Today (March 13), the hip-hop community woke up to the horrific news that the original Bad Boy Craig Mack passed away in South Carolina from heart disease. He was only 46 years young. The Trenton, NJ native — who began his rap career as MC EZ — was one of the original signees to Bad Boy Entertainment. Mack released his breakout single “Flava In Ya Ear” under his government name, which led to the first major remix from the label and the formal introduction to the Notorious B.I.G.
After the remix blew up, Mack became one of the most revered lyricists in the golden era of hip-hop. He moved on to drop two major albums, Project: Funk Da World (1994) and Operation: Get Down (1997), appear on the Street Fighter soundtrack in 1994. Last year, Mack dropped The Mack World Sessions, which was a compilation of records he recorded from 2000 and 2006 before he was completely committed to his newfound religion.
Craig Mack may have been overshadowed by the rise of Biggie Smalls, but he did more than just put “Flava In Ya Ear.” His knack for freestyling and dropping hundreds of rhymes in just one verse will never be forgotten. In light of his unexpected passing, we pay our respects to Craig Mack by revisiting the toughest rhymes he ever spit — from his well-known classics to the bangers millennial hip-hop heads probably never heard.
Let’s start off with a classic shall we?
10. “Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)” ft Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy, Rampage, LL Cool J, & Busta Rhymes
“Word up, no rap no crap you bore me
Wanna grab my dick, too lazy, hold it for me
I’m straight rap great, busting heads, straighten dreads
I’m everlasting, like the toe on PRO-Keds”
9. “Judgement Day” Produced by Easy Mo Bee
“And I’mma kinda hungry tonight
So I pulls out the ground a fat rhyme to recite
I don’t means to boast but the most is me your host
On post, kickin flav til they ghost”
8. “Real Raw” Produced by Craig Mack
“I’m flexin, what’s next in, my funk track erection
My licks get the kicks like the Chinese connection
Like Damien, the Omen son, I won’t run
I never ran, fryin MC’s like the Sudan”
https://youtube.com/watch?v=hpY_SSrVNzU
7. “Jockin My Style” Produced by Ty Fyffe
“Here come a rhyme in your ear Craig Mack is here so have no fear
My rhymes push the wack to the rear
I’m severe rap pioneer with funk I steer, now it’s clear.”
6. “Do You Have What it Takes?” Produced by Joe Quixx
“I got Sagat on the spot just to rock your knot
He got kicks like I got rhymes to the sho’ shot
A Street Fighter, funky rhymer, drop-a-dimer
Bound to action pack, yo Jack, greatest-of-all-timer”
5. “When God Comes” Produced by Easy Mo Bee
“Now we all established dat Mack’s new king
And the king for his people has to represent the
Right thing
Brothers in the ghetto stop genociding
Cause same boat we riding, will do like the Poseidon”
https://youtube.com/watch?v=0S9tHRal50I
4. “Making Moves With Puff” ft Puff Daddy
“Sometimes I wonder if MC’s really know
Mack’s eternal bout to burn you
While in ten feet, of snow”
3. Craig Mack “Get Down” Produced by Alvin Toney, Puff Daddy & Easy Mo Bee
“And I’ll wake the great; let’s warm up the hot plate
I’m changing fate from the neck I’ma castrate
My rap loves to alienate
Shake ya ass to ’til it stank; you stomp, I dominate”
2. G-Dep ft. Puff Daddy, Ghostface Killa, Keith Murray, Craig Mack “Special Delivery (Remix)”
“Ayo you must wanna be in the Guinness Book of World Records
As the dumbest motherfucker alive
Figure you gon’ survive
You couldn’t move through my terrain, even in 4-wheel drive”
1. Craig Mack “Flava In Ya Ear” Produced by Easy Mo Bee
“Seems like there’s no competition in this rap world expedition
You come around, I’ll knock you out position
No flav could ever dig a grave, for the Mack
The power pack in black, making cement crack”