Runaway Slave

Showbiz & A.G. | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 22, 1992)
• Original Release Date: September 22, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000001FH6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #232,706 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Still Diggin'

2. Fat Pockets

3. Bounce Ta This

4. More Than One Way Out of the Ghetto

5. Silence of the Lambs [Remix]

6. 40 Acres and My Props

7. Runaway Slave

8. Hard to Kill

9. Hold Ya Head

10. He Say, She Say

11. Represent

12. Silence of the Lambs

13. Party Groove [Bass Mix]

14. Soul Clap [Short Version]

15. Catchin' Wreck

16. Party Groove [Instrumental]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This My Friends Is HIP HOP, June 6, 2002

By 

The_Lawyer (Central New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Runaway Slave (Audio CD)

Let me re-write a historical quote for the purpose of doing this album justice, the early 90's were "the times that thrilled mens' souls." I first heard this album sometime back in 1993 as a teenager living out in semi-suburbs of Woodbridge NJ. After listening to Soul Clap and Bounce Ta This, I was hooked. This album is a classic, part of that early 90's renaissance where hip hop was simply amazing. Diamond D's beats, those horns, Big L, Finesse, Showbiz, AG and others. Further, this is one of the most undderated albums in hip hop history. The mainstream never picked this one up, maybe a good sign. It is the one rap album that stands alone in every category. That is the suburban perspective, meaning that none of my suburban friends who like hip hop mention it.
If this album was released now and had enough national push from record companies who knows. But an album like Runaway Slave will never be made again, it was raw, dark, blazing hip hop. As a suburbanite, hearing Big L was surreal, as if the inner-city streets came alive and swallowed the suburbs and a ghetto thunderstorm knocked the power out in the suburbs. From beginning to end, flawless. Diversity is a great thing, that is why I have such admiration for the sound and voices of hip hop. The world is not one big happy family, and these emcees are not playing with their words or music, you have to respect that. It's pure.
For you emerging fellow suburbanite hip-hop fans, if you want to show your knowledge of hip-hop, make sure this album is on your mantle in lights. If you don't like this album then I would question your taste in hip hop.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Showing corny MC's what Hip-Hop's supposed to sound like!, November 2, 2001

By 

Phil Watts, Jr. (Petersburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Runaway Slave (Audio CD)

"Showbiz, there's skills to make/so lets get busy/and dig in the crates..."

1989, Show & AG made their debut on Lord Finesse' FUNKY TECHNICIAN. He wasn't exactly the livest on the mic back then...in fact, he sounded straight bush league. Meanwhile, Show was already showing signs of brilliance behind the boards in that album on "Back to Back Rhymin'".

About a year later, Both Showbiz and AG came out with the (sadly out-of-print) Party Groove EP, which featured "Party Groove" (both original & Show's instrumental), "Soul Clap", and the DITC theme song, "Diggin' In The Crates". These songs blew up clubs everywhere! When Kid Capri started the "BEND & STRETCH" chant, you knew the whole entire club was jumpin'!

SEPTEMBER, 1992, this full-length was released. After smoothing out the edges during all their DITC colabs, these guys have shown a lot of improvements. Showbiz started manipulating more samples and even started to rhyme. Yes, he wasn't the greatest producer on the mic, yet he was much better then certain producers who tried it (Jay Dee...quit it before you embarrass yourself even further). AG was no longer the high-pitched bush leaguer on Finesse's first album. The both play off each other really well on this album.

Songs like "Silence of the Lambs" (the "Be like Bo Jackson after surgery and DON'T DO IT" line still cracks me up), "Bounce Ta This" featuring Dres of Black Sheep, are examples of how great DITC was. Big L stops by on the irratic "Represent" to give beatdowns like Rondey King got (his words, not mine)! Songs like "More Than One Way Out the Ghetto", "Runaway Slaves", and "Hold Ya Head" show the duo talk about issues that effect people on the streets. Thing is, it's still kinda wierd for them to have a Malcolm X vocal snippit and follow it up with "Hard to Kill" where they're "Killin' enemies worse than Kennedy's assassination" (in the same breath, they try to work around it by saying all that killin' stuff is "just a style". Heh.) They also took the liberty of bringing in "Soul Clap" and "Party Groove" from the EP (But sadly, no "Diggin' In The Crates"...)

Even though some of this CD may not have stood the test of time with certain listeners, this is still one of the best albums to come out from that time period and one of the best things to come out of the DITC camp.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars i luv early 90's hip hop so much......, June 15, 2005

By 

Cherryhblair "adge" (hamilton ontario canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Runaway Slave (Audio CD)

this album is probably the best album for horn breaks,jazz cuts and lyrics ever made.Also, u can t dispute A.g.'s destinctive, raspy new york tounge for a good clear and consice rhyme tactict.If u like the early 90's new yorker type flow and showbiz's beats then this album is definitely for u. i luv it more then sex with my girl{lol}!!!!. this album was well before it s time > I first heard this back in early 1993 {i was in junior high }and even in 20005 at 25 years old i still love it. ALL HAIL SHOWBIZ A.G FAT JOE DIAMOND LORD FINESSE AND THE WHOLE D I T C RESPECT DUE LUV ADGE>