Three 6 Mafia’s “Most Known Unknown” Still Hits 20 Years Later

Almost 20 years ago, Three 6 Mafia dropped their highly acclaimed eighth studio album Most Known Unknown on September 27, 2005. Of course, we all know the elite hits like “Stay Fly,” “Poppin’ My Collar,” and “Half On A Sack,” but I’ll admit—I had never sat down and run through the whole album front to back until recently. A few weeks ago, I doubled back on the Mafia, and ever since, Most Known Unknown has been on repeat.

The project kicks off with a spoken-word intro before sliding right into the smash “Stay Fly,” but it only gets better from there. One of my personal favorites comes early with “Roll With It” featuring the late Project Pat, followed by “Don’t Violate” with Fayser Boy. Then the Mafia taps in with H-Town’s very own Mike Jones and Paul Wall on “Swervin,” a track that aligns perfectly with Houston’s vibe—a vibe I’m learning to love myself.

After another certified banger in “Poppin’ My Collar,” Juicy J links up with Boogieman for “Hard Hittaz.” The crew then turns up the club with “Side to Side,” built on production that Rae Sremmurd would later flip into their hit “Power Glide.” By the time “Half On A Sack” comes around, I usually find myself going straight back to the start. But some of the deeper cuts are just as strong, like “P Got You Hooked,” “Body Parts 3” and “Stay Fly (Remix)” featuring a then-newcomers Remy Ma, Lil Flip and Slim Thug respectively.

Looking back, Most Known Unknown has aged like fine wine. Nearly 20 years after its release, these tracks still hit with the hard rhymes, gritty production, and raw energy that the current hip-hop scene sometimes feels like it’s missing. Juicy J has always been an all-star producer, which explains why artists like Rae Sremmurd, Megan Thee Stallion, BIA, and Travis Scott amongst many others still call on him to this day.

My First Time To Cracker Barrel

And the features on this album? Stacked. From Kanye and Bow Wow on the “Poppin’ My Collar” remix to Young Buck on “Stay Fly” and Remy Ma, the Mafia made sure this project was loaded. It’s no surprise that Most Known Unknown debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 and grabbed the #1 spot on both the R&B and Rap charts. If Three 6 Mafia decided to drop a follow-up today, I have no doubt they’d be right back on top!