If you're only familiar with Agallah as the guy from Purple City who had that song with Sean Price in the 3rd Grand Theft Auto game then this post should hopefully hip you to his history. Anything else you need to know about him is contained in this compilation which starts back in 1996 with the Alize 4 Dolo remix when he originally went by the name of 8-Off The Assassin and concludes with a couple of tracks from more recent times, including Blaze Of Glory where he checkmates Roc Marciano at his own game with his own style.
Not gonna front like I'm an Agallah expert, but I am a big fan of those moments when he does get it right and his catalogue is so ridiculously large and inconsistent that somebody needed to have a go at collating those moments when he does get it right into a 20 track best of compilation. Highlights include: The Crookie Monster is a song no other rapper could have made; the Adolf "8-Off" Agallar (Interlude) from Tony Touch's first compilation; Rising To The Top and It Ain't Easy are both top 10 NYC tracks of the noughties; Gangster might just be the missing link between Snaggapuss' freestyles on DJ Doo Wop's mixtapes and Max B's debut on Jim Jones' G's Up; the much-underrated Kraftwerk-sampling single Club Hoppin'; the aforementioned cut with Roc Marciano Blaze Of Glory.
Agallah The Joe Bish (compilation)
1. Alize 4 Dolo remix (w/ Mr Cheeks) (1996)
2. Till My Heart Stops (w/ R.A. The Rugged Man) (1997)
3. The Crookie Monster (1999)
4. 5 Star Millas (1999)
5. Adolf "8-Off" Agallar (Interlude) (2000)
6. Rising To The Top O.G version (w/ Sean Price) (2001)
7. Let's Get High (2001)
8. Telemundo (w/ Sean Price) (2001)
9. N.Y.C (w/ Ike Eyes & Sean Price) (2001)
10. Gun Go (2004)
11. Gangster (2004)
12. Rockin' (2004)
13. It Ain't Easy (w/ Shiest Bubz) (2005)
14. Picture Me Rollin' (w/ Shiest Bubz & Ike Eyez) (2006)
15. New York Ryder Music (w/ DJ Premier) (2006)
16. Club Hoppin' (2006)
17. Rap Bobby Fischer (2010)
18. Treez 4 Xmas (2011)
19. Blaze Of Glory (w/ Roc Marciano) (2013)
20. Vange (2014)
Plumped for the O.G Rising To The Top with Agallah sangin' the hook not to be a contrarian but simply because it's the superior version of the song. Feel free to swap it if you've grown up with the GTA III incarnation, otherwise you're best to stick with this version.
Dope comp I'd include Dose of Propane Piff with Cormega and Yeah Baby with Ike Eyes also.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
ReplyDeleteCorrection
ReplyDelete"It Ain't Easy" is the best song of all time.
I like the way he says 'fitted' ("everytime you a frrritted or throwback...") in NY Ryder Music.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the way I missed that 12" when it dropped and now it goes for silly money
Kinda regretting not starting this comp with Neighborhood Hoe now.
ReplyDeleteGood looks! Strongest unibrow in the game.
ReplyDelete"a gob that could strip paint" Nullus.
ReplyDeleteYOU MY ACE FOR THIS
ReplyDelete5 Star Millas was clearly Agallah anticipating how good Resident Evil: Extinction and Resident Evil: Afterlife would be.
ReplyDeleteplease re-up this one! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteDone.
ReplyDelete