The first time I interviewed Joell Ortiz, in October 2007, I didn’t really know who he was. He had recently inked a deal with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath records and had a hot single, "Hip-Hop," that caught some commercial radio spins. I remembered hearing his songs and freestyles on the Stretch Armstrong show seven years earlier. Back in 2000, the 19-year-old Puerto Rican emcee went by the name Quickman.
I wasn’t a fan of him then, but now I confidently say Ortiz may be the best rapper in the game. He has superior rhyme skill, stylistic versatility and can rap about social issues without getting preachy. Most importantly - much like Jay-Z, Biggie and Big Pun - he makes dope hip-hop that even appeals to girls, like his single, "Call Me."
Here’s how I opened the article in Foundation Magazine:
“Inside of a Queens, NY recording studio, Joell Ortiz bangs on the thick glass window of the vocal booth but the dull thud can’t break through the hard drums and heavy guitar strings that his manager says is a Dr. Dre track.
He finally gets the recording engineer’s attention. Running his hand across his throat, he signals to cut the beat.
'Yo, I can’t hear myself,’ he shouts. ‘Run that shit back.’
With sweat beads coating his forehead and a white wife beater hugging his husky frame, Ortiz attacks the microphone like a linebacker in full stride.”
At the time, I didn’t know the historical significance of this legendary studio. It was the second or third article I ever published and I figured some action and a football metaphor would make a good lede. (I really wish I had written it in the past tense though) I didn’t know that I was watching today’s best emcee rip apart the same booth where Rakim recorded the Paid In Full album. I didn’t know that Nas, Biggie, Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Mobb Deep and Run-DMC all spit in that booth.
When I walked into In Ya Ear studio on 30th Street, the first thing I noticed was a Big L plaque on the wall. Then I saw the masters to L’s posthumous second album “The Big Picture,” in a box under the plaque. The box contained other master recordings, but at this moment the only name I remember seeing is Kool G Rap.
A few weeks ago, Amazon.com leaked Ortiz’s album, “Free Agent,” unaware that he pushed the release date back three months. Much of his career has been stymied by such industry shenanigans. That’s why you may have never heard of this guy who deserves to be mentioned with the all time greats. But hip-hop heads know greatness. And that’s why Kanye West shouted out Ortiz on Hot 97 a few weeks ago.
My former editor at Foundation posted a new Ortiz video on Facebook. In the comment thread, he hit me with the link about tragedy that happened at the studio.
Here’s the video. Take five minutes to listen to the lyrical slaughter.
