Crucial Conflict’s “Hay” reminds me of spending summers in Clinton, Maryland, in the mid-1990’s. Released in July 1996, C.C.’s The Final Tic was fueled by the song in discussion which eventually landed at #18 on the charts. Not only that, it helped the album achieve gold status not even two months later.

“Hay” reminds me of how I once obtained music. I’d sit beside radios all day with blank tapes with both the record and pause buttons pressed at the same time pacing anxiously for that one song to come on. The worst part would be catching whatever record you desired halfway through (it took me forever to get Biggie’s “Hypnotize”). Either that or running out of room on the tape before the record was over. Still, Crucial Conflict’s “Hay” was one of those songs that dominated my mid-90’s tapes.

I’m pretty sure at the time it had more to do with the infectious hook than anything else, but it ranks as one of the earlier moments which began to harbor my appreciation for Hip-Hop (and music in general) beyond what the radio dictated was “hot.” My ironic memory about the song and how it played such a crucial role in my pre-teen years was the fact for the longest time I had no clue what “hay” was and why it was smoked in the barn. Time and middle school friends eventually answered that question, however.

Feel free to forward this link to friends and be surprised by the responses you’ll receive; everything from “I haven’t heard this in years” to “I have never heard this song before in my life.” Crucial Conflict may not be in anyone’s top five rap groups of all time, but the fact remains “Hay” is a truly classic Hip-Hop record. And that has to stand for something.