Kool G. Rap & D.J. Polo
On The Run (Dirty Untouchable Remix)
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Released in 1992

Ray Bryant
Up Above The Rock
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Released in 1969

I had a thing at work recently where I was overdramatically quoting (sotto voce) that psycho De Niro speech from The Untouchables:

That same day, my iPod shuffle randomly selected a remix of Kool G. Rap & D.J. Polo’s 5-star classic “On The Run,” which samples that very same quote. Funny how the universe works sometimes.

For those unfamiliar with Kool G. Rap, he was one of the progenitors of first-person mafioso rap, influencing The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, and scores of others. “On The Run” tells the story of a drug courier for the mob who decides to steal from his employers, only to discover the Luciano family isn’t giving up its stash without a fight. Kool G. creates a compelling narrator, and moves the story along without sacrificing flow or rhyme:

The thought alone makes me shiver, damn
What if I get caught? They’ll find me floatin in the Hudson river
But if I escape, I’ll be in shape for my life
but they might, get my kid and my wife

Kool G. and Polo recorded the record in Los Angeles, which was unprecedented for an East Coast hip hop artist. Sir Jinx — a Los Angeles-based producer who worked on Ice Cube’s seminal AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted album — worked with Polo on the beats.

“On The Run,” was built around a minor-key sample from Ray Bryant’s late-60s piano-soul 5-star classic “Up Above The Rock.” It’s a prime example of building and releasing tension, with the melody shifting from Ray’s piano to horn, Grady Tate’s drums maintaining the beat while upping the frenzy, and an occasional piercing “Hey!” jolting the mood to a new place.