Prior to Lee Perry and the technicolor Lucky Charms Coat taking over that Mormon bastion, the El Rey theater, I watched Pacewon and his DJ/producer/token white boy, Mr. Green deliver a capable, simple set of beats and rhymes. It was fine, but the entire time I couldn’t help but wish I was watching an Outsidaz show. For those of you who didn’t spend the 90s poring over overpriced copies of the Source and engaging in Mixed Up Files Of Basil. T Frankweiler-esque escapades at Fat Beats, Pace Won used to be a crucial member of Newark clique, The Outsidaz, one of the better, lesser known groups of the late 90s.
Best known for their debut on The Fugees’ “Cowboys” and a one-time affiliation with Eminem, the crew released a couple of great 12″ inches, and managed to cultivate a modest underground buzz before the ham-handed hackery of Ruffhouse/Columbia (catalogued by Noz ) delayed their first LP, The Bricks, until 2000. Beyond the record’s non-existent promotion, it didn’t help that the pop averse, grimey Brick City rappers fit into nether the Rawkus-model backpack nor the Escalades and rims raps already entrenched at the top of the Billboards.
The Outsidaz’ career seems dogged by “What Ifs?” What if they’d formed a few years earlier, during an era when their hardcore, pre-crossover raps would’ve meshed well. Or what if Eminem hadn’t ditched them (and Royce) in favor of putting out the largely talentless, D-12? Or what if Rah Digga, one of the more skilled female MCs ever, hadn’t been plucked away by Busta for the Flipmode Squad, thereby reducing their ranks and depth.
The Outsidaz: $5 Bucks If You Can Guess Which One Is Pony Boy
After The Bricks bricked, the crew dissolved, with Young Zee signing a deal with rap graveyard Aftermath/Shady Records and predictably never being heard from again, save for an appearance on the 8 Mile Soundtrak, where the label trotted him out like an exhausted prisoner of war for a propaganda shoot. Pacewon’s solo attempts didn’t fare much better, with few albums no one checked for and a beef track aimed at Eminem that seemed futile against Shady’s overwhelming popularity at the time.*
Currently working the comeback trail behind his Mr. Green collabo, The Only Color that Matters is Green, I happened to like a good portion of pair’s new material. Pacewon can still rap and while the performance wasn’t close to mind-blowing, the ex-Outsida(z?) maintains the charisma and magnetism to work a crowd, even one that didn’t have the faintest idea who he was. Despite the cheers Pace elicited, there was something a little sad to it. Not through the performance itself (which was good), but in it’s context. Of course, it didn’t help matters much either when Pace admitted mid-set that “I’m get older….I’m getting better…but I’m getting older.”
Rap generally shoves it’s elders off on ice floes. Hell, not even the greatest of the Golden Agers remains commercially relevant. So in a way, it’s nice to know that Pace is hanging in there and continuing to make music despite the slim odds that he’ll ever make it back to the show. It’s an uncomfortable reality, but most rappers just aren’t interesting enough to be solo artists.** In reality, the wise move is to call up Young Zee and Rah Digga, and try to get the band back together. Perhaps they’ll find BSkills playing Latin lounge music at the Ramada. I mean if if Camp Lo could get re-signed after hibernating for a decade and Kardinal Offishal can top the charts, there’s always a shot.
*At least, Pacewon can take solace in the fact that in 2008, the only people who continue to like Eminem obviously haven’t heard him rap during the G-Unit era.
** For further solace, Pace should understand that plenty of great rappers have never been able to hack it solo either. See Sermon, Erick.
Download:
MP3: Outsidaz-”Rain or Shine”
MP3: Outsidaz-”The Rah Rah”
MP3: Outsidaz ft. Eminem-”Macosa”
MP3: Outsidaz ft. Eminem-”Rush Ya’ Clique”
MP3: Outsidaz ft. Eminem-”Hard Act To Follow”
MP3: Outsidaz ft. Method Man & Redman-”Why You Be”
8 comments
Zilla Rocca says:
September 10, 2008 at 5:54 am (UTC -7)
Man…the Outz were dope! I saw them on the Lyricist Lounge tour in 2000 right before “The Bricks” dropped. Their show was crazy! The album was pretty decent but outside of Young Zee, Pace, Eminem, and Rah Digga, I wasn’t too crazy about anyone else.
Pace’s album “Won” was solid too, though it was delayed for like 4 years and quietly came out to no fanfare or promotion back in like ’02. Pace has so much going for him; he should’ve made a bigger impact. His voice is incredible, he’s funny, he talks about Jersey shit (smoking weed, getting with fat chicks, rapping better than you). Hope he comes back with a vengenace starting with the Mr. Green project.
douglas martin says:
September 10, 2008 at 9:01 am (UTC -7)
don’t forget another outsidaz classic: that joint on rah digga’s album was FIIIIIIIRE. and i’ll go out on a limb and say digga was THE most skilled female MC ever. her punchlines were better than most dudes’!
if rock bands can make a killing off of cynical reunion tours, this should be a good enough reason for the outz to get back together.
Dart_Adams says:
September 10, 2008 at 9:39 am (UTC -7)
I have a hard to find Outsidahz documentary on tape made as an EPK for the Outsidahz “Night Life” EP on RuffNation Records. In it Slang Ton is in a coma and they visit him in the hospital. It also shows the Outz Mansion and other shit but the toughest part is when DJ Muhammad starts crying at the prospect of losing Slang. Then the words pop up on the screen that Slang passed away and it shows the Outz clique on the MP3.COM Lyricist Lounge Tour (same tour Zilla mentioned) bus displaying their Slang Ton memorial tatoos. His pic from Blaze magazine when he won the battle was still up in the Outz studio.
Some kid from Jerz wanted to buy the whole tape from me. I was like “Nope!”. The Outz started out as a supporting act on that tour and moved up to headliners. Amazing. This album was one of the best I heard all year, too. (That’s a lot!).
One.
CommishCH says:
September 11, 2008 at 9:54 am (UTC -7)
Nice stuff brah. Been steady listening to Mr Green/PaceWon all summer. Love the Shan sample and Jesus Shuttlesworth sample. That Em diss is pretty hardcore but I doubt Mr Shady has even heard it. Cheers.
Kevin says:
September 12, 2008 at 12:11 am (UTC -7)
Man, that Night Life EP was the shit. Also, Pacewon’s “I Declare War” is a forgotten classic.
Mr. Green says:
September 12, 2008 at 10:31 am (UTC -7)
Hahahaha.. Token white boy…
that is the first time I’ve
ever been referred to as that
but I doubt it will be the last..
-green
P.S. Check out “The Only
Color That Matters is Green”..
in stores now
Joaquin says:
September 14, 2008 at 12:20 pm (UTC -7)
I saw Pace Won open for Eminem at Slim’s in SF circa ’98. The show got canceled two songs into Em’s set due to Pace and Em jumping off the stage and beating some fans. Ahhh, the good ol’ days.
mmb says:
September 15, 2008 at 7:01 am (UTC -7)
what’s the deal w/them heine bottles?