By Odeisel

Family is the central unit of society. Though it adopts several forms outside of its nuclear ideal, familial bonds hold us together in times of need and uplift us in our brightest hours. Unlike things that weather over time and weaken, family is strengthened by surviving strife. Hardened by what is happy as well as what is harrowing, and the longer the time the firmer the cement on our connection. Perhaps more than any other label in Hip-Hop, Duck Down Records is family. They have survived the same issues that have destroyed other labels.

Many enterprises operate on faux family principles. When the bosses want you to produce and they need you it’s family and when things head south, that “we” rapidly becomes “us” and “you.”  Five years ago when faced with the prospect of a sinking ship, Dru and Buck didn’t abandon ship. They retooled, re-upped and dropped their triple threat package with Buckshot, Sean P, and Smiff N Wessun all playing a major role in righting the ship.

They have survived the advent of the internet. They have survived bad distribution deals. They have survived a crisis of identity and a disenchantment of their initial fanbase. The “little label that could” survived the East Coast/West Coast “wars” even managing to collaborate with Tupac at the height of the drama.

And so they stand 15 years later, with classic songs, timeless albums and a fairly unimpeachable legacy. Friday night they celebrated that legacy as a family and Planet Ill was distinctly honored to sit at the table and break bread as extended family. The event also marked Dru Ha’s birthday and stood as a testament to how attention to detail and well as hard work (not that grinding stuff people say when they’re ashamed of sitting on their ass…but they’re sitting on their ass) the ordinary can become extraordinary.

Present was Sean Price with expecting wife (with baby Shaun Price kicking in her belly). Present was the very first bullet in the Duck Down chamber Smiff N Wessun who performed with a live band. Also counted was label new comer Skyzoo who performed the “Beautiful Decay.” Speeches were given by Dru Ha’s mother and brothers, and co label head Buckshot who performed the very first Duck Down song “Who Got The Props” and really drove home the family aspect with his own mother on stage. Funkmaster Flex played a set and everyone in attendance shared history on a real level. Open bar? Certainly.  Bottle popping excess? Hell no. Because that wouldn’t be the logo. That wouldn’t be the way. Family recuses itself from pretention. And more than anything else it was a family affair. May they be blessed with another 15.

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