Urban Thought Collective

1997. Senior year in college. I can’t believe it’s been 11 years. 11 YEARS!! Senior year was simultaneously great, and horrible. I went to Mardi Gras, New Zealand, and Australia. My car got broken into. I had a gang of money. 1st semester, I only averaged 3 hours of sleep a night because I was taking two of the hardest classes of my life. But, the highlight was definitely me and my boy Smooth’s 21st birthday party. It was beyond ridiculous. It was crunk inside AND outside. The liquor was flowing and so were the chicks. I have pictures, but NOBODY can ever see them:)

Busta Rhymes – Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See
“Look at shorty, she a little cutie yo. The way she shake it make me wanna get all in the booty yo.” Greatest. Lyric. Ever. OK, no it’s not but it is damn funny and makes me giggle. What can I say? I’ve the maturity of a twelve year old. But you guys already knew that. Nevertheless, I am mature enough to never walk beside an elephant. I don’t need that kind of excitement in my life.

Erykah Badu – Tyrone
“But you can’t use my phone.” I really do like this song, but chicks did their best to make it unbearable. I must’ve heard a “Call Tyrone” reference twice a day for 2-3 months straight. OK, I get it. Guys can be jerks. You’ve pounded into my head. I. Got. It. Grrrr. Lol But I do like the song. The first line is freaking hilarious. You definitely know from the jump that this won’t be your average love song.

Janet Jackson – Got Til It’s Gone
This song gives me such mixed emotions. It’s got an unbelievable groove, but every time I hear it I’m reminded of how miserable I was during the 1st semester. Jodi Mitchell never lied and she sure never eased my pain, but it’s all good. The ups and downs is what makes college so great. Besides, this video is pure 60’s cool. Maybe Janet’s most beautiful video ever.

LL Cool J - 1, 2, 3, 4 (feat Method Man, Redman, DMX, Canibus, & P)
“What’s beef? Beef is when I see you.” OK, so Canibus makes an innocuous remark about borrowing the mic on LL’s arm, LL takes offense and laces the young one with 16 scorching bars, Canibus says there was no disrespect intended, Canibus agrees to rewrite his verse thinking the beef is squashed, LL leaves his original verse on the record anyway, Canibus is pissed and decides to record 2nd Round Knockout, LL records Ripper Strikes Back, LL’s retort and Wyclef’s wack beats summarily destroy Canibus’ once promising career. That about sum it up? Cool, moving on…

Ice Cube – We Be Clubbing
Ahh, we have arrived at the tipping point in Mr. O’Shea Jackson’s career. Up to this point, Cube was harder than a frozen diamond. But with the release of this song, he decided that his career needed a new trajectory. The first time I heard this track I was like, “Well it’s a nice club song, but it’s not Cube. I like it, but I don’t know how I feel about it.” And the rest, as they say, is history. But in the end, it doesn’t even matter because Cube is a legend and we have tons of classic material to reminisce to.

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 a groovin’ time machine every week on UTC.