2nd Fiddle
Posted by Language Art
The entertainment duo is a familiar staple in pop culture. There’s something about the relationship between two great personalities that cannot be replicated by half of the duo and often times can be more dynamic than that of a larger group. Lucy and Desi, Paul and John, Romeo and Juliet – some even exist as a single entity, i.e. “Bennifer” and “Brangelina.” The only drawback to the duo is the fact that one member may outshine the other. Potentially, one may become more popular; and although both may be extremely talented, the comparison might often leave the less favorable member overlooked in obscurity. Let’s shine the light on the often overlooked members of some Hip-Hop’s most legendary duos.
Probably the most famous on this list. For years this group has put it down for the Dirty following in the footsteps of the Geto Boys. Before the dirty south was associated with crunk and snap music, Outkast offered thought-provoking lyricism while retaining the soul of southern blues. This duo consistently walked the line between underground and mainstream and while Andre3000 a.k.a the rapper formerly known simply as Andre, is in my personal top 5 dead or alive, Big Boi is the main reason the group has stayed relevant in the mainstream. Many conscious artists have fallen into a category of being too preachy and no longer in touch with “the hood” that they were raised in. The more that Dre became an alien, Big Boi kept Outkast’s UFO in the ATL. Big Boi was no slouch on the mic either. His flow is perfected and although something can be said about him sounding the same on any beat, you can’t fault the man for not trying to fix something that isn’t broken. His charisma is always on high and his lyrics are a true representation of who he is. Peep his solo track, “West Savannah” off of one of the best albums (any genre) of all time, Aquemini. Without Dre, Big Boi holds his own in this narrative that took Outkast fans back to the Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik days:
“See, niggaz in the South wear gold teeth and gold chains/
Been doin it for years, so these niggaz ain’t gone change/
They comin around the ghetto so you might call em soul/
Been wearin furry Kangol’s, so that shit is old/
You might slang a rock or two just to pay the rent/
Five dollars for a table dance so now your money’s spent/
You listen to that booty shake music in your trunk/
as long as there’s that “tic tic” followed by that bump”
His hood mentality is his gift and his curse. Many Hip-Hop fans dismiss the “ghetto talk” as being less introspective, but Big Boi is a master at giving the listener his life experience through words.
Organized Konfusion: Prince Poetry
Arguably the most overlooked in this list, Organized Konfusion took MC’ing to a new level. Most memorable is Pharoahe Monche’s performance on every track he touched. However, with Stress: The Extinction Agenda, BOTH members of OK helped to usher in lyricism as we know it today. Pharoahe’s attention to cadence definitely made him the standout of the duo, but the fact that Prince Po was never completely outshined on any track shared with his OK counterpart speaks volumes of his talent on the mic. Narratives like that of the classic “Stray Bullet” are reasons why Prince Po is still dropping relevant shit post-OK:
“Gun balls of fire, I’m travelling at higher speeds/
To proceed to penetrate flesh, hitting the splint/
After splitting the chest of a queens fiend/
Age of pagers shredded to pieces from the glock 9”
Peep his releases since OK split. If you were an OK fan, you’re sure to find something to bring you back to that incomparable era of Hip-Hop.
A lot can be said of Havoc’s skills as a producer. He made himself a legend in the rap game off the strength of two albums (The Infamous and Hell on Earth), but when it comes to MC’ing, most fans of Mobb Deep look toward the other infamous MC, Prodigy. However, Havoc often showed why he wasn’t the type of producer to just stay behind the scenes:
“No doubt kid, I hit them niggaz like a bid/
The prosecutor, runnin up in your crib/
Do your dirt, I do my dirt all by my lonely/
It’s only me, and the gat that’s holdin me”
His ability to talk tough is no doubt displayed in every track. But what separates Mobb Deep from the other gangsta rappers, are lines like the above. For example, Havoc calling himself the prosecutor is significant in that it shows that he feels as if his actions, moral or immoral (he calls it “his dirt”), are justified in his eyes. The dirt that he does is just in that he is forced to do what “the gat that’s holding him” pleases.
Although a lot of fans of the old Mobb Deep have turned their backs on them, they still churn out quality music. Prodigy and Havoc also both drop solo material. Peep Havoc’s The Kush series, even if you’re just a fan of Havoc’s beats.
The only MC on this list whom I prefer over his groupmate, Malice is a beast on the mic. It’s easy to say that Malice is underrated since both members of The Clipse are usually written off as nothing more than the run of the mill “Coke” rappers. However, it puzzles me why those that do recognize this duo for their skills on the mic, prefer Pusha T. Not to downplay Pusha’s skills, he in fact does have more “swag” on the mic, but Malice (not unlike Mobb Deep) possesses the ability to add a level of profoundness to a sub-genre that you wouldn’t expect to find much depth. Check the poetry on “I’m Not You” off their debut album Lord Willin’, a track in which Malice stands out among NY veterans like Jadakiss:
“Rappers is talkin’ to me as if, we in the same boat/I tell them quick, no – I move coke/And you and I don’t share no common bonds/So forgive me if I don’t receive you with open arms/It shames me to no end/To be poison to those who could very well be my kin/But where there’s demand, someone will supply/So I feed them their needs and at the same time cry/Yes it pains me to see them need this/All of them lost souls, and I’m their Jesus/Deepest regrets and sympathy to the streets/I see them pay for their fix, when their kids couldn’t eat/And with this in mind, I still didn’t quit/And that’s how I know, that I ain’t shit/My heart bleed, but that’s aside from the fact/I live for my kids and theirs, and them youngin’s after that.”
To up the ante, Malice can take his skill and use it to dismantle rappers on the battle tip with one-liners like:
“Say dog/Let’s not get involved/You don’t wanna tango/I’ll dress you in a halo.”
And let’s not forget their niche:
“You mistook me for a rapper, huh?/Well that makes me an actor,cuz I would rather clap a gun…”
At first glance, Malice sounds like a one-dimensional mainstream rapper boasting about how much coke he can push. Even if this were the case, he’s still one of the best of his era and genre, but I implore you to peel the first layer of the onion on this rapper. You won’t be sorry.
Definitely my favorite MC on this list. Phife AKA Phife Dawg AKA The Five Footer AKA Mutty Ranks along with The Abstract Poet really knew how to have fun on a track. In a genre filled with guns and mean mugs, listeners are in dire need of a duo like the Tribe. Admittedly once more, Phife’s counterpart is a personal top 5 dead or alive MC. However, Phife is not far behind. Where Q-Tip displayed his skills with abstract multi-layered poetry, Phife perfectly balanced the Tribe’s sound with his timid ferocity. Lyricism is his forte and he ripped every track he touched. In fact, I don’t feel the need to quote any of his verses, just peep his whole catalogue.
Many times comparisons can skew one’s evaluation of talent. However, without both, the duo may not have the same appeal. This is in fact the case for many of the solo albums that came from any of the listed duos. Although most of the MCs on this list may not be as universally applauded as their duomates, they should not be dismissed.
Feel free to add your own duos in the comments…
3 years ago | Tags: Language Art Big Boi Outkast Mobb Deep Havoc Organized Konfusion Prince Po The Clipse Malice A Tribe Called Quest Phife
