BENJAMIN BANGER • NBA JAM SESSION

Take it back to the early 90's when I had hoop dreams and parents that didn't let me listen to secular music. One day I stumbled on the album that started it all for me completely by chance. It was the soundtrack to an NBA Highlight mixtape my brother had on VHS - NBA Jam Session. It was a compilation album featuring Barrington Levy, Bell Biv Devoe & a bunch of others but what really got my attention was the rap songs. Particularly, the songs by Eric B. & Rakim & Biggie + Heavy D . I would run those songs back over & over. I was in love. I played them so much it was like I was trying to ABSORB the sounds. Not to mention I was worried that if my mom found out the tape had music videos on it, she would take it away from me. I could tell that rap was unlike any other genre of music I had ever heard before. I even unconsciously knew that Biggie was the best rapper! Never heard a song by him before then but I just KNEW his verse was the most important verse on the whole tape. That began my fascination with Hip Hop but I wasn't able to listen to it how I wanted to. I had to settle for riding past a car and somebody was bumping "Oh Boy" by Cam’ron or walking into my older brother's room & catching the end of the "Hard Knock Life" video by Hov. I feel like that scarcity fueled my hunger & obsession. I didn't start producing until I was in high school, but finding that tape as a kid DEFINITELY opened up the worm that let Hip Hop in my life.