Bossman - You Already Know

Shuggie Otis’ Strawberry Letter 23 is one of those songs that urban music can’t seem to get enough of – everyone from Dr. Dre to Beyoncé to Color Me Badd has taken inspiration from the record (or the Brothers Johnson’s more popular cover version) at one point or another. On his latest single, You Already Know Booth veteran Bossman becomes the latest in a long line of artists to put their own spin on the classic cut. One Up Ent. flips that unmistakable bell intro into a sweeping, street-anthemic hip-hop beat as the Baltimore rapper fills us in on what he’s all about, spitting about his paper chase and his hopes for the Obama presidency. Singer Ruscola does double-duty, contributing an exultant hook as well as providing a little moral support on the bridge: “All these lames in the game make it hard/ Get your paper, take heed and stay smart.” Bossman’s debut full-length, The Re-Up, is scheduled to drop sometime in 2010; in the meantime, watch out for his new The Tester mixtape, set to hit the ‘net “soon.”