Throwback Thursdays

This Bug loves the kids. Whenever I see raw talent by way of young people I'm automatically drawn in. Thus was the case in 1992 when Da Youngstas came with one of the sickest displays of collective skill I'd ever seen in Hip-Hop at the time. The trio consisted of brothers Taji "Taj Mahal", Qu'ran and their cousin Tarik hailing from Philly. I thought for sure they were from NY or Dirty Jerz at best when I first heard them flow- but what did I know? When Somethin' 4 Da Youngstas first hit the scene I was impressed. Such lyrical range was not commonplace among their contemporaries. You never got the feeling that they were just some wet-behind-the-ears puppets. If they were parroting ghostwritten lyrics, I couldn't tell. There was a mature feel to their music. They ran circles around the likes of Kris Kross and ABC because their content sounded grown despite the young voices. And they were actually nice with theirs. These kids could spit! The only other young group that got half my attention was Illegal- but even they failed to win my affection like Da Youngstas did.

Today's Throwback is one of my favorite joints from these delightfully gritty boys. This was before they adopted the new name of the Illy Funkstaz and truthfully, they lost me soon after. We all knew they were young. There was no need to switch it up like that. I guess cute grows up. But these kids ripped it with Pass The Mic. This Bug's favorite line? That's a tough one between two. One was fly enough for Primo to sample it on an equally stellar track two years later. "Once again, I reveal the skill. Money's growin' like grass with the mass appeal." Then from the smallest of the crew came, "I got more juice than citrus. Suckas can't get wit this. I rang more bells than a Jehovah Witness." Boy, I tell you...Out of the mouths of babes. Anyway, This Bug luh da kids! Press play as you wish you were this cool at eleven years old.