Strapped (Starring Fredro Starr) (1993)

For the Hip-Hop heads, this movie is for you. If you like movies like Who's The Man where you see a lot of Hip-Hop Cameos, "Strapped" features appearances by Busta Rhymes, Das EFX, Chi-Ali, Sticky Fingaz, Monie Love, Yo-Yo, Kool Moe Dee, and Fredro Starr as the supporting character. The setting, soundtrack, and the clothes will all take you back to the 1993 New York scene.

For the Movie heads, it's Forest Whitaker's first directed movie. It also stars Bokeem Woodbine in his film debut. Strapped reminds me a lot to Clockers as far as the setting.

Here's the Plot:
"Ex-con attempting to go straight runs accross serious problems. His girlfriend gets arrested for dealing crack to an undercover police officer. In a desperate attempt to get the charges dropped against his woman, he strikes deal with weapons cop(Michael Biehn) to turn in local gun dealers. However, the D.A. is not satisfied with the results, resulting in some serious game playing and double crossing." Written by Humberto Amador

Download (2 Parts, 500MB each)
Part 1
Part 2

--Thomas V

I'm Runnin' Things

Continuing with my theme of early-mid 80's artists, here is Busy Bee's album Runnin' Thangs from 1988, which is surprising since he had been rhyming for over 8 years at that point. Again, if you love funky beats (all produced by the legendary DJ Jazzy Jay), fun lyrics, and styles by the gram, this is for you. Listen to one time club bangers Suicide and Express and just nod along and tap your feet. His ode to Converse didn't gain him the fame of Run DMC's My Adidas, but seems revolutionary when you listen to it in comparison to the footwear songs released today.

If you are under the age of 28, you might only recognize Busy Bee from his turn in the movie Paid In Full (and Wildstyle for the older heads), but this guy has more than put in his dues over the years, including winning the New Music Seminar's MC World Supremacy Belt, and getting infamously destroyed by Kool Moe Dee in a 1981 battle. Back when battles meant something, this was one of the most vicious ones in recorded history.

History behind the battle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtejGcQB75M

The audio from the battle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGMakc5eWfw&feature=related

It's amazing Busy Bee still had a career after that, but he released some of the best party centric rap from that era.

Busy Bee - Runnin' Thangs
http://www.zshare.net/download/203591982c46d06b/

1. Running Thangs
2. Suicide
3. Murder
4. Converse
5. Get Busy
6. I Don't Play
7. Kickin' Flavor
8. Express
9. Old School
10. Jazzy On The Mix
11. Express (Remix)

--admiral