RDAT Tournament – Game 6 – NYC Bracket

No. 2 Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die vs. No. 3 – DMX – It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot

It was only on for five seasons on HBO before everyone knew somebody that knew somebody that knew somebody that could get you a link or feed to watch the premium network. If you didn’t already know, The Wire is one of the greatest television series ever, detailing the interactions between drug dealers and police in West Baltimore and everyone that connects between the two.

While there is a focus on Detective Jimmy McNulty, there’s equal time spent strengthening the characters opposed to him, specifically Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell, introducing American audiences to Idris Elba. However, one character stands out throughout all five seasons – Omar Little.

That Michael K. Williams looks somewhat similar to Earl Simmons isn’t the link. It’s the character both portrayed to the public – one on screen and the other on wax with the 1998 release of It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot. DMX brings to life tales of the street stick-up man. This wasn’t groundbreaking material before the turn of the century with numerous other artists spouting similar topics within their lyrics. But X was different.

A record deal with Columbia fell apart after DMX did a couple of years for selling drugs. When he got out, most were introduced to him on ‘4,3,2,1’ , a posse cut on LL Cool J’s 1997 album Phenomenon that received more noise for Todd’s imagined slight by Cannibus about the microphone tattoo on his arm. It took away from the fact that an relative unknown was right there with Method Man and Redman.

But no one could ignore his first single. Whether you heard it bumping out of cars or saw the video on MTV, ‘Get At Me Dog’ was a smash and rocketed DMX to the forefront of ‘gangster rap’. In the wake of the deaths of 2Pac and Biggie, the proverbial corner was available and with a distinctive voice and a love of canines, he claimed it.

The bigger introduction was that of Ruff Ryders Entertainment and its stable of artists. The LOX were originally signed to Bad Boy and were featured on ‘It’s All About the Benjamins’, but joined the company founded by Swiss Beats’ relatives in 1998. Eve was originally with Dr. Dre on Aftermath Entertainment before collaborating with DMX and becoming Ruff Ryders’ First Lady.

Listening to the album, it’s easy to believe that Swiss Beats did all the production on Hell is Hot with the lack of obvious R&B samples, heavy bass lines and tracks seemingly fit for an HBCU marching band. But the bulk of the tracks were produced by Dame Grease and Swiss’s only credit is on ‘Ruff Ryders’ Anthem’, but the loop of the sitar would become one of his many calling cards and while the original got heavy rotation, the remix on DJ Clue’s The Professional a year later is the more memorable. The beat didn’t change, but the track features Drag-On and Eve and further cemented the Ruff Ryders’ reign as the century came to an end.

Christopher Wallace spoke about the end a lot, so much so he named his first album Ready to Die. The album’s ‘Intro’ ends with a racist corrections officer telling Biggie he’ll soon be returning to lockup. He responses with a simple prophetic statement – “I got big plans, nigga. Big plans.”

Those plans produced what is acclaimed as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. The first single, ‘Juicy’, uses what Wikipedia describes as ‘a staple hip hop sample‘ from ‘Juicy Fruit’. The use of prominent loops from old R&B tracks was the foundation of the Bad Boy dynasty, otherwise known as the Hit Men.

But six of the 15 songs are actually produced by Easy Mo Bee, including ‘Warning’, ‘Ready to Die’, and ‘The What featuring Method Man’; the only track not featuring just Smalls.

That he holds the album up by himself speaks to his lyrical skills as he showcases his signature skill as a storyteller. To use a baseball analogy, Wallace is like New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who threw just one pitch but was still untouchable and will almost assuredly be enshrined in the Hall of Fame for it.

Marlo Stanfield doesn’t appear in The Wire until Season 3, but he’s already in charge of large sections of West Baltimore and is preparing to go to war with the Barksdale crew. While still at the top of the pyramid, Marlo always seems like he’s a moment from doing the same work he’s assigning others to do.

In fact, the series ends with Marlo leaving a high-priced dinner with the executive laundering his money to return to strong-arm a couple of kids for a street corner. Upon reaching his zenith, he returns to what’s comfortable. In the case of B.I.G, he calls a friend and eventually puts a gun to his head.

‘Suicidal Thoughts’ ends with a dropped phone and a heart beat slowing down, but overall the album is an upbeat celebration of someone on the come-up. ‘Juicy’ is basically a rags to riches tale, “thinking back on my one-room shack. Now my mom pimps an Ac with minks on her back.”

But similar to The Wire, both albums dive deeper than just the surface shoot-outs and descriptions of criminal activities. There’s a six minute Christian prayer and testimonial in the closing moments of Hell is Hot. It’s then followed by one of the greatest low-key posse cuts with the youthful versions of The Lox and Mase, recorded before Jadakiss’s voice deepened and Mason Betha went sing-songy on Bad Boy beats then found God himself.

In ‘Things Done Changed’, B.I.G. speaks to what his parents envisioned for the future of their children, only to see those same kids “tottin’ Techs for rec. Smoking blunts in the project hallways, shooting dice all day.” and wanting to,

Leave a nigga six feet deep

And be coming to the wake

To make sure all the crying and commotion

Ain’t a mothafucking fake

This kicks off three straight songs (‘Gimme the Loot’ & ‘Machine Gun Funk’) that were never released, but are loved by those who love this album and Biggie. DMX has a similar run, starting with ‘Crime Story’, recounting how a simple 3 a.m. robbery evolves into,

Mothafuckas want war? You can get it cuz I’m tired of running

Remember me as the nigga that died gunning

Kamikaze mission, C4 strapped to the chest

Run up in that joint raw dog, fuck the vest

They can keep theirs because it won’t be the slugs that will kill them

It will be the raw of the C4 because I’m bringing down the building

The album’s second single’, ‘Stop Being Greedy’ is followed by ‘Atf’, another story story about what happens when the authorities knock on the door.

Doors opened to DMX and he walked through, starring in the ultimate hood hip-hop film, Belly, then twice with Jet Li (Cradel to the Grave, Romeo Must Die) and a variety of straight-to-video(digital) films.

Due to his 1997 murder, Biggie wasn’t able to take advantage his massive success would have afforded him. While it’s hard to envision Mr. Wallace starring in a physical action flick, it’s easy to believe there was so much more music for him to release.

It’s within that unknown that seemingly has shaped our revisionist history of Ready to Die. An informal poll confirmed my belief that Biggie is remembered best on tracks from other albums. With such a limited collection, only ‘Juicy’ and ‘Big Poppa’ were mentioned.

It’s easy to forget that the ‘One More Chance (Remix)’ is the preferred version, ‘Who Shot Ya’ was a single and ‘Hypnotize’ was on the double-album Life After Death. Sadly, his acclaim has only grown with his death, making anytime he’s on a track sound that much better. Even when talking about a song like ‘Respect’, which I originally remember as a tough listen.

But there are few tracks on either album that doesn’t deserve the occasional tap-left to restart and enjoy once again, marveling as both emcees display uncanny ability to entice and entertain.