Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists

by Jenkins, Sacha; Wilson, Elliott; Mao, Jeff; Alvarez, Gabe; Rollins, Brent

• ISBN13: 9780312242985
• ISBN10: 0312242980
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-12-03
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Summary

Ego trip's Book of Rap Lists is more popular than racism! Blacks and whites all agree....

Author Biography

Sacha Jenkins-much like rap great KRS One-is hip hip. Sachy-Sach, his sister Dominiqe, and
their artistically inclined, Haitian-born mom-dukes, Monart, moved to Astoria, Queens, NY from
Silver Springs, MD in the summer of 1977. Their Philadelphia, PA-reared, filmmaking/Emmy
Award-winning pop-dukes, Horace was already living in NYC at the time (100th Street & Central
Park West, to be exact...blocks away from the infamous Rock Steady Park). During the school
week, young Sacha spent his post three o'clock days playing stickball and skelly. Then...
1980: Sacha was blessed by an elder with an instrument of destruction that would forever change
his life. "PK," a local subway scrawler with some inter-borough celebrity, handed the young boy
a very juiced-up Pilot magic marker.

1988: Inspired by a the International Graffiti Times (a rag published by aerosol legend Phase 2
and David Schmidlap), Sacha would put together Graphic Scenes & X-plicit Language-a zine
dedicated to, yep, graf. And poetry. And anti-Gulf War rants. And humor. And towards the end,
in 1991, music.
1992: Beat Down, America's first hip hop newspaper, is launched by Sacha and a childhood
friend have a falling out. Bye bye, Black bird.
June, 1994: Ego Trip magazine is born.
1996: Sacha writes for Vibe, Rolling Stone, and Spin. He gets a Writer-At-Large then Music
Editor gig at Vibe.
Present: In his spare time, Sacha likes to play guitar, collect Planet of the Apes action figures and
listen to rap that isn't wack. He's a Leo.

In the summer of 1992, armed with his worthless LaGuardia Community College Associate Arts
degree, mulatto-born Elliot Wilson attempted to connect with The Source to no avail. Frustrated
20and full of half-black rage, Wilson vowed to one day show his smarmy colleagues in the world
of hip hop journalism what a tragic mistake they had made.

Befriending fellow W.C. Bryant High School alum Sacha Jenkins and L.C.C. student Haji
Akhigbade, Wilson became the Music Editor of the duo's burgeoning rap newspaper, Beat
Down. After the trio disbanded in the fall of '93, Wilson encouraged Jenkins to give the
publishing game another shot and the seasoned salt-and-pepper duo began to conceptualize
Ego Trip.

Wilson soon realized, however, that one cannot eat off props alone. When not contributing
toward ground-breaking. When not contributing toward ground-breaking Ego Trip scriptures,
he actively freelanced for Vibe, Rap Pages, Rap Sheet, Time Out New York and Paper. In 1995,
he endured a brief-but-successful stint as an Associate Editor at CMJ New Music Report where
he solidified the indie rock trade rag's hip hop coverage.

But it was in 1996 that he would enjoy a particularly sweet payback when he was wooed from
CMJ to become The Source's Music Editor. During his two-year tenure, he helped propel the
already established publication to the country's top-selling music title.

From Q-borough underachiever to Big Willie publishing mogul and now author, Elliot Jesse
Wilson Jr. is a living testament that dreams can and do come true.

Toiling for years as a truck-driving production assistant on the New York commercial filmmaking
scene, New York University graduate Chairman Mao needed direction. An aspiring DJ, his
addiction to acquiring wax had depleted his bank account. But in 1992, his chance meeting with an
ambitious young publishing entrepreneur/film intern named Sacha Jenkins introduced an
absurd solution to these fiscal woes-entering the world of music journalism! Mao began
contributing to Jenkins' Beat Down magazine in exchange for complimentary promotional
copies of hip hop records. He couldn't believe his luck.

