Dyme - Diamonds in the Ruff [Unreleased, 2000]

Collection of known songs taken from female rap duo Dyme’s unreleased debut album “Diamonds in the Ruff” (2000). Hailing from Mount Vernon, New York, identical twin sisters Idrissa and Aisha Hassan initially teamed up as musicians under the generic stage name Duo before revising their artistic moniker to Dyme.

The pair’s lyrical crafting skills and stellar storytelling earned them cameo features both on-screen and off-screen. The first came per the Q-Tip-starring, direct-to-VHS flick “Love Goggles” (1999), while the second resulted in a spot on the Ruff Ryders/Cash Money 2000 Tour.

With these modest forms of recognition, Dyme was solid proof that they were just as hot as their male spitting counterparts. Through the release of several buzz singles (“Spanish Fly”, “3 Stories”, “In the Cut”, “Million Dollar Chicks (Where They At”), Dyme readied a debut album due to be titled “Diamonds in the Ruff”, penned for an early 2000 release before being mind-numbingly postponed to early 2001.

While they awaited their turn for the musical limelight, Dyme hopped on an assortment of tracks and remixes shared by a rolodex of famous musicians, most notably Whitney Houston and Deborah Cox. Talks of the two-piece collective being signed to DMX’s label Bloodline Records and having their own movie (“Double Crossed”) were widely considered as effort to further strengthen the pair’s hype.

Sadly, all momentum was halted when the sisterly duo asked to be released from their contract with Arista and have their album shelved. It remains unclear as to what pushed the twins to step away from the scene; the rumor is said to be that due to their singles not being properly funded for commercial support on radio or in clubs, this may have put pressure on the two’s management to postpone further steps to have their name promoted extensively, resulting in Dyme’s frustration and cause to leave Arista.

Track-listing is as follows:

1.) Phone Skit #1

2.) N*ggaz Do Real Thangz (feat. Bobby Simmons & Smif-N-Wessun a.k.a. Cocoa Brovaz)

3.) In the Cut

4.) What’chu Want (feat. Lady Luck)

5.) It Ain’t a Game

6.) 3 Stories (feat. DMX)

7.) Another Story 2 Tell (with Notorious B.I.G., Nas & Trina)

8.) Phone Skit #2

9.) Ladies, Are U Wit Me?

10.) Thug Glamour

11.) Spanish Fly (feat. Cuban Link & Barrio Boyzz)

12.) Diamonds in the Ruff

13.) A & I (Demo Version)

14.) Is It a Crime?

15.) Double Cross

16.) Where They At? (Million Dollar Chicks)

17.) Phone Skit #3

18.) My Love Is Your Love (Wyclef Jean Remix) (with Whitney Houston) [*]

[*] = denotes bonus track; released in 1998