Tapemasters Inc Present Trife Diesel: The Project Pope

Being a die-hard Ghostface fan since Ironman, it’s only natural that I pay attention to the rappers he cosigned. Though none of them ever went on to bank off his commercial status, Trife Da God has somewhat broken through to underground audiences and Wu fans such as myself. (Though calling his crew Theodore Unit seemed a little weird to me at the time, but it was all good). Me being a fan doesn’t have so much to do with his in-depth lyricism or nasty flow, but more so with his matter of fact manner of delivering his rhymes. It damn near commands your undivided attention. Once he has it he paints a pretty vivid picture with his rhymes.

Just listening to him rap the story of how he got that buck-fifty on his neck would be enough to scare straight any of these wannabe gangstas talking shit with Enfamil still on their breath. Then he gave anyone who dares scheme on him a warning on the Ghostface assisted “Biscuits” stating, “Niggas ask why I use my glock/cause it’s 2003 muthafucka, I refuse to box/I’m true to block/strip you for your jewels and socks/remove your watch or I’ma have to lose your top/I’m from a place where junkies and zombies dwell/and niggas keep the heat blazing like Bonzi Wells.” The rhyme is obviously a half a clip old, but still as potent as anything being put out today.

“Grew Up Hard” is something everyone can relate to. His lines on their like, “Mama ain’t raise no fool/they say we gotta save our children, but first we gotta save our schools/was taught no to waste my food/even if I didn’t like it, every scrap on my plate got chewed” took me back to the lessons my old earth instilled in me and my siblings growing up. And with “War” he went and created a street anthem ala Naughty By Nature’s “Craziest.”

Jeezy may have that Thug Motivation and Juelz his Gangsta Music, but Trife is yielding something just as menacing if not more. The seriousness in his style and music is nothing to be taken lightly. Not to mention that his flow is so bananas a Dominican can make Mangu with the muthafucka. He has the type of music that incite brawls and fights the same way M.O.P. and Mobb Deep did in their heyday. At the same time he’s true to the Wu-Tang approach where as many times as he talks about destroying his enemies or rivals, he’ll throw in a jewel or two about building one self to be a better man like, “A street scholar once threw me a jewel/a dummy can’t play the wise, but the wise can play a fool.”

Let me take this time to say Peace to the Gods Ever, Profit, Vil, Tiz, Rome and Universal. If y’all ain’t take the time to give me knowledge of self and throw y’all support behind me I would’ve never made it this far. Peace to the Gods and Earths. I miss y’all.-The Infamous O

Hottest Joint: “War”

Weakest Joint: “Hustle Hard”