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Puba also appeared on “Who Makes The Loot?” from The Brand New Heavies Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol. 1 album. After sampling laws made provisions that samples had to be cleared and listed in liner notes (including interpolations) that made it possible for bands and instrumentalists to have more of a role in Hip-Hop, Puba was one the highest profile examples of this occurrence at the time. Puba also appeared on the title track of Mary J. Blige’s classic debut What’s The 411? which dropped in late July 1992. His buzz was huge by the time his first single from Reel To Reel, “360º (What Goes Around),” dropped the next month.

Grand Puba influenced Hip-Hop from a fashion perspective as well. Puba was an early adopter and advocate for Tommy Hilfiger clothing, Girbaud jeans and backpacks (or knapsacks as he referred to them). While he is the man who made Tommy Hilfiger’s name hot in the Hip-Hop community and Girbaud jeans popular nationwide amongst heads he wasn’t the first (or only) head that made backpacks hot.

Backpacks were already a widespread Hip-Hop accessory going back to 1991 (Will Smith’s group 2 Too Many & Leaders Of The New School are evidence of this). He has been given the credit for popularizing it because his lead video for “360º (What Goes Around)” earned a prestigious spot on MTV’s rotation via Yo! MTV Raps. Many forget that Puba associates Rough House Survivers dropped a Tony Dofat produced single “Check Da Backpack” around the same time as Puba’s “360º.”

Puba’s influence and pioneering extended beyond fashion and accessories, though. His bare bones production style, effortless conversational flow and willingness to harmonize on one track, holler at the ladies on the next and then drop knowledge on the following offering gave the listener a natural variety they often didn’t get. Usually, an eMC would vary up his songs to provide “something for everyone” in order to gain sales. Puba clearly did whatever he felt at the moment. One of these things being a duet with a young Mary J. Blige on the single “Check It Out” which should’ve capitalized off of her rising popularity.

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