In a recent sit-down on The Gully TV, Big Dubez opened up about the rise of Sporty Thieves and how their biggest hit, “No Pigeons,” almost didn’t happen. From label struggles to creating an era-defining response record, Dubez breaks down the highs, lows, and unexpected moments that turned the song into a No. 1 hit.
The Industry Almost Gave Up on Sporty Thieves
According to Dubez, Sporty Thieves’ journey wasn’t an easy one. Signed to Columbia Records, the group felt overlooked from the start. Their first single, “Cheapskate (NADA),” which sampled Roy Ayers’ Life Is Just a Moment Part Two, didn’t get the promotional push they expected.
“We knew we had something, but the label wasn’t really behind it,” Dubez explained. “It was the fans that made ‘Cheapskate’ spread. It was getting spins in mom-and-pop record stores, but without that major push, it was hard.”
From Almost Dropped to a Chart-Topping Hit
Just when it seemed like things were falling apart, Funkmaster Flex stepped in with a game-changing idea.
“Flex hit us up and said, ‘Yo, y’all need to respond to this ‘No Scrubs’ joint,’” Dubez recalled. “At first, we weren’t sure, but we went in the studio, and ‘No Pigeons’ came out of it.”
What started as a regional record in New York quickly exploded into a nationwide phenomenon.
How “No Pigeons” Took Over
The song wasn’t just a hit—it became a cultural moment. Dubez shared some of the viral moments that followed:
- “Whitney Houston got on Funk Flex’s show and started quoting the lyrics! That’s when I knew it was real.”
- “We had this bug-eyed lens effect for the video, and it just made it stand out.”
- “Big Pun was supposed to be in the video, but he had to bounce early. Still, we had cameos from Eve, Guru from Gang Starr—it was legendary.”
- “For weeks, MTV and BET would play ‘No Scrubs’ and ‘No Pigeons’ back-to-back. You couldn’t escape it.”
Why They Didn’t Keep Making Response Records
After the success of “No Pigeons,” DJs and fans wanted Sporty Thieves to keep dropping rebuttal records. They even recorded a remix of Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills,” with 50 Cent writing a verse for a featured artist.
But Dubez said they never wanted to be boxed in. “We weren’t trying to be the ‘response record’ guys. We had more to say.” That’s why the group took control of their music, producing their album Street Cinema themselves, with King Kirk and Ski leading production.
A Hit That Defined an Era
Looking back, Dubez knows that “No Pigeons” was more than just a record—it was a moment in time. “We went from almost getting dropped to having a No. 1 record. That’s what hip-hop is all about—flipping the script when nobody sees it coming.”
