KRS-One ‘KRS-One’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 10th October 1995
Label: Jice / RCA
Producers: DJ Premier, Big French Productions, KRS-One, Norty Cotto, Showbiz, Diamond D
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“KRS-One is the eponymous second studio album by hip hop artist KRS-One, it was released on October 10, 1995.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #10 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1995.
- The single ‘MCs Act Like They Don’t Know’ comes in at #11 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1995
- The tracks ‘MCs Act Like They Don’t Know’ and ‘Represent the Real Hip Hop’ appear on our 1995 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
King Tee - ‘At Your Own Risk’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 2nd October 1990
Label: Capitol Records
Producers: DJ Pooh, King Tee, Bilal Bashir, J.R. Coes, Bronick Wrobleski, E-Swift, DJ Aladdin
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“At Your Own Risk is the second studio album by American West Coast hip hop artist King Tee. It was released on October 2, 1990 via Capitol Records. Production was handled by several record producers, including DJ Pooh, E-Swift, Bilal Bashir, Bronick Wrobleski, J.R. Coes, DJ Aladdin, and King T himself. It also features guest appearances provided by Ice Cube and Breeze on the album’s final track “Played Like a Piano”. The album spawned four singles: “Ruff Rhyme (Back Again)”, “Diss You”, “At Your Own Risk” and “Played Like a Piano”, which were later included on the rapper’s greatest hits album titled Ruff Rhymes: Greatest Hits Collection. The album peaked at number 175 on the US Billboard 200 and number 35 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Its single “Ruff Rhyme (Back Again)” peaked at number 18 on the Hot Rap Songs.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #19 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990.
- The track ‘Played Like a Piano’ appears on our Classic Material 1990 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Mobb Deep ‘The Infamous’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 25th April 1995
Label: Loud / RCA
Producers: Mobb Deep / Q-Tip
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Infamous (stylized as The Infamous…) is the second studio album by the American hip hop duo Mobb Deep. It was released on April 25, 1995, by Loud Records. The album features guest appearances by Nas, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and Q-Tip, who also contributed to its production and mixing. Most of the leftover songs from the album became bonus tracks for Mobb Deep’s The Infamous Mobb Deep album (2014).
Upon its release, The Infamous achieved notable commercial success, debuting at number 15 on the US Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums charts. On June 26, 1995, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).The album produced four singles; “Shook Ones (Part II)”, “Survival of the Fittest”, “Temperature’s Rising”, “Give Up the Goods (Just Step)”; the first three singles achieved varying degrees of chart success, with “Shook Ones (Part II)” being the most successful.
The album’s dark, haunting style, defined by its evocative melodies, rugged beats, and lyrics dealing with crime in inner city neighborhoods, reflected the destitute side of New York’s urban landscape in a manner that received special recognition and critical praise. Along with albums such as Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Illmatic and Ready to Die, The Infamous is widely credited as a major contributor to the East Coast Renaissance. Furthermore, the album is credited with helping to redefine the sound of hardcore hip hop, using its production style, which incorporated eerie piano loops, distorted synthesizers, eighth-note hi-hats, and sparse filtered basslines.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #2 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1995.
- The single ‘Shook Ones Part II’ comes in at #1 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1995
- The track ‘Shook Ones Part II’ appears on our 1995 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Big L ‘Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 28th March 1995
Label: Columbia
Producers: Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Showbiz, Craig Boogie
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous is the debut studio album by American hip hop artist Big L. Released March 28, 1995 on Columbia Records, it is Big L’s only album to be released during his lifetime. Recording sessions took place primarily at Powerplay Studios in Queens, New York in mid-to-late 1994. Production was handled by Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Showbiz and Craig Boogie.
The album debuted at number 149 on the US Billboard 200 and number 22 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, but did not chart internationally. Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous spawned three singles: “Put It On”, “M.V.P.”, and “No Endz, No Skinz”, the first two both peaked within the top 25 on the US Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Dance Singles Sales. Upon its release, the album received positive reviews from music critics, earning praise for Big L’s lyricism and wordplay, and is now considered by many fans as a classic album. As of August 2000, the album has sold 200,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #25 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1995.
- The track ‘Put It On’ (released as a single the year prior) appears on our Classic Material 1994 Mixtape.
- The track ‘Put It On’ appears on our 1994 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Ol’ Dirty Bastard ‘Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 28th March 1995
Label: Elektra
Producers: RZA, True Master, 4th Disciple, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Ethan Ryman, Big Dore
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version is the solo debut album of American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ol’ Dirty Bastard, released March 28, 1995 on Elektra Records in the United States. It was the second solo album, after Method Man’s Tical, to be released from the nine-member Wu-Tang clan, following the release of their debut album. Return to the 36 Chambers was primarily produced by RZA, with additional production from Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and affiliates True Master and 4th Disciple. The album features guest appearances from Wu-Tang members GZA, RZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and Masta Killa, as well as several Wu-Tang affiliates and Brooklyn Zu.
Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version peaked at number seven on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album sold 81,000 copies in its first week, and was certified Platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 26, 2019. Upon its release, the album received positive reviews from most music critics, with many complimenting Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s bizarre lyrical delivery and RZA’s eerie production. The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1996 Grammy Awards.”
Additional info:
- Watch Amazon Music’s Return to 36 Chambers 25th Anniversary Mini Documentary
- The album comes in at #4 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1995.
- The single ‘Brooklyn Zoo’ and ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’ appear at #4 and #36 Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Single of 1995.
- The track ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’. appears on our 1995 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Above the Law ‘Livin’ Like Hustlers’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 20th February 1990
Label: Ruthless Records
Producers: Above the Law, Dr Dre, Laylaw
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Livin’ Like Hustlers is the debut album by American hip hop group Above the Law. It was released on February 20, 1990 via Ruthless Records, and an advanced promo cassette version was released two months earlier. The ten track record featured a guest performance from N.W.A on “The Last Song”, as well as audio production by Dr. Dre. In addition, Eazy-E served as executive producer of the album. It peaked at number 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 75 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
The album included two hit singles “Murder Rap” and “Untouchable”, which both charted at number one on the Hot Rap Songs. Its lead single, “Murder Rap”, also peaked at number 41 on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales and later was featured on the fictional radio station Radio Los Santos in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as well as the 2009 film Pineapple Express. “Freedom Of Speech” appeared on the soundtrack to the 1990 Christian Slater film Pump Up The Volume. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums Ever.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #12 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990.
- The singles ‘Murder Rap’ and ‘Untouchable’ come in at #26 and #39 respectively on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1990.
- The tracks ‘What Cha Can Prove’ appears on our Classic Material 1990 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth ‘Funky Technician’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 6th February 1990
Label: Wild Pitch
Producers: DJ Premier, Diamond D, Showbiz, DJ Mike Smooth
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Funky Technician is the debut album of American hip hop artists Lord Finesse and DJ Mike Smooth, released in 1990 on Wild Pitch Records. Production was handled by Smooth, former label-mate DJ Premier, and future Diggin’ in the Crates Crew-members Diamond D and Showbiz. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. In 2008, the album was re-released on Wild Pitch Records.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #15 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990.
- The single ‘Strictly for the Ladies’ comes in at #24 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1990.
- The tracks ‘Strictly for the Ladies’ and ‘Bad Mutha’ appear on our Classic Material 1990 Mixtape.
- The track ‘Strictly for the Ladies’ appears on our 1990 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
The Roots ‘Do You Want More?!!!??!’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 17th January 1995
Label: DGC / Geffen
Producers: The Grand Negaz, Questlove, Kelo, A.J. Shine, Black Thought, Rahzel
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Do You Want More?!!!??! is the second studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released January 17, 1995 on DGC Records. The band’s major label-debut, it was released two years after their independent debut album, Organix (1993). Do You Want More?!!!??! has been considered by critics as a classic of hip hop jazz. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. On November 2, 2015, twenty years after its release, the album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of 500,000 units in the United States. The master tapes for the album, including some unreleased tracks, were destroyed in a fire at the Universal Studios back lot in 2008.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Smif N Wessun ‘Dah Shinin’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 10th January 1995
Label: Wreck
Producers: Da Beatminerz
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Dah Shinin’ is the debut album from American East Coast hip hop duo Smif-N-Wessun. Members Tek and Steele made their debut previously on Black Moon’s classic 1993 album Enta Da Stage. Dah Shinin’ was noted for its hardcore lyrical content and production, which was handled by Da Beatminerz members DJ Evil Dee, Mr. Walt, Rich Blak and Baby Paul. The album marked the arrival of Hip Hop supergroup, the Boot Camp Clik, a prominent rap crew of the 1990s. The group includes Black Moon member Buckshot, Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C., as well as Tek and Steele. All members make an appearance on the posse-cut “Cession at da Doghillee”. The album has gone on to sell over 300,000 copies in the United States, and includes the underground single “Bucktown”. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. The album’s cover draws its inspiration from Roy Ayers Ubiquity’s 1972 album He’s Coming..”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #9 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1995.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Queen Latifah ‘All Hail the Queen’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 28th November 1989
Label: Tommy Boy
Producers: DJ Mark the 45 King, Louis ‘Louie Louie’ Vega, KRS-One, Daddy-O, Prince Paul
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“All Hail the Queen is the debut album by hip hop artist Queen Latifah, released on November 28, 1989, under Tommy Boy Records. The album was unusually successful for a hip hop record at the time, buoyed by the single “Wrath of My Madness”, and was certified gold in July 1990. The feminist anthem “Ladies First” (with Monie Love) remains one of Latifah’s signature songs.
