In the mid-80’s rappers were a few
In the Halls of Hardcore Hip-Hop Fame, there stands a statue of a man 6′ 3″ and solid as granite. That figure is of Just-Ice, a Bronx New York emcee that is heralded as a pioneer of Hip-Hop from the onset of rap music’s transition to harder textures. Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur talks to Just-Ice about his new music, namely the song “Get Your Drink On, Get Your Freak On!” which pairs the rapper with longtime producer Mantronix.
Things get really interesting when Just-Ice travels down memory lane and speaks his mind. He talks about everything from KRS-One to the MC Poet (Blaq Poet) to his relationship to genius producer Kurtis Mantronix. He also reveals he never met RZA as portrayed in “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” but explains relationship with Popa Wu AKA Freedom (RIP).
He says he started gangsta rap, but admits Ice-T started making records before him. “I started it, before NWA, before anybody else,” he says around the 22 minutes mark. “Ice-T started making records before me, but he wasn’t talking no gangsta sh#t.” Philadelphia’s Schoolly D is most-often credited with starting the genre with “PSK (Parkside Killers),” but his New York counterpart downplays it.
He also makes the startling revelation that Heavy D stole a song idea from himself and KRS-One, a brazen act that upset them both. Nonetheless, he says he has nothing but love for his Mt. Vernon brother and they have numerous experiences to prove that.
There’s a lot to unpack in this interview.