Sample Flips: Screwball – “Who Shot Rudy?” (Prod. By K. Jones)

Menacing Queensbridge crew details fictional assassination of former New York Mayor.

The Queensbridge hip hop tradition is well-documented. From Marley Marl to Nas to Cormega to Mobb Deep, Queensbridge (the largest housing project in America) has produced some of the most prolific hip hop artists in the history of hip hop. In 2000, Screwball, one of  Queenbridge’s finest, continued QB’s storied tradition when they released their debut album release, Y2K: The Album.

Made up of members Blaq Poet, Hostyle, KL, & Solo, Screwball’s debut would go on to receive critical acclaim.  It featured dope tracks produced by DJ Premier (“F.A.Y.B.A.N.” and “Seen It All”) and sleeper joints like “H-O-S-T-Y-L-E” (prod. by Mike Heron.  But the song that’s stuck with me the most is the controversial “Who Shot Rudy?”.

Some rappers are known for pushing the boundaries of what’s politically correct and what isn’t. But how many rappers or groups can say they’ve gone as far as creating a fictional assassination tale? And not just a regular assassination, a detailed, methodical, intimidating narrative of  murdering Rudolph Giuliani, then the sitting New York City Mayor. The song is both mind-boggling and good. The beat is a sample-based banger that’s equal to the task of Solo’s menacing (and elaborate) lyricism.

The music and videos below are presented here for the purpose of scholarship.

Screwball – “Who Shot Rudy?” (Prod. by K. Jones)

Melvin Van Peebles Ft. Esther Rolle — “If You See A Devil Smash Him”