Grandmaster Caz - Get Down Grandmaster (1988)

From the liner notes to "Ego Trip's The Big Playback" (2000) http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dbfyxqqkldfe:

Original rap ghostwriter, DJing emcee giant and all-around old school legend GRANDMASTER CAZ exhibited stoopid-freshness himself on one of his most slept-on records, "Get Down Grandmaster" (1988). Here, the helping hands of Ultramagnetic MC's chief production officer CED GEE provide the aggressive beat-making muscle. A little guitar, some "Impeach the President" snares and a few choice turntable manipulations and former Cold Crush Brother never sounded so jeep ready. Appropriately, Casanova Fly rises to the occasion lyrically with some poignant recollections of his experiences in the rap game: "I carried amps in the rain, speakers in the snow/ Spent more than I made when I did a show/ Played in clubs in the winter without no heat/ In dressing rooms with rats runnin' under my feet/ The blackout in '77, the city went dark/ Had my whole sound system jammin' in the park." Word. Now I think that's about as far back as we can go.

Lyrics:
[Verse One]
Brace yourself soloists, duos, trios
It's the captain of "Hay dios mio!"
In Spanish, or English, I had to bring this
And I know that you probably think this
is a joke, so laugh, sleep on me snore
Feel the wrath of a giant, like never before
Returned to the environment to see where the fire went
I'm not sixty-five, I'm not retiring
A legend in the old school, better today
I bust a sucker in a battle, the same old way
I did when I used to, I got the juice to
Put the best you got against me and they'll lose to
the Grandest-master, the Pope and the pastor
The judge and jury and if you think I am a rasta-
-farian or Jamaican, you're mistaken
I specialize in rapping, and flaking
on sucker MC's, and wannabees
Beat me in a battle? Nigga please!?!
Ain't no one better than, the rap veteran
And this here is just another feather in
my cap, because my rap
It sync to the beat, just like a hi-hat
You can try your damnedest, to understand this
Showtime is at two, to see the Grand-est!

[Verse Two]
I don't like to boast that I'm better than most
But if you try to get beside yourself, I'll roast you
and your boy, or any MC toy
if you think that you can mess with the Real McCoy!
You gotta be great, to try to rate
with the hall of fame rhymes, that I create
And even if you can, they're still a flash in the pan
compared to the way I am when the mic's in my hand
MC's I'll romp - they ain't no comp!
And when they try to get familiar - I stomp
them out because, I'm what it is and they was
And no one does it to you like the captain does

[Verse Three]
I DJ'ed in house parties, with BSR's
Transportation for my set? Two or three cars
Carried amps in the rain, speakers in the snow
Spent more than I made when I did a show
Played in clubs in the winter, without no heat
In dressing rooms, with rats, running under my feet
The blackout in '77, the city went dark
Had my whole sound system jamming in the park
Paid my dues, I'm a vet, so don't even try me
Been in parties rocking rhymes watching bullets go by me
Sparkle Dixie, Ecstasy, Garage or the Bomb
The T-Connection, The Ready, the list goes on
Black Door, the P-A-L, the Bronx River Center
When you first heard of rap, that's where you went
to see vets like me, G-M-C
The L-O-R-D, of R-A-P

[Verse Four]
Well sometimes it's hard, being MC God
like fighting Sugar Ray, or Matthew Saad
Trading blow for blow with MC's you know
Looking for the knockout or the T-K-O
But I reign supreme over those who dream
Cold Crush had the ice and I had the cream
Going down in the books, as the one who looks
down on unrighteous rappers and MC crooks
The spot's secure, my mind is sure
What else would the people jock me for
except, maybe the fact, I'm G-M-C
or got a harem like a sheik, of Araby
It could be because I'm tall handsome slim and brown
or the way the crowd breaks, when I get down
or how the ladies gather round when the party's over
or maybe because my name is Casanova
But whatever the story, whatever the reason
The audience I will continue pleasing
for the rest of my life, til the day I die
cause I'm the Grandmaster Caz, and you know I
am right, polite, goody-good in the night
And the chances that I'm not are less than slight

Category:

Music

Tags:

• ego trip
• big playback
• grandmaster caz
• ced gee
• ultramagnetic cold crush
• old school
• tuff city
• casanova fly
• sugar hill
• wild style
• subway rap

[hapaXL]

Some advice - you gotta download this song from iTunes and bump it on some real speakers.  Late 80s bass was made for your car, not for your computer.

[teknizzel8]

1 of my top 5 MC's ever

[coldrockdaspot]

Classic and timeless Hip Hop.

[iluvmycousin2much]

NIGGA PLEASE LOL

[TheGentileMen]

this beat is copied (remixed) by NWA - "straight out of compton"

[jakbu]

@hapaXL It sounds fucking great on my huge speakers. I have this on winyl ;)

[arijspieter]

i've got the book & the soundtrack and it's great!!

actually it's not THAT great but the book gives you a good overview of some great hits

[lwil2]

it's just a flash in the compared to the way I am when the mics in my hand. Wow!

[MrWreckmob]

"Beat me in a battle .. NIGGA PLEASE !" lmao :)

[Felixdidit]

I heard this in 1988 on Red Alert Show on Kiss FM. This boy Caz is one of the greatest lyricists ever...Hip Hop 4 Life!

[titodarap]

oooo dios mio!

[djmmcee]

1987.. shit was ahead of it's time then... and is still nice