The Equivalents

I realized (after the fact) that I spent most my last post ragging on the Sports Guy's laughably audacious attempts at distilling 25 years of Hip Hop into four individuals. I can assure you, I didn't decide to write that mini-diatribe because I'm some miserable hater. I understand the "blogosphere" teems with cynicism and self-aggrandizement, but I am emboldened by the fact that we here at Bowler and Benny usually zig when others zag. I enjoy Benny and Dirt's perspective because they are not only dear friends but also enlightened gents in my estimation. Their interests in sports run similar to my own, but so too does their outlook on life. Their words insulate me. That being said, the purpose of these lines are not to cast ham-fisted detractions toward professional writers. That's shooting fish in a barrel territory. It's lazy and ineffectual. Therefore, I'm going to dedicate this post to Hip Hop and Sports - two things I hold near and dear to my heart. I give you "The Equivalents":

The Fugees and Julius Erving

The Fugees dropped The Score in 1996 when I was in 8th grade. It was unlike anything I'd ever heard before. I played the whole album straight through instead of first skipping around to the singles I'd heard on the radio. It's the first time my capricious MTV-addled mind did that. When the album was over, I went back to the first track and listened to it again. As far as I'm concerned, that was the most influential hip-hop album that nobody talks about today. The early 90's scene (while talented) was dominated by harsh lyrics, ghetto themes and linear content. The Fugees deviated so far from what was previously deemed commercially viable hip-hop that it barely resembled the same genre as the Chronic. By selling 18 million (worldwide copies to date), it singlehandedly changed what major labels where willing to explore. There wouldn't be a Common, Mos Def and Talib Kweli without the Fugees.

Julius Erving is completely overshadowed by Magic Johnson and Larry Bird as key authors of the NBA renaissance. The ABA/NBA merger happened because Dr. J gave that ENTIRE LEAGUE legitimacy. He was the first true artist of the dunk. He provided the blueprint for the more athletic up-and-coming players to utilize their finesse and creativity to be effective in what was previously a stringently system league. There would be no Michael Jordan without Julius Erving (MJ has even said as much). Between 1976 to 1983 the 76ers only failed to make the Eastern Conference Finals once, making the NBA Finals four times and winning it all once in 1983. The NBA and hip hop would not be the same without these two largely overlooked pioneers.

Nas's Illmatic and Devin Hester's rookie year



Nasir Jones was 19 years when he made Illmatic. This poetic classic was forged by a teenager in the Queensbridge housing projects in Brooklyn. Devin Hester was drafted in the second round as a defensive back who ended up having 6 TD returns (plus one to open the Superbowl) in his rookie year. In two years, he has become the greatest return man in NFL history. Basically, both of these guys produced such stunning debuts that they will forever be tied to them. They both came from nowhere to redefine "excellence" in their respective fields. However, as a Bears fan, I pray to God that I don't have to sit through a "Firm Biz" and "Hate Me Now" before I get a Stillmatic.

Oh, and Dustin, thanks again homey. I owe you big time for doubling back and nabbing that jersey for me.

A Tribe Called Quest and the 91-92 to 94-95 Knicks (Riley Era)

91-92: Regular Season (51-31) Lost in Eastern Conference Semis to Chicago in 7 games
92-93: Regular Season (60-22) Lost in Eastern Conference Finals to Chicago in 6 games
93-94: Regular Season (57-25) Lost in Finals to Houston in 7 games
94-95: Regular Season (55-27) Lost in Eastern Conference Semis to Indiana in 7 games

During the six championship runs by the Chicago Bulls, only the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers ever took them to a Game 7. The Pacers did it in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals when the Bulls were playing on fumes and were easily at the end of their "championship prime". The Knicks did it in 1992 when the Bulls were returning champions, battle-tested, incredibly focused and otherworldly athletic. I believe that the 91-92 Knicks team embodied Tribe's Midnight Marauders album. Engaging, dynamic and quite literally "a gritty little somethin on the New York street". The 92-93 Knicks took the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals from Chicago at MSG. This was the only time during the six Bull runs that I was absolutely terrified that everything was completely fucked. This Knick squad had to be The Low End Theory because they seemed to have everything (the reputation, the five mics) except the hardware. Those New York teams were talented and still highly thought of, but I believe Riley's Knicks just turned up at the wrong time. Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon were just too big to topple, even for a great team.

I feel like A Tribe Called Quest suffered from the same circumstances. Although they went platinum three times and gold twice, they are only acknowledged as true royalty by avid Hip-Hop heads. When ranking the best hip hop of the 90's, they place high but never quite crack the "short list" which is where they truly belong. The early 90's hip hop scene created such a glut of phenomenal music that while Tribe was universally viewed as amazing at their onset, they seem to fade a little beside icons such as Biggie, Tupac and Dr. Dre.

Ice Cube and George Foreman

This one is so obvious that I'll just post some Before and After photos.









Jay-Z and Kobe Bryant


Kobe Bryant took an unconventional path to basketball immortality. His father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, played in the NBA yet finished his playing career in Italy which is where Kobe grew up. He went through grade school speaking Italian at school and English at home. It wasn't until his early teens that the Bryant's relocated to the Philadelphia area which is where young Kobe received a crash course in American culture. His skills were dominant at Lower Merian HS yet there was still little precedent for making the jump to the NBA as an 18 year old. Kevin Garnett did so a year before to much controversy and consternation, therefore Kobe's decision to forgo college for the NBA (while shrewd in retrospect) was actually quite risky. The rest, as they say, is history.

Jay-Z became one of the richest and well respected hip hop artists through equally unorthodox methods. While he was known in the streets, Jay-Z had great difficulty getting signed and onto the radio. He'd play shows all over Brooklyn and sell tapes and CD's from his trunk while commercial producers didn't even give him a second look. Unlike anyone before him, Jay-Z created his own independent label Roc-A-Fella Records to combat these early struggles. After much toil, he struck a deal with Priority to distribute his material. His first album was Reasonable Doubt. The rest, as they say, is history.

I also find it interesting how both Jay-Z and Kobe owe much of their early inspiration and success to collaborations with to two larger gentlemen (Shaq and Biggie). Just think it warrants mentioning.

Eric B. & Rakim and Joe Montana & Jerry Rice
Gangstarr and Steve Young & Jerry Rice

Two of the greatest duos ever. I also like the symmetry of this one because Guru and Premier were virtually the heir apparents to Eric B. and Rakim. Nobody could ever match Montana to Rice historically, but Young to Rice stood by itself as a tremendous partnership in it's own right. While it could be argued, I believe that the greatness each duo experienced wouldn’t have come nearly as close in another system or group. I also like the fact that the DJ's (Montana and Young) received prestige an notoriety for their abilities amongst their peers, however the MC's (Rice) were always the undeniable element, the certifiable lynchpin to the greatness. No ego. No hubris. No nonsense. They were just pillars of their time that will forever be revered and rightfully so.

Vanilla Ice and The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

You can't really blame either of them.

On the one hand, the Bucs were an expansion team didn't have the benefit of an expansion draft. They pieced their roster together from practice squad scraps from the rest of the league. Even their own coach John McKay (fresh from leading Southern Cal and O.J. Simpson) said that they probably couldn't hang with USC.

On the other hand, Rob Van Winkle was born with Vanilla Ice inside of him. You see, because he kept his composure every time it was time to get loose, that kinda forced him to be magnetized by the mic while he kicked his juice. See how that works?