Blackalicious - "Paragraph President" (In Memoriam)

I've fallen behind on posting, but I'll restart by acknowledging the passing of Timothy J. Parker, AKA Gift of Gab, best known as one-half of Blackalicious and part of the influential Quannum Projects collective.  I could tell you that Gab had a voice, flow, and diction that put him head and shoulders above most other MCs, but you should instead read the tributes from DJ Shadow, Chief Xcel, and the many others that recognized his unique talents. 

I thought about highlighting "Midnight in a Perfect World (Gab Mix)" by DJ Shadow, but I already used that EP to mark the passing of David Axelrod four years ago.  I also thought about using "Alphabet Aerobics" (studio, live 2016), which you might remember from Daniel Radcliffe turning in an impressive version of it on the Jimmy Fallon show many years ago.  It's a great song, but verges on novelty and fails to capture the seriousness of Gift of Gab.

Instead, I settled on "Paragraph President", a 2001 single from the 2002 Blackalicious LP "Blazing Arrow".  DJ Shadow featured the last half of this song (listed as "halfway home") on his 2004 LP "Live! In Tune and On Time".  DJ Shadow was a guest producer for "Paragraph President", and once you listen to the combo of Gift of Gab and DJ Shadow, it will only make you regret they did not work together more often. 

Blackalicious - "Paragraph President"