Rollin’ 4 Deep
4 Deep – “Rollin’ 4 Deep”
4 Deep – “U Got Play’d”
4 Deep – “Doin’ Bad – Goin’ Bad“
from What’s Really Goin’ On LP (Albatross/Funky Products/Solar, 1994)
4 Deep was the Big Boss’ (originally of OG Style) second group, linking up with Koo-Rod & Klas-1 and releasing a handful of H-Town classics. They released their debut Another Day In The Jungle on Ichiban in ‘93. What’s Really Goin’ On is their second (and is only the second best rap tape with that name). It placed a handful of remixed cuts from the first record alongside new recordings. “Rollin’ 4 Deep” gained it’s share of notoriety popping up on various screw tapes and while it set a standard as content, (a decidedly gangster sentiment, as you may have guessed), the production was more mellow than the rest of the album. Elsewhere Big Boss explores the darker side of his production, at the same time drawing from the sample heavy and almost playful approach of his OG Style work.
Like frequent collaborators UGK, 4 Deep were part of a transitional era in Texas rap, extending the raw early sound that artists like the geto boys and the south park coalition pioneered into the current post-screw era that is being primed by the media to be the next big thing in the rap world.
I think Solar (not to be confused with the bay area powerhouse, Solar Music Group) deserves some respect, and not just for Klymaxx and Lakeside. But for putting on a handful of otherwise local rap groups. Between 4 Deep and DC’s Section 8 Mob, they were giving “regional” rap some shine well before us carpetbagging hipsters made it so popular with the kids and even before the Japanese made it a financially sound investment. Of course, they failed to promote either of these acts very efficiently, so maybe not.
June 16th, 2005 at 11:28 pm
Yo i’ve been trying to get a copy of 4 Deep ever since my cassette broke back in ‘96….good lookin out. By the way you ever heard of Brothers 4 The Struggle outta Cleveland?
June 17th, 2005 at 7:41 pm
Dope stuff. thanks
June 17th, 2005 at 9:02 pm
Interesting. I didn’t know Boss from OG Style had a second life. Very nice post!
June 18th, 2005 at 5:05 pm
hey noz!
jst found this site and started reading the old stuff. sorry if this comment is out of place, but im pretty sure you dont check your stuff from january ‘04 anymore.
so you had this to write about kanye:
” If Kanye suceeds in bringing Common back from the dark side of erykah badu’s vagina, like he’s been threatning, then he’ll have won me over ten fold. ”
not a big kanye fan, but i happen to love the new common lp. well more because of com than kanye.
so was just interested what’s about kanye now?
June 19th, 2005 at 6:00 pm
thanks for recognizing the shrimp’s carpetbagging. I’ve been trying my best but people have failed to give us our props. But thanks to you we finally got that recognition we deserve and now feel like we have truly made it in this carpetbagging game. Noz, you have made my day. My god to be included with carpetbagging AND hipsters, wow, the internet is a beautiful place. My wildest dreams are coming true thanks to blogs
June 20th, 2005 at 7:59 pm
i sure do want to get an extra medium t-shirt that says “i (heart) serg” in iron on letters.
June 21st, 2005 at 2:22 pm
Carpetbaggers in the hizzouse! Dude, this 4deep shit is retarded hot. Thanks for putting me on, dude. Serious.
-e
July 25th, 2005 at 2:10 am
Finally got around to listening to these joints….definite Scarface influence on a couple of the MCs.
April 25th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Was up homie. My tape is on it’s last leg now and I been trin to download some of this shit but I ain’t find nuthin yet. so if you would holla at me an give me a source to find sumthin i’d really be thankful.
July 28th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
how can i get whats really going on i had it back in the day but everywhere i go they say its out of print
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
I love 4 Deep! I got one of their albums in Tucson, AZ in the 5 dollar rack. good shit.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:16 am
vagina…
vagina photo
……
June 2nd, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I am looking for the tracklist of brothers 4 the struggle – rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. If you could help that would be great.
Thanks.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
R.I.P. MY BIG BRO. BOSS……..WE LOVE U MAN WE MISS U MAN. WHEN BOYS DO THEY R.I.Ps I NEVER FORGET TO PUT U IN THE LINE-UP HOMIE..SEE I THERE PAY’N DUES WHEN I WAS YOUNG DAY AFTER DAY I USE THE METRO BUS FROM 5TH WARD TO THE WEST TO WRITE AND JAM BEATS. I LERNED A LOT FROM THIS MAN. THAN U BOSS. THIS BOY PROBLY WAS BIG BUT THIS NI@@@ WAS A PLAYA.. KOO- YALL REMEBER!!! I STILL USE SOME OF THE SAME GAME I GOT FROM ONE OF THE REAL OG’s OUTA H-TOWN. LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW ME BUT MY NAME IS POPCYCLE. IM 4-DEEP FOR LIFE….. I WANT TO GIVE A BIGG SHOUT OUT TO SOME H- TOWN LEGENDS SOME OF THE ORIGINAL Gs. FORGOTEN SOILDERS((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( KOO-ROD. I SEE U NI@@@ U AND UR BROTHER. I WAS THANING BOUT PLAYING THE RAP GAME ONE MOE TIME.HOLLA AT ME… WHAT UP SUNNY BLAC THATS GOOD LOOK FOOL KEEP IT UP.. ACE DUECE , OO7, E-ROCK, LOW LIFE, NICKEL BOY TRAY DUECE WHATS UP BIG BLACK( FROM DALLAS SHE USE TO DO THA PLAYAS BALL!!!) RAHEEM TRINITY GARDEN CARTEL ICE WATER K.B. MY NI@@@ BIG SWIFF HERB MAN STREET MILLATERY 3-D (MY NIG. CARLON) 2 MUCH TROUBLE TERRIST S.P.C. E FROM OG STYLE I AINT FORGOT YALL ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..P…….S………….ITS SOME MOE BUT I GOT TO GO. NI@@@ U KNOW I CANT TYPE THAT GOOD IM STILL IN THE SO U KNOW HOW LONG I BEEN ON THIS WEB.??????????????LOL………..1LUV R.I.P. BIGG BOSS
August 10th, 2009 at 12:55 am
man i’ve been looking for ‘rollin 4-deep’ everywhere after listening to DJ Screw’s ‘Codeine Fiend’ back in the day. if you ever re-upload the track, shoot me an email fmfrankie@gmail.com. thanks for covering this dope shit.
November 16th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
If yhall are looking for “Another Day in the Jungle” and the rest of the 4-DEEP releases i have em, the reason being BIG BOSS own all the masters, with him passing he left it all to me KOO-ROD. Klas One and myself will be re-releasing the classics within a BOX SET/w a DVD of the last the cd we as 4-DEEP put together the reunion CD “Foreclosure” feat. BUN B, SLIM THUG & ORAN “JUICE” JONES…e mail for more info KOOROD2@GMAIL.COM {713}518-9548 we just been livin our lives so we can tell yhall out there da RAW REAL…..LORD KNOWS WE DEEP4LIFE……KOO-ROD of KOO FILMS/POWERMOVE MUSIC