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G-Dep, the rapper best known for his single “Let’s Get It” featuring Diddy and Black Rob, whose music video introduced the entire nation to the “Harlem Shake” is back.

Since the breakup of Digable Planets in 1994, the Grammy-winning group has been busy working on solo endeavors for the past 14 years.

If you haven’t heard from Lords of the Underground in a while, it’s because you haven’t been listening hard enough. The legendary Jersey trio hasn’t gone anywhere. They’ve been steady touring and making music with their latest album House of Lords released last August and new DVD out now. HHLO got the chance to talk to DJ Lord Jazz on the phone from his current home in Paris about what he’s been up to overseas and future L.O.T.U.G. projects.

Still Relevant? (60 Second Assassin)

Written by Pete The Meat

Bedstuy, Brooklyn’s 60 Second Assassin should be no stranger to longtime Wu-Tang fans. One fifth of the Sunz of Man, 60 Sec has been around for a minute, mostly gaining fame from his collaborations with Ol’ Dirty Bastard in the early ‘90’s. The two often joked about being brothers, though there is no real proof of this rumor. Still, 60’s unique, gruff voice and singing-rap style is a kin to the late ODB who first gave 60 Sec his shine in the early ‘90’s. In 1995, 60 recorded one of his most famous cuts with Ol’ Dirty Bastard, “Dirty N Stinkin’”, which was only released as a promo track for Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version and “Protect Ya Neck II The Zoo” which made it on the album. The track also featured other Sunz of Man members Killah Priest and Prodigal Sunn. 60 Second Assassin also made one of his most historic appearances in 1995 on the legendary track “Glaciers of Ice” from Raekwon’s debut album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… The debut Sunz of Man album The Last Shall Be First, came out in 1998 and debuted at #20 on the Billboard 200. The album featured production by the likes of RZA and Wyclef. Since then, 60 Second has appeared on a number of Wu-related albums and a few Sunz of Man albums.

60 Sec is still around and active in the underground hip-hop scene, though he is a hard guy to track. This is in-part do to his number of other aliases including his real name Fredrick Cuffie Jr., 60 Seconds, 60 Sec Assassin, Black Satin, as well as the alternate spelling - 60 Second Assasson.

While 60 Second Assassin is best noted for his work in the mid-90’s, he has done a bit of work since the turn of the century. In 2000 he made an appearance on the Ghostface album Supreme Clientele on the track “Stay True”. Sunz of Man dropped their second studio album, Savior’s Day, in 2002. In 2005 he appeared on the Prodigal Sunn’s solo album The Return of the Prodigal Sunn on the track “Godz People”. 2006 saw the return of Sunz of Man with The Old Testament, a “greatest hits” album released on indie label Green Streets Entertainment. Spanning the Sunz early and recent career, many other artists appear on the record including Method Man, RZA, Raekwon, and MC Eiht, and one track featuring ODB produced by Wyclef.

But very recently, 60 Second Assassin has been coming out of the woodwork and keeping his name still relevant. He is featured on the 2007 soundtrack to the cartoon series Afro Samurai under the moniker “60 Seconds” with his track “Take Sword Part II” with True Master. The Koch Records album was completely produced by The RZA and also featured appearances by Talib Qweli, Q-Tip, GZA and Big Daddy Kane among others. 2007 also saw 60 Second Assassin featured on the Wu-Fam’s Civalringz album I with the track “Vantentine Day Massacre”. The album was released on indie label TopNotch and also featured appearances by the likes of Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Masta Killa, GZA and the RZA.

Rumors of a solo album have been circulating since 60 Second first stepped on the scene. However in 2006 he announced he had begun working on it and he had already selected a production team. According to Wu-Tang fan site Chambermusik, 60 is currently working on the album with producers Y-Kim the Illfigure (Killa Priest/Royal Fam), G-Clef da Mad Komposa (Soul Kid Klik/Lost Secret), Link 6 (Sunz of Man/Royal Fam), & Select. No telling if and when the album could ever see the light of day, though with two appearances on different Wu-related albums in 2007, 60 is definitely still active and making music. In fact, the elusive rapper was spotted in November of 2007 performing at a birthday party for M-Eighty along with Killah Priest and C-Rayz Walz.

Still Relevant? (60 Second Assassin)