Throwback Thursday: "T.O.N.Y. (Top Of New York)" -- Capone-N-Noreaga ft. Tragedy Khadafi

For a while in high school, I listened to this every morning before leaving to catch the bus. This track helped put the duo (especially Nore, who would turn the pub he gained into a platinum solo album in '98 while Capone served a bid) on the map back in 1996. (...Tragedy Khadafi, not so much.)

Throwback Thursday: "You Came Up" -- Big Pun ft. Noreaga

There's no denying Pun's first LP, Capitol Punishment, was a classic. Just about every beat was on point, and perfectly showcased his smooth-but-rapid flow and effortless lyricism. People forget, though, that Pun's sense of humor was just as big as his talent, and went a long way to him becoming an instant success. And this video—though it doesn't synch up with the song's lyrics (a pet peeve of mine)—brings out a bit more of his charismatic jokester side.