This week we dive into a stone cold 90s classic hip hop album with freelance culture journalist for the likes of The Guardian, VICE, Dazed, Financial Times, BBC and creator and co-host of the Exit the 36 Chambers podcast - Thomas Hobbs. 🔥

 

Show Notes

• Least hip hop thing in the last 24 hours? (01:07)
• How Big L was a litmus test for friends and how he could have become Roc Marciano or Benny the Butcher (04:30)
• How this record leans into horrorcore, Big L’s love for horror movies, showcases humour as a coping mechanism and influenced the likes of Eminem, MF DOOM and DMX (09:45)
• Why ‘All Black’ is such a great song and that amazing Psycho 2 reference (14:20)
• Why ‘Put It On’ is L’s 5-Mic Moment (20:00)
• Most Rewindable Moment: The intro to ’No Endz, No Skinz’ and how brilliant the sampling of Big L’s voice has become (23:00)
• Breaking down ‘8 Iz Enuff’ and how Big L is a giant in rap (30:00)
• Hidden Gems: Love for Big Twan (38:40)
• Does Big L body Jay-Z on ‘Da Graveyard’? (40:10)
• Why Big L’s ‘MVP’ video s brilliant ft. a topless Kid Capri and a classic Coogi sweater (41:00)
• Last great music you heard? (55:26)

 

Also, the Crate 808 Patreon is coming 🚨 To make sure you keep updated on the launch and amazing new hip hop shows we’ll be bringing, go to crate808.com and subscribe to the newsletter - we’ve got episodes looking at hidden gems albums from the 90s, the catalogues of MF DOOM and J Dilla and a new series focusing on the Wu-Tang Clan. Yes, it’s gonna be big, so subscribe to the newsletter for all the news 💯

 

For the next mailbag episode, we’d love to hear from you guys, so email us at [email protected] with your takes on…

 

🔲 The strangest dreams you’ve had about a rapper

🔲 Where’s the weirdest place you’ve met a rapper?

🔲 What’s the best AND worst merch you’ve ever bought?

🔲 What rapper’s swag would you wear to a wedding, funeral or job interview?

🔲 You have to get a rap song tattooed on you…which one, where and why?

🔲 What’s the worst rap beat of 1995?

 

Check out the Exit the 36 Chambers podcast right here: https://www.exit36chambers.com/

 

Quick shoutout to our friend Dan Runcie and his Trapital podcast - the go-to podcast on the business behind hip-hop culture. Check it for some rap gems: https://trapital.co/pod/

 

Be sure to check out our merch - jump on crate808.com to buy a tee or a hoody (or have a look at our Instagram shop), and help support the pod please. It all goes back into the pot for us to try make even more great content for you! 🙌

 

And our last series talking best 3-album runs in rap can be found here…

Ice Cube with Shawn Setaro (https://bit.ly/3kaYfOq)

Tupac with Andrew Barber (https://bit.ly/2HGr3QT)

De La Soul with Andrew Emery (https://bit.ly/324LJJn)

Gang Starr with Dart Adams (https://apple.co/2Vlx9t1)

A Tribe Called Quest with Rob Pursey (https://bit.ly/3oS73uX)

Redman with Take it Personal Radio (https://bit.ly/3tYFUcL)

OutKast with Justin Hunte (https://bit.ly/3b89bJh)

Mobb Deep with Chris Mitchell from Breaking Atoms (http://shorturl.at/zHIKO)

 

Catch all our Spotify playlists here…

Slept-On DJ Premier Bangers Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3iw4yun

Slept-On Wu-Tang Bangers Playlist: https://spoti.fi/32QtAQG

Sample Corner Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3eYfhMd

 

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3uSa552

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Website: https://www.crate808.com