All Hail the Queen peaked at #6 and #124 on the Billboard Top Hip Hop/R&B Albums and Billboard 200 charts, respectively. “Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children” peaked at #14 in the UK. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. It was also featured in Robert Dimery’s 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
In 2008, the single “Ladies First” was ranked number 35 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs Of Hip Hop..”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #12 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The single ‘Dance for Me’ comes in at #33 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Redman ‘Dare Iz A Darkside’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 22nd November 1994
Label: Def Jam
Producers: Erick Sermon, Reggie Noble, Rockwilder
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Dare Iz a Darkside is the second studio album by American rapper Redman. It was released on November 22, 1994, by Def Jam Recordings. The album debuted at 13 on the US Billboard 200. In January 1995, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), exceeding the sales of 500,000 copies in the United States. The album cover features Redman buried in the ground up to his neck, a reference to the cover of Funkadelic’s 1971 album Maggot Brain. In addition, the song “Cosmic Slop” shares its name with a 1973 Funkadelic album.
In 2010, Redman told Vibe Magazine that he never performed any songs from Dare Iz A Darkside in recent years - primarily due to the album being made during one of the dark times in his life. The positive reaction to the album stunned Redman, who said “I was doing a lot of drugs on Dare Iz A Darkside. I have chicks that come up to me and say, ‘Yo, Dare Iz A Darkside is my favorite fuckin’ album, ever.’ I swear, I have not played Dare Iz A Darkside damn near since I did it. Seriously! I was so lost, I was so fucked up during that album”.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #18 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1994.
- The singles ‘Rockafella (Remix)’ and ‘Can’t Wait’ come in at #26 and #27 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1994.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
3rd Bass ‘The Cactus Album’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 14th November 1989
Label: Def Jam
Producers: Pete Nice, MC Serch, Sam Sever, Prince Paul, The Bomb Squad
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Cactus Al/Bum (also known as The Cactus Cee/D and The Cactus Cas/Ette depending on release format) is the debut album by hip hop trio 3rd Bass, released on Def Jam Recordings on November 14, 1989. The album received positive reviews from the hip hop press. It was certified gold by the RIAA on April 24, 1990, the same day as Biz Markie’s The Biz Never Sleeps, which was released two weeks prior to The Cactus Album.The Cactus Album peaked at #5 on Billboard’s Top Hip Hop/R&B Albums chart and at #55 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. A decade later, Rhapsody included The Cactus Album in its list of “The 10 Best Albums By White Rappers”.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #7 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The singles ‘The Gas Face’ and ‘Steppin to the AM’ come in at #16 and #23 respectively on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- The track ‘Brooklyn Queens’ appears on our Classic Material 1989 mixtape.
- The track ‘Brooklyn Queens’ appears on our 1989 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Pete Rock & CL Smooth ‘The Main Ingredient’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 8th November 1994
Label: Elektra
Producers: Pete Rock
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Characterized by sultry soul and jazz samples, The Main Ingredient saw a more polished sound than the duo’s debut, building on the praise that they had already garnered. The album is notable for its snappy, crispy drums and extensive use of vocal scratches, usually from songs by Biz Markie. Although missing a centerpiece on the scale of “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”, the album contains some of the duo’s best known work, in the form of tracks such as the upbeat “In The House”, and the catchy “Sun Won’t Come Out”, which features a lush vocal sample from the song of the same name by Harvey Scales.
Continuing a theme initiated by Mecca and the Soul Brother, brief instrumental interludes are placed at the beginning and end of songs. With the exception of just a few tracks, this feature is recurrent throughout the album. In addition, The Main Ingredient saw Rock fleshing out and defining his trademark production style, which is now recognized for often containing smooth basslines, swirling horns, filtered samples, and spacious grooves. The production on this album proved to be influential upon a legion of latter day producers.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘Take You There’ appears on our Classic Material 1994 Mixtape.
- The track ‘Get On The Mic’ appears on our 1994 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Jungle Brothers ‘Done by the Forces of Nature’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 7th November 1989
Label: Warner Bros.
Producers: Jungle Brothers, Kool DJ red Alert
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Done by the Forces of Nature is the second studio album by American hip hop group Jungle Brothers, released on November 7, 1989 by Warner Bros. Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in 1989 at Calliope Studios in New York City, and production was handled by the Jungle Brothers. It was mixed at Apollo Studios by Kool DJ Red Alert and the Jungle Brothers. The album’s title may refer to a line from the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu scripture, wherein Krishna says, “Those who are deluded by the illusive power (Maya) of Nature become attached to the work done by the forces of nature”.
Done by the Forces of Nature peaked at number 46 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It also received rave reviews from music critics who praised its Afrocentric themes, clever lyrics, house-influenced production, and eclectic sampling of music genres such as jazz, R&B, funk, and African music. Done by the Forces of Nature has been considered a golden age hip hop classic, as well as one of the greatest and influential hip hop albums of all time. In 1998, The Source magazine selected the album as one of its 100 Best Rap Albums.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #3 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The track ‘U Make Me Sweat’ and ‘Feelin’ Alright’ appear on our Classic Material 1989 mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Pharoahe Monch ‘Internal Affairs’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 19th October 1999
Label: Rawkus
Producers: Pharoahe Monch, Lee Stone, DJ Scratch, The Alchemist, Diamond D
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Internal Affairs is the solo debut from former Organized Konfusion member Pharoahe Monch, released on Rawkus Records and Priority Records. Monch creates a harder sound than heard on the previous Organized Konfusion records. The album spawned the Hot 100 hit “Simon Says”.
The album is out of print because of Pharoahe Monch’s refusal to record for the Geffen Records label after Universal Music Group acquired Rawkus Records from Priority. Rawkus, as well as its then-parent label MCA Records, were later folded by the Universal Music Group into Geffen Records.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘Simons Says’ appears on our Classic Material 1999 mixtape.
- The tracks ‘Simon Says’ and ‘Queens’ appear in our 1999 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Mos Def ‘Black on Both Sides’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 12th October 1999
Label: Rawkus
Producers: Mos Def, Diamond D, Ge-ology, 88-Keys, DJ Premier, Ayatollah, D. Prosper, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Psycho Les, DJ Etch-A-Sketch, David Kennedy
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Black on Both Sides is the debut studio album by American rapper Mos Def, released on October 12, 1999 by Rawkus and Priority Records. Prior to its recording, Mos Def had collaborated with Talib Kweli for the album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star in 1998, which raised high expectations for a solo effort by the former. Black on Both Sides features an emphasis on live instrumentation and socially conscious lyrics. On February 2, 2000, the album was certified Gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), following sales in excess of 500,000 copies.
Talib Kweli (one-half of Black Star with Mos Def), Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes are the only main rappers to be featured on the album. Kweli raps the second and final verse of “Know That”, while Busta goes back and forth with Mos on “Do It Now”. Q-Tip helps sing the chorus on “Mr. Nigga” but doesn’t deliver a verse. The lyrics Q-Tip recites are similar to his previously released lyrics on A Tribe Called Quest’s “Sucka Nigga”. Vinia Mojica (who is known for singing on Native Tongues songs) also sings a duet with Mos Def on the song “Climb”.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘Mathematics’ appears on our Classic Material 1999 mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Ice-T ‘The Iceberg / Freedom of Speech’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 10th October 1989
Label: Sire
Producers: Ice-T, Afrika Islam
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech… Just Watch What You Say! is the third studio album by American rapper Ice-T, released on October 10, 1989 by Sire Records. The album has an uncharacteristically gritty sound, featuring some of the darkest tracks that Ice-T ever released. The album was released after Ice-T was encountering censorship problems on tour. In The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck? the rapper states that “People had already told me what I could not say onstage in Columbus, Georgia. You couldn’t say anything they called a ‘swear’ word. You couldn’t touch yourself. They were using the same tactics they used on everyone from Elvis and Jim Morrison to 2 Live Crew”. The album’s cover, featuring a B-boy with a shotgun shoved in his mouth, and two pistols pressed against each side of his head, reflected Ice-T’s experiences with the concept of freedom of speech. “The concept of that picture is, ‘Go ahead and say what you want. But here comes the government and here come the parents, and they are ready to destroy you when you open your mouth’”.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #21 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The single ‘You Played Yourself’ comes in at #30 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- The track ‘You Played Yourself (DJ Alladin Remix) appears on our Classic Material 1989 mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Biz Markie ‘The Biz Never Sleeps’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 10th October 1989
Label: Cold Chillin
Producers: Biz Markie, Cool V
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Biz Never Sleeps is the second studio album by Biz Markie. It was released on October 10, 1989, on Cold Chillin’/Warner Bros. Records and was produced by Biz, his cousin Cool V and seminal producer Paul C, instead of Cold Chillin’ in-house producer Marley Marl. The album proved to be a success, peaking at #66 on the Billboard 200 and #9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, as well as producing his most famous song and biggest hit, “Just a Friend,” which made it to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the Hot Rap Singles. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on April 24, 1990. A 2006 Japanese issue includes song “A Thing Named Kim” as track 8. Though out of print for many years, the album was reissued on LP and CD in 2012 by Traffic Entertainment Group.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #10 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The single ‘Just a Friend’ comes in at #6 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Common ‘Resurrection’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 4th October 1994
Label: Relativity
Producers: No I.D, Ynot
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Resurrection is the second studio album by American rapper Common, then known as Common Sense, released on October 4, 1994 by Relativity Records. It was almost entirely produced by No I.D., who also produced most of Common’s 1992 debut Can I Borrow A Dollar?. The album received critical acclaim, but not a significant amount of mainstream attention. Originally, it was rated 3.5 mics in The Source. However, in 1998, it was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums .
The album is divided into two sections; the “East Side of Stony” (tracks 1-7) and “West Side of Stony” (tracks 8-15). Stony Island Avenue is a street that runs through the South Side of Chicago, where Common was raised. The closing track, “Pop’s Rap” was the first of a series of tracks featuring spoken word and poetry by Common’s father, Lonnie “Pops” Lynn, which Common has used to close several of his albums since. Interlaced throughout the album are short interludes which form a loose narrative concerning day-to-day life on the South Side.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 25th Anniversary Mixtape.
