Check out the new ep of my podcast where we're chopping it up about one hit wonders who didn't deserve to be. Now, first let me set this off by saying I'm not saying one hit wonders like these cats were on their Milli Vanilla jawn and didn't have talent. Nah, it's just the opposite. We're talking about dope hip hop artists but for some reason only had one or two albums (but the 2nd wasn't as dope as the first) and we never heard from them again. Plus we're chopping it up about how "cool" dancing in hip hop got played out once heinekens were imported into hip hop, how the Hit Squad was one of the dopest crews EVER but all of 'em had wack "super powers", hip hop beefs some folk might not have known about and why some of the DOPEST hip hop is stuff we were never supposed to hear! (albums from the 90's that got shelved)
So my question for cats is who are you top 5 one hit wonders who didn't deserve to be? My top 5 are: Zhigge/Ill & Al Skratch Teflon Sauce Money Three Times Dope INI
"Non-Fiction" was...not good. But for some reason, I think there's a back story on why the first album was so dope, and the second was a dud. Maybe they put all their effort into the first joint, and ran dry on the re-up?
3. "It's a shame because the "Without a Doubt" remix was dope" In response to Reply # 2
They used that version for the video. Salaam laced them and Zhigge lovely.
You're such pests...now, what is it you want? In your depths of your ignorance, what is it you want? Well, whatever it is you want, I can't deliver because I just don't see it. - Orson Welles
20. "Non-Fiction was absolute ass." In response to Reply # 2
A Wolf In Sheep's CLothing was THIS close to being a 5 mic album. Take off La Menage and it gets the rating in my book. One of the most disappointing sophomore slumps I can remember
<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up... __________________________
Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect. Game: Like Gladys Knight. Jay: Aretha Franklin. Game: Word, I like her too. Jay: Nigga...
5. "Ill & Al Skratch did deserve to be 1 hit wonders...Artifacts didn't" In response to Reply # 0
Where my Homies was basically an east coast Eazy E song then they had the remix, they named their album Creep Wit Me and their whole image was "ruff rugged and raw" east coast 93-94 shit mixed with west coast g-funk beats "I'll Take Her" was a better song but after that they just faded out
Meanwhile Artifacts, a much better duo with a solid debut album (they did cover the early 90's east coast basics: the weed song, the bitches song, the keep it real song without sounding formulaic) but couldn't keep the spark lit for the 2nd LP (same label politics story, by the time it came out it sounded dated plus the jiggy era was in full swing)
13. "RE: Ill & Al Skratch did deserve to be 1 hit wonders...Artifacts didn't" In response to Reply # 5
>Meanwhile Artifacts, a much better duo with a solid debut >album >(they did cover the early 90's east coast basics: the weed >song, the bitches song, the keep it real song without sounding >formulaic) >but couldn't keep the spark lit for the 2nd LP >(same label politics story, by the time it came out it sounded >dated plus the jiggy era was in full swing)
I remember video for The Ultimate from that second album of theirs getting a ton of play on BET. I don't know how much that equates in terms of sales, but they were as visible are they were with Wrong Side of The Tracks IMO, at least from what I remember.
"Sean sparks like John Starks, nah, Sean ball like John Wall" - Rest In Power Forever Sean Price.
Dj Joey Joe Member since Sep 01st 2007 13770 posts
Sun Mar-26-17 04:39 PM
53. "Double Brick Or Not, Their 2nd Album Was Dope" In response to Reply # 34
I think the fact that if Big Beat/Atlantic let El & Tame keep their name Artifacts when they were trying to get signed to Rawkus I think they would've put out even more amazing material but since they couldn't and tried to do the Brick City Kids thing that no one could attach to their old name made it impossible to market, so they just broke up and used their own solo names, the rest is history.
--------- "We in here talking about later career Prince records & your fool ass is cruising around in a time machine trying to collect props for a couple of sociopathic degenerates" - s.blak
7. "Smoothe the Hustler deserved a bigger push + Smoothe & Trigger should" In response to Reply # 0
have gotten a group deal also.
In a perfect world, you can put Smoothe the Hustler with the Rocafella team, and see what they do with him. After his first solo comes out, we get a Smoothe & Trigga album. THEN we get Trigga's solo.
These guy's potential was totally wasted, because Smoothe's label didn't set him up properly. If Smoothe had top shelf production & better promotion, he's a rap star. Then there's no way Trigga's album gets shelved.
dula dibiasi Member since Apr 05th 2004 21925 posts
Mon Mar-06-17 01:36 PM
9. "re: smoothe & trigger, dj clue LOVED those cats" In response to Reply # 7
i've recently been listening to a lot of 95-96 era clue tapes on mixcloud. dude had smoothe and trigger all over them shits.
___
it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. - sherlock holmes
11. "Smoothe low-key kinda owned 1996" In response to Reply # 7
Last year I re-listened to a lot of 1996 shit, and dude (and Trigger) were among the most consistently dope artists that year, in terms of singles, albums, and guest appearances.
A proper Smith Bros. album would have been ill as fuck.
21. "Those Smith Bros guest appearances & loosies were so crucial " In response to Reply # 11
>Last year I re-listened to a lot of 1996 shit, and dude (and >Trigger) were among the most consistently dope artists that >year, in terms of singles, albums, and guest appearances. > >A proper Smith Bros. album would have been ill as fuck.
You're such pests...now, what is it you want? In your depths of your ignorance, what is it you want? Well, whatever it is you want, I can't deliver because I just don't see it. - Orson Welles
25. "Imo the problem starts with Smoothe not getting the proper push" In response to Reply # 22
>It was a week or two. The source already reviewed it and >everything. Def Jam just got cold feet and said NOPE. > >That was the nail in the coffin. It all went down from there.
from Profile. They also needed better executive production, some guidance from someone who saw their potential. To be honest that Trigga album is just okay, but if Smoothe had blown up like he could have, Trigga would have been a much bigger deal, with a bigger budget. And no shots at DV Alias Khrist, but no need to give him whole verses.
