Throwback Thursday: Ahmad’s “Back in the Day” (Video)

I'm a little embarrassed that it's taken me this long to include Ahmad's "Back in the Day", indisputably the anthem for hip-hop nostalgia, as part of our Throwback Thursday series, a series aimed at provoking nostalgia. Goddamn I love this song, and if you have a soul, you do too.



The Refined Take:

1) I'm not saying Ahmad invented the term "back in the day", but he certainly popularized it, and by that measure along he's made an extraordinarily large contribution to hip-hop culture.

2) I don't know where you lived, but where I grew up (Boston) Starter jackets were the shit back in the day. My mom wouldn't let me and my brother wear our jackets outside alone because so many kids were getting jacked for their jackets, which kind of defeated the point of having the jacket in the first place. Ah, memories.

3) In one of those mirror-reflecting-a-mirror situations, this video was now definitely made back in the day. What really trips me out is that someday "oldies" hip-hop radio will include tracks like B.o.B.'s "Nothin on You", just like it now includes "Back in the Day". Forever young my ass.

4) For the record, here's a complete list of what Ahmad misses: bothering his brother, karate shows, yo momma jokes, hide-and-seek, ding-dong ditch, bomber jackets, gazelles, BK Knights, turkish link, corduroy pants, Nike Cortez, footsie socks, pickles, Tootsie pops, "Supersonic", Nike tracksuits, biker shorts, fat laced Pumas, K Swiss, homework.

5) Where is Ahmad now? Unlike 90% of the artists we feature on Throwback Thursday, while he obviously hasn't had another large hit, Ahmad's still in the game. He's apparently got an album titled "Death of Me" coing soon, and his YouTube channel posts updates regularly.