- The album comes in at #6 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1994.
- The single ‘I Used to Love H.E.R’ comes in at #7 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1994.
- The tracks ‘I Used to Love H.E.R’ and ‘Resurrection’ appears on our Classic Material 1994 Mixtape.
- Common talks to Ebro on Beats1: Interview
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Big Daddy Kane ‘It’s a Big Daddy Thing’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 19th September 1989
Label: Cold Chillin
Producers: Big Daddy Kane, Marley Marl, Mister Cee, Prince Paul, Easy Mo Bee, Teddy Riley
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“It’s a Big Daddy Thing is the second full-length album by American rapper Big Daddy Kane. It was released on September 19, 1989. To date, it is his most successful effort commercially, certified gold by RIAA. In character with his first album and many other albums of the day, It’s a Big Daddy Thing branches out into different styles, from battle rhymes to love ballads and more. His later posturing as a self-proclaimed ladies’ man is somewhat foreshadowed by the hit song “Smooth Operator”. Also, one of the songs in the album, “Wrath of Kane,” appears in live performance taken from the Apollo Theater. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. In 2004, the song, “Warm it Up, Kane” appeared at classic hip hop radio station Playback FM, in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. In 2008, the single “I Get The Job Done” was ranked number 57 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #4 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The single ‘Smooth Operator’ comes in at #7 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- The tracks ‘Smooth Operator’, ‘Another Victory’ and ‘Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now’ appear on our Classic Material 1989 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Notorious BIG ‘Ready to Die’ 25th Aniversary
Release date: 13th September 1994
Label: Bad Boy
Producers: Bluez Brothers, Puff Daddy, DJ Premier, Easy Mo Bee, Rashad Smith, Lord Finesse, Poke, Darnell Scott, Chucky Thompson
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Ready to Die is the debut studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on September 13, 1994, by Bad Boy and Arista Records. The album features production by Bad Boy founder Sean “Puffy” Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse, among others. It was recorded from 1993 to 1994 at The Hit Factory and D&D Studios in New York City. The partly autobiographical album tells the story of the rapper’s experiences as a young criminal, and was the only studio album released during his lifetime, as he was murdered sixteen days before the release of his second album Life After Death in 1997.
Ready to Die was released to critical acclaim and became a commercial success, achieving Gold certification. In 1995, it was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has since reached a certified 6x platinum with sales. It was significant for revitalizing the East Coast hip hop scene, amid West Coast hip hop’s commercial dominance. The album’s second single “Big Poppa” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards. Ready to Die has been regarded by many critics as one of the greatest hip hop albums, as well as one of the best albums of all time.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 20th Anniversary Mixtape.
- The album comes in at #2 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1994.
- The singles ‘Juicy / Unbelievable’ comes in at #4 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1994.
- The track ‘Machine Gun Funk (DJ Premier Remix)’ appears on our Classic Material 1994 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Organized Konfusion ‘Stress: The Extinction Agenda’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 16th August 1994
Label: Hollywood Basic / Elektra
Producers: Organized Konfusion, Buckwild, Rockwilder
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Stress: The Extinction Agenda is the second full-length album by Queens hip hop duo Organized Konfusion, released on August 16, 1994, on Hollywood BASIC. The group went outside its past self-production and got help from future star producers Buckwild and Rockwilder. The album features O.C. and A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip. The album’s tone is generally darker than that of its predecessor, with subject matter falling under the album’s title. The album is now out of print. The cover was painted by the late Matt Reid AKA Matt Doo of Dooable Arts, who later committed suicide. Prince Po later would later write “Be Easy”, a song dedicated to him from his album The Slickness. He also designed the cover for Company Flow’s seminal Funcrusher Plus.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #8 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1994.
- The track ‘Stress (Remix)’ appears on our Classic Material 1994 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
EPMD ‘Unfinished Business’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 1st August 1989
Label: Fresh Records
Producers: EPMD
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Unfinished Business is the second album from Hip Hop duo EPMD. Released August 1, 1989, the album built upon the success of the group’s previous album Strictly Business, which was released the previous year. The lead single, “So Wat Cha Sayin’,” was the only charting single released from the album. In 1998 the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums and, in 2005, was ranked #7 on comedian Chris Rock’s Top 25 Hip-Hop Albums of all-time list for Rolling Stone magazine. It was the second album from the group to hit #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on October 16, 1989. It was one of three albums that Priority/EMI Records acquired from Sleeping Bag Records when it ceased operations in 1991..”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #11 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The single ‘So Watcha Sayin’ comes in at #2 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- The tracks ‘The Big Payback’ and ‘So Watcha Sayin’ appear on our Classic Material 1989 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
The D.O.C ‘No One Can Do It Better’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 1st August 1989
Label: Ruthless / Atlantic
Producers: Dr. Dre
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“No One Can Do It Better is the debut studio album by The D.O.C., released on August 1, 1989 by Ruthless Records, and Atlantic Records. It reached number-one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for two weeks, while peaking in the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA three months after it was released, and Platinum on April 21, 1994. This was the only solo album The D.O.C. was able to record before a car accident resulted in crushing his larynx; in recent years, however, he has been undergoing vocal surgery. He would not release another album until 7 years later, with Helter Skelter (1996).”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #5 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The single ‘It’s Funky Enough’ comes in at #11 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Beastie Boys ‘Paul’s Boutique’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 25th July 1989
Label: Capitol
Producers: Beastie Boys, Dust Brothers, Mario Caldato Jr
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Paul’s Boutique is the second studio album by the American hip hop group Beastie Boys. Released on July 25, 1989, on Capitol Records, it was produced by the Dust Brothers. Apart from the group’s vocals, the album is almost entirely composed of samples. Recorded in Matt Dike’s apartment and the Record Plant in Los Angeles from 1988 to 1989, and mixed at the Record Plant, Paul’s Boutique did not match the sales of the Beastie Boys’ debut album Licensed to Ill, and Capitol made little effort to promote it. As its popularity grew in the years following, it became recognized as breakthrough achievement and a classic hip-hop landmark. Its innovative lyrical and sonic style earned the Beastie Boys’ a position as critical favorites within the hip-hop community. Sometimes described as the “Sgt. Pepper of hip-hop”, the album’s rankings near the top of many publications’ “best albums” lists in disparate genres has given Paul’s Boutique critical recognition as a landmark album in hip hop..”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s ‘Boutique Beats’ mixtape.
- The album comes in at #2 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
BDP ‘Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 4th July 1989
Label: Jive / RCA
Producers: KRS One
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop is the third album from Boogie Down Productions. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on September 25, 1989.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #20 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The single ‘Why Is That?’ comes in at #32 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
The Beatnuts ‘The Beatnuts’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 21st June 1994
Label: Relativity
Producers: The Beatnuts, Lucien, V.I.C
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Beatnuts is the full-length debut album by hip hop trio The Beatnuts. It was released on June 21, 1994 by Relativity Records just a year after their debut EP, Intoxicated Demons. “Psycho Dwarf” is the only song found on both the EP and the album. The album is produced by The Beatnuts themselves. It features guest appearances by Grand Puba, Miss Jones and DJ Sinister amongst others.
The Beatnuts boasts two singles, “Props Over Here” and “Hit Me with That,” . The album is known for its diverse production and hedonistic lyrics. Its cover art is inspired by the cover of Hank Mobley’s The Turnaround. The album’s title is sometimes mistakenly referred to as Street Level, because those words appear on the album cover, however the words “Street Level” do not appear anywhere else on the CD (in the liner notes or on the CD spine label). This album is the last Beatnuts album before emcee Fashion left the group to pursue a solo career under the alias Al’ Tariq.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #5 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1994.
- The track ‘Props Over Here’ appears on our Classic Material 1994 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
LL Cool J ‘Walking With A Panther’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 9th June 1989
Label: Def Jam
Producers: LL Cool J, Dwayne Simon, Rick Rubin, DJ Cut Creator, The Bomb Squad
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Walking with a Panther is the third studio album by American hip-hop artist LL Cool J, released June 9, 1989, on Def Jam Recordings. While his previous album Bigger and Deffer (1987) was produced by The L.A. Posse, Dwayne Simon was the only member left of the group willing to work on Walking with a Panther, as other members, such as Bobby “Bobcat” Erving, wanted a higher pay after realizing how much of a success the previous album had become. Def Jam, however, refused to change the contract, which caused the L.A. Posse to leave. Walking with a Panther was primarily produced by LL Cool J and Dwayne Simon, with additional production from Rick Rubin and Public Enemy’s production team, The Bomb Squad.
Walking with a Panther was a commercial success, peaking at number six on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it spent four weeks. The album contained the singles “Going Back to Cali”, “I’m That Type of Guy”, “Jingling Baby”, “Big Ole Butt” and “One Shot at Love”, which also achieved chart success. Walking with a Panther, however, was met with a mixed response from the hip-hop community at the time of its release, which did not favour the album’s several love ballads. Despite this, Walking With a Panther was well received by music critics. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #13 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The single ‘Big Ole Butt’ comes in at #17 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- The tracks ‘Droppin Em’ and ‘Big Ole Butt’ appear on our 1989 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
- Read the story of the album’s cover on Urban Legends.
