In response to Nas’ Hip Hop is Dead song “Where Are They Now?”, AllHipHop.com decided to answer some of Nasir’s questions. Take a jaunt down memory lane, and find out what the greats of yesteryear are doing, the music they’re making, and what we can do to uphold their names.
Redhead Kingpin: You know? This fellow was moderately successful in the New Jack Swing era of Hip-Hop with songs like the Teddy Riley-produced “Do The Right Thing.” However, after Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power” was used as the theme song to the movie Do The Right Thing, it just seemed that the days were numbered for the Redhead Kingpin. Perhaps it is ready for him to do the right thing and show his face every so often. At least Nas remembers him and his crew, The F.B.I.
Tim Dog: Nas named-checked Tim Dog, because he’s one of the most infamous bullies in rap history. He penned the divisive, incendiary “F**k Compton” in 1991, before aligning with Kool Keith’s Ultramagnetic MC’s. Nas might not know where the dog is, but we do. He’s been touring the world and makin’ more trouble. In a recent song, rumored to be called “Bronx, We Started Hip-Hop.” Tim “the original dog” lashes out at both Snoop and DMX. Penicillin returns in 2007.
Kwame: Kwame reinvented himself from the polka-dotted but to Biggie’s joke as one of the more sought-after producers in Hip-Hop right now. Since creating a hit for Lloyd Banks in 2004’s “On Fire,” Kwame’s cooked up beats for Will Smith and 40 Glocc. Moreover, Kwame is reportedly bringing Dana Dane back out, so that’s where he is too.
King T: King T has always played a low profile like WC, but he never left. In fact, The Firm’s album is rumored to be one of the reasons that Aftermath got scared and never released Thy Kingdom Come. So the eldest Likwit Junkie bootlegged the Dr. Dre-assisted record himself two years ago, we heard. More recently, he released a mixtape called Boss Up Volume 1 jumping off his new company. The Game, Eastwood, and B-Real got down, maybe Nas can hop on volume 2.
King Sun: From what we know, King Sun has been working with producers overseas, trying to stage a comeback. But, those in the New York area (or fans of AllHipHop’s flicks area), know that “the god” is known to crash the stage of another rapper. He’s also found a partner in crime, Lady Heron – not to be confused of Juggaknots fame. What’s next? You never know with King Sun D’Moet!
Super lover Cee & Cassanova Rud: Rest in Peace to James Brown! These guys gave The Godfather his own dance with their song “Do the James.” Clearly, Nas knows of their often overlooked classic Girls I Got ‘Em Locked, which dropped in ’88, but was reinterpreted by Jurassic 5 several years ago. Rud is hard to find, but Super Lover Cee, the lead rapper, has quietly been working with a young R&B singer. We don’t have the music so we’ll have to wait and see.
Antoinette: Back in the day, Antoinette was known as the “gangstress” for her serious flow. Her battles with MC Lyte were legendary, but she dropped off the map after a couple ill-fated albums. She briefly resurfaced in 1997 on Cru’s Dirty 30 and was gone as quickly as she returned. Still, we’d love to hear her “bloody attitude” one more time.
Black Sheep: Both Dres [as “Black Sheep”] and Mr. Long of Black Sheep released solo albums in the ’06. While neither effort had the punch of their early ‘90s classics, you ask “Where are they?” They’re right in front, son. The choice is yours.
Group Home: Okay, good question. Lil’ Dap and Melachie had one of the
hardest debut albums ever in Livin’ Proof, when Premier’s whole
sound first evolved. Four years later, A Tear for the Ghetto, which
save for one track, lacked Guru and Premier, was more helpless than
when Jeru stepped out of the Gang Starr Foundation. Rumor has is Lil’ Dap is in Poland, signed to Prosto Records, working on music and Malachi the Nutcracker tried his had at boxing a few years ago. Still, where is Group Home?
Busy Bee: Busy Bee is currently doing speaking engagements with KRS-One’s Temple of Hip-Hop. He, Grandmaster Caz, Kool Herc, and others teach the truth, to the young Black, White, and Brown youth. The Wild Style star remains an active Hip-Hop luminary from the early days, and his battle with Kool Moe Dee invented the diss record as we know it.
Ill & Al Skratch: Back in the ‘90s, Ill & Al had a song called “Where My Homiez” and now we ask the very same question. The only thing, we don’t know. Just for the 411, Ill was one ill MC. He had the gall to diss Big Daddy Kane at his own birthday party many moons ago. While the name still resonates, we cannot locate these homiez.
Special Ed: Last week, your man probably did see Special Ed, especially if your man was in Los Angeles. Ed lives out there, so don’t go there. In 2002, Snoop Dogg reportedly wanted to sign Ed to Doggystyle Records. Despite some collaboration, it never happened. In 2004, Ed released Still Got it Made, revealing his West Coast influence, but a debacle no less.
Spice-1: Since 1990-Sick, Spice-1 releases more albums than a Tower Records bargain bin knows what to do with. After three collaborative albums with MC Eiht, plus others with Yukmouth, Celly Cel, and Jayo Felony, Spice keeps busy. Fans should know that Spice-1’s first five albums showed the gangsterism that The Clipse and UGK try best to uphold at Jive.
