Episode 227: Percee P

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Percee P is a rapper whose reputation and influence far outpaces his relatively small recorded output. The Bronx-born artist grew up right alongside hip-hop - he started rapping as a young kid right as the first rap records were coming out, and was in the mix as hip-hop was being created in his neighborhood. Whether it was watching DJ’s at park jams, being around noted graffiti writers, or watching up-and-coming groups rehearse their routines, Percee was right there.

His first record was 1988’s “Let the Homocides Begin,” which was featured on an EP put out by Gotham City Records. That track, along with others like “Now They Wanna See Me” and some guest verses on tracks by Lord Finesse, Kool Keith, and others built up Percee’s reputation as a pioneer of fast-rapping virtuosity.

In later years, Percee took to selling music - both his own and from his voluminous collection of early hip-hop tapes -all around New York City, particularly in front of the influential Fat Beats record store. Contacts he made there ended up getting him signed to Stones Throw, and he released his long-awaited debut album Perseverance in 2005, along with an album of remixes. At around that same time, video was unearthed of a 1989 battle between Percee and Lord Finesse, giving new shine to his early career.

And make sure to stay tuned after the Percee interview for a very special bonus. If you miss it, it’ll be the greatest mistake of your life.

Tracks featured in this episode:

1. The Honeydrippers, “Impeach the President”
2. Rufus Thomas, “Do the Funky Penguin - Pt. 1”
3. Billy Squier, “The Big Beat”
4. Funk Inc., “Kool Is Back”
5. Heartbeat Bro’s, “Growing Up”
6. T La Rock & Jazzy Jay, “It’s Yours”
7. The Sugarhill Gang, “Rapper’s Delight - Hip Hop Remix Long Version”
8. Disco Dave And The Force Of The 5 MCs, “High Power Rap”
9. Kurtis Blow, “Christmas Rappin’”
10. Fatback Band, “King Tim III (Personality Jock)”
11. Run-DMC, “Sucker M.C.’s (Krush-Groove 1)”
12. Percee P, “Lung Collapsing Lyrics”
13. Percee P & Ekim, “Puttin’ Heads to Bed”
14. Mantronix, “Fresh Is the Word”
15. Grandmaster Melle Mel, “Beat Street Breakdown”
16. Ultramagnetic MC’s, “Ego Trippin’ (Original 12” Version)”
17. Treacherous Three, “Gotta Rock”
18. Special-K, “Special-K Is Good”
19. Percee P, “Legendary Lyricist”
20. Percee P, “Throwback Rap Attack”
21. Percee P & D-Nique, “Let the Homocides Begin”
22. Boogie Down Productions, “9mm Goes Bang”
23. Live Squad, “Troopin It”
24. Live Squad, “We Ain’t Havin It”
25. Percee P, “The Man To Praise”
26. Lord Finesse f/Percee P, “Kicking Flavor With My Man”
27. Beasley on the Stretch & Bobbito Show
28. Main Source, “Watch Roger Do His Thing”
29. Main Source f/Nas, “Live at the Barbeque”
30. Lord Finesse f/A.G. & Percee P, “Yes You May”
31. Rare 1991 DMX & Percee P - Stretch & Bobbito Freestyle
32. Masters of Ceremony, “Dynamite”
33. James Brown, “Make It Good To Yourself”
34. Percee P, “Lung Collapsing Lyrics”
35. Percee P & Ekim, “Puttin’ Heads to Bed”
36. Maestro Fresh Wes f/Percee P, “Pray To Da East”
37. Lord Finesse f/A.G. & Percee P, “Yes You May”
38. Kwamé, “Boy Genius”
39. KENNY MUHAMMAD IN THE HUMAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
40. MC Serch, “Here It Comes Again”
41. MC Serch, “Back To The Grill”
42. MC Serch, “Back To The Grill”
43. Boogie Down Productions, “South Bronx”
44. DMX, “Born Loser”
45. Lord Finesse vs. Percee P - Battle (1989) FULL BATTLE
46. L.A. Star, “B. Girls”
47. Steve-D Throwback
48. Lord Finesse vs. Percee P - Battle (1989) FULL BATTLE
49. Lord Finesse vs. Percee P - Battle (1989) FULL BATTLE
50. SBX! Holding Down The Tradition FULL MOVIE
51. Egon, “The Blind Man Gets Down”
52. Quasimoto, “Bad Character”
53. Percee P, “Put It On the Line”
54. Percee P, “Put It On the Line”
55. Kanye West f/Mr. Hudson, “Paranoid”
56. Molemen, “From the South (Memo)”
57. C-Rayz Walz, “Long Range”
58. GETOE TV: PERCEE P, CORY DOGS, EMINEM
59. Aesop Rock f/Percee P & The Controls, “Coward Of The Year””
60. Aesop Rock f/Percee P, “Wake Up Call”
61. Lord Finesse vs. Percee P - Battle (1989) FULL BATTLE
62. Percee P, “Throwback Rap Attack”
63. Prongles, “Once You Pop”
64. Honeycomb Rap
65. Honeycomb Ad- Pocket Pac (1993)
66. “FRESH” scratch!
67. Kriss Kross, “Jump”
68. The Honey Drippers, “Impeach the President”
69. Prongles Drums
70. Prongles Bass and Guitar
71. Run-D.M.C, “King of Rock”
72. Prongles, “Once You Pop”
73. Prongles, “Once You Pop”
74. The Beastie Boys, “So What’Cha Want”
75. X-Clan, “Funkin’ Lesson”
76. The Honey Drippers, “Impeach the President”
77. Limp Bizkit, “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)”
78. Korn, “Freak on a Leash”

Show notes:

1. GQ, “The Man Who Forgot He Was a Rap Legend”
2. Lord Finesse vs. Percee P - Battle (1989) FULL BATTLE
3. Red Bull Music Academy Daily, “Fat Beats: An Oral History”
4. Red Bull Music Academy Daily, “The New Music Seminar Battle For World Supremacy: An Oral History”