Kool G Rap’s On The Run from 1992 tells the story of a ‘flunky’ (Mr G Rap’s words not ours) who is moving ki’s and funds for the mob. He details the temptation of wanting to make a break for it and quite simply take the money and run. If successful he will have enough dough to last a lifetime and no more dirty mafioso work. If caught it’s Mr G Rap’s life and most likely his families as well.
For those that don’t know the work of Kool G Rap he is one of the toughest looking motherfuckers in rap history. You look at the marks on his neck, that gruff voice and it beggars brief that someone would be mad enough to order a hit on him. In future records he would boast of a wealth in the trillions (Lifestyles Of The Rich & The Famous) and beating a woman up in front of her own Father (Hey Mr Mr). With the song On The Run however we see him at his most timid anxiously panicking in the dilemma of taking the money and running.
Of course the mob heat is extinguished after G Rap is caught by them the morning after his switch. Not only does the quoted Luciano family fancy their chances against such an ominous figure like Kool G Rap they come after him in a fucking limousine. After taking the mob out our hero notices a stomach wound. That doesn’t stop him from confronting the surviving family member in this case a remorseful Don pleading for mercy. G Rap ain’t buying it and puts the motherfuckers brains on the sidewalk. The End.
Points worth noting includes the line “Packin’ Gucci bags like I was goin’ on a World Tour” which is contradicted when a Louis Vuitton bag is used instead in the video. The significance of the video is that it uses the Untouchable mix of On The Run, not the version used on the 1992 album Live and Let Die. In my modest opinion the Untouchable mix is far superior as it uses the super nice Ray Bryant sample from Up Above The Rock…
