It's interesting where music will lead you. One moment I was listening to this and the next I was reciting the lyrics to Gang Starr's Mass Appeal:

No way you'll never make it
Come with the weak shit, I break kids
Step into my zone, mad rhymes will stifle ya
Lines like rifles go blast when I kick some ass
A lot of rappers be like one time wondas
Couldn't say a fly rhyme if there was one right under
Their noses, I hate those motherfuckin posers
But I'm so real to them its scary
And with my unique skills nah you cant compare me
And no we dont make wack tracks
And all the suckas get pushed back when I'm kickin real facts
I represent set up shit like a tent boy
You're paranoid cause you're my son like Elroy
And you'd be happy as hell to get a record deal
Maybe your soul you'd sell to have mass appeal...

Aww, damn, now I'm seriously depressed. When you have albums like Full Clip, which is pretty much the musical history of Gang Starr, one can only appreciate what it is they brought to music:

Gang Starr is a hip hop duo composed of MC Guru and DJ Premier based in Brooklyn, New York, founded in 1987 by Guru, DJ 1,2 B Down, Mike Dee and various producers, such as Donald D, J.V. Johnson or DJ Mark the 45 King helping out. In 1987 and 1988, Gang Starr released three 12" vinyl singles on the legendary Wild Pitch label.

In 1989, the group split and the only member willing to continue under the name Gang Starr was Guru. He soon got in touch with DJ Premier (then working under the name Waxmaster C) who sent him a beat tape which Guru apparently liked. He invited DJ Premier to join the new founded group and in the same year they released their first single "Words I Manifest". With that line up, Gang Starr went on working together for six albums, a 2CD "greatest hits" compilation and numerous singles and soundtrack contributions. As of 2006, another best of compilation is planned by the group's former label EMI for a christmas release, entitled Mass Appeal: The Best Of Gang Starr.

During their career Gang Starr helped pioneer the New York City hip hop sound. The entirety of Gang Starr's catalog, especially Step in the Arena (1991), Daily Operation (1992) and Moment of Truth (1998) are well-respected among critics and hip hop heads alike. Their track "Jazz Thang", featured on the soundtrack to Spike Lee's film Mo' Better Blues, helped establish the sound of jazz rap, although they themselves consider their sound solely straight hardcore hip hop.

Maybe I'm just too emotional, but the lyrics to "Mass Appeal" speak volumes to what's (STILL) going on today in music...


Gang Starr - Mass Appeal


If you enjoyed this post, subscribe now for updates by email or RSS.

Don't have Rhapsody...click here to get a free 14-day trial