Mao eventually exploited this writing scam so well that he actually began earning rent money
with his new vocation. While becoming a fundamental cog within Jenkins' and partner Elliot
Wilson's next publishing foray, Ego Trip, Mao enlightened Rolling Stone, Spin, Entertainment
Weekly and Vibe with his critical musings. Amongst his most noteworthy assignments: his
guest editorship for Rap Pages acclaimed DJ Issue in April of 1996 and is profile of The
Notorious B.I.G. in April of 1997 for the cover of The Source shortly before the rapper's
untimely death.

Currently Ego Trip's Editor-in-Chief and a Vibe Writer-at-Large, Mao still can't believe he
possesses a job that doesn't require him to sweep floors and chauffeur ad agency assholes.
When not clocking long-but-gratifying hours at ET's NYC HQ, he can be found in a record
store near you digging for archival additions to his now 20,000-piece strong record library.

Gabriel Alvarez was a long-haired, 20-year-old, L.A.-born Mexican with glasses trying to find a
job in 1991. The odds were against him. Nobody wanted him. The only alternative? Intern for
gratis at the latest magazine acquisition of Hustler publishing magnate Larry Flynt. Film Threat
was a cool, anti-Hollywood, punk rock-type rag that gave the mainstream film press the kind of
kick in the ass it needed. Alvarez quickly elevated to the position of Associate Editor.

Two years later, however, it was time to move on and Alvarez began working for another Flynt
publication. Rap Pages was a hip hop mag that needed new creative energies to help it realize its
potential. As Managing Editor, Alvarez expelled plenty of blood, sweat and tears and featured
special graffiti, DJ and breakdance issues that intrigued a growing readership. Another three
years later, though, it was time to roll the dice again.

His next job opportunity came in 1996 in the enticing form of Ego Trip, and amazingly creative
magazine outta New York City, that made him an offer he couldn't refuse: a Managing Editor
position demanding lots of hard work but no money. Displaying the sage decision-making skills
that have guided his entire career, Alvarez immediately packs his bags and heads for the
Rotten Apple. He begins freelancing extensively for The Source and Vibe. His status as an
important critical voice grows. He even cuts his hair. He couldn't be happier. Or more broke.

Alternately known as Asparagus, Prima, Gor-gee, Half-Black, Kinda-Black, Brent Rollins or
Milton Reese (depending on the time of day), Brent Rollins, ET's full-time Art Director and
part-time scribe, is the original "Afrocentric Asian, half man/half-amazin'."

But whatever he's called, he's called often by the entertainment biz. Before graduating from
UCLA with a BFA, Rollins had the fortunate opportunity to cut his teeth designing logos for films
like Spike Lee's Mo Better Blues and John Singleton's Boyz N The Hood as well as interning
at Fattal and Collins Design & Advertising. He punctuated his college career by creating graphics
for a FOX Network variety show, revamping the identity for TV's historic Soul Train and
studying for a French exam all during his senior finals week. C'est incroyable!