Purchase: Discogs
Warren G ‘Regulate: G Funk Era’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 7th June 1994
Label: Def Jam / Violator
Producers: Warren G
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Regulate… G Funk Era is the debut studio album by American rapper Warren G. It was released in June 7, 1994 by Violator Records and distributed by the Def Jam record label. The album’s biggest hit was the eponymous single “Regulate”, a gritty depiction of West Coast gang life which samples singer Michael McDonald’s hit “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)” and featured Nate Dogg. The album also contained the top ten hit “This D.J.” The song “Regulate” was also featured on the Above the Rim soundtrack, which was released on March 22, 1994. An altered version of the song “So Many Ways” appeared in the 1995 film Bad Boys.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘94 Ho Draft’ appears on our Classic Material 1994 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Beastie Boys ‘Ill Communication’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 31st May 1994
Label: Capitol / Grand Royal
Producers: Beastie Boys / Mario Caldato Junior
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Ill Communication is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Beastie Boys. It was released on May 31, 1994 by Grand Royal Records. Co-produced by Beastie Boys and Mario C., the album is among the band’s most varied releases, drawing from hip hop, punk rock, jazz and funk. As with their prior release Check Your Head, this album continues the band’s trend away from sampling and towards live instruments. It features musical contributions from Money Mark, Eric Bobo and Amery “AWOL” Smith and vocal contributions from Q-Tip and Biz Markie. The Beastie Boys were influenced by Miles Davis’ jazz rock albums Agharta and On the Corner while recording Ill Communication. Ill Communication became the band’s second number-one album on the US Billboard 200 albums chart and their second triple platinum album. The album was supported by the single “Sabotage”, which was accompanied by a music video directed by Spike Jonze that parodied 1970s cop shows.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #10 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1994.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Slick Rick ‘The Art of Storytelling’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 25th May 1999
Label: Def Jam
Producers: DJ Clark Kent, Kid Capri, DJ S&S, Rashad Smith, Poke & Tone
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Art of Storytelling is the fourth and most recent studio album by British-American rapper Slick Rick, released May 25, 1999, on Def Jam Recordings. The album features production from DJ Clark Kent and Kid Capri, among others. Upon its release, The Art of Storytelling proved to be Slick Rick’s highest-charting album, peaking at number eight on the Billboard 200, and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and was certified gold by the RIAA within a month of its release.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Gang Starr ‘No More Mr Nice Guy’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 6th June 1989
Label: Wild Pitch Records / EMI Records
Producers: DJ Premier, Guru, 45 King
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“No More Mr. Nice Guy is the debut album by hip hop duo Gang Starr. The album was released on June 1989; and it peaked at #83 on the Billboard R&B chart. The song “Positivity” peaked at #19 on the Billboard rap chart.”
Additional info:
- The single ‘Words I Manifest (Remix)’ comes in at #18 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- The tracks ‘Premier & The Guru’ and ‘Words I Manifest’ appear on our 1989 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
- Watch a video summary of the album’s impact courtesy of Mass Appeal.
Purchase: Discogs
Jeru the Damaja ‘The Sun Rises In The East’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 24th May 1994
Label: Payday / FFRR
Producers: DJ Premier
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Sun Rises in the East is the debut album of American hip hop rapper Jeru the Damaja, released May 24, 1994 on PayDay Records. Production on the album was handled by DJ Premier. The album features fellow Gang Starr Foundation member Afu-Ra. The album cover depicts the World Trade Center on fire only one year after the 1993 bombing of the North Tower.
The Sun Rises in the East was well received by most music critics upon its release. It is considerably significant in hip hop, as it contributed to the revival of the East Coast hip hop scene, along with albums such as Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993), Nas’s Illmatic (1994) and Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage (1993). The album has been considered by critics to be Jeru the Damaja’s best work.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘Come Clean’ (released a year prior) appears on our 1993 Rap Megamix.
- The album comes in at #4 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1994.
- The singles ‘Come Clean’ comes in at #3 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1993.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Nice & Smooth ‘Nice & Smooth’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 16th May 1989
Label: Fresh / Sleeping Bag
Producers: Nice & Smooth
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Nice & Smooth is the debut album of the hip-hop duo Nice & Smooth. The album is notable for its sense of humor and comedy rhymes. Although the album contains explicit lyrics on it, it is also at its best with Greg Nice’s crazy rhyming with humor and Smooth B’s slow lover rhymes. The release singles of the album are “Early to Rise” and “Funky for You.” This was the duo’s only release on Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records before it signed with Def Jam Recordings sub-label RAL Records. It was included in The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. It was one of three titles acquired by Priority Records when Sleeping Bag went out of business in 1992.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #9 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The single ‘Early to Rise’ comes in at #26 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- The tracks ‘More & More Hits’ appear on our 1989 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Nas ‘Illmatic’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 19th April 1994
Label: Columbia
Producers: DJ Premier / Pete Rock / Large Professor / Q-Tip / L.E.S
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Illmatic is the debut studio album by American rapper Nas. It was released on April 19, 1994, by Columbia Records. After signing with the label with the help of MC Serch, Nas recorded the album in 1992 and 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. Its production was handled by DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S. and Nas himself. Styled as a hardcore hip hop album, Illmatic features multi-syllabic internal rhymes and inner-city narratives based on Nas’ experiences in Queensbridge, New York.
The album debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 94,000 copies in its first week. However, its initial sales fell below expectations and its five singles failed to achieve significant chart success. Despite the album’s low initial sales, Illmatic received rave reviews from most music critics, who praised its production and Nas’ lyricism. On January 17, 1996, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, and on December 11, 2001 it earned a platinum certification after shipping 1,000,000 copies in the United States. The album has sold 2 million copies in the United States as of February 6, 2019.
Since its initial reception, Illmatic has been recognized by writers and music critics as a landmark album in East Coast hip hop. Its influence on subsequent hip hop artists has been attributed to the album’s production and Nas’ lyricism. It also contributed to the revival of the New York City rap scene, introducing a number of stylistic trends to the region. The album is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time, appearing on numerous best album lists by critics and publications.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 25th Anniversary mixtape.
- The singles ‘One Love’ and ‘It Ain’t Hard to Tell’ appears on our Classic Material 1994 Mixtape.
- The track ‘It Ain’t Hard to Tell (Large Professor Remix) appears on our 1994 Rap Megamix.
- The album comes in at #1 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1994.
- The singles ‘It Ain’t Hard to Tell’ comes in at #11 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1994.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - ‘Road to the Riches’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 14th March 1989
Label: Cold Chillin’
Producers: Marley Marl
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Road to the Riches is the debut album by hip hop duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, which was released in 1989 on then-prominent hip hop label Cold Chillin’ Records. The title track “Road to the Riches,” received strong rotation on the TV show Yo! MTV Raps, and was later featured on the old-school hip hop radio station Playback FM from the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Most of the songs, however, are not crime-related. Other popular songs included “It’s a Demo” and “Poison.” In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums
Kool G Rap and DJ Polo were members of the legendary Juice Crew, led by producer Marley Marl. The duo first premiered on Mr. Magic’s Rap Attack radio show on 107.5 in 1986 with its first single “It’s A Demo.” They spent the next few years releasing singles, and eventually wrote and recorded Road to the Riches in 1988, but wasn’t released until early 1989. The album showcases G Rap’s signature multisyllabic rhyme style with lyric topics ranging from crime, materialism, braggadocio, to love. The production was entirely handled by fellow Juice Crew member Marley Marl, who provided a more hard-edged style of production than that of his previous work.
Road to the Riches is often cited as the beginning of the mafioso rap genre, laying the groundwork for future hip hop stars such as Scarface, Nas, Raekwon, Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., and AZ, among others, however the bulk of the album features battle rap lyrics similar to Big Daddy Kane or Rakim without the explicit mafioso or gangsta rap subjects of the title track. G Rap would begin expanding his vivid storytelling and organized crime themes on his next album, Wanted: Dead or Alive and especially on 1992’s Live and Let Die.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Gang Starr ‘Hard to Earn’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 8th March 1994
Label: Chrysalis / EMI
Producers: DJ Premier / Guru
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Hard to Earn is the fourth album from the hip hop duo Gang Starr. It was released in March 8, 1994 and featured the singles “Mass Appeal”, “DWYCK”, and “Code of the Streets”. Guest appearances on the album include Group Home, Jeru the Damaja, and Big Shug. At the time, all were part of the Gang Starr Foundation, which made the album a stepping-stone for future DJ Premier-helmed projects by Group Home and Jeru. The single “DWYCK” recorded in 1992 also featured hip hop duo Nice & Smooth. The track “Now You’re Mine” originally appeared on the 1992 Soundtrack “White Men Can’t Rap”. Hard to Earn is also the duo’s first album to carry the “Parental Advisory” label.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #9 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1994.
- The singles ‘Mass Appeal’ comes in at #15 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1994.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
De La Soul ‘3 Feet High and Rising’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 3rd March 1989
Label: Tommy Boy
Producers: Prince Paul, De La Soul
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“3 Feet High and Rising is the debut studio album by American hip hop trio De La Soul. It was released on March 3,1989, by Tommy Boy Records. It marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on ‘greatest albums’ lists by noted music critics and publications with Robert Christgau called the record “unlike any rap album you or anybody else has ever heard.” In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source Magazine’s 100 Best Rap Albums.
Critically, as well as commercially, the album was a success. It contains the singles, “Me Myself and I”, “The Magic Number”, “Buddy”, and “Eye Know”. In 2001, the album was re-issued along with an extra disc of B-side tracks, and alternative versions. The album title came from the Johnny Cash song “Five Feet High and Rising”. It was selected by the Library of Congress as a 2010 addition to the National Recording Registry, which selects recordings annually that are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 30th Anniversary Mixtape.
- The album comes in at #1 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989.
- The single ‘Buddy’ comes in at #8 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1989.
- The track ‘Say No Go’ appears on the Classic Material 1989 Mixtape.
- The tracks ‘Buddy’ and ’Say No Go’ appear on our 1989 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Snoop Dogg ‘Doggystyle’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape mixed by DJ Matman
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“On 23rd November 1993, Snoop Dogg released his debut solo LP Doggystyle. Hot on the heels of his standout appearances on Dr. Dre’s 1992 solo debut The Chronic, Doggystyle rocketed Snoop to stardom. Following in the sonic footsteps of The Chronic, the album was one of a number from the era responsible for popularising the emerging G-Funk sound, with West Coast Funk, P-Funk and Boogie samples colliding with polished production values to great effect. The album ultimately would go on to achieve quadruple-platinum sales.
