4, 5, 6

Performer: Kool G Rap
Artist: Nas
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel: Kool G. Rap, Nas, B1, Grimm (rap vocals); Sean Brown (vocals). Producers: Dr. Butcher, Naughty Shorts, T-Ray, Buckwild. Engineer: Steve Ett. Contrary to popular belief, mastery of the art of gangsta rap is not a trait inherent solely to West Coast artists. Long before Snoop was drinking gin and juice and MC Eiht was coming strapped, Kool G. Rap was holding down the fort in the rugged streets of Queens, New York. After almost three years in hiding, the Kool Genius of Rap reclaims his throne (this time without the help of DJ Polo) on 4, 5, 6, summing up his lifestyle with vicious truths, New York-based producers, and a metaphorical rhyming style that puts all other MCs to sleep. The album's title track exercises G. Rap's street-inspired lyrics, and its boom-bap beat represents a more old-school sound. "It's A Shame" is a slowed down sequel to Kool G. Rap's 1993 underground smash "Ill Street Blues," mixing soulful vocals with the rapper's hardcore feel in an approximation of a West Coast-sounding background. With the help of producer Buck-Wild, Kool G. Rap makes an East Coast anthem out of "Fast Life," joining forces with Nas to make "a team out of Queens with the American dream...plotting up a scheme to get the 7-digit C.R.E.A.M." As a member of the infamous Juice Crew, Kool G. Rap upholds the group's reputation of supplying hip-hop with the finest lyricists. Despite a healthy lisp, he manages to flip each graphic rhyme too quickly to catch the first time around, making himself and 4, 5, 6 influential to a number of artists.

Vibe (9/95, p.197) - "...Over the course of 10 tales of lives on the line, street loyalty, desperate criminal ambition, unsentimental remorse, and vicious capitalist ethics, 4,5,6 approaches thug life the right way: as if it had never been written about before....determinedly New York old-school, with few concessions to contemporary fashion..." The Source (10/95, p.97) - 4 Mics - Slammin' - "...he doesn't just rap, he paints pictures...leaving you feeling like you had just watched a four minute movie....Kool G. Rap has done it again..."

The Kool Genius of Rap debuted with DJ Polo in 1986 with "It's a Demo." As a part of the Juice Crew, the duo released three highly-influential LPs from '89 to '92, as G Rap perfected his flow--a jarring, rapid-fire delivery made up of multi-syllabic rhymes--and vivid story-telling techniques in classics like "Road to the Riches," "Streets of New York," and "On the Run." His aggressive approach, violent and X-rated lyrics, and signature tommy gun delivery became the building blocks for NY hardcore, inspiring a generation of MCs. His outstanding 1995 solo debut, 4, 5, 6, represents another milestone as G Rap's mafia fetish came to full fruition. Plagued by label snares for years, Kool G Rap has had difficulty getting out a cohesive studio LP though the legendary MC still remains active.

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