However, it was his subsequent two-year bid (1994-1996) as Art Director for Rap Pages magazine
which honed Rollins' talents. Since then, he's serviced clients such as Miramax Films, ICM, A&M,
Mo' Wax and SoleSide Records. Along the way, he's also created art for the Pharcyde, The
Notorious B.I.G., Gang Starr, Sir Menelik, Black Star, and The Refugee Project charity
organization. Between maintaining the 24/7 grind that has put food on his table and made his mom
proud, the design veteran continues to champion the maligned and forgotten genre of "weirdo-
rap." Big time.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. 12
Ted Bawno's Forward Foreword	p. 14
Foundation	p. 16
Important Firsts
First Hip Hop Signees To 22 Renowned Labels
Lauryn Hill's Greatest Musical Influences
Afrika Bambaataa's Blues and Soul List
Rap Celebrates Itself
Kool DJ Red Alert's Essential Old School DJ Round-Up
Guru's 11 Voices Of Inspiration
Most Disappointing Debut Rap LPs
15 Artists Who Debuted As Guests
10 Weak Debut Singles By Major Rap Performers
12 Funky Fresh Old School Flyers
'90s Rap Hits That Lifted Their Hooks From '80s Classics
Pioneering DJs Of Uncle Jam's Army
Billy Jam Names The Essential West Coast Old School Rap Joints
Too $hort's 10 Secrets To Longevity
Lyrics	p. 34
Greatest Emcees Of All-Time
14 Lyrical Faux Pas
12 Songs Slick Rick Wishes He Had Written
13 Tongue-Twisting Talents
Rappers Who Use The Same Lyrics On Two Different Songs
8 Songs With Notoriously Unintelligible Lyrics
25 Intriguing (Parenthetical) Hip Hop Thoughts
Hard-Hitting Homophobic Lyrics
16 Memorable Misogynistic Rap Music Moments
Lyrics That Hurt People's Feelings
Some Hot-Ass Song Title Acronyms
Certified Ghostwriters
Kool Moe Dee's Rap Report Card
Kool Moe Dee Rates The Rappers Of Today
Famous Last Words
DJs	p. 48
5 Records That Changed Funkmaster Flex's Life
25 Compelling Homages To The DJ
25 Deadly DJ Cuts
Dave Tompkins' Top 20 Modern DJ Tracks
DJ Cash Money's Favorite Scratch Inventions
13 Rappers Recognized For Their DJ Skills
14 Historical DJ-On-The-Mic Milestones
18 Songs Kid Capri Appears On
16 Rap Artists Who've Maintained 2 DJs
Tape Kingz' Iain McNee Chooses The 10 Greatest Mix Tapes Of All-Time
Production	p. 60
Hip Hop's Greatest Producers
Little Known Facts About The Creations Of 21 Famous Rap Songs
20 Indispensible Human Beat Box Songs
Great Uses Of Rock Samples and Interpolations In '80s Hip Hop
DJ Premier's Quarterpound Of Underacknowledged Hip Hop Cuts
Songs That Were Sabotaged By Sample Clearance Refusals
Rap Productions By Non-Rap Producers
10 Songs Marley Marl Wishes He Had Produced
20 Songs You'd Swear Were Done By Somebody Else
20 Classic James Brown Productions and The Rap Songs That Made Them Famous Again
Producers and The Groups They Were In Before They Made A Name For Themselves
Artists Who Had Their Verses Removed From The Final Versions Of Songs
Prince Paul's All-Time Favorite Hip Hop Skits
Q-Tip's Notable Non-A Tribe Called Quest Productions
17 Bumpy Songs On Otherwise Bumpin' LPs
Hip Hop's Greatest Two-Sided Singles
10 Important Studio Musicians and Bands
Long-Ass Old School Songs
Long-Ass New School Songs
Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Remixes
Live!	p. 76
Greatest Post-Old School Live Performers
Daddy-O's Top Tour Memories
18 Live-Ass Songs About Performing
MC Serch's Favorite '80s Hip Hop Venues
Official All-The-Way-Live Songs
Official All-The-Way-Live Albums
Jon Shecter's Live Show Rules
Important Los Angeles Hip Hop Clubs
The Final Leg Of Run-D.M.C.'s Raising Hell Tour
Chris Lighty's Road Manager Rules To Live By
Is It Live?
Top 10 Things Most Commonly Banned From Hip Hop Clubs
Names	p. 92
Countdown
