Urban Thought Collective

“1989! A number. Another summer.” 8th grade was probably the second best school year of my childhood. There were fights damn near every week, including a teacher-student confrontation for the ages; sports tournaments between the homerooms; girls started to like me; nighttime hide-and-go-seek in the neighborhood; and just an overall feeling of happiness. It was the Golden Age of Hip Hop and all was right in the world. Boy wouldn’t I love some of that $.90 gas right about now. Gas went down to $3.78 and I feel like I won the lottery. Holla!

THE D.O.C. | “IT’S FUNKY ENOUGH”
“And with no rehearses, I’m dropping funky verses.” The D.O.C. has one of the more unfortunate stories in hip hop. He blasted onto the scene with this track and looked to be a giant star in the making. Then, a few months later he gets into a car wreck and loses his biggest commodity. It’s a damn shame. Can you imagine what he would have brought to the table at Death Row as an MC, and not just a ghost writer? Snoop and D.O.C rapping together over a Dre beat? That’s cheating.

SLICK RICK | “YOUNG WORLD”
“The world is yours.” This song just gives me the “warm and fuzzies.” I can’t help but smile as I sing along to the chorus. MC Ricky D pretty much hit this one out of the park. But then again, is a 100% classic, so that should come as no surprise. That album is clean all the way through, and I will still bump it to this day.

BBD | “POISON”
“Me and the crew used to do her.” I’m not ashamed to admit that I spent untold hours in front of the television trying to learn these dance moves. I’m quite sure it was a pitiful sight, but I was determined! Alas, I didn’t succeed in case you were wondering. But the chicks at my school did. And is there anything better than a girl that can dance? Nope. Well, as long as she doesn’t have a big butt and a-well you know…

MC LYTE | “CHA CHA CHA”
“I’ll blind you with the science that the others have yet to find.” I think this is Lyte’s hardest song ever. That bassline is so hypnotic, it makes you do the ugly face as your neck jerks back and forth like an epileptic seizure. I definitely found a whole new level of respect for the L-Y-T-E. She brought the funk on this one.

SPECIAL ED | “I GOT IT MADE”
“I make fresh rhymes daily. You burn me? Really?” Absolutely timeless beat. You could freestyle to it right now and have a #1 single. And the video? Me loves it. I’m seriously thinking about bringing back the running man. If Brandon Jennings can rock a high top fade in ’08, why can’t I bring back the running man? Who’s with me?!? [crickets] Fine, I’ll go solo.

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.