I’m not just a hip-hop fan. I started as one, but you should see me as a small spaceship caught in USS Enterprise’s tractor beam. I couldn’t get loose. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I’m more than grateful, it taught me a lot about mostly everything. And that’s because hip hop is such a vast culture which englobes 4 elements (MC-ing, graffiti, DJ-ing, breaking), each one of them speaking for itself but, at the same time, concurring to create one of the most solid music statements ever.
Let’s take the MC-ing aside for disection. Along the years, the MC rapped almost about everything: the socio-political state of facts, their wealth, their superiority in the lyrical game, party time, guns, drugs, women etc. Doesn’t really matter the topic, the execution is the one which differentiates the best from the rest. This implies an exquisite flow, strong verses, clever punchlines, hooks that blend with the beat. This is what I’m after when I’m listening to this music. As a kid, I was mainly focused on the message that the track sent, but growing up I started to realize the MUSIC within hip hop. And now I’m getting to the point of this article…

Sean Price
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Sean Price. You may have never heard of him, there’s no shame in that. I know hip hop heads who haven’t. But eversince I heard the first Heltah Skeltah song I knew what I was looking for, rap wise. What is Heltah Skeltah? Is a duo composed by Rockness Monsta aka Rock and Sean Price aka Ruck. They put out the “Nocturnal” LP in 1995, their first effort, a classic nowadays. “Magnum Force” (1998) and “D.I.R.T.” (Da Incredible Rap Team – 2008) completed the trilogy, but my guess is they won’t be stopping. Sean Price is a Duckdown Records signee, label founded by his friends, Dru Ha and Buckshot (Blackmoon) in 1995. Seeing how artists change labels like stores do it in Romania with the expired products, I was  always amazed by the longevity of the Duckdown – Sean Price collabo. That makes me think it’s more than a contract that ties him to the label. I would put my money on a long lasting friendship.

Heltah Skeltah – Nocturnal Cover 1996

Price makes his solo debut in 2004 with the “Donkey Sean Jr.” mixtape, having behind the turntables the well-known P.F. Cuttin’, the Blahzay Blazhay DJ. The material was the bomb. The flow was wicked, the puns came rolling over one after the other, the whole thing painted the image of a Chief Gorilla running New York’s asphalt jungle. For example, on “It’s my time” freestyle Price explains why now: “It’s my time, Biggie Smalls dead, 2Pac shot, so it’s my time/ Motherf@#$*n’ Jay-Z quittin’, 50 Cent and Ja-Rule constantly conflictin’, so it’s my time/ Eminem nice, but Eminem white, n%^&a, it’s my time”. It’s not like other MC’s haven’t said that they’re number one’s, most of them say it, but not all of them convince the listener. Sean Price got me hooked on his self confidence, those grimmy NY gangsta tales and his one-in-a-million flow.

I was pleased to see that “Donkey Sean Jr.” was just the prelude to “Monkey Barz”, his first solo LP, dated June, 2005. Sean P spits pure lava over magnificent beats from Khrysis, P.F. Cuttin and many others, stating himself as a tough, but funny lyricist aiming for what’s his to take: “Ruck solo, Ruck broke, /Here’s a 100 dollars – what a f%^&*n’ joke!/…/And if you feel me act like you know it,/ sincerely yours, the brokest rapper you know…” (“The brokest rapper you know”). I learn it word for word, but it’s not like I wanted it to happen, I played unconsciously till the CD got unplayable.

Monkey Barz – Album Cover

His second solo LP, “Jesus Price Supastar”, hit the shelves in January, 2007. For me, a clever wordplay addict, it was nothing but a perfect continuation to “Monkey Barz”. Tracks like “P-Body”, “Cardiac”, “One” got stuck in my head from the first audition. Then I assimilated the whole LP, admiring the fact that Price remained the same lyrical monster in search for new meat: “Smack saliva out the side of your face/ I ain’t tryin’ to be rude, but duke, you food, so I gotta make grace…”(“Church”). As a follow-up to the album, the same 2007 brought the next Sean Price mixtape, “Master P” (the reference is obvious, from the name to the artwork). You know, sometimes you get bored listening to the same MC rapping about how great he is, how he shoots people, how he prevails no matter the obstacles, but that doesn’t apply to Sean Price. A little bit more optimistic, lacking the funny self-pity rhymes that we could find on “Monkey Barz”, Price rolls towards being acknowledged as one of fiercest MIC handlers ever: “S&*t on these n^&$#s thinkin’ that they better than Sean/ F%^k around and leave your head on your lawn, listen…” (“Good Fellaz”).

Jesus Price Supastar Cover

2009 brings the “Kimbo Price (a prelude to MIC Tyson)” mixtape. Rumours that P got tired and sick of rapping were circuling all over the internet, but they were all set to silence by the release of the mixtape. A lot of names were featured on it, from Royce Da 5’9″ to Skyzoo, alongside the usual Duckdown representatives (Rockness, Buckshot). With a more relaxed sound than Price got us used to, “Kimbo Price” told me that Sean Price, the artist, is getting his share of succes and that couldn’t have made me happier, considering for how long he was doing it and his adaptability to a constantly shifting rap game. When it comes to lyrics, Price brings his A game on this one also: “Be the Bootcamp champion, Sean, /Rodney king rappers cryin’ sayin’ “Can’t we all get along?” (“Megasean”).

Kimbo Price – Cover

These days I’m bumping “MIC Tyson” in my speakers. It’s his latest album, released in October 2012. Critically acclaimed, “MIC tyson” debuted on the 58th position in the Billboard Top 200 and sold over 7000 copies in its first week. The beats are provided by The Alchemist, Evidence, Khrysis, Stu Bangas, Beat Butcha, 9th Wonder and a few others. I recommend listening to it after you get familiar with Sean P, it will make his evolution as a hip hop artist stand out. It’s pure fire, you can light up your blunts with the CD. I’m not gonna disclose too much about it, you can still buy it online.
A bragadoccio MC who has never said anything else besides illustrating his greatness, his power and determination in carrying his name on. And when it comes to hip-hop I’m up for anything, but I’ll always be down with Sean Price. One.

Our INHALE! collaborator: DOC

DOC is a Romanian Rap Singer. DOC is also a man with many stories to share….more,

on https://www.facebook.com/docfacemrecords?fref=ts