Positive K: Positive K: Good question. “I Got a Man” continues to end up on every
crappy rap compilation, while K’s contribution on Brand Nubian’s
“Grand Puba, Positive, and L.G.” stays in the AllHipHop boombox. He’s been known to take the stage without warning, but its a negative that Positive K isn’t around these days.
Father MC: Big Daddy Kane wasn’t the only rapper to pose nude. Since
bearing his assets to Playgirl after his rapping career
subsided, the Father vanished from our collective sight. That didn’t stop Father MC from his last album, My
dropping in 2003. My, my, my. These days, he is still on the West Coast working on grittier music, a far cry from the New Jack Swing era.
Skinny Boys: You know, only real die-hard, fanatical fans of Hip-Hop remember the Skinny Boys. They were like the exact opposite of the Fat Boys of New York except they were thin, from Connecticut and had a beatbox named The Human Jock Box. They offered the underground a number of quality songs like “Rip The Cut” and “Jockbox (America Loves the Skinny Boys)” and three full LPs. From what we understand, the Skinny Boys have been vocal about how they weren’t properly compensated for their work and were considering dropping some music for the streets. Regardless, they are the toast of Bridgeport, Connecticut.
The Original Spinderella: Most people don’t even know there was a different female on the cover of Salt-n-Pepa’s first album. She soon left the team, but wasn’t seen much – until recently. The Original Spinderella has been seen hangin’ out with DJ Kay Slay and lookin’ hella good. Well, we have to see if this is a case of bad meets evil or the best of both worlds.
Lakim Shabazz: We’ve been wondering the same thing. When we spoke to 45 King a few years ago, we asked him if Lakim would ever want a feature. Lakim, wherever you’re at, we salute you as one of the fiercest lyricist to ever grasp the mic. Stones Throw signed Percee P and somebody ought to put out a Lakim LP.
Nine: In the midst of Onyx and Flatlinerz, Nine arguably perfected gore rap. “Redrum” became the word of choice in the mid-‘90s as the raspy voiced MC became an underground smash. Nine resurfaced this year on The Juggaknots’ Use Your Confusion album. The track “Never” is grimy as he ever was, but he’s never been so invisible as he is now.
Fu-Schnickens: A 1990s affiliation with Shaq (lovingly known then as Shaq-Fu) and a martial arts style that pre-dates Wu couldn’t keep these guys on the commercial rap radar. All we can find is that Chip Fu is still spittin’ verses and is working on his solo debut, Math. Expect collaborations with producers like Oh No, Ali Shaheed, Da Beatminerz, and Needlz. As for Moc-Fu, we heard he has a normal 9-to-5 to feed the family. No shame in that!
Buckshot: This one really doesn’t make sense. Not only has Black Moon been one of the only early ‘90s groups to stay together, all three of their albums are undisputed bangers. Last year Buck and 9th Wonder made Chemistry, and this year, Evil Dee remixed and re-released the whole album with that Beatminerz hump. Get familiar.
Finesse & Synquis: There is no reason why we shouldn’t know what’s up with Finesse & Synquis. They were the New York soul sistas that can came after Salt-N-Pepa were big. Decidedly less pop, F-N-S didn’t quite catch on even though musically they were more than up to par. Their second single “Straight From The Soul” should have took them over the top (even a young Sean Combs makes a cameo!). Rumor has it Synquis is currently working in entertainment law. Ahhhhhh, we miss them!
Rappin’ Duke: Surely Nas was joking with this one! The Rappin’ Duke was a novelty act that impersonated John Wayne as a rapper back in the rolling, experimental ‘80s. Biggie’s “Juicy” shout made this name legendary though. You know what Chuck D said about Mr. Wayne, right? Moving along!
Body & Soul: in 1990, this female rap group helped bring some peace to the West Coast with “All in The Same Gang,” which featured Ice-T, Tone Loc, M.C. Hammer, N.W.A., Young M.C., Above The Law, Digital Underground, King Tee, Oaktown’s 3.5.7, Eazy-E and J.J. Fad. Ironically, group member Dee Barnes, who became a TV host, was later attacked by Dr. Dre and sued the bad doctor. But, we ain’t really heard from the group since those early days.
Oaktown’s 3-5-7: These ladies took spandex to whole new levels as the dancing associates of MC Hammer. Truthfully, they have been absent without leave from the music game ever since Hammer’s reign ended. Like Kwame, Biggie gave the gals an honorable shout-out – albeit playfully on his legendary Palladium Mr. Cee freestyle with Big Daddy Kane and Tupac.
J.J. Fad: Dr. Dre’s first platinum record was courtesy of these ruthless chicks. Fergie also owes the ladies everything for “Supersonic,” which Will.I.Am stripped to make “Fergilicious.” 40 Glocc told us that Damia of the group had a baby, and lives in San Bernadino County. With rifts between Mobb Deep and 50 Cent though, you’d better ask somebody else.