In celebration of the album’s 25th Anniversary, DJ Matman has crafted an exclusive mixtape of album tracks, alternate versions, interview snippets and of course original sample material, which we’re pleased to present in collaboration with Wax Poetics magazine.”
Listen on Mixcloud here.
Snoop Dogg ‘Doggystyle’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 23rd November 1993
Label: Death Row / Interscope
Producers: Dr. Dre
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Doggystyle is the debut studio album by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg. It was released on November 23, 1993, by Death Row Records and Interscope Records. The album was recorded and produced following Snoop’s appearances on Dr. Dre’s debut solo album The Chronic (1992), to which Snoop contributed significantly. The West Coast style in hip-hop that he developed from Dre’s first album continued on Doggystyle. Critics have praised Snoop Doggy Dogg for the lyrical “realism” that he delivers on the album and for his distinctive vocal flow. Despite some mixed criticism of the album initially upon its release, Doggystyle earned recognition from many music critics as one of the most significant albums of the 1990s, as well as one of the most important hip-hop albums ever released. Much like The Chronic, the distinctive sounds of Doggystyle helped introduce the hip-hop subgenre of g-funk to a mainstream audience, bringing forward West Coast hip hop as a dominant force in the early-1990s.
Doggystyle debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 806,858 copies in its first week alone in the United States, which was the record for a debuting artist and the fastest-selling hip-hop album ever. Doggystyle was included on The Source magazine’s list of the 100 Best Rap Albums; as well as Rolling Stone magazine’s list of Essential Recordings of the ‘90s. About.com placed the album in No. 17 of the greatest hip hop/rap albums of all time. The album was certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). By November 2015, the album had sold 7 million copies in the United States, and over 11 million copies worldwide.”
Additional info:
- Listen to DJ Matman’s 25th Anniversary Mixtape.
- The album comes in at #3 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Del ‘No Need For Alarm’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 23rd November 1993
Label: Elektra
Producers: Snupe, Casual, Del, Domino, SD-50s, Jay-Biz, A-Plus
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“No Need for Alarm is the second solo studio album by American hip hop musician Del the Funky Homosapien. It was released by Elektra Records in 1993. It peaked at number 125 on the Billboard 200 chart. Nathan Rabin of AllMusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5, calling it “a challenging, unique, and uncompromising follow-up, one well worth picking up for anyone interested in either the evolution of West Coast hip-hop or just the evolution of one of its most talented, eccentric, and gifted artists.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Wu-Tang Clan ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 9th November 1993
Label: Loud
Producers: RZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on November 9, 1993 by Loud Records. Recording sessions took place during 1992 to 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City, and the album was produced by the group’s de facto leader RZA. Its title originates from the martial arts film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978).
The distinctive sound of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) created a blueprint for hardcore hip hop during the 1990s, and helped return New York City hip hop to national prominence. Its sound also became greatly influential in modern hip hop production, while the group members’ explicit, humorous, and free-associative lyrics have served as a template for many subsequent hip hop records. Serving as a landmark release in the era of hip hop known as the East Coast Renaissance, its influence helped lead the way for several other East Coast hip hop artists, including Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Mobb Deep, and Jay-Z.
Despite its raw, underground sound, the album had surprising chart success, peaking at #41 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 30,000 copies in the 1st week. By 1995, it was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and has sold over 2 million copies in the United States. Initially receiving positive reviews from most music critics, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is widely regarded as one of the most significant albums of the 1990s, as well as one of the greatest hip hop albums ever.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #1 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- The singles ‘Protect Ya Neck’ and ‘Method Man’ come in at #2 and #11 respectively on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1993.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
A Tribe Called Quest ‘Midnight Marauders’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 9th November 1993
Label: Jive
Producers: A Tribe Called Quest, Skeff Anselm, Large Professor
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Midnight Marauders is the third studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released on November 9, 1993, by Jive Records. Recording sessions for the album occurred at Battery Studios, Platinum Island Studios and Scorcerer Sound in New York City. Its production was mainly handled by Q-Tip, with contributions from Skeff Anselm, Large Professor and the group’s DJ, Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A culmination of the group’s two previous albums, it features an eclectic, gritty sound based on jazz, funk, soul and R&B samples, in addition to socially conscious, positive-minded and humorous lyrics.
Midnight Marauders debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The first two singles, “Award Tour” and “Electric Relaxation”, charted on the Billboard Hot 100, before the release of the final single, “Oh My God”. On January 14, 1994, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with shipments of 500,000 copies in the United States. It was certified platinum by the RIAA nearly a full year later, on January 11, 1995, with shipments of one million copies.
The album received mostly positive reviews, and in the following years, Midnight Marauders has acquired acclamation from within the hip-hop community for its production, chemistry and influence, with some regarding it as the group’s best work. Several writers have credited it as a contributor to a “second golden age” of hip hop in the mid-1990s, as well as the pinnacle of the Native Tongues movement.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 20th Anniversary Mixtape.
- The album comes in at #2 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- The singles ‘Award Tour’ and ‘Electric Relaxation’ come in at #7 and #13 respectively on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1993.
- The track ‘Award Tour’ appears on the Classic Material 1993 Mixtape.
- The tracks ‘Electric Relaxation’, ‘Award Tour’ and ‘The Chase Part II’ appear on our 1993 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Jungle Brothers ‘Straight Out The Jungle’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 8th November 1988
Label: Warlock Records
Producers: Jungle Brothers / Todd Terry / Q-Tip
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Straight out the Jungle is the debut album from hip hop group Jungle Brothers. The album marked the beginning of the Native Tongues collective, which later featured popular artists such as De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Black Sheep. The album’s masters have a lower quality to other hip-hop albums of its kind, compared to the singles. The single “I’ll House You”, added to the album in late-1988 reissues, is known as the first non-Chicago hip-house record to be a sufficiently big club hit, to drastically change how the hip-hop and dance-music industries work. “The Promo” was added when the album was released on compact disc, in 1990.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #10 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- The single ‘Because I Got It Like That’ appear at #19 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1988.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Slick Rick ‘The Great Adventures of Slick Rick’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 1st November 1988
Label: Def Jam / Columbia
Producers: Jam Master Jay, Slick Rick, The Bomb Squad
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The album is among the few to receive a perfect five-mic score from The Source magazine. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. In 2012, the album was selected by Slant Magazine as #99 on its “Best Albums of the 1980s.” Hip hop artist Nas cites it as one of his favorite albums. It topped Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart for five nonconsecutive weeks and peaked at #31 on the Billboard 200. The song “Children’s Story” is also featured on the soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, True Crime: New York City and Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground. In 2008, the single “Children’s Story” was ranked number 61 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #3 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Black Moon ‘Enta Da Stage’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 19th October 1993
Label: Wreck / Nervous
Producers: Da Beatminerz, Buckshot
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Enta da Stage is the debut album of American East Coast hip hop group Black Moon, released on October 19, 1993 through Nervous Records. The album was produced by DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt of Da Beatminerz. Enta da Stagefeatures the debut of underground hip hop duo Smif-N-Wessun, as well as appearances from Havoc of Mobb Deep and Dru Ha, the co-founder of Duck Down Records. Despite being critically acclaimed and having two singles that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 (“Who Got da Props?” and “I Got Cha Opin”), the album sold poorly, and is often overlooked in favor of subsequent East Coast albums such as Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Illmatic, Liquid Swords, Ready to Die, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, and The Infamous. Nonetheless, Enta da Stage preceded those releases and served as a precursor to the resurgence of the New York hip hop scene in the mid-1990s.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #5 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- The track ‘How Many MCs’ appears on the Classic Material 1993 Mixtape.
- The track ‘Who Got Da Props’ appears on our 1993 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
De La Soul ‘Buhloone Mindstate’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 21st September 1993
Label: Tommy Boy / Warner Bros
Producers: De La Soul, Prince Paul
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Buhloone Mindstate is the third studio album by American hip hop group De La Soul. It was released in September 21, 1993 by Tommy Boy and was the group’s last record to be produced with Prince Paul. Buhloone is a phonetic spelling of the English noun “balloon”. This theme is laid out in the intro track, which starts with the sound of a balloon being inflated; then the hookline “it might blow up, but it won’t go pop” is repeated over and over, until the sound of a balloon popping replaces the final word “pop”. This lends itself to the interpretation that the group hope to expand their popularity with their third album without selling out. At the end of 1993, Buhloone Mindstate was voted the eighth best album of the year in the Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of American critics nationwide, published by The Village Voice. Robert Christgau, the poll’s creator and supervisor, ranked it fifth best on his own year-end list. In a contemporary review, Rolling Stone critic Paul Evans said the record was more focused than De La Soul’s previous albums and also more ambitious sonically: “Musically, Buhloone Mind State raises the stakes; it gets to something rap seldom achieves — a truly gorgeous groove.” In 2005, comedian Chris Rock named it the 10th greatest hip hop record of all time in a list published by Rolling Stone”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #4 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- The single ‘Breakadawn’ comes in at #27 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1993.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Marley Marl ‘In Control Volume 1’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 20th September 1988
Label: Cold Chillin / Warner Bros
Producers: Marley Marl
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“In Control, Volume 1 is an album by hip hop producer Marley Marl of the Juice Crew, released September 20, 1988 on Cold Chillin’ Records. The album compiles ten studio recordings by Juice Crew members and artists affiliated with Marley Marl. It showcased his style of hip hop production and sampling at a time when he became one of the first super-producers in hip hop music. The album is broken down track-by-track by Marley Marl in Brian Coleman’s book Check the Technique. The opulent cover stood in contrast to Marley Marl’s real living conditions: “I was still living in the projects. I was paying like $110 a month for my rent, free electricity. So New York City Housing Authority kind of co-produced some of my earlier hits.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #15 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- The singles ‘The Symphony’ and ‘Droppin Science’ appear at #7 and #23 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1988.
