Freestyle Professors - Your Pockets Been Picked EP - 1994

 

EP - 1994 - Freestyle Records  

"Your Pockets Been Picked" is an EP that was originally released by Freestyle Professors in 1994 on Freestyle Records. The photos of the wax above come from the Bootleg version dropped in Japan in 2005.

Freestyle Professors emerged from the Forest Projects in the South Bronx in the early '90s, founded by Branesparker, Don-Q and DJ G.W. Foxx. Growing up alongside Bronx heavyweights like Diamond D, Showbiz, Lord Finesse and Fat Joe, the crew honed their craft in sessions with members of the Diggin' In The Crates crew.

Frustrated by bad experiences with record labels, they launched their own imprint Freestyle Records and in 1994 dropped their 8-track EP entitled "Your Pockets Been Picked". Despite critical acclaim, life's realities and disillusionment with the industry's turn toward shallow, commercially driven content put their album plans on hold.

Though the members went their separate ways, Freestyle Professors never fully disbanded, continuing to reunite for occasional recording sessions, keeping their legacy alive in the hip-hop underground.

"Your Pockets Been Picked" EP is considered as a classic and a must-have by the record collectors. It consists of 5 songs entitled "Your Pockets Been Picked" (Original and Instrumental), "Get Wise", "The Hardcore Villain", "Down With the Freestyle Professors" (Radio Bass version, Dirty Bounce Mix & Dirty Bounce instrumental) featuring Timbalan & "Get Put On" featuring Spook. All the tracks are produced by Branesparker except "Down With the Freestyle Professors" produced by legendary Showbiz. All scratching in this project are handled by DJ Timbalan who was also Shorty Long's DJ.

It's becoming rare to see the original version for sale, and if you're lucky enough to find it, it will cost you an expensive price.

Keith Nut's Tribute

I'd like to pay tribute to the legendary emcee Keith Arthur Joynes, better known under the name Keith Nut (a.k.a Kieth Kieth, a.k.a Keef Nutt) from Forest Houses, South Bronx. I've been looking for him for years for an interview but I've recently learned that he passed away last year after battling with cancer. 

If the name of Keith Nut doesn't speak to you, you need to know that he was an original member of the Terror Squad with Fat Joe. They were raised in the same building, 1000 Trinity in Forest Houses.

To make a recap about his musical career, Keith Nut made his first appearance in 1993 alongside Fat Joe on the track "Another Wild N**r from the Bronx", under the name Kieth Kieth. The track was part of Fat Joe's debut album "Represent" released on Relativity Records.

He later featured again with Fat Joe on a few freestyles broadcast on the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR in 1994-1995 or on a few mixtapes. By the way his demo played by Bobbito in 1995 is a little gem ! He also features on Fat Joe's second album "Jealous One's Envy" released in 1995 and on the album dropped by the Terror Squad in 1999.

In the late 90s, Fat Joe and Keith Nut went separate ways. Keith Nut just stopped spitting and disappeared from the NYC hip-hop scene. He didn't record any songs after that. He dedicated himself to his family life and his various jobs, either at Yankee Stadium or at the hospital... Rest In Peace !