Pour out some liquor…(Dead Rapper Round-Up)

With so many dead rappers and so many anniversaries to remember we get confused as to who died when. To complicate matters Big Pun and Big L died just a week apart. So to make life easier we’ve thrown ‘em all into one big dead rapper pot, gave it a stir and created our own little annual shrine to the fallen soldiers that are J Dilla, Pun, L and the latest addition to the roster, Apache who we criminally never mentioned until now.

First up…

Apache (December 26th 1964 – January 22nd 2010)

Little has been reported about the death of this Flavor Unit MC who made his debut on 45 King’s The Flavor Unit compilation back in 1990. Apparently he lived the high life at the peak of his career and after what was probably a concoction of booze, birds and bags of drugs he ballooned and his health took a long term proverbial ‘L’. Who are we to judge though, he was nice with his and went on to release the hip-hop classic that is ‘Gangsta Bitch’ produced than none other and Q Tip. May his soul rest in peace up there with another New Jersey legend who died less than a year ago, Tony D.

Apache Ain’t Shit

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I Feel Like Flowing

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J Dilla (February 7th 1974 – February 10th 2006)

Jay Dee’s contribution to hip-hop is well documented so we’ll let the audio speak for itself. First up a vocal version to the excellent ‘Louder’ off his Donuts instrumental album, followed by some classic audio taken from his interview on Dan Greenpeace’s All City Show which features a full Dilla interview, a freestyle with Madlib and more. Essential listening if you didn’t catch it the first time it was aired back in, gulp, 2003.

Louder feat. Oh No and Roc C

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J Dilla, Madlib and Peanut Butter Wold on The All City Show 2003

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Big L (May 30th 1974 – February 15th 1999)

Tragically shot and killed by several bullets which by all accounts shouldn’t have had his name on them and were probably meant for his knob head of a brother. Big L was one of, if not the sickest rappers ever and true heads revere every demented line off his classic ‘Devil’s Son’ right through to his last recording ‘The Big Picture’ which was mostly assembled after his untimely death. Here’s the classic ‘Devils Son’ as well as two bonus freestyles, one where L goes back to back with Jay Z.

Devil’s Son

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Freestyle Back To Back with Jay Z

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Freestyle over The Symphony

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Big Punisher (November 10th 1971 – February 7th 2000)

We all know Pun died from a heart attack after Fat Joe gave him a nipple gripple, that and he was very very overweight. He was rumoured to have recorded most of his ‘Yeeeah Baby’ album lying down in a purpose built recording booth. Apart from being the worst album title, like ever, Pun died a lyrical legend, mainly for the bo diddly, fiddly, squiddly line in the Deep Cover, er, cover that was TWINZ with Fat Joe. A stone cold classic to this day, Pun will always be remembered as one of the greatest eater of pies and one of the greatest that ever blessed the m.i.c.

TWINZ

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R.I.P. to all the fallen soldiers who fell in the months of January and February, until the same time next year.

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