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Happity-happity Birthday to Kray-Diggity-Dray!

I riggity-riggity-realize that no diggity-doubt you’ve come across these words before. Ever wonder where they came from though? And do, not Dave Chapelle, although he did a good job incorporating them into his shows.

These words originate from the hit 90’s duo, Das EFX—and today marks the birthdate of Andre Weston, aka Krazy Drayz.

Dray and Skoob (hence, DAS) initially came to prominence being affiliated with EPMD’s Hit Squad, but what really made them stand out was their uncanny “stream of consciousness lyrical delivery”. This iconic style first inherent in the duo became one of the generation’s most influential trends—and in case you haven’t noticed—this trend is still present even in today’s Hip-hop age.

This nonsensical, machine-gun speed rhyming Drayz orchestrated became even more prominent with the release of their debut album Dead Serious in 1992. The album’s lead single “They Want EFX” made the U.S. Billboard Hot 100’s top ten, Billboard Hot 100’s top forty, and peaked at #1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.

And the people clearly “wanted EFX”, not just fans, artists too—how else would the likes of “iggedy” become such a popular trend in Hip-hop? Even the Hip-hop greats attest to the massive impact Drayz and Das EFX imprinted within the industry, including the likes of Common, Kris Kross, Lords of the Underground, Fu-Schnickens, and even Public Enemy.

I find it vastly-astonishing how the word “iggedy”, when combined with Krazy Drayz’ and Skoob rapping, can create a huge impact in the Hip-hop scene. Heck, the trend can be seen even beyond the premises Hip-hop—Dave Chapelle? I can’t help but imagine how rap and Hip-hop would be today if it weren’t for artists like Das EFX and Krazy Drayz, it’d definitely be a tad bit deficient it stiggety-stiggety style—no diggity, you dig?

 

Happity-happity 46th to the one and only Krazy Drayz!

 

By Jods Arboleda for RAPStation.com