Old Skool Review: The Gas Face

For today's lesson, kids, we're going to deal not just with one band, but with a track and a couple of follow-up tracks it spawned. Today, we learn about the Gas Face.

Time upon a once, there was a white rap duo out there that attempted to bring legitimacy to a honky grabbing the mic. Note, this was well before Eminem took the stage. At this point, we essentially had Vanilla Ice and the Beastie Boys back when they were considered nothing more than crazy frat rap. The band in question was 3rd Bass, known pretty much for this hit.

MC Serch and Prime Minister Pete Nice, along with the turntabilist stylings of DJ Richie Rich, first hit the scene in 1987 with The Cactus Album. With produce Sam Sever, the Bomb Squad and Prince Paul in the booth, this was a pretty tight debut. While more albums followed, no other singles hit as hard as Gas Face. (Well, maybe Pop Goes the Weasel, too, but this is my Old Skool Review, so there.) The track essentially is a diss on a variety of folks 3rd Bass did not respect. They particularly did not like the MC Hammer/Vanilla Ice direction the genre was taking, as is evidenced by the numerous insults thrown in their direction.

Towards the end of the track, you might notice the boys introduce a guest, Zev Love X. X was in a little band called KMD. Following the death of X's brother, Subroc, X disappeared for a while before coming back to the scene donning a mask and going by the name of MF Doom.

And thus, it all comes back to footwear here at LET. And if you can follow that obscure reference, let me know and you'll get a special LET prize consisting of my undying admiration.

We've got three versions of Gas Face for your listening pleasure today. First up is the original, followed by a response given by KMD. And then, just to keep things interesting, a lyrical remix by none other than 3rd Bass and Prince Paul themselves.

mp3: Gas Face (3rd Bass)

mp3: Gas Face Refill (KMD)

mp3: Gas Face Remix (3rd Bass remixed by Prince Paul)