- The tracks ‘Droppin Science’ and ‘Duck Alert’ appear on our Classic Material 1988 mixtape.
- The track ‘The Symphony’ appears on our 1988 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
MC Lyte ‘Lyte As A Rock’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 13th September 1988
Label: First Priority / Atlantic
Producers:Alliance, Audio Two, King of Chill, Prince Paul
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Lyte as a Rock is the debut album of American rapper MC Lyte. released in 1988. In 1998, the album was listed in The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. The album is broken down track-by-track by MC Lyte in Brian Coleman’s book Check the Technique.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #13 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Tha Alkoholiks ‘21 and Over’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 24th August 1993
Label: Loud / RCA
Producers: Alkaholiks, King Tee, Lootpack, Derrick ‘D. Pimp’ Wiliams
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“21 & Over is the debut album by West Coast hip hop group, Tha Alkaholiks. It is highly praised, and has been described as “the quintessential West Coast party album.” It has ten tracks, timed at only about 35 minutes, but it contains three singles, “Make Room,” “Likwit” and “Mary Jane.” None of these singles reached The Billboard Hot 100, but they all did well on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart. The only single that contains vocals from anybody other than Tash and J-Ro is “Likwit,” which features King Tee. King Tee is responsible for founding Tha Alkaholiks, and the track’s title is a reference to the Likwit Crew that he created. Lootpack and Threat are the only other guest vocalists on this album, but production is provided by Tha Alkaholiks, King Tee, Lootpack and Derick “D. Pimp” Williams.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #11 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- The singles ‘Make Room’ comes in at #21 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1993.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
NWA ‘Straight Outta Compton’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 8th August 1988
Label: Ruthless / Priority
Producers: Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, Eazy-E
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Straight Outta Compton is the debut studio album by American hip hop group N.W.A, released August 8, 1988, on group member Eazy-E’s record label Ruthless Records. Production for the album was handled by Dr. Dre with DJ Yella. The album has been viewed as the pioneering record of gangsta rap with its ever-present profanity and violent lyrics. This was the group’s only release with rapper Ice Cube prior to his 1989 departure. It has been considered to be one of the greatest and most influential hip-hop records by music writers and has had an enormous impact on the evolution of hip hop.
Straight Outta Compton redefined the direction of hip hop, which resulted in lyrics concerning the gangster lifestyle becoming the driving force in sales figures. It was later remastered and re-released on September 24, 2002, containing four bonus tracks. An extended version of the album was released on December 4, 2007, honoring the 20th anniversary of the original album. On April 14, 2015, Universal Music Group reissued the album on a Limited Edition red cassette as part of their Respect The Classics series. In 2003, it was ranked number 144 in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, the fifth highest ranking for a hip-hop album on the list. In 2017, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or artistically significant”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #2 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- The track ‘Express Yourself’ appears on our Classic Material 1988 mixtape.
- The tracks ‘Compton’s In The House’ and ‘Express Yourself’ appear on our 1988 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Fat Joe ‘Represent’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 27th July 1993
Label: Relativity / Violator
Producers: Diamond D, Lord Finesse, The Beatnuts, Showbiz, Chilly Dee
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Represent is the debut studio album by American rapper Fat Joe, then known as Fat Joe da Gangsta. The album’s lead single “Flow Joe” peaked number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 by late 1993. In mid-1994, he released his second single “Watch the Sound” followed by “The Shit Is Real”, featuring a remix by DJ Premier, which would appear on Joe’s second album.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #25 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- The singles ‘Flow Joe’ comes in at #25 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1993.
- The track ‘Watch The Sound (Beatnuts Remix)’ appears on the Classic Material 1993 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Eric B & Rakim ‘Follow the Leader’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 26th July 1988
Label: Uni
Producers: Eric B & Rakim
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Follow the Leader is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim. Following their debut album Paid in Full (1987), Eric B. & Rakim left 4th & B’way Records and signed with Uni Records, a subsidiary label of major label MCA Records. They recorded Follow the Leader at Power Play Studios in New York City. The duo produced, composed, and arranged the album with additional contributions from Rakim’s brother Stevie Blass Griffin, who contributed with various instruments. Eric B. & Rakim worked with audio engineers Carlton Batts and Patrick Adams on the album. In a similar manner to their first album, a “ghost producer” was brought in for two songs. In a 2007 interview with Unkut.com, The 45 King said he produced both “Microphone Fiend” and “The R”. “Microphone Fiend” was originally made for Fab 5 Freddy, until 45 King gave it over to Eric B., the group’s “DJ”.
Follow the Leader peaked at number 22 on the U.S. Billboard Top Pop Albums and at number seven on Billboard’s Top Black Albums chart. It achieved higher charting than Eric B. & Rakim’s debut album and serves as their best-charting album in the United States. The album produced four singles, “Follow the Leader”, “Microphone Fiend”, “The R”, and “Lyrics of Fury”. “Follow the Leader” peaked at number 16 on the Hot Black Singles, at number 11 on the Hot Dance/Disco, and at number five on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart. “The R” reached number 79 on the Hot Black Singles, number 28 on the Hot Dance/Disco, number 41 on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales, and number 14 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. On September 27, 1988, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments in excess of 500,000 copies in the United States.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #8 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- The single ‘Microphone Fiend’ comes in at #16 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1988.
- The track ‘Microphone Fiend’ appears on our Classic Material 1988 mixtape.
- The track ‘Microphone Fiend’ appears on our 1988 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Big Daddy Kane ‘Long Live the Kane’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 28th June 1988
Label: Cold Chillin’ / Warner Bros
Producers: Marley Marl
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Long Live the Kane is the debut album by MC Big Daddy Kane, released by Cold Chillin’ Records on June 28, 1988. It was produced by Marley Marl and established both as premier artists during hip hop’s golden age. Kane displayed his unique rapping technique while covering topics including love (“I’ll Take You There”), Afrocentricity (“Word to the Mother(Land)”) and his rapping prowess (“Set It Off”). Marley Marl and Big Daddy Kane display a sparse production style - creating beats with fast-paced drums and lightly utilized James Brown samples.
Four singles were released in promotion of Kane’s first album: “Raw/Word to the Mother (Land),” “Ain’t No Half-Steppin’/Get Into It,” “I’ll Take You There/Wrath of Kane” and “Set It Off/Get Into It.” The most commercially successful of these singles were “Ain’t No Half-Steppin’”, which reached #53 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and “I’ll Take You There”, which reached #73 on the same chart, but also peaked at #21 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. The other two singles did not chart, but “Raw” and “Set It Off” popularized Big Daddy Kane’s high-speed style and abundant use of word play. “Raw” and “Ain’t No Half Steppin’” are both described as “underground sensation[s]” and “classic[s]” by Allmusic’s Steve Huey. “Raw” does not appear on Long Live the Kane, but a remix which utilizes the same beat does.
Big Daddy Kane’s debut album contains many tracks that were later featured on greatest hits compilations. “Ain’t No Half Steppin’” alone is featured on The Very Best of Big Daddy Kane, Marley Marl’s House of Hits, two “best of” Cold Chillin’ Records compilations and over five additional hip-hop hit compilations. Nowithstanding “Ain’t No Half Steppin’,” The Very Best of Big Daddy Kane contains five songs from Kane’s debut album. Allmusic’s Steve Huey regards “‘Raw,’ ‘Set It Off,’ and ‘Ain’t No Half-Steppin’ [as] flawless bids for immortality [that] haven’t lost an ounce of energy.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #6 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- The single ‘Ain’t No Half Steppin’’ comes in at #3 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1988.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Public Enemy ‘It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 28th June 1988
Label: Def Jam
Producers: Chuck D, Hand Shocklee, Rick Rubin
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released on June 28, 1988, by Def Jam Recordings. Public Enemy set out to make the hip hop equivalent to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, an album noted for its strong social commentary. Recording sessions took place during 1987 at Chung King Studios, Greene St. Recording, and Sabella Studios in New York City. Noting the enthusiastic response toward their live shows, Public Enemy intended with Nation of Millions to make the music of a faster tempo than the previous album for performance purposes.
The album charted for 49 weeks on the US Billboard 200, peaking at number 42. By August 1989, it was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of one million copies in the United States. The album was very well received by music critics, who hailed it for its production techniques and the socially and politically charged lyricism of lead MC Chuck D. It also appeared on many publications’ year-end top album lists for 1988 and was the runaway choice as the best album of 1988 in The Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop critics’ poll, a poll of the leading music critics in the US. Since its initial reception, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back has been regarded by music writers and publications as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time. In 2003, the album was ranked number 48 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, the highest ranking of all the hip hop albums on the list, and the only one acknowledged in the top hundred.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #1 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- The single ‘Don’t Believe the Hype’ comes in at #6 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1988.
- The track ‘Don’t Believe the Hype’ appears on our 1988 Rap Megamix.
- The tracks ‘Don’t Believe the Hype’ and ‘Security of the First World’ appears on Classic Material 1988 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
EPMD ‘Strictly Business’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 7th June 1988
Label: Fresh / Sleeping Bag
Producers: EPMD
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Strictly Business is the debut album by golden age hip-hop duo EPMD. It was released on June 7, 1988, by Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records around the world and BCM Records in Germany. It peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard 200 soon after release, yet it earned an RIAA gold album certification within four months of its release. In addition, it has received much positive critical attention since its release. In 2003, the album was ranked number 459 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The album is known for its lighthearted party raps and funky sample-reliant production. The album has no guest emcees or producers except DJ K La Boss. The album is broken down track-by-track by the group in Brian Coleman’s book Check the Technique.
