Hao’s Top 10 Favourite Posse Cuts [The Other Guys] Nov 09 '10 (Updated Nov 15 '10)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Music Revelation [Digipak] by Journey From $12 Machine Gun Etiquette by The Damned From $40 The Bottom Line "It's the number one crew in the area!"  Not long ago (about the beginning of the year) I posted up a list of what I considered my top 10 favourite posse cuts of all time. Songs like “Protect Ya Neck,” “Swagga Like Us” and “The Grand Finale” made it on. But not long afterwards, I felt a little unsatisfied with the write-up. Not because I disagreed with myself, but rather because I realised how many incredible posse cuts were out there. So I figured, might as well write up another list for the exclusions. Don’t consider the following songs as #11-#20, but rather an alternative of my favourites.  Enjoy it!   10. “Da Graveyard” performed by Big L, Lord Finesse, Microphone Nut, Jay-Z, Party Arty & Grand Daddy I.U.  Big L [Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous, 1995]   Big L, the rawest New Yorker of all time, gathered up a bunch of talented, albeit overlooked emcees at the time, and they all joined in for one of the hardest posse cuts ever. Buckwild’s beat is comprised of nothing but a rusty drum loop, graveyard shrills and dirty bass-lines, but L and co. proceed to destroy the track. Every verse is pretty damn awesome, although L’s irreverent taunts of “killin' infants for ten cents” and Jay-Z’s double time flow pretty steal the show. If you’re interested in what Hov sounded like before  his Reasonable Doubt days, check this track out.     Sickest Verse: Big L  9. “Self Destruction” performed by KRS-One, D-Nice, Ms. Melodie, Delite, Daddy-O, Wise, Frukwan, Kool Moe Dee, MC Lyte, Doug E. Fresh, Just-Ice, Heavy D, Chuck D & Flavor Flav  Stop the Violence Movement [Single, 1989]  “Self Destruction” was the collaborative result between Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy – two of the most socially conscious hip-hop acts at the time. Gathering some of the biggest and most popular names at the time, KRS-One decided it was time to really stand up and protest against violence in hip-hop. With so many different characters on the cut riding the sparse, funky tune, it’s hard to choose to a standout verse. KRS-One deconstructs the whole situation with cool logic, Chuck D and Flavor Flav exchange their trademark rhymes, MC Lyte bounces around with so much energy and Just-Ice attacks the mic hard like always. However, if pressed, then Kool Moe Dee’s incredible technical precision and succinct verse gets my vote. Probably the most historically significant posse cut, aside from “The Symphony,” period.  Sickest Verse: Kool Moe Dee  8. “Next Up” performed by UGK, Big Daddy Kane & Kool G Rap  UGK [Underground Kingz, 2007]  To be honest, posse cuts during the 2000s were somewhat lacking in quality. If you want to compare the last decade’s stuff to 80s and 90s cuts like “Scenario,” and “Triumph” then it looks even worse for the 2000s. Thankfully UGK had our backs. Along with their ‘07 OutKast/UGK collaboration “International Players Anthem (I Choose You),” the duo also had a vicious joust with Juice Crew’s finest – Big Daddy Kane and Kool G Rap. Twenty years removed from their Golden Age debuts, Kane and G Rap’s rhymes are sharper and fiercer than ever, the two emcees barely breaking a sweat as they wrestle control of the track. Producer Marley Marl recreates “The Symphony” vibe with a little Southern twang while Bun B and Pimp C struggle to keep up.  Sickest Verse: Big Daddy Kane  7. “4th Chamber” performed by GZA, Ghostface Killah, RZA & Killah Priest  GZA [Liquid Swords, 1995]  The siren that kicks off “4th Chamber” has got to be one of the eeriest sounds ever in music. The Abbott laces the track with grungy guitar loops and dark electronica grooves while Ghostface takes us on a twisted journey through history; questioning Judas' disloyal motives, parlaying with Constantine and Henry the 8th and building with Genghis Khan. Killah Priest and GZA lurk menacingly in the background and RZA drops by for an incredibly delivered verse. “Protons Electrons Always Cause Explosions.”  