Granted, it's not an easy task to find ten good songs on a label that's released multiple albums by Jedi Mind Tricks, 7L & Esoteric, Immortal Technique, Jean Grae, and The Snowgoons, but it is doable. Bear witness and please notice that I didn't even have to include the two minor-classic singles in the label's catalogue - Purple City Byrdgang and New York Ryder Music - to come up with this list of ten Babygrande bangers:
Brand Nubian - Momma (2004)
N.O.R.E - Cocaine Cowboys (2007)
Agallah - Club Hoppin' (2006)
Purple City - It Ain't Easy (2005)
Un Kasa ft. Max B & Jim Jones - Nick Nack (2006)
Dame Grease ft. French Montana & Max B - Goon Musik (We Run NY) (2008)
Canibus - Spartibus (2003)
Gillie Da Kid ft. Dutch & Spade - Ghetto That I Live In (2007)
Freeway - No Doubt (2012)
Remember when Babygrande's CEO Chuck Wilson got caught out trying to drum up hype for JMT's albums on various rap message boards under the alias of JEDI MIND TRICKS FAN back in the early noughties? At least he took his humiliation like a man when he was exposed unlike so many other sock-puppeting industry folk back then - I'm talkin' to you, DJ Vlad and Immortal Technique!
"Purple City Byrd Gang" is a major classic.
ReplyDeleteIf you limit it all to PCP related songs you can have a nice mix. When/why was NORE on Babygrande
ReplyDeleteMissing 'Winning". Essential Christopher Cross sample by PCP
ReplyDeleteHis Noreality album came out on Babygrande in 2007.
ReplyDeletePurple City joints on Babygrande top ten:
1. It Ain't Easy
2. Purple City Byrdgang
3. Gun Go remix
4. Nick Nack
5. Picture Me Rollin'
6. Gangsta
7. Broadway
8. Fly High
9. America Show
10. Winning
I've never heard the Paris To Purple City album. Not sure I ever want to.
The song with Q-Tip from Puba's Babygrande album was also good: Good To Go
ReplyDeletei'm liking this canibus song way more than i expected to lol
ReplyDelete"He'll mock your style
ReplyDeleteRock you to the ground with the bite force of a Sarcosuchus crocodile
Travel a fiber optic mile before you can smile"
!!!!!!!!
Ah now Ive to try and listen to the Canibus song again.
ReplyDeleteId say the Nore album was to do with him having the reggaeton album out at the same time and he had rap songs to offload.
That Gillie songs nice. Someone needs to do a Major Figgas retrospective.
Also why are Babygrande bootlegging all of their songs/entire albums? all those links go to their channel.
ReplyDeleteOr is that even bootlegging, I dunno the difference between that and promo anymore.
Why the Jean Grae hate? Don't you enjoy the ramblings of autistic spectrum alcoholics?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, NY Oil's Hood Treason was a good album.
Gza's Pro Tools was OK.
I imagine Chuck has all the YouTube uploads monetised.
ReplyDelete95% of all NY rappers were signed to Koch or Babygrande in some capacity between 2004 - 2008.
That Hip Hop Ya Don't Stop song put me off from checking out that NYOIL album.
ReplyDeletePlus EPMD, Hostyle from Screwball, Fabolous, and Christina "8-Off" Aguilera & Primo had all already sounded better over that Gladys Knight sample.
Babygrande's a pretty mixed bag but like you said there's some solid music if you weed through the garbage. @Lady Sov's armpit hair Pro Tools was some of the most sleep inducing shit ever, the track with Roc Marc and the KA solo track were good though.
ReplyDeleteif koch did nothing else... they released a DVD precursor to P.O.M.E. that introduced the world to jim's new post-hot97 ego, ed hardy gear, max b (demo version of 'don't forget about me') and showed jimmy stealing thermals/leather from a mom/pop clothing store, etc.
ReplyDeleteClassic DVD.
ReplyDeleteKoch released a bunch of classic songs and great deep cuts, though, as the Koch list post shows.
Haha I remember JEDI MIND TRICKS FAN.
ReplyDeleteI used to really like Rip The Jacker. Should probably revisit.
ReplyDeleteYou could have picked Levitibus for some further Parisian-busker-playing-melanchollically-on-the-accordion-type-rap, blud.
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/8oca49CaHUk
Very essential sub-genre.
ReplyDeleteThe best NYOIL song was "Shout It In The Streets"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx7zheMble4
"Life In The Fast Lane" is a masterpiece in the Dipset discog. More so than some of Jim's albums.
ReplyDelete