LA ROCK YO RAPS

T La Rock: "Lyrical King (From The Boogie Down Bronx)", "Breaking Bells"
From: From The Boogie Down Bronx [Fresh Records, 1987]

Although it's 2006, I've been hearing a lot of rap productions that are similar to early T La Rock cuts, particularly cuts from T La Rock's, From The Boogie Down Bronx. Wiz Khalifa's "Oh No", from his mixtape, Prince Of The City: Welcome To Pistolvania, is the latest production that caught my attention with its hint of Kurtis Mantronik-style kicks.

The `80s were a magical time-minus the crack pandemic-for hip-hop culture and pioneering rappers. People like Jamel Shabazz were taking the flicks at block parties that showcased the vanity of normally humble communities. I think vanity, or utter coolness, is the reason rappers like T La Rock can have a cocky swagger without sounding like a ghetto-yuppie rapper.

"Lyrical King" is a mean production that sounds like an ominous back alley robbery anthem. It's possible that T La Rock felt he needed a strong presence, because it's no secret that a young LL Cool J squeezed a Def Jam contract away from T La Rock. (T La Rock's "It's Yours" is unofficially Def Jam's first release, long story short, released on Party Time/Street Wise, but a Def Jam logo was on the record.) I listen to the lyrics on "Lyrical King" and it's like T La Rock writes his mission statement to rappers and the people that made hip-hop culture.

Mantronik is a producer that needed a time machine so people could catch up to "his time". In 1987 a lot of people were not using samples, but Mantronik managed to fit Roy Ayres' "Brother Green" in T La Rock's "Breaking Bells", a production that has a gang of bells and whistles. T La Rock straight disses LL Cool J on "Breaking Bells", sure he doesn't say LL Cool J's name, but this record clearly places LL Cool J's "Rock The Bells" in last place.