Kool G Rap: Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams

In today's hip-hop world of half-hearted lyricism, over-zealous hype men and instant legend status, let's take a step back and appreciate a true master. Out of and always representing the neighbourhood of Corona Queens, NYC, his name is Nathaniel Wilson a.k.a Kool G Rap, the "G" representing “Genius” and by law, its not a boast if you are actually telling the truth, as it is in this case. Without dropping any of his infamous verses or tracks here (collectively, they range from being too numerous to mention, too vicious in their content to straight up outrageous), let's give mention to DJ Polo and The Juice Crew, as the Kool G Rap story isn’t complete without with their presence. DJ Polo, with whom G Rap started laying down tracks way back in mid-1980’s and his click the Juice Crew, originated by Cold Chillin’ supremo Marley Marl, and that also served as the stable for the likes of Big Daddy Kane and the Biz Markie.

Armed with a trademark lisp and a unique multi-syllabic rhyming delivery, often imitated but never surpassed since, G Rap’s wordplay, story telling prowess and subtlety were legendary. Where his contemporary the Notorious BIG famously name checked Robin Leach, G Rap did too but with more delicate eloquence. In between legendary albums such as 'Road to the Riches', 'Wanted: Dead Or Alive' and '4, 5, 6' some with the aid of Polo and some without, G Rap found the time to appear on other artist tracks on numerous occasions and more often than not, made them his own, most famously on Mobb Deep’s ’The Realest’, M.O.P’s ’Stick To Your Guns’ and Papoose’s ‘Thug Connection’. With Italian mobster references so popular in rap, he could claim to the innovator of such a culture culminating with his third solo album being entitled 'The Giancana Story'. No other rapper since hip-hop’s conception has ever made the word “mother****er” sound so refined and poetic

While MTV, that indispensable source of real hip-hop (wink!) could only grant the man with an "honourable mention” on their greatest hip-hop artists of all time list, the real irony is those that flood the list probably wouldn’t have picked up a mic without G Rap’s influence.

I’m not saying he is the best but, I easily could. Don’t take this a sermon, this is just a message to the new school and those that don’t know, the real blueprint was made by this man. With the recent passing of Michael Jackson still fresh in our minds, let’s not wait until Kool G Rap is six feet deep before we elevate him to where he should be, and that’s as a King of this art form. Big Pun, Notorious B.I.G etc, legends though they may be, are simply tenants in G Rap’s building and the rent is still definitely due. Genius.

words: Ade Bankole