Hi, My First Emcee Name Was...
How 10 Artists Received Their Rap Monikers
Amazing Artist Acronyms
Group Acronyms Made Easy
Original Names Of 15 Rap Groups
20 Wack Album Titles
Rejected Titles Of 20 Rap Albums
20 Great Album Titles
Wu-Tang Killer Aliases
Names Inspired By Characters From Comic Strips, Comic Books and Cartoons
Rap Artists With The Same Names
14 Rap Artists Who Revel In Using Their Government Names
Sons Of The Father
Longest Rap Alias Ever
Broadcasting	p. 102
Hip Hop Broadcast Personalities and The Groups They Were In Before Their Acclaimed On-Air Careers
Chuck D's 5 Reasons Why Radio Sucks More Than Ever
10 Songs About The Radio
Doctor Dre's Greatest Comedic Influences
The History Of Super Rockin' Mr. Magic
Greg Mack's Top KDAY Memories
Great Fuckin' Clean Versions
Bobbito Recounts 11 Artists That Were Broken By The Stretch Armstrong Radio Show
18 Notable Rappers Who've Made TV Or Radio Commercials
Rappers Who Appeared On The Penultimate Episode Of The Arsenio Hall Show
Rap Personalities Who've Appeared In Sprite Commercials
10 Morsels Of Mildly Interesting Rap Video Trivia
Rap Songs That Flipped TV Show Themes Lovely
Rappers Who've Appeared In Animation
The ego trip Emmys
Body Movin'	p. 118
Dance, Dance, Dance!
10 MC Hammer Songs You Can't Dance To
Rap Artists Who Began Their Careers As Dancers
16 Songs That, Contrary To Their Titles, Are Not About Dancing
The Electric Boogaloos' Top 10 Poppin' Songs
21 Rap Songs Dedicated To Dances
Ben Higa Revisits 10 Early '80s Pop and RandB Videos Featuring B-Boying and Popping
10 Songs Dedicated To The Pleasures Of Lap Dances
25 Mighty Healthy Rap Cameos On RandB Tracks
Beats By The Pound's History Of Bounce Music
10 Hip House Songs That Don't Suck...
...and 10 More That Really, Really Do
Hot Steppin' Hip Hop Back-Up Dancers and The Artists They Hit The Floor For
Top 10 Reasons Hip Hop Dancers Are No More
10 Anti-Dance Rappers
Clans, Posses, Crews and Cliques	p. 128
Greatest Groups Of All-Time
Too Much Posse Cuts
One-Time Members Of Boogie Down Productions
Ice Cube Spin-Offs
Run-D.M.C. Spin-Offs
Hip Hop Supergroups
A Gangsta Rap Franchise
Rappers United For The Cause
Who Is The "Fourth" Beastie Boy?
People Who Left Or Were Kicked Out Of Major Hip Hop Groups Before They Blew Up
Rappers Who Have Recorded A Song With A Parent On Wax
Great Songs About Parents
Rhyme Related--It's A Family Affair: Brothers Gonna Work It Out (and Sisters Too); What's Up, Cousin?
16 Songs About Kids
Twins 4 Life
Mother's Finest
Hip Hop Offspring Of Famous People
Hip Hop's #1 Sidemen
It Was Written	p. 140
16 Songs That Assassinate The Media
Bill Adler's Top 5 Mainstream Media Rap Coverage Travesties
6 Seminal Hip Hop Albums That Were Panned
Artists Whose Writings Have Been Published
Artists Who Appeared On The Cover Of The Village Voice's Hip Hop Nation Issue
Songs and Albums Based On Literature
14 Rap Songs Based On Nursery Rhymes
13 Special Moments In Rap Liner Notes History
10 Rap LPs It Was Unnecessary To Print The Lyrics To In The Liner Notes But They Did Anyway
Public Enemy's "Disciples For The Future 17."
KRS-One's Greatest Quotes
Record Labels	p. 154
Artists Who Were At One Time Rumored To Have Signed To Death Row Records
Notable Rap Albums That Were Never Released
Dante Ross Lists The Top 10 Things Rappers Do To Ruin Their Careers
10 Anti-Record Company Songs
Best Rap Advertising Copy
Worst Rap Advertising Copy
Unforgettable Record Company Promo Items
10 Things That Lyor Cohen Says To Motivate His Artists
Cash Money Records' Rules
R.A. The Rugged Man Reveals His Top 10 Ways To Get Dropped From A Record Label
10 Milestones In Rap Artist--Record Label Relations
Defunct Label Imprints Of 15 Notable Artists
