Organized Rhyme - Check The O.R. (2000 Remix)

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Check The O.R. (2000 Remix)	06:26
	2	Check The O.R. (Perry Alexander Remix)	04:27

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Check The O.R. (Tyson Remix)	05:02
	2	Check The O.R. (Original Mix)	04:11

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Information/Write-up

When Organized Rhyme first dropped Check the O.R. in 1992, they delivered a playful but technically sharp take on Canadian hip-hop, blending tight wordplay with a funky, jazz-infused beat. The track was catchy enough to win a MuchMusic Video Award and became a cult favorite, mostly due to the chemistry between Tom Green (MC Bones), Pin the Chameleon (Greg Campbell), and DJ Signal (Geordie Ferguson).

By the time the 2000 remix surfaced on Universal, the group had long since disbanded, and Tom Green had transitioned from underground rap to comedy stardom. So, was this remix an authentic revival or just a nostalgia cash-in? Surprisingly, it’s a little bit of both.

The 2000 Remix keeps the spirit of the original intact but updates the production with a crisper, slightly more aggressive beat. The flows remain unchanged, a testament to the group’s lyrical dexterity. This remix proves that Check the O.R. still holds up, with its playful delivery and quotable bars intact.

Meanwhile, the Perry Alexander and Tyson remixes stretch the track into more club-friendly territory, tweaking the bass and percussion to fit a late-'90s/early-2000s aesthetic. But ultimately, it's the original mix that remains the standout, still feeling fresh even nearly a decade after its initial release.

The Origins of Organized Rhyme: A Glimpse from the Past
Looking back at Organized Rhyme’s 1992 MuchMusic Rap City interview, it’s clear that these guys weren’t just a novelty act—they were a legitimate hip-hop crew who took their craft seriously, even if they approached it with humor. The group, signed to Boom-Bastic Records (Ivan Berry’s label), was dedicated to their music, putting in long studio hours and piecing tracks together meticulously.

As they joked in the interview, their recording sessions ran "from midnight to late in the morning", fueled by a diet of "fruits and stuff"—though they insisted, "we're healthy guys, we're healthy guys!" This work ethic shows in Check the O.R., a track that's full of crisp, rapid-fire rhymes that still sound sharp today.

One of the more revealing moments in the interview comes when Tom Green describes how the group came together:
"One day it just suddenly… you know, he asked me if I wanted to rap at a Christmas concert at school, and it happened. We just stuck to it. We hooked up and stuck to it. And now look at us!"

It’s clear that what started as a fun experiment quickly grew into something much bigger.

Legacy & Final Verdict
The 2000 remix of Check the O.R. didn’t exactly reignite Organized Rhyme’s career, but it did remind fans why they were so beloved in the first place. The track’s mix of tight rhymes, humor, and classic boom-bap beats still works, proving that Check the O.R. wasn’t just a one-hit wonder, but an enduring piece of Canadian hip-hop history.

For fans of the original, the remix is a solid listen, though it doesn't drastically reinvent the song. Instead, it serves as a reminder of the group's skills and chemistry, showing why they still get name-checked in discussions about Canadian rap.
-Robert Williston

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