With the recent passing of Cutthroat Comitty mainstay Tre-Nitty, Soulja Slim’s tightly-knit circle suffers it’s latest tragedy. Tre-Nitty, unlike a number of later additions to the group, was there from the beginning – anchoring the ensemble both in the streets and on the mic. His legacy will forever be intertwined with the rise of New Orleans hip hop in the late 90’s and with that of his close friend and comrade, Soulja Slim. Today, NewtralGroundz celebrates Tre-Nitty’s artistry by taking a look back at some of his most memorable musical contributions.
5.) Pray For Your Baby (Soulja Slim – Give It 2 Em Raw, 1998): Tre-Nitty’s national debut arrives only six songs into his musical mentor’s major label, freshman effort, Give It 2 Em Raw. His chemistry with Soulja Slim is immediately felt, as both trade verses about the most important person in their lives – their mothers. Although he appeared on a few other cuts from this mammoth of an album, Pray For Your Baby established Tre-Nitty as a formidable MC with rangy subject matter and depth.
“Don’t give a damn, robbin’ neighbors for some ham…Even spam was a good dish, see we was poor and we was sick – moms made us well with a kiss.”
4.) What You Came Fo (Soulja Slim – The Streets Made Me, 2001): Arguably Tre-Nitty’s most thoughtful and philosophical verse to date, he almost manages to steal the show from the equally-impressive Soulja Slim and 12 A’Klok. Following the aforementioned was a tough task, but Tre-Nitty bats 1.000 to ensure this song is a solidified classic.
“Through struggle, there’s progress – I’m a living testimony; I whip a Range Rover, write checks, when I started out as a junkie.”
3.) Cut Throat (Lil Soulja Slim – The Streets Raised Me, 2017): A significant entry that effectively bridges the gap between the Cutthroat Comitty of 20 years ago and its current incarnation. Accompanying Willa Boy and Slim on this classic cut, Tre-Nitty has never been better from a fundamental standpoint – each bar cleverly calculated without missing a beat. This song was a refreshing reminder of Tre-Nitty’s talent as a pure MC.
“So undecided, should I cop the Bugatti or Porsche? And when I ride it, should I rock with the chopper or torch?”
2.) They Say (Unreleased, 2002): Cutthroat Comitty CEO, Magnolia Slim, blesses this intro before lobbing it to Tre-Nitty, who delivers an abundance of New Orleans flavor in what sounds like a potential cut for Slim’s planned Cutthroat Comitty compilation. Addressing all gossips and chatty patty’s, Tre-Nitty defuses rumors about drug use and hard times over Zoher’s horn-driven production. Unfortunately, this was never released on an official project so your best bet is to scoop this off YouTube and add it to your playlist ASAP.
1.) Soulja Down (C-Murder – TRU Dawgs, 2002): This Bass Heavy-produced banger, originally released on C-Murder’s TRU Dawgs compilation in May of 2002, had the rare distinction of being a solo effort by Tre-Nitty. Over slow, thumping bass, his speedy delivery fits perfectly in pocket and shapes the hook into a catchy, early 00’s New Orleans chant. This standout song is frustrating only in that it offers just a small glimpse of what a full-length Tre-Nitty album could’ve sounded like.
`Don’t Play` is his best song and yall don’t have it. One of the best rappers out NO.