On this day in 1987, Queensbridge legend and Juice Crew representative MC Shan released his debut studio album, Down By Law, through Cold Chillin’ Records, delivering a project forever connected to one of the most important battles in Hip Hop history.
Produced entirely by the legendary Marley Marl, Down By Law captured the raw, drum heavy sound emerging from Queens during the late 1980s. Shan’s distinctive voice and straightforward street narratives were backed by Marley’s innovative production, helping bring Queensbridge Hip Hop to listeners far beyond the confines of the infamous housing projects. The album peaked at No. 40 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart and was later selected for The Source’s “100 Best Rap Albums” list.
Of course, no discussion of Down By Law can happen without “The Bridge.”
Originally released before the album, “The Bridge” was Shan and Marley Marl’s anthem for Queensbridge and became one of the most important records in the borough’s Hip Hop history. The song also became ground zero for the legendary Bridge Wars after Boogie Down Productions interpreted it as suggesting Hip Hop originated in Queens. KRS One and the late Scott La Rock fired back with “South Bronx,” escalating one of rap’s earliest and most influential lyrical conflicts.
Shan answered BDP on Down By Law with “Kill That Noise,” even addressing the misconception that he had claimed Hip Hop began in Queens. BDP responded with the devastating “The Bridge Is Over,” ensuring that the battle would become required study for generations of Hip Hop historians.
But Down By Law was more than battle records. “Jane, Stop This Crazy Thing,” “Project ‘Ho,” the title track and “Living in the World of Hip Hop” gave Shan room to showcase his storytelling and personality, while “Left Me Lonely” featured fellow Juice Crew affiliate TJ Swan. The original album contained nine tracks, all produced by Marley Marl.
More importantly, the album helped establish Queensbridge as one of Hip Hop’s most important breeding grounds. Long before Nas, Mobb Deep, Capone N Noreaga and countless others carried the QB banner, Shan and Marley Marl made sure the Bridge had a voice that could be heard throughout New York City.
Thirty nine years later, Down By Law remains an important artifact from Hip Hop’s Golden Era and a cornerstone of the Juice Crew legacy.
Salute to MC Shan, Marley Marl and the entire Juice Crew for helping put Queensbridge on the Hip Hop map.