Happy 20th Anniversary to the Diggin’ In The Crates Crew’s debut album D.I.T.C., originally released February 22, 2000.
The ‘90s was a golden time for hardcore hip-hop collectives—large groups of artists who used strength in numbers to take over the music business with solo and unified crew albums. Some only had a loose affiliation (Juice Crew, Native Tongues), and some were way too expansive (the extended Wu-Tang family). Others seemed to be born out of a genuine sense of camaraderie and willingness to see everyone achieve their own success, and the Diggin' In The Crates Crew were definitely in this latter category.
Formed in New York at the tail end of the 1980s, the collective’s eight core members—Showbiz, A.G., O.C., Big L, Fat Joe, Diamond D, Buckwild and Lord Finesse—were already veterans of the rap game by the time they recorded 2000’s self-titled crew debut. Among the list of pivotal albums released by individual members prior to 2000—several of them among the greatest hip-hop albums of all time—are Lord Finesse’s Funky Technician (1990), Diamond D’s Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop (1992), Showbiz & A.G.’s Runaway Slave (1992), Fat Joe’s Represent (1993), O.C.’s Word…Life (1994) and Big L’s Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous (1995). A full-blown collective album was well-overdue by the turn of the new millennium, and it was ultimately worth the long wait.
Every emcee in the collective excels on D.I.T.C., but the one who impresses the most overall is the much-missed Big L, who appears on eight of D.I.T.C.’s fifteen songs. He’s in fine form throughout with trademark witty verses and barbs, and mastery of street slang, especially on the classic single “Ebonics.” An underground staple since two years before D.I.T.C. came out, and also included on Big L’s own 2000 album The Big Picture, “Ebonics” sees Big L meticulously break down the meaning of tons of words, and here, it gets the remix treatment from DJ Premier.
Rhyme icons A.G. and O.C. are the other two D.I.T.C. mainstays who appear most prolifically on the album, including a solo track each (“Champagne Thoughts” and “Weekend Nights,” respectively). Fat Joe and Diamond D also put in solid performances, but D.I.T.C. disappointingly only has a few tracks featuring Lord Finesse. His wit, slick rhymes, and great chemistry when performing alongside Big L, O.C. and A.G. are badly missed.
The bittersweet thing about Big L’s excellent contributions to D.I.T.C. is that he had passed away by the time the album came out. Murdered at 24 years of age in February 1999 (an as-of-yet unsolved case, but alleged to have been a former acquaintance), it’s often said that Big L was destined for the top had he not been gunned down in his prime. It was only right that his crew should pay their respects to Big L on the album-closing “Tribute,” where O.C., A.G. and Lord Finesse share their personal accounts of working with the fallen artist.
There’s regrettably even more tragedy associated with D.I.T.C. As a protégé of Fat Joe, Big Pun was considered a peripheral member of the D.I.T.C., and as such appears twice on the album (“Where Ya At” and “Drop It Heavy”). The morbidly-obese artist died of a heart attack at 28 only days before D.I.T.C.’s release in February 2000, almost exactly a year after Big L’s passing.
The D.I.T.C. producers are responsible for soundtracking the majority of the proceedings, with Showbiz contributing most of the tracks, and Lord Finesse, Diamond D and Buckwild handling most of the rest. Each puts in quality work, but for me, Diamond D provides the best beat with the rugged “Day One.” The song is also notable for being the only track on D.I.T.C. to feature vocals from all six rapping members of the crew (true heads will know that Showbiz used to rap on early records but has stayed strictly behind the boards for many years).
Except for a track apiece from Rockwilder and Ahmed, the only other outside producer on D.I.T.C. is the legendary DJ Premier. An honorary D.I.T.C. member since producing almost half of Lord Finesse and DJ Mike Smooth’s Funky Technician in 1990, Preemo has three cuts on D.I.T.C., including the aforementioned “Ebonics” remix, plus the heavy “Thick” and “Da Enemy” (which also features on Big L’s The Big Picture), complete with a scratched sample from O.C.’s classic single “Time’s Up.”
There have been myriad D.I.T.C. compilations released since the crew’s initial album, but nothing in the way of an official follow up to D.I.T.C. The various living members still collaborate regularly however, and in recent years have been bringing through new talent under the umbrella of the D.I.T.C. Studios brand.
LISTEN: