Symbolic Three Featuring D.J. Dr. Shock* - No Show

With the growing popularity of reply-records ignited by the "Roxanne" craze, several artists attempted to run with the format targeting other hit rap records. Doug E. Fresh's & Slick Rick's hit "The Show" became a likely target considering it was a best-selling record at the time that eventually yielded gold status.

Female rap-trio Symoblic Three (and coincidently label-mates of Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick) launched a reply-record titled "No Show". As the title suggests, the group pins Doug E. Fresh as a habitually tardy performer who frequently misses his scheduled appearances. Furthermore, the Symbolic Three depict Doug E. Fresh as unkempt, wearing tattered clothing (including a worn-out pair of Ballys). Even Slick Rick wasn't protected from the group's insults. The highlight of the track is when the group parodies Slick Rick's verse from "The Show" where he is flirting with a female on a train. The Symbolic Three turn it around and explain on their version of the song that when trying to make a pass at Slick Rick, he replied with saying "Hi, my name is Rick and I'm gay". One can't help but laugh at this ridiculous and most unexpected punch line.

Production-wise, "No Show" works mainly off of vocal and musical interpolation from the original track "The Show" but is laced track with a catchy xylophone tune, creating some originality. However, the B-Side's "Treacherous" is far superior in quality working with a simple, raw, and feel-good programmed drum beat with a tantalizing bassline. The lyrical flow of the rappers also improves since there isn't a strain to emulate the rapping style of "The Show".

Around the same time, another three-girl rap group called Super Nature (who would later be widely known as Salt 'N Peppa) also launched their own career with an answer-record to "The Show" titled "The Show Stoppa". It is clearly apparent that either the origins of the Symbolic Three or Salt 'N Pepa was highly based off of the other.