Urban Thought Collective

9th grade baby! 1990 was so long ago. My God was it a long time ago. But, I remember it like it was just yesterday. I was a fresh faced 13 year-old who didn’t know jack. And to prove it, I missed the bus first day of school and couldn’t find any of my classes. To top off my humiliation, I rocked a black and gold polka dot shirt. I also wore Hammer pants and patent leather shoes that year. Nope, no idea what I was thinking. Nope, I have no excuses. I blame it on Arsenio. Holla. Go Cubs! (Not a Cubs fan but need relief after NBA Finals debacle).

DJ QUIK | “TONITE”
“A brother like the devastating DJ Quik ain’t joking.” Quik doesn’t get anywhere close to the respect he deserves. As a producer, he’s practically untouchable. As a lyricist, he more than holds his own. Yet when the “Greats” are mentioned, this cat isn’t on anybody’s lips. Even though he’s never had a signature hit, he’s still been banging consistently for almost 20 years.

LL COOL J | “MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT” (UNPLUGGED)
“Listen to the way I slay your crew.” Sorry James Todd, but this was definitely a comeback. After the critics used “Walking with a Panther” for potty training, you had to come back with some fire. And this performance was definitely the hot fire, as evidenced by the remnants of LL’s roll on deodorant. He sure shouldn’t have raised his arms. Get it? Sure roll-on deodorant. That’s funny, right? No? Sorry, moving on.

DE LA SOUL FEAT. Q-TIP & VINIA MOJICA | “ROLLER SKATING JAM NAMED SATURDAYS
Ahh jeah, if this isn’t the perfect little weekend ditty. I was never into roller skating, but we bumped the Hell out of this that summer. If you’re not dancing in your chair to this groove, you have no soul. Paraplegics are exempt, of course.

ICE CUBE | “JACKIN’ FOR BEATS”
“That’s the name of the suckas I done gangked.” I’ve never gangked anyone. I may have gangked myself once, but that was in Australia and foreign countries don’t count right? Right? Anyway, we used to bump the Hell out of this on the bus. I’m surprised no one else has really used this concept. Maybe people are scared of Cube gangking them.

And now…for something too gangsta for 2008 radio.

BETTY DAVIS | “SHOO-B-DOOP & COP HIM”
Betty Davis is on another level. If she were born 30 years later, she would’ve devoured the game like Unicron. There isn’t a chick out today that would be able to get a glimpse of her. Unfortunately, she only completed three albums, but there’s enough funk to last a lifetime. Once upon a time, cats definitely bumped this in the projects.

Diallo Tyson is a filmmaker, comedian and old school music junkie. When he’s not busy, he is a rapper with the group “Two Pimps and a Dream.” Step into his groovin’ time machine every week on UTC.