The Shoutout

 The reason Hip Hop ever even happened is because the young people in the late 70s were looking for ways to stand out and distance themselves from their parents’ idea of “cool” with something new and fresh. Hip Hop music was how they presented themselves to the world and gave their culture a voice. And if you were one of the people who faithfully showed up to the parties in the park after dark that could not spin records or rap, and you were tight with those who did, you were represented via The Shoutout.

Over the years the shoutout has evolved from one having their name called over the mic by the DJ at Van Cortland park to major recording artists doing a roll call of friends who they grew up and/or committed crimes with at the end of songs (and occasionally in the verses). I feel like I’ve gotten to “know” many of the associates of the rappers I listen to and sometimes I even stop to think about where they are now or what life was like for them when their more talented and famous friends were at the height of their popularity, using their platform to give voice to the voiceless. These young men and women will live on through these songs forevermore without ever having recorded a verse or even so much as an ad lib.  

Below is a list of some of these faceless characters from one of my favorite albums (particularly heavy on the shoutouts) and some information that we can infer about them based on who shouted them out and under what context:

The War Report, 1997

Intro:

Dough Boy, Monterey, Sick Bay (?), Hec, Lurk Nitty/Trev, Spank, Lakey*, - Had recently incarcerated associates of Capone and Noreaga. From Lefrak City/Queensbridge respectively. 

Bloody Money:

Alley Cat - Noreaga’s little cousin from Jamaica, Queens. He is “brown skinned” and he is a “thug”.

Uncle Wise - Noreaga’s uncle. He has been doing bids (time in prison) since 1982. Was at the time, back on the streets living on 107^th avenue and Guy R. Brewer Road.

Big Murph, Troy Outlaw*, Steph Bower, L Murder, Real Rell, Big Raheem - Members of the Iraq (Lefrak City) Crime Family.

Driver’s Seat:

Killa B aka Killa Black – Queensbridge legend who is also the older brother of Havoc of Mobb Deep. Is given many Rest In Peace shoutouts on the songs of many Queensbridge related artists.

Stick You:

Patty - Commissioned to call Capone (or “Ki”) and Russ in regards to the issues with the cocaine connect.

Russ - See above. Also, Russ owned or had access to a Lexus.

(Pronounced “kuh – deuce”) – Is commissioned by Tragedy to bring the AK (47) and team up with Capone to “hold him down”.

Willie – Noreaga’s regular cab driver.

Parole Violoators:

Little Byon – Was incarcarated in Tryon Residential Center, a facility for juvenile offenders.

Iraq (See The World):

Mendoza, Castro and Kruger – Other members of the Iraq Crime Family.

Live On Live Long:

Wally Clark – Associate of Capone. Likely a Queensbridge resident.

Little Work & Little Jabon – Incarcerated at the same time as Capone.

Ty – Was apparently given a lengthy sentence also around the same time Capone was incarcerated (we later find out he was “out of state getting dough and got knocked”).

Capone Phone Home (Interlude)

Little Haiti, George’s Brother, Mike Green’s Little Cousin – Incarcerated in the same prison as Capone.

There are a few more songs on the album but the shoutouts end there. I’m only speculating but I would imagine that for every person listed here, being shouted out on The War Report, a platinum selling record that is considered by many to be one of the best rap albums of all time, is a nice highlight in a life otherwise filled with a lot of pain and prison time. Who knows where these guys are now but I certainly hope they’re home, doing well and bumping C-N-N every now and then.

* Went on to have a short lived and widely unnoticed career as a rapper.