Sickest Verse: Ghostface Killah & RZA (tie)  6. “The Anthem” performed by RZA, Tech N9ne, Eminem, Xzibit, Pharoahe Monch, Kool G Rap, Jayo Felony, Chino XL & KRS-One  Sway & King Tech [This or That, 1999]  Nine of the most lyrical emcees join forces on this Sway and King Tech joint and compete for the sickest verse. We’ve got RZA spouting his Bobby Digital rhymes, Tech N9ne and Pharoahe Monch displaying their astounding rhyme skills, Xzibit coming on rough and rugged, Eminem basking in his Slim Shady sensation, Chino XL sounding hard as hell and KRS-One finishing it off Boogie Down style. But who’s the main star? Well, there’s no doubt about it, Mr. Kool G Rap takes the cake with an absolutely ridiculous verse that proves why he’s the greatest internal rhyme specialist of all time.  Sickest Verse: Kool G Rap  5. “A Buncha Ni99as” performed by Heavy D, Gang Starr, 3rd Eye, The Notorious B.I.G., Busta Rhymes & Rob-O  Heavy D & the Boyz [Blue Funk, 1993]  And it’s the Overweight Lover and friends who clock in at number 5. Heavy D, Guru, 3rd Eye, Rob-O, Biggie and Busta all trade vicious rhymes over a funky jazz melody – that’s a lot of heavyweight power right there. Being that it was one of his first recorded appearances, Biggie’s rhymes aren’t as polished as the later years but his hunger and raw talents are obvious – “cannibalistic, like that ni99a Jeffrey Dahmer” –  and he manages to eclipse the veterans. Well, except for Busta Rhymes. If you thought he came on strong with “Scenario,” that was nothing compared to the energy on this track. “Who's on the microphone?  A BUNCHA NI99AS!”  Sickest Verse: Busta Rhymes  4. “Head Banger” performed by EPMD, K-Solo & Redman  EPMD [Business Never Personal, 1993]  If you’ve seen the music video for “Head Banger” then I think you’d agree that it’s possibly one of the best ever. A bunch of dudes standing around in an abandoned building, rocking black hoodies – it doesn’t get much more raw than that. Red, hot funk courtesy of Erick Sermon, Parrish spits some awesome lines, K-Solo is on point and Redman delivers a mean verse. The funkiest EPMD cut ever, and that's saying something.     Sickest Verse: Redman  3. “Back to the Grill” performed by MC Serch, Chubb Rock, Nas & Red Hot Lover Tone  MC Serch [Return of the Product, 1993]  While “Live at the BBQ” goes down in history as one of the most well-known posse cuts, let's face facts, it was all about Nas on that one. “Back to the Grill” on the other hand is more balanced out with standout performances by Serch and Chubb, not to mention it boasts a funkier beat. Still, Nas’ rhymes are still irreverent and astounding as they were “Live at the BBQ”. I mean, "waving automatic guns at nuns?" "My rhymes are hotter than a prostitute with gonorrhoea?" Goddamn, Nas killed this posse cut as well, no question about it.  Sickest Verse: Nas  2. “Lyrical Gangba*g” performed by Kurupt, The Lady of Rage & RBX  Dr. Dre [The Chronic, 1992]  "This should be played at high volume. Preferably ... in a residential area"  I know traditionally posse cuts usually include 4 or more emcees on the track, but whatever, this track is so f*cking hard I just had to include it. Dre jacks a stomping drum break from Led Zeppelin’s "When the Levee Breaks", adds some whirring sirens and allow his Death Row cohorts to destroy the beat. First up, The Lady of Rage gets all violent – “roll on you like a boulder, you're nothin more than a grain” – Kurupt gets creative with the wordplay and RBX sounds like something out of a Freddy Krueger nightmare. This is straight up, the hottest track off The Chronic. "Lyrical gangba*g but it's just a G thang."  Sickest Verse: RBX  1. “Stop the Break” performed by Raekwon, Killa Sin, KRS-One & The Notorious B.I.G.  Ron G [Mixtape, N/A]  The only version I'm familiar with for this track is the one on YouTube, so I’m rather vague about the specific details, like which album/mixtape it comes from, where the vocals originated or even what year it was released. But I can definitely guarantee you this – if “Stop the Break” isn’t the sickest posse cut of all time then I’m just completely clueless about hip-hop. This is East Coast hip-hop at its rawest and most hardcore peak. Over “Wu-Tang” chants and thick basslines, Raekwon, Killa Sin, KRS-One and Biggie go hard. I’m can’t even tell you which verse I like better. Rae opens it up like he’s performing a stickup, Killa Sin gets crazy with ferocious rhymes, KRS-One brushes off weak emcees and Biggie closes off the track in King of New York fashion – "hail Mary, f*ck her, I never knew her, I'd probably screw her and dump her body in the sewer."        Sickest Verse: All four emcees  *** Look out for my “Top 50 Hip-Hop Records of the 2000s.” Coming Soon! ***

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