from the LP Funky Technician, Wild Pitch Records, 1990Founder of the terminally hip “Diggin’ In The Crates” crew, Lord Finesse has spent the last 15+ years behind the glass in a studio, but back in the Golden Age this Bronx-bred rapper came on like he was born to rhyme, not to mention his ability to know talent when he saw it---dude had Premier, Showbiz & Diamond D laying beats for him here, long before any of them had fully blown up. DJ Mike Smooth (no relation to CL Smooth) knew his place, showing great restraint behind the decks and never over-scratching an inch. This masterful title track was the crafty work of Diamond D, and it remains absolutely mesmerizing: those ubiquitous James Brown horns, but also some killer samples from Juice crew members Biz Markie (“…damn it feels good to see people up on it…”) and Marly Marl, a very courageous choice given Finesse’s roots (re: Bronx vs. Queensbridge wars back then). The gritty & swinging beats match seamlessly with Finesse’s rhymes, which come hard as fuck, predicting the Wu-Tangs and Mobb Deeps of the world that would soon follow, including one of the earliest declarations of “…nigga, please…” on wax. Kick back, relax, and enjoy some masters at work!
