If you love hip-hop and—more importantly—hip-hop history, you gotta love The Combat Jack Show. On the show, host Reggie “Combat Jack” Ossé gets all of his favorite rappers and producers to tell amazing stories about their careers with candor and humor. Simply put: The Combat Jack Show is real talk. Over the years, we’ve listened to Jack’s show religiously and learned volumes about the rap world from advice veterans gave to newcomers, rappers lives before they were famous, and crazy behind-the-scenes stories you won’t hear anywhere else. We sat down with Combat Jack himself and combed through various episodes in order to dig up 25 Things We Learned From The Combat Jack Show.
Written by Dharmic X (@dharmicX)
Swizz Beatz produced the original version of Nas' “Ether.”
R.A. the Rugged Man was paid by Priority Records to go to therapy.
Freddie Foxx protected Chuck D from the KKK.
Dame Dash once allegedly slapped Steve Stoute over an $18,000 bet.
Group Home's Living Proof was made because Malachi the Nutcracker's judge ordered him to make music to stay out of jail.
When 2Pac was a backup dancer for Digital Underground, Pac and Flavor Flav found and beat up a thief who stole S1W's plastic Uzi on tour.
Scarface was across the street when 2Pac got shot at Quad Studios.
Talib Kweli smoked blunts with the Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac at Lyricist Lounge.
At one point, Big K.R.I.T. was going to work at a railroad and quit rap.
Busta Rhymes lost to Jay Z in a rap battle in high school.
Foxy Brown asked Pam Grier for her permission to use the name Foxy Brown.
Black Thought used to make his own posse cuts impersonating other rappers.
Pharoahe Monch got run up on at gunpoint at a Nas video shoot.
When Capone-N-Noreaga signed a deal, Noreaga gave away his publishing to Tragedy Khadafi. He had to buy his publishing back when he went solo.
Action Bronson got slapped by his mother for listening to N.W.A growing up.
Duck Down Records tried to sign Eminem because Priority Records—Duck Down's parent company—didn't want to spend the money.
Jay Z told Joey Bada$$ to stick to making music like “Waves.”
Sauce Money was once managed by Big Daddy Kane.
Large Professor introduced Pete Rock to Q-Tip.
Just Blaze created DJ Premier's Twitter account when the two were in Chicago.
Star from "Star and Buc Wild" has three gunshot wounds in the thigh that he got from a Dominican girl in the 1980s.
Russell Simmons got Kurtis Blow signed to Mercury Records by putting a fake order number on “Christmas Rappin'.”
Maino once knocked out Tragedy Khadafi.
At one time, Jadakiss was in a rap group with Mary J. Blige's cousin.
The Notorious B.I.G.'s “Ten Crack Commandments” was originally intended for Jeru the Damaja.