“O.G. Original Gangster” by Hip-Hop veteran Ice-T is a dope West Coast cipher selection:
The 1987 album’s title track “O.G. Original Gangster” is an example of Bboy sound out of California, which has remained a consistent source of dope sounds from Hip-Hop to Soul to Funk to everything else.
Born in Brick City aka Newark, New Jersey, Ice-T (@FINALLEVEL) moved to the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles as a kid, and grew up to be one of the most recognizable voices and personas in Hip-Hop and entertainment at large.
Ice-T’s 1987 album “O.G. Original Gangster” was the first to carry an “Explicit content” sticker (which would become a symbol associated with Hip-Hop from then on), and his 2012 movie “Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap” became an instant classic and a valuable asset to Hip-Hop culture.
Among the samples used by DJ Aladdin are James Brown’s “Funky Drummer,” Dexter Wansel’s “Theme from Planets,” and “Synthetic Substitution” by Melvin Bliss, which you can check out below:
From a review of the album on SputnikMusic:
With O.G. Original Gangster Ice-T shows why he was at one time one of the most respected artists in the genre not only for his rapping abilities but also for his intelligence and his willingness to ask the tough questions “Is this a nightmare or the American dream?” Many people may know him now as an actor but O.G. Original Gangster is an incredibly insightful album that was the pinnacle of a great four album run that he wasn’t able to approach with his future work.
Make sure to follow Ice-T on Facebook and peep his website.