Strictly Business peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Of its four singles, three landed on the UK Singles Chart and two reached the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Although none of the singles reached the Billboard Hot 100, the album was able to go gold within four months of its release. Initial reviews of the album were strong: Allmusic gave the album a five star rating calling the album “simply amazing”. The Source assigned the album a 5-mike rating making it one of 43 albums to ever receive this rating. Robert Christgau also gave it an A- rating soon after its release. Strictly Business was also featured on various “best of 1988” lists. The Face ranked it as the third best album of the year, and ranked its title track as the 25th best single of the year. Sounds judged it to be the 50th best album of the year, while Spex ranked it as the 8th best.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #4 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- The single ‘You Gots To Chill’ comes in at #9 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1988.
- The track ‘You Gots To Chill’ appears on our 1988 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
BDP ‘By Any Means Necessary’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 31st May 1988
Label: Jive
Producers: KRS-One
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“By All Means Necessary is the second album from American hip hop group Boogie Down Productions, released on May 31, 1988 on Jive Records. After the 1987 murder of DJ-producer Scott La Rock, MC KRS-One moved away from the violent themes that dominated his debut, Criminal Minded, and began writing socially conscious songs using the moniker the Teacher. Many themes, which surface a minimalist production accompanied by hard-hitting drum beats, cover social issues that include government and police corruption, safe sex, government involvement in the drug trade, and violence in the hip hop community. As of September 25, 1989, the album was certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. Both the album cover, depicting KRS-One, and the album title make reference to Malcolm X. The album’s cover art is a reference to the iconic photo of Malcolm X peering through his window while holding a M1 carbine rifle. The album title is a modification of Malcolm X’s famous phrase “By Any Means Necessary. The album is widely seen as one of, if not the first, politically conscious efforts in hip-hop. AllMusic described the album as a landmark of political hip hop and Rolling Stone praised its social commentary. Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone wrote, “Over irresistible beats provided by his BDP cohorts, KRS delivers the word on the drug trade, AIDS and violence—three forces that threaten to destroy minority communities.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #5 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- The single ‘My Philosophy’ comes in at #4 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1988.
- The tracks ‘Jimmy’, ‘Still #1’ and ‘Stop the Violence’ appear on our 1988 Rap Megamix.
- The tracks ‘Still #1’ and ‘My Philosophy’ appear on our Classic Material 1988 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Show & AG ‘Full Scale’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 24th May 1998
Label: D.I.T.C
Producers: Show
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Full Scale is a 1998 release from hip hop duo Show and A.G. The EP features appearances from O.C., KRS-One, Big Pun and the Ghetto Dwellas. The LP version also includes verses from most members of their crew D.I.T.C. including Diamond D, Big L and Lord Finesse. Two versions were released at different times; the original Full Scale EP was released on 12” vinyl in early 1998 and featured 5 songs together with the instrumentals. Around 2002 a CD version, titled Full Scale LP and using the same artwork, was released. This version included the 5 songs found on the EP together with 10 additional tracks which had originally been released on various 12” singles and projects in the late 1990s. Four of the songs on the CD edition had also appeared on the self-titled D.I.T.C. album released on Tommy Boy Records in 2000. The songs were “Dignified Soldiers”, “Drop It Heavy”, “Spit (Remix)” and “Time To Get This Money”. Two of these appeared as remixes while the remaining two appeared virtually unchanged. Production on all songs on the Full Scale EP is handled by Showbiz and A.G. themeselves. On the CD version this remains except on “Time To Get This Money” which was produced by long-time collaborator Ahmed, and “Hold Mines” plus “Hidden Crates” which were produced by DJ Greyboy.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #25 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1998.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Run DMC ‘Tougher Than Leather’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 17th May 1988
Label: Profile
Producers: Run DMC, Davy DMX, Rick Rubin, Russell Simmons
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Tougher Than Leather is the fourth studio album from American hip hop group Run–D.M.C., released on May 17, 1988. While the new record did not maintain the same popularity as its predecessor, it obtained platinum status and spawned the favorites “Run’s House” and “Mary, Mary”. Despite being given a mixed reception at the time of its release, it is now hailed as a seminal classic in hip-hop and many see it as an underrated album. In response to albums such as Eric B. & Rakim’s Paid In Full, Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, and Boogie Down Productions’ Criminal Minded and By All Means Necessary, the group made a distinct departure from their earlier work, as Jam-Master Jay used a heavier amount of sampling. Run and DMC also made changes in their rapping style (heavily influenced by Rakim) as techniques such as alliteration, polysyllabic rhyming, and internal rhyme are found in songs like “I’m Not Going Out Like That,” “Radio Station,” and the title track. The group also introduces storytelling to their arsenal in “Ragtime.” Despite this, Run-D.M.C. do not abandon their formula of combining hip-hop beats with hard rock guitar riffs, using it in “Miss Elaine,” the title track, “Soul To Rock And Roll,” and “Mary, Mary.”“
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #12 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- The single ‘Run’s House / Beats to the Rhyme’ comes in at #5 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1988.
- The track ‘Beats to the Rhyme’ appears on our 1988 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Masta Ace Incorporated ‘Slaughtahouse’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 4th May 1993
Label: Delicious Vinyl
Producers: Uneek, Latief, Ase One, Bluez Brothas, The Beatheads
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“SlaughtaHouse is the first album from hip hop group Masta Ace Incorporated, and the second overall album from rapper Masta Ace. The loose concept of the album is addressing the growing trend of violence in hip-hop music at the time, notably from Gangsta rap. He addresses this satirically in the over-the-top single “Slaughtahouse”.
The album infuses West Coast funk-influenced beats with rough “New York rhyming.” The 2008 repress of the album includes the single “Born To Roll”, a bass-heavy remix of “Jeep Ass Niguh”. This version became a hit single in 1994, reaching the Top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also presaged a new bass-heavy direction on his next album, Sittin’ on Chrome.
SlaughtaHouse was mainly produced in-house by members of the I.N.C. such as Uneek, Ase One (Masta Ace’s producer alias) and the production duo The Bluez Brothas; consisting of Lord Digga and Witchdoc. The album was reissued twice in recent years. The first reissue was released in 2008. The second reissue was released in December 2013 as a deluxe edition with a second disc of 17 additional remixes, accapellas and rarities.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #13 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Beatnuts ‘Intoxicated Demons’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 20th April 1993
Label: Relativity / Violator
Producers: The Beatnuts
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Intoxicated Demons: The EP is the debut EP by the hip hop trio The Beatnuts. It was released on April 20th, 1993 by Relativity Records. It is the first of two EP’s released by the group. All of its songs are produced by The Beatnuts. It features one guest vocalist, V.I.C., on the track “World’s Famous.” Two singles, “Reign of the Tec” and “No Equal,” were released in promotion of the album. The album was received positively for its diverse beats and comedic lyrics”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #7 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- The singles ‘Reign of the Tec’ comes in at #23 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1993.
- The track ‘Third of the Trio’ appears on the Classic Material 1993 Mixtape.
- The track ‘No Equal’ appears on our 1993 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Gang Starr ‘Moment of Truth’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 31st March 1998
Label: Noo Trybe / Virgin
Producers: DJ Premier, Guru
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Moment of Truth is the fifth album by hip hop duo Gang Starr, released on March 31, 1998 by Noo Trybe Records and Virgin Records. Gang Starr recorded Moment of Truth in sessions at D&D Studios. Released four years after its previous album, Hard to Earn, this album could be perceived as a comeback, with a newer, updated style of the group’s already-established jazz-tinged hip hop, as stated by Guru in the introduction. Lyrically, the album is more emotional and socially conscious than previous installments. The album features more guest artists than previous Gang Starr releases. Collaborations include songs with Inspectah Deck, Scarface, G-Dep, Freddie Foxxx, K-Ci & JoJo, M.O.P. and more.
The album is the group’s most commercially successful album to date. Moment of Truth debuted at #1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. It went on to sell over 500,000 copies and was certified Gold by the RIAA on May 7, 1998. The lead single, “You Know My Steez,” became the duo’s second Billboard Hot 100 appearance in 1997, peaking at #76. Spin magazine ranked it as the #16 album of 1998.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #1 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1998.
- The singles ‘You Know My Steez’ comes in at #15 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1997.
- The track ‘You Know My Steez’ appears on our Classic Material 1997 Mixtape.
- The track ‘The Militia’ appear on our Classic Material 1998 Mixtape.
- The track ‘You Know My Steez’ appears on our 1997 Rap Megamix.
- The tracks ‘Work’ and ‘The Militia’ appear on our 1998 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Onyx ‘Bacdafucup’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 30th March 1993
Label: JMJ / RAL / Columbia
Producers: Chyskillz, Jam Master Jay, Kool T, Jeff Harris
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Bacdafucup (read as “back the fuck up”) is the debut album from hardcore rap group Onyx. The album featured their breakout single, “Slam”, which received heavy airplay on both radio and television (MTV and BET), leading the song to reach #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Bacdafucup was certified Platinum by the RIAA on October 25, 1993. The album is broken down track-by-track by Onyx in Brian Coleman’s book Check the Technique. In addition to Slam, two other singles made it to the charts, “Throw Ya Gunz” and “Shiftee”. Shiftee was covered by punk-rock group Mindless Self Indulgence. Music videos were released for the tracks “Bacdafucup”, “Throw Ya Gunz”, “Slam”, “Shiftee” and “Da Nex Niguz”. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #8 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- The singles ‘Throw Ya Gunz’ and ‘Slam’ come in at #8 and #16 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1993.
- The track ‘Shiftee’ appears on the Classic Material 1993 Mixtape.
