Monday, March 23, 2009

Hip Hop Insomniacs Club: Nasty Nas - 'Halftime'



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"Halftime" is the 1992 debut single by rapper Nas, released under his original moniker of "Nasty Nas". It was originally recorded for the Zebrahead soundtrack album, released October 13, 1992 on Ruffhouse Records. "Halftime" was produced by Large Professor and features samples from "Schoolboy Crush" by Average White Band, "Hawaiian Sophie" by Jaz-O, "Soul Traveling" by Gary Byrd, and "Dead End" by Japanese Hair. The song was later included on Nas' influential 1994 debut album, Illmatic.

"Halftime" features an up-tempo beat led by percussion and trumpets over which Nas rhymes. Memorable lines include "You couldn't catch me in the streets without a ton of reefer/That's like Malcolm X, catchin' the Jungle Fever" and "I'm as ill as a convict who kills for phone time." Nas also uses this song to give a "shout-outs" to Ill Will, and the Queensbridge Crew, a reference to the Queensbridge housing projects in Queens, NY, USA. He also reveals he's a fan of Marcus Garvey, the Jackson 5 and Mr. Magic. [Via the Almighty Wikipedia]