When Morburn asked me to write for their site, I was honored. When they told me to start with Kool G. Rap, I was pleasantly surprised.
It's pretty easy for someone to talk about Rakim, Kane, KRS and even LL when talking about Golden-Era hip hop. It's also pretty easy for someone to not mention Kool G. Rap. Considering he was in a photo on the back of the Paid in Full album and easily Kane's lyrical twin in the Juice Crew, he is the most underrated rapper in hip hop history. He may not have had lyrical God-like status, been a teacher or ruler, but he has the distinct honor of being the best MC to have never gotten his FULL props.
I first knew of Kool G Rap's voice before his name. From 1986-1988, one of my New York cousins gave me an audio cassette full of hip hop radio music. I remember It's a Demo being on one of them. I put a name to the voice when I heard Butcher Shop off the Colors soundtrack. One of my earliest solo trips to downtown Montreal was to buy Road to the Riches at Sam the Record Man. I was pissed to learn Butcher Shop was on the cassette and not the vinyl. Pete Rock, along with Large Professor, did a remake of Truly Yours on his Soul Survivor release and Stereo MC's chose Road to the Riches as a track on their DJ Kicks mixtape. On a personal note, Kool G Rap's verse on The Symphony, one of hip hop's earliest and best posse cuts, is my favorite.
For some reason or another, Wanted: Dead or Alive didn’t register with me like it should or could have. Talk like Sex naturally made an impact on me (!) and if it weren’t for those NY cassettes, Money in the Bank and Erase Racism would have really escaped me. I had the chance to buy the CD a few times over the years, but didn’t. Streets of New York is a fantastic song but I really knew of it after 1990. If I can come up with a theory as to why I didn’t reach for Wanted earlier, it was probably because I didn’t like his gangster leanings. Back in those days, I was East Coast hip hop all the way and had little time for West Coast. The pose on Wanted and even the title didn’t appeal to me.
It's not like I could have stopped him. Live & Let Die reinforced that he was locked into gangster rap for another album. I was disappointed a rhyme ripper like Kool G. Rap would choose the gangster rap door and possibly contribute to his not achieving the notoriety he deserves. I can't blame him too much because even Kane went "hardcore" in 1993, sporting a hoodie on an album cover. Ill Street Blues is the strongest single of the album. The On the Run remixes are standouts as well if you're willing to chase the 12" single.
Nas tried to Tarantino/Travolta Kool G. Rap's career by being on the cover of 4-5-6 and on Fast Life. It almost worked. Nas Escobar couldn't help sell a mediocre album, even if Kool G. Rap's lyrics were crisp. The production was too uneven for anyone to care more than they had to.
Interestingly enough, from 1995 to almost present day, Kool G. Rap may not have had an album worth talking about, but his guest appearances on other artists' tracks are stellar. Like most of his Golden-Era peers who struggle to stay relevant in this modern era, Kool G. Rap's rep as an underground lyrical Don grew which could explain why so many contemporary rappers and producers reached for his verses.
Anyone from Morburn to my own friends that are knowledgeable about hip hop music would love to hear a modern day classic album reflective of his talent. We would also love for him to receive the accolades that have escaped him. I was informed not too long ago that Kane urged that Kool G. Rap be honored at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors. One way to help the cause is to get familiar with his work so that his name gets mentioned in any discussion on hip hop lyrical greats.
