Posse cut


A posse cut is a popular form of song in hip hop music that involves successive verses by four or more rappers.
Tracks described as posse cuts by Rolling Stone include A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario", "Tha Shit" by The D.O.C., "Doin' Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, and "Set It Off" by Snoop Dogg. Tracks described by Allmusic as posse cuts include "Wu-Gambinos" by Raekwon, "1, 2, 3" by Naughty by Nature, and "Head Banger" by EPMD.

History

Many classic early hip hop tracks, such as Afrika Bambaataa & the Soul Sonic Force's "Zulu Nation Throwdown", took the form of a posse cut. The posse cut became established in the eighties as a way for rappers to give exposure to their friends, or their posse. However, towards the end of the eighties and the start of the nineties, the posse cut began to be used as an "All-Stars" device to bring together rappers who had respect for each other's skills on the microphone, or a way to unite various well-known and respected artists to deliver an important message.

Notable examples