Every week as part of our Saturday night hip hop show The Breaks, hosts Confucius and Fresh present facts about the culture of hip hop and R&B that you might not have known.
Disclaimer: None of these facts have been fact-checked so might in fact be false. Read at your own risk.
#1 – Cam’ron says Gerald Levert of the O’Jays is the person who convinced him to leave the streets.
- When Gerald Levert asks you to board the Love Train, you board the Love Train.
# 2 – DJ Quik is responsible for the drums and claps in 50 Cent’s breakout hit “In da Club.”
- “In Da Club” just turned 20. Unfortunately still one year away from a legal sip of Bacardi.
# 3 – Aaliyah sung backup vocals on Kriss Kross’ “Live and Die for Hip Hop.”
- Germaine Dupree says Aaliyah happened to be at his house while he was working on the song.
# 4 – Master P. is on a version of LL Cool J’s “4 3 2 1”
- Master P thought it would get his music some spins in the South.
- Did it?
# 5 – The first Swizz Beatz production credit was on the Lox’s “All for the Love.”
- This fact has been verified. Money, Power & Respect released in January 1998. It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot released in May.
# 6 – The beat that became the blueprint for Chicago’s Drill music scene was found after Chief Keef searched “finally rich tight beat” on youtube.
- The beats were bountiful in YouTube’s early days.
- Unfortunately, now you must subscribe to YouTube+ to access the Polish beat library.
