Urban Thought Collective

“Finally The Rock has come back to UTC!!”

Sorry, that was for my boy Smooth. Anyhoo, it’s good to be back in the saddle for the ’09. I trust that everyone had a great Holiday season and a safe New Year’s. I spent NYE playing “Drinking Jenga.” Rum, vodka, tequila, and wine were all involved. So yeah, I had fun.

I was stumped on how to bring in the New Year, when I saw the trailer for the movie “Notorious.” I thought to myself, “Yeah. Yeah. Biggie with a little Faith and Lil’ Kim thrown in.” So that’s what I’m doling out this week. By the way, I think this movie will redefine the word “suck.” Derek Luke as Puff? Wow. “If you make it, we ALL make it.” Really? Seriously? Well, at least the soundtrack will be hot. Holla.

Oh yeah. Check out my Facebook page, if you’re in to such suchery. There may even be a pic or two of me that’s older than 5 years old (hint hint @Chica)

BIGGIE | “BIG POPPA”

“Who you be wit?” The first time I heard this track, someone was blaring it out of Hubert Hall, as I was about to enter. I thought it was just another decent west coast track. When I found out it was Biggie, I realized that Puff was a genius at selling records. East coast swagger over a quasi-west coast beat, with a hot video? That’s just Marketing 101 folks. You can say what you want about Puff, and I have…at length…quite egregiously, but there’s a reason he ain’t broke.

FAITH EVANS | “SOON AS I GET HOME”

All right, we’re gonna slow it down a bit with this nice little ditty from Ms. Evans. I have to say that “Faith” is an extremely good album. I remember being pleasantly surprised at the quality. Of course, it didn’t hurt that my sophomore roommate played it everyday on a continuous loop. Seriously, I saw Faith in my dreams, and not in the good way. Her mole was constantly trying to attack me. Trust me, it was mad creepy.

JUNIOR MAFIA (REALLY BIGGIE FT. CEASE & LIL KIM) | “PLAYER’S ANTHEM”

“Like Murray, my killers be the most beautiful.” Our first taste of Junior Mafia. I was like, OK not bad. But that was before I heard the album. Blechh. Anyway, I don’t really have too much to say about this one. It’s a tight summer jam. Enjoy Biggie and his lisp.

LIL’ KIM FEAT. LIL’ CEASE | “CRUSH ON YOU”

“I’ll be undressed in the bra or see-through.” You can say what you want about Kim, and I have…at length…pretty maliciously, but her first album is ridiculously good. Surprisingly so. So surprising that you wonder if Biggie really did ghostwrite her stuff, cause her later albums were blechh! Nevertheless, I couldn’t get enough of this joint during Freaknik ’97. That’s not all I couldn’t get enough of! Lol… But seriously, I miss this version of Lil Kim. Too bad she’s gone, never to be seen again. *tear*

BIGGIE | “WARNING”

“Bet you Biggie won’t trip.” Hmmm. My favorite Biggie track of all time? Let me think about it…….can I get a Hell Yeah! [sorry about the preponderance of wrestling references]. When I bump this in my car, I turn into Biggie. Well…my right eye doesn’t go all wonky and I don’t gain 200 pounds, but you get the point. None of his other songs get me quite this hype. I even start talking with a lisp. Any song that makes me talk with a lisp has to be epic.

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.