Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome back to another fine installment of The SoBros Network’s look back at some of the most precious gems of America’s yesteryear. Hopefully, you’ve poured yourself a nice warm glass of brandy, have stuffed your pipe (with legal tobacco products only, of course), have put on your finest silk robe and slippers, and are sitting fireside in your study. This is a column dedicated to reflection and appreciation – giving those treasures, once a staple of Americana, the remembrance they so deserve.
I think it’s only appropriate that the first musical act to be featured here on Forgotten Treasures of Americana is this iconic hip-hop duo emanating from Boulder, Colorado. I mean, really – when we’re talking iconic rap duos, it’s Run the Jewels, Method Man & Redman, Jay-Z & Kanye, OutKast, and 3OH!3.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIWaJ_WWETM]
The lyrical prowess of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte is uncanny. For hours on end, I (Big Natural (Stoney)) would walk around chanting “punk bitch” in a robotic voice. It was just so catchy. And, to boot, it was a fiery anthem about, as the kids said back in 2009, “not givin’ a fuck.”
“When I walk up in the club, I’m actin’ mad, dog. Ladies lookin’ at me, tell ’em come and get some.”
In the grand scheme of things, that’s the mantra a lot of young, single 20-somethings live by. I can’t tell you how many times I, personally, said, “I, for one, am going out tonight. I will act like a rabid dog and all the damn hoes can have a piece.” In that regard, 3OH!3 sort of became the voice of an entire generation.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RePriPCmlro]
Something about the music of 3OH!3 (pronounced “three oh three.” Thank God for Wikipedia letting me know how to pronounce that) just spoke to a 24-year-old Big Natural. It was like everything I was feeling at the time had finally materialized in song.
“I’m gonna have a house party in my house.”
That’s deep, dude. Seriously – I had a lot of house parties…..in my house. I was so relieved to hear two esteemed rappers finally putting it out there. It was kind of like a sort of social activism.
Even at such a young age, I encountered evenings when I didn’t really want to go downtown, or to any of the dirt ass nasty local bars. I just wanted to hang with my crew at home.
“Everybody say fuck the club! I’m not going out!”
Wow – holy shit! Mr. Foreman, Mr. Motte – you gentlemen read my mind.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iWxD0GZVVk]
As you can see, 3OH!3’s music isn’t all about being rambunctious or just social causes. They could also put down a killer summertime anthem. That’s really what makes them so great – such a well-rounded act with a multitude of diverse tracks.
3OH!3 has since…..wait….OH SHIT….they’ve released TWO new albums since Streets of Gold came out. These cats are on Fueled by Ramen now…..so much has changed, and now, I know what I’m going to do for the next few hours.
It’s also worth noting that since we cover pro wrestling on this site, 3OH!3 was sued by Diamond Dallas Page for the use of their hand gesture. I think it’s bullshit, personally. They should have just added DDP into the band and made it a fair trade. I’d love to see DDP throwing Diamond Cutters on stage while 3OH!3 is playing.
Jam out to some of 3OH!3’s finest:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTrAtqaDuMA]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iGQ2JydtRk]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRUbmtLGYFo]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGi1dTGmM3o]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrr6_oDFhpI&w=560&h=315]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlJfx19sSmM]
And, of course – the obligatory “Don’t Trust Me” shout out:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdB3Oyd5HtU]
On the real, though – I wore this shit out for a solid three years.
Check out the complete anthology of Forgotten Treasures of Americana below:
FTOA: Playing Outside
FTOA: Mama’s Family
FTOA: Hasbro WWF Action Figures
FTOA: 3OH!3
Stoney Keeley is the editor of the SoBros Network, Tennessee Titans Featured Analyst for Pro Football Spot, Contributor to FanSided’s Bama Hammer, and covers the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @PFSpot, @WrestlingNewsCo, @Bama_Hammer
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