EDITORIAL: Hell Up In Harlem (The Mob Style Story)

The “Hustler/Gangster” concept is nothing new in Hip Hop. It’s been a constant topic of choice since the earliest days of the culture’s origin. There have been innumerable references to drugs, killing, thugging, and everything else in between finding their way onto some of your favorite MC’s notepads. Even in the business of Hip Hop, the hustler mentality is heavily endorsed and credited to the success of many. Legends like Master P, James Prince, Eazy-E , etc are perfect examples of this. Manufacture your product for cheap, get on the strip and move that ish!!! And be sure that the products always potent and readily available so you keep the customers fiending and coming back. Sounds a lil familiar, right?

Over time, the artists themselves started portraying themselves as hustlers, gangsters, and the sort. As early as Schooly D and Just-Ice, rappers started taking a more aggressive and streetwise stance, actually telling stories of crime and violence in first person. They were some of the first, but definitely not the last with many, including most recently Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Young Jeezy and others also applying the gangster/hustler aesthetic while helping further their careers.

But, while in most instances these rappers exploits were questionable, there is no denying the truth in the words spoken by the late 80′s Harlem New York based rap group Mob Style. Consisting of members AZ, Pretty Tone Capone, Gangster Lou, and Whip Whop, these cats were the REAL deal. Some of you may remember AZ as Ace in the Rocafella Films release “Paid In Full”, which was based on his true to life story as a mid to late 80′s drug kingpin, but few remember his short stint as a recording artist himself. The rest of the group were no pushovers either, as legend has it that Pretty Tone Capone and his uptown goons allegedly ran the Worlds Most Dangerous Group off of the Apollo Theater stage in their native Harlem due to a sneak diss and friction with N.W.A. Gangster Lou’s gangster is also no joke and can be validated simply by watching a Rikers Island documentary, where he is seen repping Mob Style during an unrehearsed moment while incarcerated there. And its pretty safe to say that Whip Whop has probably put in some work along the way himself.

After being shot in a botched robbery gone wrong, AZ formed the group and released their first full length “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly” in 1989 on Grove Street Records with minimal promotion and distribution. At the time many of New York’s Hip Hop artists and groups followed a more afrocentric and party friendly vibe, and Mob Style were one of the first true bonafide rap groups out of NY. Also, being that Rich Porter and Alpo were alive and free during the albums writing and recording process, there were many references to their legendary exploits in the streets and the lifestyle they shared, putting the groups street cred at nearly unattainable levels. Among the usual street tales of drug dealing, women, and fast cars were a few jabs at N.W.A, who they felt were frauds and misrepresented the gangster culture. Eazy-E even took a jab back at the group on the N.W.A. track “Real Niggaz” stating “Back,the good,the bad ugly,see?/A Lil streetwise nigga you know me/Rolling with some real niggas playing for keep/But you muthafuckas know who run the streets” (Hence the reason for the beatdown by Tone Capone and crew).

Pretty Tone Capone was the star of the squad, with his animated and aggressive flow. His beserk rhyme style and gold toothed lisp was comparable to Ghostface Killah, infusing personality into his straight forward gangster steez. Gangster Lou was the steadying complement to Tone’s energetic style with a tight and controlled flow. AZ was a little less seasoned than his groupmates, but made up for it with the realness and clarity only a certified street veteran could provide, while Whip Whop pretty much played clean up.

After the release of “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly”, Pretty Tone Capone would pursue a solo career, eventually signing with famed producer and label head Rick Rubin’s label Def American. Capone went on to have minor success with a few records, most notably the street smashes “Case Dismissed” and “Cant Talk Too Long On The Telephone”, but nothing major (maybe due to lack of focus because of his foot in the streets and his true to life street rep not sitting well with industry folk). In addition to “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly”, AZ would release his lone solo full length “Streetwise” in 1991. The release was cassette only and was chock full of cautionary tales of the hustlers life spoken through the voice of a regretful, and humbled AZ. A perfect example of the album’s tone is the track “What’s Going On Black” and it’s accompanying video.

The visual starts off with a crack fiend a Harlem apartment stairway purchasing drugs from one of three dealers on post. Subsequently one of the dealers (meant to be Rich Porter) see’s his lil bro (meant to be Darnell Porter) and hands him a couple dollars for fun money. Then the visual turns to AZ and members of his crew on the stoop and images of a newspaper clipping related to the Darnell Porter kidnapping. AZ then begins to rap about the events surrounding the kidnapping and his pleas to the street to ease up on the violence amid a beautiful soundbed. The realism and rawness of both the track and video is undeniable. And being that AZ was actually involved heavily in the events that surrounded the situation made it even more legit.

Mobstyle went on to release another album titled “Game Of Death”, which was relased in 1992, before fading into obscurity. Even though their career lacked the commercial success of their less than authentic counterparts, Mob Style still holds a place in the hearts of rap purists and gangster’s/hustler’s  worldwide as pioneers of this gangsta shit so many wanna be’s exploit and cash in off of today.

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About Preezy Da Kid

Born in South Carolina, raised in Wilmington Delaware, Preezy Da Kid is a modern day Hip Hop rennaisance man. Writer, Artist, Critic, Tastemaker, and overall purveyor of the culture. Also a diehard sports aficionado and lover of all things dope.

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