FRANKIE CUTLASS/ THE JUICE CREW: THE CYPHER PART 3 (1996)

With the opening line 'let me show you new rappers how to do a posse record', Craig G sets the tone for this loose re-working of Marley Marl's 'The Symphony', assembled by New York producer/ DJ Frankie Cutlass at the tail end of '96.

Like its source, this features a handful of the original Juice crew rappers each dropping a verse, in rather restrained style, over a midtempo bouncing beat. After Craig comes a reminder that before Kim, Foxy or any of the others, Roxanne Shante was the original badass female MC - even if she appears rather podgy and under-stated here. Comedy from Biz Markie follows.

The only problem with this version is that it dispenses with a banging final verse delivered on record by Big Daddy Kane, replacing him with a rather lacklustre appearance from Heltah Skeltah. Either way, it's still another slamming throwback to a much missed bygone era.