Sometimes a little mystery is a good thing – and you can’t beat suspense when it comes to generating buzz. This was the case over the summer as rap fans argued (quite convincingly) that an new EP, which surfaced on SoundCloud, was actually recorded by the legendary Queensbridge rapper Nas under the moniker “Your Old Droog”. How convincing was it? Well Droog, who obviously isn’t Nas, released a video of himself rapping and fans proclaimed it fake. It wasn’t until his notorious live performance this past September that the rumours were laid to rest and the world could finally put a face to the name.
Having since blazed countless radio shows, and handing Sway’s Five Fingers Of Death, Droog re-released his infamous EP commercially – including some extended mixes, remixes and unreleased tracks. stand-outs on this stellar release are Nutty Bars, Free Turkey, 48th street and Gunsmoke Cologne – and we can’t leave out the track that sparked the initial controversy Loosie In The Store With Pennies.
There is zero commercial or industry influence on this project. It’s built of boom-bap, old school references and long instrumental song outros. Simply put – it’s gorgeous. If you’re a rap fan who appreciates BARS above all else, Droog is a breath of fresh air.
A MUST LISTEN!
Note: This top 5 is solely that of Riley “Special” Wallace and doesn’t explicitly reflect the view of all aboveaveragehiphop.com’s staff and writers.