I aint gone front though. Today, it sounds sorta corny but back then, I dug it.
When I first heard it on the radio, I thought it was Pharcyde. I later figured that Skeelo was who Pharcyde was talking about on the song "Pharcyde" on Labcabin.
Skeelo had me fooled. lol
I never heard the rest of the album but now I guess I need to go check it out.
17. "agree, but i decide not to focus on the extent of their career..." In response to Reply # 16
and moreso on the "one hit-ness" of their career.
i mean, if we're getting mega technical you could argue most of those people didn't have a "hit" which is why i said don't focus on that cuz then we have to define "hit"
dula dibiasi Member since Apr 05th 2004 21925 posts
Mon Mar-06-17 04:00 PM
18. "i mean, you're entitled to your opinion and all..." In response to Reply # 15
but i don't think beans belongs anywhere near this list.
i thought the spirit of the post was moreso in the zhigge/InI/smoothe/etc vein. beans had a very nice run.
___
it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. - sherlock holmes
I wouldn't have been okay with them getting away with that.
Hilarious that the same rapper resurfaced a couple years later on the hardcore NYC Carhartt, hoody & Tims wave. Kinda pathetic if you ask me, but you be the judge.
30. "He took his image & delivery from De La. Then he switched to Redman/Naug..." In response to Reply # 28
>in a very detached/dry way. De La would rather paint strange >word pictures than be playful and comedic > >Tribe was playful in a more locker room boys will be boys way > >The UMC's were playful in a childish fun way > > >How many ways have you accepted rappers acting "hard"?
Those people are called biters. I already cited "3 Feet High & Rising" and you're telling me about "strange word pictures". "3 Feet High & Rising" was incredibly playful and comedic. Again, he took his look and his flow directly from there. Might be a nice guy, can't say he's untalented. But he doesn't have his own thing, that's probably why he didn't make it.
31. "I never heard Tribe called a De La biter" In response to Reply # 30
never
De La's plug tunin' opened with
Answering any other service, Perogative praised positively I'm acquitted Enemies publicly shame my utility After the battle they admit that I'm with it Simply soothe, will move vinyl like glue Transistors are never more shown with like
that's painting pictures with wordplay - which is what De La is known for more than their comedic playfulness
Phase is just being comedic and playful
I wouldn't expect the strange wordplay of 'plug tunin' from Phase
39. "Ok so let's look at the opening bars from Swollen Pockets" In response to Reply # 31
>never > > >De La's plug tunin' opened with > >Answering any other service, >Perogative praised positively I'm acquitted >Enemies publicly shame my utility >After the battle they admit that I'm with it >Simply soothe, will move vinyl like glue >Transistors are never more shown with like >
Swollen pockets deflation of "proxsectomy"? caught From constant sweating, which I fought With anti-perspirant A total loss, cause it only works when Sweat is physical not mental
>that's painting pictures with wordplay - which is what De La >is known for more than their comedic playfulness > > >Phase is just being comedic and playful > >I wouldn't expect the strange wordplay of 'plug tunin' from >Phase
I put the first bars from Swollen Pockets right in your reply after the "Plug Tunin" bars. That doesn't sound De-La ish? whatever....
29. "Erule should have dropped a whole album in '94/'95" In response to Reply # 0
"Listen Up" was a great first step, and if Pallas Records could have held it together and found a way to drop a whole album to follow up the first single, I think he could have delivered a real quality project. Instead, we got "Cold Currentz" close to a decade late, which did barely anything at all.
35. "Listen Up was a classic. Didn't "Milestone" come out shortly thereafter" In response to Reply # 29
That's all I know about Erule.
You're such pests...now, what is it you want? In your depths of your ignorance, what is it you want? Well, whatever it is you want, I can't deliver because I just don't see it. - Orson Welles
Dj Joey Joe Member since Sep 01st 2007 13770 posts
Sun Mar-26-17 04:46 PM
54. "To Me They Didn't Have Any Solid Singles" In response to Reply # 44
I knew about Mood from day one but the problem is their songs wasn't single material, more like a bunch of album cuts for the underground heads but no stand-out singles to keep me wanting more.
"Karma" & "Secrets Of The Sand" wasn't good enough for late night raw underground play or daytime mixshow play back then; the single "Unconscious MCs" was good but felt more like pre-Mood though.
--------- "We in here talking about later career Prince records & your fool ass is cruising around in a time machine trying to collect props for a couple of sociopathic degenerates" - s.blak
I don't think the albums sold enough, which is usually the reason why a lot of artists get dropped after one album; to the album had everything you could image for listeners, the boom-bap joints, the Pete Rock & Premier joints, the commercial joints, the laid back joints, the late at night hangin' with the homies joints; but not sure why this album didn't sell well.
I was hoping another album would've dropped too but since they ran with Onyx, and knowing how rowdy those kats were, they probably did some hood shit with the label execs and shit.
--------- "We in here talking about later career Prince records & your fool ass is cruising around in a time machine trying to collect props for a couple of sociopathic degenerates" - s.blak
46. "Would Da Bush Babees count?" In response to Reply # 0
They had We Run Dat and then Gravity which was pretty good. But that was the last album the group made to my knowledge.
I liked the chemistry between the three MC's and the production on Gravity was dope. Gravity was probably their best chance to blow since they had quite a bit of production from Tip and Shaheed and they released at least two videos for that record.
The record industry collapsing didn't help since after Napster hit the majors couldn't afford to have loss-leaders like this group. Without the budget they likely had on Gravity, they probably couldn't have continued to make quality records.
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