Friday 6 December 2019

LQBLT

"The Rap game stressed me, made me get the burner
Thought about it, pimp it out like Ike Turner
Not a hard-head, I'm an easy learner
Back in the day boned a girl named Mirna
Styles I flip: R&B, even Pop
No matter how I flip I'ma flip Hip Hop
Put the pedal to the metal, put the icing on the cake
The tea in the kettle, get a mansion like Blake"


Greg Nice - Set It Off
(From Set It Off single; 1995)



Imagine a world where Set It Off is acknowledged as bringing that Latin Quarter essence to The Tunnel era, a world where Set It Off is considered the equal of Nice & Smooth's best singles, a world where Set It Off is regarded as Certified Canon™ rather than Cult Classic™. I'd like to live in that world meself, if only to stop basic bastard warm-up DJ's at heritage-Rap shows playing Dwyck for the 50 billionth time.

You, a square: Smooth B was a big influence on Snoop Dogg.
Me, a connoisseur: Greg Nice was the true father of Project Pat's flow.

17 comments:

Ben said...

Only lames think Snoop got his flow from Steady B. If your in the know you know Snoop got his style from 3-2/Richie Rich.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

You mean Smooth B not Steady B, right?

Smooth was definitely an influence on Snoop. Slick Rick too obviously.

The Big Sleep said...

Yeah and it's not like Snoop hides who inspired him, in interviews he frequently credits some of his biggest early influences to:

East Coast Old School & Golden Era Storytellers

Blowfly – X-Rated Style
Slick Rick – Voice and Storytelling
Smooth B – Cadence and Relaxed Delivery

The Late Eighties & Early Nineties Oakland / Vallejo Sound

E-40 – Slang and Terminology
Richie Rich – Group Name and Dynamics (415 inspired Snoop to create 213)
Too $hort – The gangster cartoon dog cover for Short Dog's in the House was the inspiration for the artwork on Doggystyle.

Those half dozen artists make up a good percentage of Snoop Doggy Dogg, circa '93.

Anonymous said...

I took the bullet and listened to that new Max B and while the auto-tune is still there at least he’s just not rapping over trap beats. These are my favorites
https://youtu.be/eSjStgb5z7I
https://youtu.be/xHEFjRJDRTU
https://youtu.be/CCL_aNAfW4s

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

That one with Wiz ain't bad.

Am I buggin' or did Snoop once say X-Clan were a huge influence on him?

I wonder if Snoop ever listened to Mac Dre? I know Ice Cube had Dre open up for him regularly around NorCal.

The Big Sleep said...

Now that you mention it, that does sound kinda familiar maybe. Possibly could've heard that in one of the endless Snoop vs. Nardwuar segments? I know Brother J has brought up his admiration of Snoop in interviews.

As far as Mac Dre, he was obviously a Snoop fan but I don't know how late in the game Snoop found out about Furl. I have a feeling it wasn't super early on, but he definitely became aware at some point: https://youtu.be/4a7hS80DzJQ?t=538

Ben said...

Yeah I meant Smooth B I was half asleep when I wrote that lol. Yeah Slick Rick was definitely an influence but to me his whole persona that people associate with him came mostly from 3-2 & Richie Rich. He has acknowledged Richie Rich as an influence but never really gave any credit to 3-2 except when he passed.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Yeah, it mighta been a Nardwuar interview.

Hah never seen that vid before.

There's also the Mac Minister connection between Snoop and Mac Dre: Mac Minister doin' that interlude on Tha Last Meal, and then mistakenly believing Fat Tone was responsible for Dre's murder and luring Tone to his death with some bullshit ruse about Snoop wanting to meet him.

hotbox said...

thx for reminding me this exists

snoop has claimed blowfly, slick rick, brother j from x clan & special ed as influences in past interviews. "tha shiznit" has brother j written all over it

also this is the best chorus in the history of music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfwvwBKkzQw

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

A Beatnuts X Greg Nice collabo circa Street Level woulda been so good.

D said...

Snoops claimed Jimmy Spicer too which makes a ton of sense, that stream of conscious shit. He's busted out a gr8 jimmy impression in a few Nardwuar interviews most notably the one w Mac Shawn.

Snoops the only rapper who insists on the v pointless endeavour of covering rap songs constantly so theres always that too for influences, he must have a dozen under his belt lolol

D said...

His old school influences are more prominent in his delivery on the albums where Dre coaches him, doggy style n last meal imo

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Okay, lads: Greg Nice.

L.A said...

Always reminds me of the Funk Flex mix.

CrowleyHead said...

Greg Nice & Smooth B the true inheritors of the Doug E Fresh/Slick Rick dynamic except where people recognize the Doug E figure as the superior talent.

Andrew Barber said...

Greg Nice was amazing, but sadly didn't look cool enough to compete in that 95 nyc rat race.

The Beatnuts pivot in 99 would've been good...that was the time for him to strike

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Indeed.