Monday, February 22, 2010

What's Fuckin' With This? (Rakim - Know The Ledge)

This morning Philaflava O.G. Clark Bent asked name A Tribe Called Quest track better than this? My response was there aren't many tracks better than this PERIOD. There are songs that have sheer lyrical brilliance, some have adventurous storytelling and some have an infectious beat behind it (think Mass Appeal), but there aren't many tracks that are as complete and as significant as "Know The Ledge."

So I ask this question to all of our T.R.O.Y. readers, what track is better than this? Me personally, it comes down to this and My Minds Playing Tricks On Me as my favorite hip-hop song of all-time.

You make the call. --Philaflava

26 comments:

  1. Incredible song to this day but in his own catalog, I'd choose 'Follow The Leader" over that.

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  2. LoL Great choice He kicking straight KnowLedge deleted t.h.e out of it.People say Nas was hip savior or rakim second coming but ive been dying to put Rakim over Illmatic instrumentals i dont think it was the catalogue man ^^^ i say the beats.18th Letter was good buy the master could have been way better. Rakim needs to do was nas said he was gonna have only premier on a whole album.

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  3. I know that "Know The Ledge" is an amazing song. so im gonna go with these songs as a possiblity....Nas "Undying Love", Nas "Life's A Bitch (Buckwild Remix)", Nas "The World Is Yours (Original or Q-Tip Mix)", Nas "Live Nigga Rap", Nas "If I Ruled The World", Gangstarr "Mass Appeal", Jay-Z "Bring It On", Notorious B.I.G. "Everyday Struggle", KRS-One "Sound Of Da Police"....But to be honest, its a real hard question to answer, so im kind of doubting the songs i picked cause that song really is untouchable.

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  4. New York State of Mind
    They Reminisce Over You

    These could be strong contenders as well.

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  5. I'd choose T.R.O.Y. Memory Lane, Temperature's Rising, Why - Organized Konfusion, Nas is Like, Respiration, The Blast. Man there are so many incredible classics that can match the Eric B. & Rakim joint! but it's a real classic nevertheless!!

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  6. For an EB&R track, I've gotta agree with Vincent. 'Follow The Leader' wins hands down.

    As for any other rap track, 'Rebel Without A Pause' has to win!

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  7. A man this song is the classics classic, still blows speakers, has not aged a second..there is a lotta songs equal but none better! But Brothers gonna work it out by P.E is a contender punch in your face wise..

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  8. this could be one of the dopest tracks of the decade not to mention it was on the juice soundtrack which takes it up 10 notches as well.

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  9. All I gotta say is "I got so much trouble on my mind, refuse to loooooose" and you know the rest...

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  10. "Know the ledge" is decent enough. But:

    1. Public Enemy's "Can't truss it" or even
    2. Geto Boys' "Cereal Killer", "Raise up", "No nuts no glory" etc. from '93 era
    3. CMW's "Growing up in the hood"

    are not to be messing with...

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  11. "T.R.O.Y." for real.

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  12. I could listen to Juice over and over again and still be mesmerized.

    And the same goes for:
    Drop the Bomb
    Similak Child
    The Takeover
    I Am I Be

    Yeah, that's my Top 5

    Not that that's what you were asking for.

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  13. Great, classic track.
    I can think of some I might like better.
    It's all personal opinion, obviously.

    Off the top, what Tribe song is better?
    Scenario Remix.

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  14. "know the ledge" is classic..a few other classics that could be possibly mess with are:

    EAST FLATBUSH PROJECT "tried by 12"
    OC "times up"
    NAS "new york state of mind"
    CHINO XL "no complex"
    PETE ROCK & CL SMOOTH "t.r.o.y."
    CHILL ROB G "court is now in session"
    BIG DADDY KANE "raw"
    WU TANG "c.r.e.a.m."
    GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE "the message"

    thinking about it now..its a tough question..lol

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  15. LMAO "tried by 12" is an extremely overrated and slightly wack song with an outstanding beat behind it. Not one person gives a fuck about those lyrics AT ALL.

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  16. NO DOUBT!!!! This is my joint. I bump this all the time. My son loves the heck out of this song, further cementing this a CLASSIC or timeless (not that my son is a genius but he is part of the next generation). Of course, I have to edit the song in a couple spots (which means cutting the sound off and back on).

    Man, I wish there was a better way instead of rebuying all the albums that I already have, in the edited form.

    Pooch

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  17. I like Dont Sweat the Technique and Microphone Fiend better (if I am just using Rakim tracks)

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  18. tuff question

    my answer:

    'Follow The Leader'
    'T.R.O.Y.'
    'Welcome To The terrordome'
    'Fight The power'

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  19. Another 2, I guess lol

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  20. Tough call, but I'd probably have to choose "Follow the Leader" and "In the Ghetto" over Juice if we're talking just Eric B. and Rakim. Another one of my favorite E and R joints has to be "I Ain't No Joke" and "Paid in Full."

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  21. Im sorry but for those that were there - Top Billin had niggaz wildin out a lot more than Know the Ledge !!!!!

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  22. the best track on the juice soundtrack is 'it's going down', the best epmd track is 'gold digger', the beat eric b and rakim track is 'don't sweat the technique' the best tribe track is 'award tour', the best track on low end theory is 'vibes n' stuff', the best track produced by q tip is 'crooklyn', the best crooklyn track is, err, umm.. urrr.. 'SOUTH BRONX, SOUTH SOUTH BRONX!'

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  23. KNOW THE LEDGE IS BEAST! Best EB&R Track!

    Mines...

    10: Ice Cube " Today was a good day"
    9: Wu Tang "CREAM"
    8: Raekwon "Verbal Intercourse"
    7: Mobb Deep "Temp Rising"
    6: Outkast "Spottieottiedogaliscious"
    5: Eric B & Rakim "Know The Ledge"
    4: Geto Boys "My Minds Playing Tricks on Me"
    3: Black Star "Respiration"
    2: TRIBE "Scenario Remix"
    1: NaS "One Love"

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  24. Let me repeat - AUDIO TWO - TOP BILLIN was a hip-hop jam for tha hood ! Shove ya "lyrics" in ya backpack and remember where this music came from ! MC = Master of Ceremony - - - "Hip-Hop.. started out in tha park!!!!" - -- NOT on some introverted scary nigga's headphones while he ride the train lookin out tha window wishin he was white cuz the bullies been juxin his lunch money and socks !!!!!

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