On this date in 1993, Buckshot Shorty, the 5 Foot MC, and DJ Evil Dee released their first full-length album, Enta Da Stage, on Nervous Records. This is undoubtedly one of the most pivotal albums in the sub-genre now coined as “backpack rap.”
With total in-house production from Evil Dee and The Beatminerz’ Mr. Walt, Enta Da Stage tells the narrative of the gritty streets of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, from the perspective of young, Black teenagers submerged in that environment. With a cinematic feel, the album captures the essence of the unforgiving streets while maintaining its conceptual focus of using the music to magnify the environment. The album also introduced fans to the poetic, weed-puffing duo Smif N Wessun and Heltah Skeltah, the origin of the late, great Sean Price.
Recorded entirely in the world-renowned and now-defunct D&D Studios, tracks that propelled the project include songs like “I Got Cha Opin”, “How Many MCs”, which was powered by a KRS-One sample, and the lead single, “Who Got The Props?”, the track that would forever etch Black Moon in Hip Hop history.
Salute to Buck, Evil Dee, 5Ft., Mr. Walt, Dru Ha, and the rest of the Duck Down/Boot Camp Clik family for this timeless classic!