Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, the borough of Brooklyn was devoid of vegan, Pabst Blue Ribbon chugging hipsters. Before its most recent round of gentrification, Hip Hop heads associated Brooklyn with gold fronts, classic Timberland boots, beatdowns, robberies and great music. Emcees like Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z and Mos Def have become synonymous with the borough, but during the mid-nineties one Hip Hop fan used his stature in another field to shine a light on some less heralded but equally dope emcees.
“That’s Spike Lee, man,” producer DJ Premier told Complex.com, when asked how the 1995 edition of the Crooklyn Dodgers came together. “He wanted me to do it. He wanted Chubb Rock, Jeru, and O.C. I said, ‘Say no more.’ And we saw the footage of Clockers, and I said, ‘Okay, got it.’ We went in, did it in two days.”
One year earlier, Q-Tip was behind the boards for the Crooklyn Dodgers’ initial run. According to him, Spike Lee also sought out Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Jay-Z for appearances.
“I think they all came,” Tip recounted. “I think Ol’ Dirty Bastard left, and I think Jay came late. So Spike was like [Q-Tip shrugs his shoulders].”
Not that Jay and the late, great ODB wouldn’t have been a great combination, but maybe everything worked out for the best. When Lee stepped to Premier in 1995 with the obscure concept of O.C., Jeru the Damaja and Chubb Rock he laid the blueprint for what many feel is the best of the two original Crooklyn Dodgers posse cuts. Which edition of Crooklyn Dodgers do you think is best?
Im a huge fan of the first one produced by Q-Tip. Maybe I’m biased.
HUGE PREMO FAN!!! But I have to agree with you mang, Q-Tips beats was way nicer!
I meant Beat, not beats..hahaha
Crooklyn 95’s dope, but I prefer the original. Open minded B-Boyz should check out the drum & bass version of Premo’s Crookyn by Alix Perez.
i have to say the 1st one was better also. masta ace, buckshot, & special ed killed that beat. It was almost like it was a dream team cuz they complimented each other so well on the song like they been rhyming together for years. The 2nd crooklyn dodgers came in a close 2nd cuz that was crazy too but i gotta give it up to the 1st one.
The first one is the best by a long shot. That beat is timeless and all three MC’s ripped it.
The 2nd one. Premier’s beat was better and I think Chubb Rock, Buckshot, and Jeru came harder.
1st Crooklyn joint wins by a longshot, masta ace shat all over that dope instrumental by tip. Its a better mood in my opinion too
Love both of them. But Gotta give it up for ’95. Actually, one of my top 5 beats of all times (Clockers is also one of my favorite movies, too). C’mon, bruh. Chubb Rock?! “Ya watch channel zero wit that bitch Barbara Walters!”.
i can’t believe people can even compare the first one’s beat to this one. the first one had better mc’s but i’d probably put this one in my top 5 beats of all time too. add in premo’s cuts on the chorus and it blows the first one out of the water
2nd one slaps da shyt outta da first. Beat was bangin (it’s Preemo, nuff said), and all 3 MCs (Jeru, OC, & The Chubbster) ripped. Plus tha piano loop made it fit in properly with a Spike Lee Joint, ya dig? Sho Nuff!!!
just when i think hiphopdx is falling off with britney spears rhinna stupid ass bullshit pop meaningless songs, they introduced me to the clocker man i never heard of this shit and now i have something to bump for this summer
Come on guys, stop comparing, but listening to the timeless music.Oh yeah and the name is Jeru THE DAMAJA! 😉
“Hip Hop heads associated Brooklyn with gold fronts, classic Timberland boots, beatdowns, robberies and great music”
WTF does beatdown and robberies have to do with anything…again, if you don’t want people making the hip hop = violence associations then stop making them yourselves…it pisses me off to no end when I see that sh!t…as writers and editors you have the power to sway the opinions of the uninformed (or at least make an attempt) but you choose to perpetuate the stereotypes…you described two Brooklyns, one was with vegans and hipster and one with beatdowns and robberies (sorry, but that’s what stood out over “good music”….how you somone see that and think “damn, beatdowns and robberies, that’s the Brooklyn I want back”
Drop a gem on ’em!