'Finest' has Treach's naughty fast-rapping

I was quickly reminded that there was more to this group than two hit songs. Treach and company practically invented the catchy call-and-response chorus that is used by so many rappers nowadays. You can't help but chant along when they yell "Dee-tro it homies are the Cray-ziest!!" on "Craziest." Naughty by Nature was also one of the first groups to successfully walk the fine line between mainstream acceptance and street credibility. Were it not for Naughty's following up "OPP" with the hard-luck "Everything's Gonna be Alright," would there be a Jay-Z following up "Sunshine" with "Hard Knock Life?" Probably not.

To those who can't catch Treach's style, he says "you think I'm rockin' too fast, I think you're listening too slow," on "Craziest," and he comes as a prelude to all of the superfast rappers that are popular today. Vinnie more than holds his own paired alongside his more popular partner, checking in notable verses on "It's on"and the ruff and tumble "Nothing To Lose."

Historical significance aside, these are some pretty damned good songs. "Uptown Anthem" was a hip-hop classic that still gets people hyped when they hear it. "Feel Me Flow" was a much-ignored gem from Naughty's third album. "Mourn You Till I Join You," "Poor Man's Poetry" and the "Craziest" remixes are hard-to-find treats. Even the megamix - usually a useless addition to greatest hits collections - is well-done. The best songs on the album are the smooth remixes of "Clap Your Hands" and "Written On Ya Kitten," the latter produced by one of hip-hop's best-kept secret's, QDIII.

Once I had gained a newfound respect for Naughty, I gave those "other" two songs, both on this release, a second listen. I still can't stand "OPP," but I do like "Hip-Hop Hooray" a lot more than I used to. The song is a sincere celebration of the music and culture that defines the members and fans of this group, done in a way that everyone else can feel, too. That pretty much describes the style of Naughty by Nature, and in an era where few are sincere, you can't hate a group like that.

04-13-99