Rag Top Records
- Thread starter Jar
- Start date
Well, the only thing I've read about this topic was in a MURDER DOG interview Rappin' 4-Tay did around '99.
Rag Top was distributed by EMI/Virgin Records for DON'T FIGHT THE FEELIN' and OFF PAROLE, but after that, EMI shut down, and 4-Tay (and Virgin) was given the option of going with another label affiliated with EMI: Noo Trybe. So that's what he did. Noo Trybe/Virgin distributed Rag Top for the underrated 4 THA HARD WAY.
4-Tay: "When I got to Noo Trybe/Virgin it was like I was in an alligator pit. I had a tight package; I always came with the real shit. As for Noo Trybe/Virgin, when I put my life in your hands, please handle your business to the fullest extent, otherwise I gotta go, you're breaching your contract." (P. 102, Vol. 7, #1)
This makes sense--4 THA HARD WAY was tight, but as I recall, it didn't get the promotion it deserved at all, IMHO. 4-Tay then said that he left Rag Top because it was just time for him to do his own thing. He did say, though, that he still had "love" for Franky J and Lil Fly, so evidently there was no beef between them. Not sure what Fly and Franky are doing now, though...
Hope this helps--4-Tay is an underrated artist who comes with postive, smooth shit that makes you feel good.
PEACE!
Rag Top was distributed by EMI/Virgin Records for DON'T FIGHT THE FEELIN' and OFF PAROLE, but after that, EMI shut down, and 4-Tay (and Virgin) was given the option of going with another label affiliated with EMI: Noo Trybe. So that's what he did. Noo Trybe/Virgin distributed Rag Top for the underrated 4 THA HARD WAY.
4-Tay: "When I got to Noo Trybe/Virgin it was like I was in an alligator pit. I had a tight package; I always came with the real shit. As for Noo Trybe/Virgin, when I put my life in your hands, please handle your business to the fullest extent, otherwise I gotta go, you're breaching your contract." (P. 102, Vol. 7, #1)
This makes sense--4 THA HARD WAY was tight, but as I recall, it didn't get the promotion it deserved at all, IMHO. 4-Tay then said that he left Rag Top because it was just time for him to do his own thing. He did say, though, that he still had "love" for Franky J and Lil Fly, so evidently there was no beef between them. Not sure what Fly and Franky are doing now, though...
Hope this helps--4-Tay is an underrated artist who comes with postive, smooth shit that makes you feel good.
PEACE!
I like OFF PAROLE the best, too, but 4 THA HARD WAY isn't far behind. Again, that CD didn't get the promotion it deserved. And he had Messy Marv, San Quinn, Rick James (!?!), The Conscious Daughters, E-40...what more could you ask for? LOL! OFF PAROLE, as I recall, sold pretty well, and "Ain't No Playa" was a fairly substantial hit, as was "Neva Talk Down" (with Too Short and MC Breed). In fact, I believe (if I remember my stats correctly) that OFF PAROLE actually got as high as the #38 spot on the Billboard Top 200 Rock Charts (so you know it probably was a Top Tenner on the R&B/Rap charts) whereas 4-THE HARD WAY only got up to about #129. Go figure.
BIGGER THAN THE GAME (1998) and INTRODUCTION TO MACKIN' (1999) weren't as consistent, but had some cuts as well. Have you heard his new one (I think it's called GANGSTA GUMBO). If so, what did you think? I've been tempted to buy it, but a majority of folks I've talked to said it just plain wasn't that good.
PEACE!
BIGGER THAN THE GAME (1998) and INTRODUCTION TO MACKIN' (1999) weren't as consistent, but had some cuts as well. Have you heard his new one (I think it's called GANGSTA GUMBO). If so, what did you think? I've been tempted to buy it, but a majority of folks I've talked to said it just plain wasn't that good.
PEACE!
I've never heard Gangsta Gumbo but I've heard it wasn't that good either. 4 THA HARD WAY isn't far behind for me too. I luv that cd. I think DON'T FIGHT THE FEELIN' is a tight cd as well. Off Parole was promoted much better than 4 THA HARD WAY. I remember seeing ads in The Source for Off Parole and seeing the video for Ain't No Playa on BET Rap City and YO MTV Raps. Did he even have a video for any song from 4 THA HARD WAY? #38 sounds familiar because I used to always pay attention to the Billboard charts back in the day. sav-man, what do you think about DON'T FIGHT THE FEELIN'?
@Jar--I like DON'T FIGHT THE FEELIN' a lot, too--I would probably consider that my third favorite 4-Tay CD. His interpolation of "I'll be Around" was a hit as I recall (although I think it mostly hit the R&B charts, as opposed to the hits from OFF PAROLE, which got a little MTV/BET play).
I think he did his most meaningful stuff lyrically on OFF PAROLE and 4 THE HARD WAY (and both of those were better produced), but DON'T FIGHT THE FEELIN' was like a foundation of what was to come later. The production is a little more dated to my ears for some reason, but 4-Tay established himself as someone who could be both positive AND hard at that same time, which (let's face it) isn't an easy combination to pull off.
4-Tay's always reminded me of a more mellow Ice-T in that he raps about the streets, but he doesn't glamourize crime. He lets you know that the streets are no party without being preachy.
He had a cool cameo on Messy Marv's TURF POLITICS last year.
PEACE!
I think he did his most meaningful stuff lyrically on OFF PAROLE and 4 THE HARD WAY (and both of those were better produced), but DON'T FIGHT THE FEELIN' was like a foundation of what was to come later. The production is a little more dated to my ears for some reason, but 4-Tay established himself as someone who could be both positive AND hard at that same time, which (let's face it) isn't an easy combination to pull off.
4-Tay's always reminded me of a more mellow Ice-T in that he raps about the streets, but he doesn't glamourize crime. He lets you know that the streets are no party without being preachy.
He had a cool cameo on Messy Marv's TURF POLITICS last year.
PEACE!
The video for Ain't No Playa is one of my favorite bay videos...I remember seeing the video for "I'll Be Around a couple of times at least on MTV...anyone remember when that fool Jon Stewart from The Daily Show on Comedy Central had a late night talk show back around 94-95? because I remember Rappin 4-Tay and The Spinners were on there and did "I'll Be Around"