Art	p. 164
25 Great EP, 12" and CD Single Covers
50 Great Album Covers
Butter Albums, Butt Covers
Butter Covers, Butt Albums
Butter Butt Covers
Cey Adams' Top 10 Things You Should Never Do On A Photo Shoot Or When Designing An Album Package
Infamous Rap Art Controversies
5 Things Pen and Pixel Will Not Put On An Album Cover
Rap Album Artwork Based On Other LP Covers
Graf Writers Who Rapped and Rappers Who Wrote Graf
10 Logos Haze Wishes He Had Created
10 Cool Stickers
Rappers Who Attended Manhattan's High School Of Art and Design
Artsy Types Who've Made Contributions To Hip Hop
13 Comic Book--Inspired Jacket Designs
Little Known Design Trivia
Art Ideas That Didn't Make The Cut
Personalities Pictured On The Cover Of A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders
Film	p. 180
Noreaga's Favorite Cinematic Love Stories
Hollywood Types On Rap's Bozack
26 Feature Film Cameos by Rappers
34 Rap Song Titles Based On Movie Titles
29 Rap Album Titles Based On Movie Titles
Rap-Related Career Highlights Of Hollywood Hot Boy, Ice Cube
Film-Inspired Rap Names
Music Videos Based On Movies
20 Rap Theme Songs To Non-Rap Films
Rap Movie Soundtracks That Don't Suck
Sampled Movie Dialogue Quiz
Debi Mazar Recounts 6 Close Encounters With Hip Hop In The '80s
Rap Logos Based On The Godfather
The ego trip Oscars
Cheddar	p. 192
Money Ain't A Thang
Rappers Who've Made Forbes Magazine's Annual Highest-Paid Entertainers List
Rappers Who Have Declared Bankruptcy
7 Costly-Ass Artists To Sample
It All Comes Down To Money
Rap Artists Who've Owned Their Own
Most Expensive Hip Hop Records
20 Invaluable Songs About Money
Rap Personalities Who Admit To Having Worked At Food Chains
Things Rappers Spend Their Money On
Sports	p. 200
D.M.C.'s AII-NFL Dream Team
14 Great Lyrical References For The Real Players
Rappers Who've Assisted The World's Tallest Emcee
Rappers Who Ball (Well)
15 Pro Hoopsters Who Rap (Badly)
Legendary Ballers Mentioned On Hurt 'Em Bad's "NBA Rap."
Legendary Ballers Mentioned On Kurtis Blow's "Basketball."
'70s Baseball Players Who Get Shouted Out On "Two Brothers With Checks (San Francisco, Harvey)."
Negro League Baseball Players, Teams and Personalities Mentioned In "Saga Of Dandy, The Devil and Day."
Inspectah Deck Picks His Favorite Professional Wrestlers Of All-Time
Nuthin' But The Very Best Tyson Lyrical References
When Rap and Sports Collide
12 Sports Lyrics That Lose
In Full Gear	p. 210
Models On Rap's Bozack
Hip Hop's Greatest Sweater References Of All-Time
Items De La Soul Dismisses On "Take It Off."
Rappers and Their Signature Accessories
Rappers Who Have Been Photographed In The Buff Or In Their Drawers
Tattoos That Make An Impression
You Gotta Reckon With Fashion
Products Slick Rick Plugs In "La Di Da Di."
Leave My Jheri Curl Alone
Good Hair
Cock-Diesel Rap Dudes
Short But Funky
6 Feet High and Rising
Skinny and Proud
Rap Heavyweights (Literally)
Go See The Dentist
The ego trip Fashion Awards
Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop	p. 220
Freakiest Songs About Doin' The Nasty
Songs About The Dangers Of Not Practicing Safe Sex
Kool Keith's Favorite Places To Pleasure Himself In Public
The Essential Likwit Tit-ography
69 Songs Dedicated To That Special Lady
The Love Movement: Rap Love; Rap/Celebrity Love and Rap/RandB Love
A Teenage Love
Women Russell Simmons Wishes He Could Have Dated Before He Got Married
23 Sneaky Tales About Infidelity
OutKast's Big Boi Puts You Up On His Favorite Atlanta Strip Clubs
DJ Mister Cee Names The 10 Best Ways For DJs To Get Ass
Cat Got Their Tongue
Rocket In The Pocket
Potluck
20 Dope Anti-Drug Songs
Smokin' Weed Anthems
People Ricky Powell Wishes He Could Have Gotten Zooted With
