Robb Bank$ ft. Sir Michael Rocks, Shorty K & Boldy James - Top Shottas 2K25
(From the internet; 2025)
Top notch posse cut belonging to Shaggy's son Robb Bank$. Everybody did their thing and sounded cognizant of each other’s presence over a beat which is effervescently effective. Personally, I'm pretending this is a sequel to Too $hort Back which was recorded for Boldy James' first album.
Smoke Shag one for Brother Marquis AKA the first rapper to sag his jeans AKA the 2 Live Crew member with the illest rap voice. I hope Heaven got a beach full of birds in bikinis for Marquis & his fellow dearly-departed 2 Live Crew member Fresh Kid Ice. In tribute, allow me to reintroduce 2 Live Crew's 1990 performance of Face Down, Ass Up on the Phil Donahue show.
A great clip, but it's my second favourite 2 Live Crew video on YouTube. The first is this performance of We Want Some Pussy from the infamous 1990 Florida club show where half the group were later arrested for breaking obscenity laws. Rap music has come a looooong way, baby!
"Ain't never leechin' off a n*gga, that's a fact
I ain't tryna argue witcha, Ima pop up where you at"
Gwala - Say Please
(From YouTube; 2024)
Here's an example of an aiiight song which could have been an anthem with a bit more effort. Ol' girl nearly caught the holy ghost of Jimmy Wopo's Elm Street, but couldn't be arsed coming up with a chorus and ended up with a Walkin' Bomb Part 2-lite instead. That's one of the biggest problems with Rap music nowadays - folks don't even try to make capital A-side Anthems. I want blood, sweat and tears put into song-craft. I want brains, ectoplasm and cum spilled all into anthem-making. Harrylujah!
Speaking of Jimmy Wopo, I've come to luh Elm Street 2 as much as the original. Granted, it took me a while to appreciate part 2 as its own entity, but it's become a Martorialist canon choon. Now THAT'S a capital A-side Anthem where its creator put his entire mind, body, soul and bad jujuplasm into the song and video. Wopolujah!
Big Scoob ft. Celph Titled - Floss Filthy
(From No More Mr. Nice Guy 12" single; 2003)
File this under 'rapper pairings nobody saw coming.' In hindsight, the link-up of former Big Daddy Kane back-up dancer Big Scoob and future Bo$$ Hog Barbarian Celph Titled seems even more bizarre now - especially when it's Big Scoob featuring Celph Titled rather than vice versa. Anyhoo, this shit is a back-slapping bromance à la The Essence with the twist of Scoob extolling the joys of jiggyness and Celph celebrating his own cheapness. A very unexpected slice of "I do what work for me, you do what work for you"-core.
Other than me, Dom Passantino and Plum Drank, who else is #Bo$$HogBarbarian$Hive?
"F*ck dat n*gga, he ain't got no motion
That ain't his money on the 'gram he postin'
N*gga been a joke, but a bitch ain't jokin'
Tryna come back, what the f*ck you smokin'?"
iCandy - Keep Dat N*gga
(From Keep Dat N*gga single; 2023)
Exactly what I want from my 2023 viral Pop-Rap. One song which scratches two itches for me: a lass talking disrespectful shit and a My Boogie Shoes sample. Somewhat of a lazy nostalgia-bait sample you might argue, but I don't even care because My Boogie Shoes is a de facto top three song on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Actual factz: My Boogie Shoes shoulda been three minutes longer, while Disco Inferno shoulda been three minutes shorter.
**EDIT** Trick Daddy should do a remix of the iCandy song. Bring back battle-of-the-sexes answer records in Rap IMHO. From Roxanne Shanté's Roxanne's Revenge to Too $hort's Yo Neck, Yo Back/My Dick and My Sack, it's all #banter innit?
Hat tip to the artist/blogger formerly known as Juiceboxxx for hippin' me to Luh Tyler's Law & Order. That shit is a fine introduction on the lyrical exercise tip, and Tyler's new shit Back Flippin' is even better because it's a proper song of sorts. Killer gas drawl on this kid or wot? File both these shits under 'Yungstar's motormouth zoomer nephew from Tallahasse, Florida.'
Luh Tyler - Back Flippin'
(From YouTube; 2022)
Hopefully Back Flippin' is an indication that Tyler is gonna develop his songwriting in future. Be a pity if the kid ends up being just another trendy glorified freestyle rapper hacking out content for the sake of content.
It's a game of two halves, Clive. They just don't make booty anthems like this anymore: songs that sound like the past, present and future at the SAME DAMN TIME! Back of the net, my son & shawty.
Who'd have ever thunk there'd be a Rapper called Trap Beckham tho? You'll never win anything with kidz unless you've got a different class of '92: Crunk Giggs, Atlanta Bass Scholes, Snap Butt, and the Futuristic Swag Neville Brothers.
Bonus beats: Flo Milli's new single is hardbody. Not so much death by stereo as death by stiletto.
Flo Milli - Like That Bitch
(From the internet; 2020)
"N*ggas be loudmouth until they hear that 'K buss
Potato on the barrel, I don't really like to say much
I catch him at his bitch house with his dick out where he cake up
And leave what he was thankin' on the blanket by her make-up'"
PC Tweezie ft. Murk - Pay Up
(From Palm Beach Post mixtape; 2015)
Who knew Trel Itz A Hit was lacing random Florida rappers back in 2015? Not me.
