The 1st Thread/The Flashback Fridays #1 For 4/11/14: Jadakiss feat Anthony Hamilton - Why? (2004)

Truly one of the great songs ever, and clearly among the most underrated.

From telling the full truth about Denzel and Harry's Oscars to him even being a 9/11 half-truther, this Jadakiss' effort from a decade ago on the Havoc produced "Why" for his "Kiss Of Death" album is an all-time classic.

The song was so incredible that it made even Bill O'Reilly respond in anger to his attacks on The Shrub (George W. Bush), calling The Lox man a "smear merchant" and going as far as to call out, as usual, the highest of powers associated with one of his targets with the Vivendi corporation (who had Ruff Ryders/Interscope at the time) drawing his ire this time.

It amazingly reached #11 on the Billboard charts despite Kiss never being glamorous enough for crossover mainstream pop music and it being a heavy modern "black (and black hood) power" song.

Instead of the thug/street tracks that made him a staple in the game with Styles P and Sheek Louch, this was a refreshing change of pace from Kiss, where he never lost his hard edge while developing a rare, sensational conscience, national effort.

For me, it is by far his best song to date, and a masterpiece for everyone, even those who hate rap or the hard rap from him that is too tough for their ears and soul to bear. Anthony Hamilton, as always, brings the full R&B soul required for an effort like this to contrast with the intense verses.

It firmly gives me tremendous pleasure to highlight this timeless track as the first song of several today as Flashback Friday choices.

So without further ado, it's Jadakiss and Anthony Hamilton with the forever epic that is "Why?"