Kool Mike Ski - Tha Realness 96
Hear one of Big Pun’s first mixtape freestyles, plus much more.
To follow up our last 50 TAPES drop which featured a classic by Lazy K, we’re gonna keep it in ‘96 with another ill joint by Bronx-bred mixtape legend Kool Mike Ski, who famously gets name-dropped on Fat Joe’s rookie-year single “Flow Joe.”
Not only are both sides of Tha Realness 96 stuffed with a bunch of mixtape-ready posse cuts and collabs, remixes, and plenty of other new songs, but it starts off with a dope-ass intro featuring freestyles by multiple artists.
One of those freestyles came courtesy of a then-newcomer down with Fat Joe by the name of Big Pun, which Kool Mike Ski recently shared the back story about online. Check it out:
Kool Mike Ski: The year was 1995, the month of December. I rented out a recording studio on West 28th Street in New York City, I put a 12 hour block on it, from 10pm to 10am. I get a call a little after midnight from Fat Joe, he said, “Yo Kool Mike Ski, I'm on my way and I'm bringing some heat with me.”
Joe showed up and showed out—he brought and introduced me to Big Pun. Pun said, “Mike Ski what you want me to do?” I said, “Whatever you want Pun.” He nodded his head in agreement, proceeded to go in the mic booth and destroyed, listen for yourself—making me the first DJ on this planet, in this world to have the late great Big Pun freestyle on a mixtape.
Check for Pun and Joey Crack’s freestyles on the intro (alongside a handful of others including Smoothe Da Hustler and Trigga Tha Gambler), then dive into the rest of the tape afterwards for plenty more hip-hop heat and even a few fire blends near the end of Side B too.
Big salute to Kool Mike Ski, and a major Rest In Peace shout to Big Pun.
Stream Tha Realness 96 below, and stay tuned for more 50 TAPES posts as we celebrate the release of Do Remember! The Golden Era of NYC Hip-Hop Mixtapes, out now via Rizzoli.
Kool Mike Ski - Tha Realness 96