Toppa Top 10: Raggamuffin Gangster Rap

Words by Jesse Serwer—

Back when Shabba and Super Cat were killing the game in the early ’90s, the influence of dancehall could be felt throughout hip-hop. While East Coast rappers with Caribbean backgrounds like KRS-One and Heavy D collaborated with dancehall’s heavyweights themselves, artists from the West Coast—where the connections to Jamaica were less apparent—had to get a little more creative. Hence, the faux raggamuffin deejay styles on records by NWA, DJ Quik and other gangster rap acts of the day.

Recently, Schoolboy Q of Kendrick Lamar’s TDE crew—the current vanguard of L.A. rap— dropped a new track called “Banger” that got us thinking about this era all over again. Although, Q’s not exactly making gangster rap, he’s an heir to his city’s traditions, and “Banger”—with its faux deejaying (“Biddy-bye-bye”!) over a vintage reggae sample—definitely sounds like a tribute to those NWA joints from back in the day. So much so it got us thinking about some of our favorite raggamuffin tunes from the gangster rap era. Read our pics for the Top 10 here.

10. MC Breed- “Watch Your Own Back”

Not all early-wave gangster rappers were from the West Coast, in fact Flint, Michigan’s MC Breed was one of the first MCs to put the Midwest on the map as far as hip-hop goes. Breed’s 1993 album The New Breed featured a young 2Pac on the single “Gotta Get Mine,” production from the D.O.C., and the dancehall-inspired cut “Watch Your Own Back,” featuring the toasting skills of one “Admiral D.” Who was Admiral D? You’ll just have to read on to find out…

9. Mad Cobra feat. the Geto Boys-Dead End Street

Houston gangster pioneers the Geto Boys had East Coast roots, and a Jamaican member, in Kingston-by-way-of-Brooklyn’s Bushwick Bill. Perhaps it was that connection—or maybe it was just the Geto Boys’ epic gangster-ness— that led to an appearance on “Dead End Street” from dancehall star Mad Cobra’s major-label debut, Hard To Wet, Easy To Dry. The Tony Kelly-produced cut also received a remix from the hands of Salaam Remi.

8. DJ Quik-The Bombudd

Compton’s DJ Quik has had a “reggae-type joint” on nearly every one of his albums—at least nine tracks in all, that we know of. Typically, these have been escapes from gangster-ism—a category the eclectic Quik has always sought to ascend— into pure comedy and singing. In fact, Quik is quite versed in early ’80s deejay styles, mimicking the likes of Yellowman and others on straight-up reggae tracks like “The Bombudd,” from 1992’s Quik is the Name.

7.BO$$- Born Gangstaz

Bo$$ was one of the first female rappers to run with the gangster rap flag, though her career was cut short, in part because of an article about her middle-class upbringing that cast doubts on her street credentials. The title track of her 1993 Def Jam album Born Gangstaz once again features one Admiral D. Who is this mystery man?

6. Eazy E, “Nobody Move”

A standout cut from Eazy-E’s 1988 debut album, the gangster rap blueprint Eazy-Duz-It , “Nobody Move” didn’t have any faux toasting, but it did have a hook made by sampling Yellowman’s “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt.” The track would be the first of many Dr. Dre-produced tracks to delve into dancehall…

5. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg- “Let Me Ride”

“Let Me Ride,” the follow-up single to The Chronic‘s smash hit “Nothin’ But A G Thang,” was all about the Parliament vibes, not some reggae—but the intro was delivered in thick, sassy patois from one bad-sounding Jamaican gyal whose identity—despite the album’s iconic status—still remains a mystery. We’ve heard guesses that it’s Patra, but we’re not so sure. Anyone got the intel?

4. Ice Cube- “Wicked”

Ice Cube’s The Predator was an intense listen, informed by the racial tensions in L.A. at the time of the ’92 riots. While the album’s other singles “It Was A Good Day” and “Check Yo Self” were more chill, its aggression peaked on “Wicked,” with apocalyptic air sirens, rapid-fire drums and faux hardcore dancehall deejaying. The uncredited deejay who hypes di ting up (and dedicates the song to the “one called Macgyver”) was one Don Jagwarr, who had previously been known as Earle The Poet. The raggamuffin style on “Wicked” was a new development, it seems—his 1990 single “High Noon” was on a whole ‘nother trip.

3. The D.O.C— “It’s Funky Enough”

The D.O.C.’s “It’s Funky Enough’ wasn’t on the gangster tip lyrically, but it’s a landmark moment in gangster rap nonetheless. The track, from D.O.C.’s Ruthless Records LP No One Can Do It Better, marked the start of the partnership between the Dallas transplant and the song’s producer, Dr. Dre. The pair would ultimately collaborate on the defining albums of the gangster rap era, including The Chronic (for which D.O.C. wrote Dre’s lyrics) and N.W.A.’s Efil4zaggin (ditto). And “It’s Funky Enough” is also a landmark moment in fake patois. It’s basically where everything else on this list derives from. When it comes to rapping in a put-on Jamaican accent, truly no one can do it better.

2. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg, “The Day The Niggaz Took Over”

Two decades before he reinvented himself as the reggae artist Snoop Lion, the G then known as Snoop Doggy Dogg brought the raggamuffin flavor—along with his cousin and Reincarnated accomplice Daz Dillinger—to the riotous “The Day The Niggaz Took Over,” from Dr. Dre’s all-time classic gangster opus The Chronic. Blak blam, blam to dem fall/Listen to the shots from Snoop Doggy Dogg, biddy-bye!

1. N.W.A., Efil4zaggin

The pseudo-dancehall vibes run throughout Efil4zaggin, N.W.A.’s controversial second album, from the opening track, “Prelude,” through the closing track “Dayz of Wayback,” and most prominently on the single “Alwayz Into Something.” But while he may not exactly sound authentic, the album’s mysterious, toasting host Admiral D is hella entertaining and kind of brilliant in his own way. But just who is this mysterious figure shouting how he “Keep Babylon on the run, seen”? Well, after looking into it thoroughly, we can tell you that it’s none other than the D.O.C. himself. Don’t believe us? Pay close to attention to “It’s Funky Enough” and the similarities become clear.

So, in summary: raggamuffin gangster rap—not very authentic, or particularly organic, but entertaining nonetheless. A lot like the recent ’90s dancehall-samples-in-rap fad, isn’t it?

+1: Honorable Mention
Barrington Levy feat. Crooked I, Snoop Dogg, Soopafly and Daz Dillinger, “Poor Man Cry”

Released in 1998, well after gangster tap had lost its vitality, “Poor Man Cry” from Barrington Levy’s 1998 Living Dangerously album featured an all-star West Coast posse of  Snoop, Daz, Crooked I and Soopafly. Needless to say, it’s not Barrington’s best work. Or Soopafly’s, for that matter. But we’d remiss if we didn’t point it out. Also we can’t forget the Sister Nancy “Bam Bam” sample on Too Short’s “Blowjob Betty.” Not exactly “raggamuffin” that one, but definitely classic.