This isn’t the first time I touched this topic on T.R.O.Y. because for some unexplainable reason I’m attached to this album. ’93 was a year of classics, but it also contains many great obscure releases that fell by the wayside too. Let me start off by saying I was never a huge 3rd Bass fan. They had a few tracks I’ve enjoyed but for the most part they (mainly Serch) always came off a bit corny to me. Pete, not so much, he always had that cool swagger that made him a little less contrived than his counterpart. When the group broke up I don’t think anyone shed a tear. They had a good run but their time was over. Hip-hop was moving in a different direction and did not contain 2 white boys rapping about the same humdrum shit for another 6 years.

No one can deny the hits they had, whether it was “The Gas Face,” “Pop Goes The Weasel,” “Steppin’ To The A.M” or the Marley laced “Product Of The Environment.” Two white dudes lucky to have careers in a black dominated sport enjoying every minute of it. They were not poet laureates. One rapper was the self-loathing lighthearted guy, while the other played the too cool for school steelo. Together it worked and with the help of Prince Paul, The Bomb Squad and some respectable co-signs from people ranging from EPMD, Henry Rollins to Russell Simons 3rd Bass become a legit rap act.

So where does that leave us? ’92 the group officially split, Serch was dabbling in the production game with female rapper Boss, The Zebrahead soundtrack, and let us not forget finagling his way into one of the most important rap signings of all-time (Nas). He dropped a lackluster solo titled Return of the Product, which included the hit “Back To The Grill” with Nasty Nas, Chubb Rock & Red Hot Lover Tone. But other then that track, which gained notoriety for its use by Kid Capri Def Comedy Jam, the album fell flat.

A year after the breakup Pete Nice got the call from Russell Simmons and before you knew it “Dust To Dust” was in stores. With the help of friends K.M.D (MF Doom), Sam Sever and The Beatnuts, the production on Dust To Dust was really gratifying. Samples ranging from Velvet Underground. Iron Butterfly, X-Clan, Otis Redding, Ramsey Lewis to Frank Sinatra combine to bring forth an eccentric background for Pete Nice’s verbals. I still can’t tell you what DJ Richie Rich actually did. Street cred employee?

Tracks like Rat Bastard, Kick The Bobo, Verbal Message, The Lumberjack, The Rapsody, 3 Blind Mice featuring Kurious or Rich Bring ‘Em Back” featuring the debut of Cage help balance out the album. Check it out! –Philaflava

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