Dig Of The Day: Big Shug – Do What Pays Ya (1995)

Damn I haven’t heard this in a while, a track from a member of the Gang Starr Foundation collective, Big Shug. Boston emcee’s Do What Pays Ya is real talk all the way without too much philosophy, just straight up. Do What Pays Ya is originally from Guru Presents – Illkid Records ’95 compilation album, released on Payday and later on it appeared on Big Shug‘s 2nd album Never Say Die from 2005.

Produced by Carlos Bess, a prominent figure in the Hip-Hop culture, who served as the chief engineer and occasional drummer for Wu-Tang Clan. He gained attention for his work on the much sampled Funky Drummer breakbeat compilations.

Contains samples of Modaji by Dave Grusin (1977) and F.A.L.A. by Gang Starr ft. Big Shug (1994).