The Rhymes of Our Lives

Craig Mack

1000 degrees

You'll be on your knees

And you'll be burnin', beggin' please!

Brother FREEZE!

Craig Mack's hip hop career was a cascade of misfortune and ill-timed circumstance, especially considering how important he was to the start-up of Sean 'Puffy' Combs' Bad Boy Records. When "Flavor in Your Ear" was released in 1994, it became the signature sound of Bad Boy production until the release of Ready to Die by the Notorious B.I.G. However, Puffy eventually shifted Biggie into the flagship role of Bad Boy's artist line-up, leaving Craig Mack to flounder in the wings. Ever since Puffy's disinterest in promoting him, Craig struggled to find a recording company that he could call home, and it's rumored he eventually left music alone all together in 2008.

Personally, I always felt badly for Craig. I honestly believe he was, and probably still is, a very talented emcee and deserved the opportunity to continue making music like this.

If anyone knows where Craig is now, shake his hand for me and thank him for this track. It's a classic.

peace.

Adrian Smalls

Ten minutes ago I was quite stressed. I need to start working on lines for The Winter's Tale for tonight and I couldn't find anything to put up on my blog. Then I opened an email from my homie Marcel. This is what I found.

Now, usually I'd write something up about something this surreal. (Well, it's surreal to me.) But tonight, I'm hanging back for two reasons. One: I really want and need to get to work. Two: I don't quite know what I think about this. I need a couple of hours, perhaps days to figure out what this means; it may not mean anything.

I do think this, though. Biggie was most certainly a poet and Adrian is most certainly dope for acknowledging that. That's gotta be worth something.

peace.