Word: nubians
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...digs through the crates--or the racks at Tower--there are few musical phenomena that bring more smiles than a well-liked rhymer who comes back with skills out his ass. De La's Trugoy managed it in Stakes is High, as does Lord Jamar in Brand Nubian's newest, Foundation...
Back when Brand Nubian's debut, One for all, was first released, Grand Puba seemed the quartet's spokesperson, the lead, the one with the skills and the knowledge. The fact that one of his two solo joints on the album was their first single might've been what delivered this message or the fact that he was the most adamant about his five-percenter beliefs, which fit right into the era of Africa medallions and Feared Black Planets. Regardless, everybody of course seated Brand Nu's beats, was amused by Derrick X's pre-B Real's nasalness...
...Lord Jamar and Derrick--now Sadat--X weren't respected: their memorable appearances on Tribe's "Show Business" and Diamond D's "A Day in the Life" still get props. And how ridiculous is "Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down," Brand Nubian's first post-Grand Puba & DJ Alamo single, to this day? Play it at your girl's birthday party, and everybody'll get open, guaranteed (as long as they're old enough...
...while not caring about what rhymed with what. So by last year, after Puba proved to be capable of only a single (don't front, you know you started rocking Tommy only after you saw the "360 degrees" video) and after Sadat X's solo attempts flopped miserably, Brand Nubian seemed to have no hope. Nevermind Lord Jamar, who was always just "aight...
...still slammin', starting with the hook: "Mad 'cause the life I lead / twice your speed / brown-skinned mami that's the wife I need / light that weed / front, n*gga might just bleed / trying to ball with y'all but I might just flee." Not exactly the moralistic Brand Nubian of yesteryear, but how hot is the triple-syllable rhyme scheme...