Young MC: Young MC followed Biz Markie to appear on VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club, and he wrote “Bust a Move” [currently appearing in some crappy commercial], as well as “Funky Cold Medina” and “Wild Thing” for Tone Loc. When he’s not shedding those pounds, Young reportedly lives in Arizona these days and still dabbles in music.
Tone Loc: A dollar bin legend. An original Compton rapper, Tone kept the lights on for years at Delicious Vinyl Records before moving into voice and character acting. His last role of note was in the late ‘90s hit television show News Radio – Rest in Peace to Phil Hartman.
Kriss-Kross: Ask Young Dro. He’s best-friends with Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly. Thank God Dro doesn’t wear his pants backwards though. Even Michael Jackson loved Kriss-Kross…pause. Without the success of this early ‘90s duo, would JD have been as big in the game as he’s become? Nas and Kriss-Kross were Ruffhouse roomies – with Schoolly D.
Boss: Boss was shunned from rap, because her gangsta demeanor didn’t match her background. She sure could spit and her Def Jam debut was crafted in hardcore heaven. Lichelle “Boss” Laws went through quite a lot of medical difficulty from drinking and was mounting a comeback as of 2004. We even found that her music pretty much represented the life she was leading in the early ‘90s. She was gangsta before chicks were G’d up.
Divine Styler: Divine Styler has been on the low the last few years, working primarily with West Coast underground Hip-Hop groups like The Swollen Members. A book is coming out, chronicling the early ‘90s culture, based off a search for Divine Styler. With the depth in his rhymes, Divine paved the way for Aesop Rock, Dilated Peoples, and countless others.
Def Jef: For a hot minute, Def Jef was working with Krayzie Bone and manages to stay busy. He remixed “Life’s a B***h” for Illmatic to Stillmatic, odd? His Thug Line Records seemingly folded, but we heard that Jef has been getting checks from network TV.
Mic Geronimo: Mic is still doing it heavy. He’s been working with B-Money, who just did Jay-Z’s intro, that’s like four degrees of separation from Nas. Mic has always worked with choice producers, helping start the career of Irv Gotti back in the mid ‘90s.
The Pharcyde: The group disbanded around 2003. B##### Brown and Imani continue to record under the group name, lastly with the dismal Humbolt Beginnings in 2004. Fat Lip enjoyed some solo success with his The Loneliest Punk in 2005. He’s still on Delicious Vinyl too, and many had been asking, “Where are they now?” The Pharcyde’s later works revealed Jay Dee’s genius a decade before Hip-Hop mourned him.
Coolio: Coolio released The Return of the Gangsta this past year. Wikipedia reports that the album sold over 100,000 copies, which just goes to show you that Coolio still has fans that will rid and lie for him. Coolio and AllHipHop.com go back to the Curb Servin’ days though. Nevertheless, Coolio stays busy handling biz all over the world!
Craig Mack: Right you are, Craig is in the studio, recording for his third album reportedly called The Affiliation. “Mack Tonight” b/w “Hip-Hop Life” was a single Craig released this year on his Mack World Entertainment. Always bringin’ that brand new flavor in ya ear.
Funky Four Plus One: Since the group disbanded in the early ‘80s, Rodney Cee and K.K. Rockwell performed as Double Trouble. Rodney also reportedly married Angie B from the early ‘80s R&B group Sequence. Still, when old school cats think about Funky Four’s resonance in Hip-Hop, “That’s The Joint” is the phrase that plays.
Force MD’s: In 1998, the group lost two of its members. Charles “Mercury” Nelson reportedly died of a heart attack, while Antoine “T.C.D.” Lundy died from Lou Gehrig’s Disease. We liked the group as the Force MCs, before the industry molded ‘em.
Miss Melodie: KRS-One’s ex-wife released an album on Jive called Diva in 1989. Boogie Down Productions rolled deep, and while D-Nice stayed in the fray, Melodie seemingly vanished. Wherever she is, she’s down with us!
Roxanne Shante: Roxanne…uh… Dr. Shante has recently been working with MC Shan on reviving the Juice Crew name with new acts. She also owns a dope ice cream spot in Queens, so the next time you’re driving through, get the scoop. And to get super retarded, Roxanne Shante has her PhD in Psychology and has a successful practice in New York.
EPMD: EPMD performed at B.B. Kings less than two months ago and are touring. Erick and Parrish still cash checks and snap necks. Erick Sermon laced Busta Rhymes with a banger called “Goldmine,” on Big Bang, plus some joints for Meth. PMD still works with The Hit Squad, and the whole fam appears in tact…except…
K-Solo: K-Solo is working construction in California. He’s still rapping, and has a company called Waste Management. He’s signed artists named Buckwheat and Maintain, plus Canibus to a single-deal. Solo’s rolling with Mike Tyson a lot lately, so watch what you say. K-Solo was the only rapper actually signed to the original Death Row East, a piece of what-if history right there.
If you are an old school, true school or MIA rapper and we should should know your whereabouts, email us at whereartheynow@allhiphop.com.