Supafriendz

By Midas

“Just a thought but I was wondering, what if underground was the hit, would commercial be the shit?”

-         Danja Mowf off “Question”

What exactly is the Underground?

Is it undiscovered artists who saved up some cash to put together a demo?  Is it the cats that burn trees and rhyme in the cipher over instrumentals?  Is it unsigned hype?  Artists that have got a little pub somehow; now they’re waiting for a deal?  How about cats with pressed wax and CD’s that just haven’t gone mainstream yet?

It is all of these things and none of these things.  But in my eyes, it is what hip-hop is supposed to be about – the music, not the next MTV gig or video shoot.  To shout out underground means your lyrics better be on point.  If it’s your beat, it should sound different, original or at least, match your flow.  Basically, it’s the definition of ‘keeping it real”.

Jack Sinister is ‘keeping it real’.  At least he says so on his straight to video release “Where you at?!?”.  A native of South Carolina, he talks about being true to your roots and originality with your music.  He’s got some funny skits, but the problem is that’s the best part of the tape.  The music videos showcase Sinister’s weak flow and way too many strippers to claim originality.  Which shows he’s got the message right, but he’s missing one thing.  Skills.

You might have to search for this one.  It was released in 1996 with the 1^st single, “The Nod Factor”, the only track to really get airtime.  But that doesn’t mean it’s not great.  Mad Skills has exactly that: mad skills on the mic, written or freestyle.  The album is an intro to VA rap, which is truly it’s own entity.  In it’s most basic form, it’s battle raps end concept songs.  But it’s his creativity with one-liners that put him at the front of the class.

“You can play with AIDS.  I’m putting H’s in your IV’s”

“Word is bond, my shit’s tighter than 5 virgins in a Volkswagen.”

The only ‘name’ appearances is underground legend Large Professor and former underground star Q-Tip on “Extra Abstract Skills”.  Extra P puts down a simple drumbeat and opens the track competently.  On “Tongues of the Next Shit”, Kolonji the Immortal matches the style of Skills on this self-produced track.  At this point, Skills’ crew was called The Forever People and most of them are on “Unseen World”.  Lonnie B. sets it and provides the one-liner of the track.

“Yo, let me make this clear.  I ain’t the baddest rapper out there, but I’m take his place until he gets here.”

Producers include Jaydee, Buckwild & the Beatnuts – but Shawn J-Period is able to match the mood perfectly on “Inherit the World”, a post-apocalyptic view of Skills as the Omega Man.

I don’t know exactly what happened between “From Where???” and “The 804”, but I do know:

• Skills’ original crew of 10 Forever People has dwindled to 3 Supafriendz.

• The Supafriendz were affiliated/signed with/did work for Timberland and Missy.  Everyone remembers their work on the Alliyah remix to “Are you that somebody?”  Who knows if they still are…

• Danja Mowf released a solo LP, “Word of Mowf” in 1997 on Flavatown/Funtown.  Danja also produces for Danja Zone Productions.

• Skills has dropped singles like “Conceited Bastard”, “Lick the Balls” and “Ghostwriter”.

Which brings me to the present and Lonnie B. on the intro.

“One fam with a vision.  It’s more than music; this is our way of living.  After all the sacrifices and decisions.  In house beefs and differences of opinions.  We still here.”

They’re not alone.  Lil’ Roc, a holdover from the Forever People, shines on “Friend Zone (Just Friendz)”, a remake of the BizMarkie classic with a twist.  “Fatal Attraction” is the story of chickens that confuse a one-night stand with marriage vows.  But all their concept tracks don’t deal with relationships.  “Let me find out” has Jo Doja and the Supafriendz on a Pass-the-Mic track.  “M.O.N.E.Y.” and “Matador” has Danja Mowf at his best.  Lyrically, he knows how to match his flow with the bounce of the beat.  But it sounds a lot easier than it is.  Perfect example: “Hot Hot”.  Even Skills and Lonnie can’t get the flow right, but Danja sounds like he made the beat.  Which he did.

Jo Doja is the next one to get a push.  His 1^st single, “Cadi Man”, is a tribute to the whip he loves.  I’m usually weary of tracks like this, but the beat matches the flow and it’s catchy.  “We got the baby” is one of the funniest skits since Talent and the Chinese Food Store on “The Score”.  And “Supa”, well, what can I say…

I once heard that there are only 7 movie plots; that every movie fits into 1 of 7 categories.  Well, the same can be said about music.  There are only so many topics that a person can write about, only so much that hasn’t already been done.  When MC’s speak about originality and ‘keeping it real’, they confuse me.  Like Ghost and the Chef on ‘Cuban Links’ saying how they don’t want anyone sounding like them.  The only problem is, eventually; someone will come along that does sound like them.  And if I looked back far enough, across enough genres; I’m sure I would find someone that sounded like the Wu before anyone knew where Shaolin was.

Recently, I heard a couple of tracks by Slug.  He’s down with Rhyme Sayers (Eyedea, another member, just won that freestyle battle on HBO) and he almost sounds like spoken word poetry.  Now that’s a little different, but his topic subject of relationships is familiar to everyone.  Some people would see little difference between “The Ocean” and “Between me and you” by Ja Rule. I mean, they’re both songs about women, no different from Marvin Gaye crooning “Let’s get it on”. 

So what is the real difference between underground and commercial, between unsigned and successful, walking the dogs and buying your dogs top choice meat for lunch.  On Mic Geronimo’s “The Natural”, I peeped a track called “Time to Build”.  They’re not listed in the credits, but Ja Rule, DMX and Jay-Z are definitely on the track (Remember, this dropped in 1994).  Unknown at the time, you can hear the hunger in DMX’s voice, the passion that made him an overnight success.  You hear a young Ja Rule, still working with his flow, but working hard.  But what you can’t miss is the smoothness that J flows with.  Even if you had never heard him before, you would know he was talented.  And that’s the difference.  It’s not who is on what label or radio show; it’s who is on point musically.  That’s the reason they’re supposed to be in it.  That’s the way it’s supposed to be.

Peep the Supafriendz site