch musically and made it dope enough to get wide play, video 051 on The Box (for those of you old enough to remember). Shout out to MC Ren. Shout to Yella on the drum track.
Ha
Juvenile had been on the grind long before this but this was his(and Ca$h Money’s) real entry into the mainstream. It’s not tough talk, per se, but a look into the New Orleans that wasn’t always shown in the latter part of Master P’s initial No Limit Dominance. 9th ward poverty as the backdrop and the people in the video showed you how hood it was. A new style and a dope hook but there was nothing sweet about it. Run for it, suckas.
G## Up, G## Out
This joint had the entire Dungeon Family on it. This was hard ‘cause it was about life. Cee-lo singing the hook telling cats to get off they ass and get it together. Dope lyrics, dope beat and a crew at their most innocent best putting it down. It speaks for itself.
Ghostface Killah ft. Jadakiss – Run – Ghostface Killah ft. Jadakiss
Run
Ghostface and Jada just drop two ill verses with no extra crap. Ghostface does his usual Staten Isle wild but Jadakiss really takes this joint up a notch, narrating a chase scene straight from the cinema. On the run from the taskforce, Jada takes flight with drugs and heat on him with a not being taken alive desperation that translates through. Perfect joint to rock out to.
Soul Survivor
Young Jeezy goes hard, even with Akon singing on the hook. Ad-libs firmly in place, Jeezy gets it in for the everyday hustlers and grinders in the streets. Hood sensibility, dope delivery and Akon made it a banger. But Jeezy made it hard (pause).
Down For My N***as
C-Murder let out this banger during the Snoop Dogg No limit years. The staccato beat and C’s harsh delivery and the chanting chorus not only banged in the streets but forced its way in the clubs and rocks to this day. Probably the last No Limit hurrah but they went out with a bang.
Ride Out
Forgotten Philly cat Murder Mil dropped this heat with the Hot Boys and Beans. Mannie Fresh is the supplier of the rhythm and Young Weezy (before the dreds and the drugs) goes hard with B.G. There is no Bling Bilng to be found on this joint
These are all heaters but I know i missed a few. Get on it and let me know what’s good. Peace.
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Bonus coverage. LLoyd Banks New Joint
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Double “OT” Dem Florida Boys.
Dem Florida Boyz IntroRick Ross f/Jay Z & Kanye West – Swagga Like Us (rmx)Rick Ross – We At WarRick Ross f/Piccalo, DJ Khaled, Ace Hood & Lil Boosie – Vibe NRick Ross f/Bloodsport & DJ Khaled – Put Ya Paper On ItRick Ross f/Triple C’s – Ridin Thru The GhettoRick Ross f/DJ Khaled, Akon, Plies, Lil Boosie, Trick Daddy, Ace Hood & Young Jeezy – Out Here Grinding Rick Ross f/MIA – Paper Planes (rmx)Rick Ross – Nothing MattersRick Ross f/The Game – Dope Boyz (rmx)Rick Ross f/Vic Damone – Go HardRick Ross f/Birdman – Pop That PussyBrisco – I’m BackBrisco f/Nauseous – Real Recognize RealBrisco – StuntinBrisco – This Is My LifeBrisco f/Flo Rida – LoveBrisco f/Flo Rida – Just Know DatBrisco f/Lunch Money, Ballgreezy, Piccalo, Ace Hood, C-Ride & Billy Blue – Get Grown (rmx)Brisco f/Rick Ross, Shawty Lo, Triple C, Flo Rida & Birdman – This Is The Life (rmx)Brisco f/Billy Blue – Get Like MeDem Florida Boyz Outro
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The AFTERPARTY
User submissions and all that. As promised i told you I’d bless you if you had heat
Quiet Storm
Lil’ Kim BODIED this joint. by this time B.I.G. was gone and everyoen thought Kim career was going with him. Not. The Mobb did their usual gully production and Havok finally began to evolve beyond smack you clap you basics but it’s clear Kim was the star of this joint.
SHOUT to MS.DALLAS
Hit Em Up (uncensored) – Tupac
Hit ‘Em Up
Man I don’t even think I have to say anything. “That’s why i f****d yo b**h you fat m********r. Nuff said.
SHOUT TO JASE9