Crack Attack
Last Call
Rap's Lyrical Obsession With The Material Girl
Songs About Fame
Songs About Paranoia
Songs About Falling Off
Beef	p. 234
Hip Hop's Wonderful World Of Wax Wars
Mo' Beef, Mo' Problems
Artists Roxanne Shante Targets On "Bite This."
16 Adversarial Male-Female Rap Duets
6 Battles On Wax That Were Staged In The Studio
8 Rappers Who Took It To The Stage, Sucka
Sir Mix-A-Lot's 10 Signs That You're Being Player Hated
Strictly Answer Records, No Questions
5 Acts Of Random Violence Between Rappers
Unforgettable Video Disses
Shit That Rappers Do That Gets On Fat Joe's Nerves
52 Disses You Might Have Missed
Dis Songs That Were Never Commercially Released
Makaveli's Most Venomous Unreleased Dis Records
The ego trip Shit List
The Realness	p. 252
Songs About The Projects
Albums That Were Released While The Artists Or Group Members Were Incarcerated
12 Pieces Of Suggested "Evidence" That 2Pac Is Still Alive
Bonz Malone's Real Nigga Rules 4 Life
99 "Nigga" Songs
99 "Bitch" Songs
Nigga-Bitch Connection
Freddie Foxxx's 10 Tips For Playing Ceelo
13 Gang-Related Rhymes
8 Rappers With Certified Handskills
Rap Artists Who've Survived Shootings
How About Some Hardcore Parodies?
10 Forgotten Guest Vocal Appearances By The Notorious B.I.G....
...and 10 Forgotten Guest Vocal Appearances By 2Pac
Rappers Who Have At One Time Announced Their Retirements
Mobb Deep's Back Catalog Of Unreleased Gems
It Gets No Realer Than This
Gone But Not Forgotten...
Race	p. 266
Prominent Five Percent Rappers
Stay Black
How Can I Be Black?
Stretch Armstrong's Most Embarrassing Moments As A White DJ In The Rap Game
White Rappers...and Their Black Affiliations
White Mainstream Media Darlings
10 Remarkably Racist Recordings
20 Colorful Songs About Racism
Rhettmatic and Babu Of The World Famous Beat Junkies Name The Top 5 Reasons Why Asian Hip Hop DJs Cut So Fresh
28 Scathing Songs About Racist Punk Police
Top 10 Lyrical Mexican References
Notable Bilingual Rap Songs
22 Interracial Rap Groups
22 Biracial Rap Artists
Cypress Hill's Sen Dog Gives Props To His Cuban Heroes
# Of Times The "N" Word Appears On N.W.A's Albums
Awards	p. 278
First 10 Gold Rap Singles
First 10 Gold Rap Albums
First 10 Platinum Rap Singles
First 10 Platinum Rap Albums
Rap Artists With The Most Platinum Albums
Major Hip Hop Artists Who Have Never Had A Gold Album
Grammy Award-Winning Hip Hop Artists By Year
Rap Recipients Of MTV Music Video Awards By Year
13 Artists Chubb Rock Felt Deserved Grammy Recognition
New Music Seminar and Supermen DJ Battle Winners By Year
New Music Seminar and Supermen MC Battle Winners By Year
Technics DMC DJ Competition Winners By Year
5 Most Underrated Hip Hop Artists
5 Most Overrated Hip Hop Artists
Slept-On Albums For Dat Ass
The ego trip Achievement Awards
Bonus Beats	p. 290
The B-Side Wins Again
The Dubwiser Selects The 10 Worst Rap-Reggae Songs Of All-Time
Rappers Who've Collaborated With Michael Jackson
Worst Rap-Rock Collabos Of All-Time
Rap Covers Of Rock Songs
5 Rock 'N Roll Memories From Cee-Lo Of The Goodie Mob
Songs That End With Explosions
Can't Get Enough... Of That Monkey Stuff!
25 Bumpin' Car Songs
ego trip's 15 Favorite Goddamn Christmas Songs
50 Songs With Food Titles
Songs By Common With Food Titles
Mia X's Creole Shrimp and Crabmeat Stew Recipe
50 BK Big-Ups
Songs About Compton
10 Reasons Why Will Smith Loves Miami
Give Me Body
Give Me Bodily Functions
8 Songs About Body Odor
Butt... Of Course!
A Few Of Biz Markie's Favorite Things
-- And The Biz
Bonus Moments On CD and Wax That You Might Have Missed
Charts	p. 312
The Monkey Academy	p. 338
10 Reasons Why Rap Will Never Die	p. 352
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