>RD is his version of those albums that dropped 2 years
>later.
>
>But content-wise and style is it in the same lane.
>
>3 Premier tracks on Illmatic, 3 Premier tracks on Reasonable
>Doubt.
>
>Obviously they don’t sound exactly alike but it is his
>version of those albums.
>
>Look at the back of Doe Or Die and Reasonable Doubt and
>honestly tell me those pictures ain’t damn near identical
>LOL.

Cuz I think on *that* analogy you're definitely on to something.

But even though by literal definition, you could say that getting Preem to do tracks on his album - something that like 85% of NY MCs were doing at the time - is "trend hopping," I don't think that pursuing and getting Preem beats in and of itself fits the spirit of the argument that you were trying to make.

In other words, what NY MC *wouldn't* have wanted Preem beats at that time if they were able to get them ??

Now if the Preem songs came out sounding even *somewhat* like NY State of Mind, Memory Lane, and Represent, I'd say that you'd have a good basis for argument that Jay was trend hopping. But D'Evils, Friend or Foe, and Bring it On are quintessential RD tracks, and couldn't really possibly sound more different from the 3 Illmatic tracks. So I just think that particular argument falls flat.