The Brooklyn Nets proceed to rejoice hip-hop “The Brooklyn Approach” with gusto throughout final night time’s playoff recreation in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers, bringing out revered rap duo M.O.P. to take centerstage throughout their halftime present. The Bushwick duo delivered a rim-rocker of a efficiency, meting out their 2000 traditional “Ante Up.”
“It’s a significant look. Simply to the touch down in the course of the courtroom dwell in Brooklyn [is special],” says Lil’ Fame, one-half of the rap duo. “We ran round these elements earlier than this factor was even constructed. Simply to come back again on a optimistic word and do what we do naturally, it’s a great factor.”
The gang reveled on the group’s frenetic power because it yielded shockwaves all through Barclays Heart in hopes of serving to the Nets safe a much-needed Sport 3 win — which they failed to provide, because the Sixers pulled forward within the recreation’s closing stretch. Launched in 2000, “Ante Up” peaked at No. 19 on Billboard‘s Scorching Rap Songs chart and featured a number of cameos in its video, from the likes of Gang Starr, Methodology Man, and Buckshot of Black Moon.
“Ante Up’ isn’t just an anthem; it’s a world report,” says Fame. “We might carry out that track in all places we go, and so they go loopy. We’ve been blessed to have ‘Ante Up.’ It’s a present that retains giving. The influence that it had on the hood and what it had on hip-hop total was profitable. It was a wonderful factor.”
“Ante Up” additionally obtained the remix therapy, with visitor turns from Busta Rhymes, Remy Ma and Teflon. “It was a blessing, man. While you align your self with these kind of skills that M.O.P. carry to the desk, it’s solely pure that you just come and produce your A-game,” relays Teflon. “So I respect them tipping their hats off to me. In fact, I tip my hat off to them.”
Since their entry within the early ’90s, M.O.P. has served as a staple in New York hip-hop after notable runs with Loud Information, Roc-A-Fella, and G-Unit. Although they lack the business accessibility of a few of their contemporaries, their road rigor all the time echoed by means of the 5 boroughs. “We undoubtedly in there, however there’s so many earlier than us. Run D.M.C., Tribe Referred to as Quest, N.W.A., Geto Boys, Cypress Hill and M.O.P. is correct there with them,” says Fame of their very own all-time standing. “There’s not so many teams out in hip-hop proper now that’s nonetheless locked in. We’ve been locked in since we had been children. This was earlier than music.”
“Perhaps this explains why when individuals discuss in regards to the biggest teams of all time, many don’t point out M.O.P.,” provides Billy Danze. “Perhaps we must always really feel a manner — however the truth that Fame simply talked about is that we’re not a gaggle anyway, so we shouldn’t really feel bothered. And we’ll make brief work of whoever the f–okay they put on the market. We’re simply being sincere.”
With a dearth of teams in at the moment’s landscapes, the duo provide perception into what’s wanted to interrupt by means of and succeed: “Simply do one thing completely different. After I take into consideration M.O.P. and the way we make music, what involves thoughts is our character and the way we all know one another. The explanation why we proceed to maintain going at this similar stage is as a result of we did it in a different way. Nobody ever had a sound like M.O.P. So for the following group that wanna be one thing particular, in the event you do it in a different way, you bought a very good shot of doing that. You may even be a younger M.O.P. or one thing, and we’d practice ya.”
