The D.I.T.C. Crew has been one most famed and historical Hip-Hop collectives in recent memory.
Even with the tragic murder of its rising star Big L back in 1999, Diggin’ In The Crates has done their part uphold the true meaning of MC’ing, mixed in the signature boom-bap sound that New York built its foundation from.
Right now two of its members in O.C. and A.G. once again return to the forefront with their collaborative effort in Oasis.
Staying close to home, they put their trust in the hands of producers like their brethren Lord Finesse, and Show, along with Statik Selektah.
From the beginning, the two veterans stick to their roots, and show listeners how they built their name up with songs like the scratch-heavy title track, ‘Oasis,’ ‘Keep It Going,’ ‘Alpha Male,’ and the movie-type soundtrack of ‘Give It Back.’
One of the strongest tracks on the project comes in on the piano-driven ‘Contagious,’ where O.C. goes for self, and incorporates all kinds of nasty diseases, while comparing them to Hip-Hop.
Other songs that O.C. and A.G. bring to their retreat are the vacationing sounds of ‘Get Away.’ The well put together ‘Pain,’ ‘2 For The Money,’ (where DJ Premier provides one of his patented scratch-laden hooks), and the simple but adequate ‘Boom Bap.’
New York may have lost a lot of its luster over the years, but O.C. and A.G. do their best to bring back a brief glimpse of what once was.
Using Oasis as an instrument to keep the memory of Big L alive, while proving they’re still worthy of possessing a microphone; the two show that there is life after the 90’s, you just have to stay true to yourself to find it.
Rating: 3.0
Not enough mics in raitings!!! Good words in review tho.