No Pigeons

"No Pigeons" was originally written & recorded by rap artist "Mr. Wood$" alongside of one New York's highly respected mix tape DJs, DJ Rhude. Mr. Wood$ & Dj Rhude wanted to create a male-aimed response after the widespread international success of TLC's song "No Scrubs," a song that discusses the unwillingness of women to engage in a relationship with men who are unemployed, grimy, unsophisticated, or poorly-mannered. The song then was titled "No Vultures" and released independently via "DJ Rhude mix tape" that DJ Rhude was known for in the early to late 1990s.

The record "No Vultures" landed into the hands of WQHT/Hot 97's DJ & On Air Personality Funkmaster Flex who quickly realized that the record would be a hit and would be perfect for a group that he produced and mentored called Sporty Thievz. Funkmaster Flex quickly contacted Mr. Wood$ & DJ Rhude to re-record the record along with the Sporty Thievz to be released nationally under the name "No Pigeons" after taking a unanimous vote that a pigeon would work better commercially as being called a vulture may offend some female listeners.

Nationally released as "No Pigeons" by the Sporty Thievz featuring Mr. Wood$ the song discusses the dilemma that "No Scrubs" alluded to, but rather than name women "scrubs," they were denoted as "pigeons." Throughout the course of the song, the artists on the track make overt references to unsightly, substandard women, accusing them of wearing hair weaves, having "more than one baby father," receiving public assistance, personal hygiene & "stripping all week to go clubbing."

The entire song uses a slightly faster instrumental of the original "No Scrubs" with added bass. No Pigeons was also produced by Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs.

In 2007 California indie band Brighten covered the song for a Warped Tour compilation album entitled "Yo! Indie Rocks Raps," which was never released via retail outlets but was available for purchase at tour stops. Several of the tracks from this project were eventually re-released with Fearless' compilation Punk Goes Crunk, however No Pigeons was omitted from this list.

The music video was made in March 1999, it also features female rapper Eve, Gang Starr's Guru, Ras Kass & Harlem World rapper Blinky Blink. Parts of the video were filmed in the Parkchester section of the Bronx.