Synopsis

Lords Of The Underground perform "Chief Rocka" in a series of gritty, low-lit urban settings, bringing the song's old-school energy to the screen. The trio trade verses directly to camera while their crew moves around them, with DJ Lord Jazz adding turntable flourishes. Breakdancers take center stage in several routines, including striking slow-motion sequences that contrast with the track's hard, fast-moving beat. The video captures the communal atmosphere and visual language of early 1990s East Coast hip-hop.

Factoids & Trivia

• Released in 1993, "Chief Rocka" was the third single from the group's debut album, *Here Come the Lords*.

• The video deliberately looks backward to 1980s hip-hop, using breakdancing, streetwear, graffiti-style surroundings, crew shots and performance footage rather than a narrative storyline.

• Marley Marl and K-Def appear in the video, alongside Redman and Rock Steady Crew dancer Crazy Legs.

• K-Def produced the track and supplied its scratches, while Marley Marl handled the mixing. The song's rugged bass line comes from a sample of Jack Bruce's "Born to Be Blue."

• "Chief Rocka" became Lords Of The Underground's signature song. It reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart, No. 55 on the Hot 100 and No. 35 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

• The song's vocal material later resurfaced in The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Machine Gun Funk," and Kanye West interpolated its chorus on "Guilt Trip" from *Yeezus*.