Crosstown Beef
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Album Summary
Medina Green, the Brooklyn-based duo of Reks and Bio (of the Stronghold collective), came through in 1998 with 'Crosstown Beef,' a double-sided 12-inch single that captured the raw, uncut essence of late-nineties New York underground hip-hop. Released on Fondle 'Em Records — that beloved independent imprint run by Bobbito Garcia that was a lifeline for real heads during that era — the record delivered two tracks, each pressed in radio, street, and instrumental versions, giving DJs and listeners every format they needed to rock it proper. The production carried that grimy, boom-bap authenticity that defined the New York underground scene at the time, and Medina Green's pen game was sharp enough to cut through the noise of a crowded marketplace.
Reception
- The record was embraced warmly by the New York underground hip-hop community and earned strong word-of-mouth among crate-diggers and backpack rap devotees who were loyal to the Fondle 'Em catalog.
- As with most Fondle 'Em releases, 'Crosstown Beef' operated outside mainstream chart visibility but carried significant street credibility and college radio support.
- Critical recognition came largely through the lens of the broader underground movement, with Medina Green regarded as a promising lyrical force in the Stronghold circle.
Significance
- Released on Fondle 'Em Records, 'Crosstown Beef' stands as a document of the fiercely independent New York underground hip-hop infrastructure of the late 1990s, where small labels and limited-press vinyl ran the culture from the ground up.
- The dual-track, six-version format of the 12-inch — street, radio, and instrumental for each side — reflected the professional craft and DJ-friendly etiquette that defined serious independent hip-hop releases of the era.
- Medina Green's work on this release helped cement the reputation of the Stronghold collective as a genuine artistic force in the underground, contributing to a lineage of Brooklyn lyricism that kept the borough's voice present in a rapidly changing hip-hop landscape.
Tracklist
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A1 Crosstown Beef (Radio) —
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A2 Crosstown Beef (Street) —
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A3 Crosstown Beef (Instrumental) —
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B1 Fla-La-Lashe (Street) —
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B2 Fla-La-Lashe (Radio) —
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B3 Fla-La-Lashe (Instrumental) —
Artist Details
Medina Green was a Brooklyn-based hip-hop duo consisting of EL Gant and Insight, two lyrical architects who carved their names into the underground scene of the mid-1990s with a raw, street-level authenticity that felt like the sidewalks of New York talking back to you. Their 1996 debut single "Gun Play" turned heads and opened ears, showcasing a gritty storytelling sensibility wrapped in boom-bap production that honored the soul of the culture. Though they never crossed over into mainstream glory, Medina Green remains a treasured gem for true heads who know that some of the realest music never got the flowers it deserved while it was still in bloom.
