Every once in a while you’ll hear about a collaboration that almost happened that would rule. More often than not it all falls apart. Even when it doesn’t, the results rarely live up to the Clash of Titans in your head. Even Pacino and DeNiro fall victim to this. While they gave us ‘Heat,’ they also made us take ‘Righteous Kill.’
Allegedly there were a few times Prince was approached by Michael Jackson. I don’t know that there could’ve been a bigger meeting of musical minds than that. It has been said that Prince always treated Michael like an annoying kid brother, continually shooing him away to continue his one-man prance-Parade. Prince (wisely) turned down a spot in the (well-intentioned) cheese-hunk We Are The World, instead contributing a solo song to the charitable project. Bad was originally conceived of as a duet. Or perhaps duel is more fitting. Prince was to play the villain in the song to Michael’s hero. Prince backed out at the last second, saying the song was a hit with or without him. After a re-write, Wesley Snipes took over the now non-singing Prince role in the Martin Scorsese video. The third and final instance I know of was just before Michael announced the never-to-be-performed This Is It shows, apparently inspired by Prince’s 21 Nights run in the same venue. Michael approached Prince again, suggesting they co-headline a run of shows. Prince once again flipped a well-manicured bird.
Watching Ice Cube receive a lifetime achievement award from Chuck D, I was reminded of another near-pairing that would’ve been epic. When Cube first broke off from N.W.A., Chuck’s monstrous production team, The Bomb Squad, produced his solo debut. The two did a song together on that LP as well as one on Public Enemy’s ‘Fear of a Black Planet’ two months prior. Legend has it the two angriest men in rap were going to do a whole album together. It’s probably for the best that never happened. That album would’ve kicked the shit out of our ear drums.
A less high profile team-up that I’ve always wanted to happen is between two like-minded groups that, to my knowledge, outside of performing on the same bill, have never collaborated. One group is west coast, the other east. Both officially debuted in 1993. Both have a similar fraternity mind-set and carefree style. The only thing hard is the partying, y’all. Straight ignorance at it’s finest: Tha Alkaholiks and The Beatnuts.
Tha ‘Liks hail from Los Angeles. They don’t sleep. They pass out and they come to. They get mentored by King Tee and ditched by former Likwit Crew member Xzibit for Dre. They are one of 700 rap groups to record a song titled Oh Shit or Aww Shit or some variation involving a different beginning, but still ending in excrement. Alongside Bring It On and Keep It Movin’, Oh/Ah/Aww Shit is the most re-used song title in hip hop. E-Swift was a great DJ/producer and rapper J-Ro was solid (if unremarkable), but it was all about Tash, a punchline rapper with a bottomless barrel of boasts and a unique voice. Their highest charting song, Hip Hop Drunkies, featured fellow wino Ol’ Dirty Bastard. I actually saw them live once. I remember it was fucking awe-(hiccup)-awesome. That’s about all I do remember, though…
The Beatnuts are a duo (well, they used to have a third member, but Kool Fashion changed his name to something less Kool and left) from Queens with fan-damn-tastic beats. It’s in the name. They’re known for having ridiculous record collections and unrivalled ears for sampling them. The rapping, while amusing, is nothing special lyrically or otherwise, but if their voices are just thought of as another instrument, they sit nicely over the other elements. They introduced the world to the late Big Pun, and J-Lo famously bit their sample choice. The chorus of Psycho Dwarfs breaks down their priorities as: intimacy, refreshing beverages and enjoying nature. Psycho Les and JuJu also like sandwiches and mouth sex.
[Editor's Note: The Beatnuts celebrate their 20th anniversary March 8th at Fortune Sound Club. Tickets here.]
For the record, if I was a member of either group, I would feel obligated to make this dream team come together. Who the shit wouldn’t want to see a project happen that would, naturally, be titled ‘Lik The ‘Nuts?
At ease,
– Nuv
The ‘Lik The ‘Nuts Playlist
| ‘Likside 1. Likwit/Only When I’m Drunk 2. Make Room 3. DAAM! 4. The Next Level 5. Likwidation 6. Captain Hook 7. Off The Wall 8. Hip Hop Drunkies 9. Aww Shit 10. Contents Unda Pressure 11. Bar Code 12. L-I-K-S 13. Da Da Da Da 14. Anotha Round (NSFW) |
‘Nutside 1. Ya Don’t Stop 2. Props Over Here 3. Hellraiser 4. Are You Ready 5. Superbad 6. Hit Me With That 7. Sandwiches 8. Psycho Dwarfs 9. Off The Books 10. Do You Believe? 11. Stone Crazy 12. N*ggaz Know 13. Watch Out Now 14. It’s Da Nuts |
Actually looking at it, the “Nuts side” playlist would rival the best “Greatest Hits” albums in hip-hop history. Mad underation son! Made me say UHHH SH*T!