FSD Feature: Revisiting “On My Momma” 10 Years Later

Words by Fatboi Fresh (@BigWizIzDead)

The year was 2002. On a cold, late winter evening, me and one of my best friends were sitting in a car likely smoking weed, when I heard the catchiest, most Chicago sounding song I’d ever heard in my life. The name of said song was “ On My Momma.”  I had no idea who performed the song, however, what I did know was from that point on I would never write another song that didn’t include some form of Chicago vernacular.

A few days later, the entire city caught on to the new local phenomenon, but still no one had any idea who the song was by. After a couple of weeks passed, the streets had officially dubbed the hip hop trio: “ The On My Momma Niggaz,” and I’m pretty sure I even saw that verbiage on a few flyers. Eventually it was revealed that the name of the group was not “The On My Momma Niggaz,” and furthermore they weren’t even a group. The artist behind the song was True Enuff, and it featured two other artists by the name of Swing and Big Huss.

Before “On My Momma” dropped, I couldn’t remember the last time a local artist had received so many BDS spins for a song that wasn’t backed by a major label. The song’s success was truly something to be celebrated, and I’m certain had social networks been around at the time, these guys would have been the Chief Keef, Lil Reese and Lil Durk’s of their time — all scoring some form of record deal. Unfortunately there was no way to mathematically calculate the impact that song had on Chicago, and anyone who had ever used the phrase “On My Momma.” Exactly ten years later, I thought it would be cool to get the real story on how the song came about, and what the Westside emcee is currently up to in the forever changing business of hip-hop.

Fatboi Fresh: How did the song “On My Momma” come about?

True Enuff: At that time, me and my producer was in a zone. We was grinding heavy, me and the other artists damn near lived in the studio. We used to all battle for tracks, basically. The nigga Mike went in the lab and started making a beat, so I’m in the office and all I could hear was the drums. So by the time he got done and opened the door –maybe 20 minutes later — I had the hook and the formula, and I rapped it for him and his face lit up. Huss was there, so I asked him to jump on it. We immediately wrote our verses, and Mike had the idea of adding Swing later on. We recorded it the next day with whoever was at the studio. It’s some of everybody and they momma yelling “On My Momma” on that song.

Fatboi Fresh: At what point did you notice the song was catching on?

True Enuff: Pretty early on. I mean, the song just seemed to take flight off top. We would play it in the club and the crowd would fuck with it pretty tough, and this was before it hit radio. But I recall getting followed back from the club by a A&R from Universal. We was like “Who the fuck is this Crocodile Hunter lookin ass nigga poppin’ up everywhere we go?” Then he walked up and introduced himself, when that happened I knew shit was gettin crazy. After that, I just remember labels reps stopping by back to back to back. Jive would leave and five minutes later Sony was walking in. Then Russel Simmons or somebody was calling and that’s when I knew it was dead serious.

Fatboi Fresh: I seemed as if you guys were getting 15 spins a day on every credible radio station in the city. How did it feel to get that type of notoriety without having a major label deal?

True Enuff: It was a blessing, ain’t no other way I could put it. It felt great. God definitely had his hands on that situation. I heard stories about how hard it is to break out in Chicago, and here the first song I ever sent to the radio generated the kinda support niggas wish they could pay for. I always felt like the streets promoted and A&R’d that record. I got so much love & support with that song. Man, I’m forever indebted to the fans.

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