Rock Bottom: Songs From the Crack Era

Lupe Fiasco's new song makes it feel like it's 1990 again.

"Crack," Lupe Fiasco - Given Lamar Odom's reported addiciton to it and Toronto mayor Rob Ford's alleged affinity for it, it seems crack (besides being wack) is back. And Lupe Fiasco's taken notice. He's got a new song with Chris Brown simply titled, "Crack," the lead off his forthcoming Tetsuo & Youth.As he prepares the single's release, which he says is neither an endorsement nor a condemnation of the life-zapping substance, we've collected a sampling of some of the most provocative and vivid tales of how the drug was an American nightmare during the nation's "Crack Era" (1984-1997). Read on.(Photo: AdMedia / Splash News)
"Ten Crack Commandments," Notorious B.I.G. - On his biggest selling LP, 1997's Life After Death, the Notorious B.I.G. both sold and told the game when he issued this hit single, which explicitly laid out the rules of crack dealing. That the song came out during the waning days of the drug's popularity didn't lessen the song's power, or humor.   (Photo: Chris Walter/WireImage)
"Pocket Full of Stones," UGK - The Undergroung Kingz encapsulated the life, attitude, and ultimately the ending of a crack slinger on this feature on the Menace II Society soundtrack.  (Photo: John Ricard / Retna Ltd.)"Ghetto D," Master P - Repurposing the beat of one of Rakim's classic cuts, "Eric B. for President," this Master P single straight glorified crack dealing in 1997, going so far as to shout out the hustlers as if they were praise-worthy entrepreneurs. (Photo: Scott Harrison/Getty Images)

Next Gallery

12 Powerful Quotes from Black Women Athletes to Inspire Greatness

12 Photos

2 / 11

"Ten Crack Commandments," Notorious B.I.G. - On his biggest selling LP, 1997's Life After Death, the Notorious B.I.G. both sold and told the game when he issued this hit single, which explicitly laid out the rules of crack dealing. That the song came out during the waning days of the drug's popularity didn't lessen the song's power, or humor.   (Photo: Chris Walter/WireImage)

ADVERTISEMENT