- The tracks ‘Shiftee’ and ‘Slam’ appear on our 1993 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Ice T ‘Home Invasion’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 23rd March 1993
Label: Rhyme Syndicate / Priority
Producers: Ice T, DJ Aladdin, Slej Tha Ruffedge, Hen-Gee, L.P, Donald D, Trekan, Wolf
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Home Invasion is the fifth studio album by American rapper Ice-T. It was released on March 23, 1993 via Rhyme $yndicate/Priority Records. This album was originally set to be released in 1992 as part of his deal with Sire/Warner Bros. Records, and supposed to be Ice-T’s first official release as an artist on his own Rhyme $yndicate record label, now in full control of the content of the release, as part of a new distribution deal with Priority Records.
Home Invasion was the first album that Ice-T released following the controversy over the Body Count song “Cop Killer”. Sire/Warner Bros. Records had stood by freedom of expression during the controversy, although some within the Time Warner conglomerate now favored a more pragmatic policy. The album was originally set for a November 15, 1992 release, but the Rodney King riots were still fresh in people’s minds, an election was in process, and political releases by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre were causing controversy, so Ice-T agreed to postpone Home Invasion’s release, in addition to removing the song “Ricochet”, which had already appeared on the soundtrack to the film of the same name.
With the album’s release postponed to February 14, 1993, Sire/Warner Bros. told Ice-T that it would not release the album with its current artwork, painted by Dave Halili (cover artist for Body Count), which depicted a white youth who is seemingly immersed in black culture surrounded by images of violence, mayhem and disorder. Although the catalog number 45119 was already assigned to it and the single “Gotta Lotta Love” was released, the album was still deferred. Ice-T initially agreed, opting for an all-black cover and a name change to The Black Album. He later realized that his future output was going to be continuously monitored and censored, so he left the label amicably, signing a distribution deal with Priority Records, which released the album with the originally intended artwork. Due to the postponed release of the album, tracks were altered to keep the topics up-to-date.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Lords of the Underground ‘Here Come the Lords’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 30th March 1993
Label: Pendulum / Elektra
Producers: Marley Marl, K-Def, Lord Jazz
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“‘Here Come the Lords’ is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Lords of the Underground, released on March 30, 1993 by Pendulum and Elektra Records. It was produced by Marley Marl, K-Def and DJ Lord Jazz. The album was a success for the group, making it to #66 on the Billboard 200 and #13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Five singles from the album managed to make it to the billboard charts, “Chief Rocka”, “Here Come the Lords”, “Funky Child”, “Flow On” and “Psycho”.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #24 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- The single ‘Chief Rocka’ comes in at #31 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1993.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
LL Cool J ‘14 Shots To The Dome’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 30th March 1993
Label: Def Jam / Columbia
Producers: Marley Marl, QDIII, Bobby ‘Bobcat’ Ervin, Andrew Zenable, Christopher Joseph Forte
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“14 Shots to the Dome” is the fifth studio album by American hip-hop artist LL Cool J, released by Def Jam Records in the US on March 30, 1993. It is his first album following the hugely successful Mama Said Knock You Out (1990). Unlike that release, which saw him have success on his own terms, 14 Shots sees LL adopting the sound of his West Coast gangsta rap contemporaries, especially that of Ice Cube and Cypress Hill. Many fans saw this as a jarring departure, and the album met mixed critical and commercial response, only being certified Gold by the RIAA. The album spawned three singles, with minimal success on the Billboard charts. The album’s lead single, “Back Seat” would later be sampled by R&B artist Monica for her debut single “Don’t Take It Personal” which became a major hit two years later.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘How I’m Comin’ appears on our 1993 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince ‘He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 29th March 1988
Label: Jive/RCA
Producers: Pete Harris, The Fresh Prince, DJ Jazzy Jeff
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper is the second studio album by hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. It was the first double album in hip hop music, in its original vinyl incarnation. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album triple platinum on February 1, 1995, and is the duo’s most successful album. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source magazine’s 100 Best Rap Albums.
The album’s first single, “Brand New Funk”, was only released promotionally and, thus, failed to achieve any commercial success. However, the album’s second single, “Parents Just Don’t Understand”, won the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance and reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although the album’s third single, “Nightmare on My Street”, which reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100, was considered for inclusion in the movie A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, the producers of the film decided against its inclusion. As a result, later vinyl pressings of the album contain a disclaimer sticker that says, “[This song] is not part of the soundtrack…and is not authorized, licensed, or affiliated with the Nightmare on Elm Street films.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #14 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1988.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Geto Boys ‘Till Death Do Us Part’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 9th March 1993
Label: Rap-A-Lot
Producers: James Smith, John Bido, N.O Joe, Tony Randle
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Till Death Do Us Part is the fourth studio album by the Houston gangsta rap group the Geto Boys, released in March 1993 on Rap-A-Lot Records. Rapper Willie D had left the group in 1992 temporarily to pursue a solo career. In his position, fellow Rap-A-Lot member Big Mike joined Scarface and Bushwick Bill for this album. Till Death Do Us Part became the group’s first #1 on the R&B/hip hop charts, and also included the group’s second top 40 Billboard Hot 100 single, “Six Feet Deep” (which used a sample from The Commodores’ 1977 hit single “Easy”). Other singles released from the album were “Crooked Officer” and “Straight Gangstaism”.
Till Death Do Us Part was produced by the Rap-A-Lot in-house producer N.O. Joe. It featured guitar, bass guitar and keyboards by Mike Dean, bass guitar by Roger Tausz, bass guitar and percussion by Preston Middleton, and scratches by DJ Domination. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on May 10, 1993. There is a Chopped & Screwed version by OG Ron C available.
There were four music videos releases for the songs in Till Death Do Us Part, for “Six Feet Deep”, “Crooked Officer”, “Straight Gangstaism” and “Street Life”. The music video for “Street Life” was originally released for the song as an individual single for the soundtrack of the movie South Central and was also added to the album. The album version for “Straight Gangstaism” has two verses by Big Mike and one by his group-mate from Convicts, Mr. 3-2, and it was released as a single to boost Big Mike’s popularity as a member of the Geto Boys. To avoid confusion among fans
and to improve promotion, the video version (and the radio edit) added a fourth verse by Scarface to the end of the song.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #17 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1993.
- The single ‘Crooked Officer’ comes in at #33 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1993.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Digable Planets ‘Reachin’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 9th February 1993
Label: Pendulum / Elektra
Producers: Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler, Shane “The Doctor” Faber, Mike “Launching An Attack” Mangini
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) is the acclaimed debut album by alternative hip hop group Digable Planets. It was released on February 9, 1993, by Pendulum/Elektra Records. The album was produced by Digable Planets’ Ishmael Butler (“Butterfly”) and features raps from Butler, Irving and Viera. The production leans heavily on jazz samples, Butler explaining that “it was all about resources, really…I just went and got the records that I had around me. And a lot of those were my dad’s shit, which was lots of jazz. The whole concept of ‘We’re a jazz group’ didn’t go down like that. Except that DJ Premier was a big influence, and he sampled a lot of jazz.” Lyrically, the tone of the album is less overtly political than its successor Blowout Comb, but still touches on issues such as abortion rights (La Femme Fetal) and the drug abuses of jazz musicians (Last of the Spiddyocks). The album title derives from Nueva refutación del tiempo (“A New Refutation of Time”), an essay by Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges, as well as the tendency of earlier jazz musicians in naming their albums (Moanin’, Cookin’, etc). The single “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” became a hit in 1993, breaking into the Top 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and winning Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1994. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1993.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Brand Nubian ‘In God We Trust’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 2nd February 1993
Label: Elektra
Producers: Brand Nubian, Diamond D
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“In God We Trust is the second album from hip hop group Brand Nubian. Lead MC Grand Puba left the group to pursue a solo career in 1991, following the release of their revered debut One for All. DJ Alamo also left to work with Puba, leaving MC’s Sadat X and Lord Jamar, who enlisted DJ Sincere to join the group. The album was less successful than the group’s debut but still received strong reviews. The single “Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down” became a Billboard Hot 100 hit, but was met with controversy over allegedly homophobic content, referencing the Sadat X line “Though I can freak, fly, flow, fuck up a faggot/I don’t understand their ways, I ain’t down with gays.” The single “Love Me or Leave Me Alone” was also a Hot-100 hit. Lyrically, the album contains extremely militant content that reflects the group’s identity as Five Percenters, adhering to the philosophy of the Nation of Gods and Earths.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #2 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992. (although not available commercially until early the following year)
- The single ‘Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down’ comes in at #2 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- The track ‘Steal Ya Ho’ appears on our Classic Material 1992 Mixtape.
- The tracks ‘Steal Ya Ho’ and ‘Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down’ appear on our 1992 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
King Tee - ‘The Triflin’ Album’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 26th January 1993
Label: Capitol / EMI
Producers: DJ Pooh, Tha Alkaholiks, Marley Marl
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Tha Triflin’ Album is the third album by West Coast hip hop artist King Tee. It was panned critically for being dated and containing a “lighter rap approach.” It contains two singles; “Got It Bad Y’all” featuring Tha Alkaholiks and “Black Togetha Again.” Neither of them charted, but Tha Triflin’ Album performed better on the Billboard 200 chart than any other King Tee album. This relative commercial success can be attributed to guest appearances by Tha Alkaholiks and Ice Cube as well as hip hop newcomers Nefretitti, Coke and Dr. Soose of Mad Kap and Deadly Threat. The production, handled by producers including Tha Alkaholiks, DJ Pooh and Marley Marl may have also attributed to the album’s reception. The success of this album allowed King Tee’s protégés, Tha Alkaholiks, to gain a following. It also provided a foundation for King Tee’s Likwit Crew. The two singles on this album are the only songs from this album that are included on King Tee’s greatest hits compilation, Ruff Rhymes: Greatest Hits Collection.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Dr Dre ‘The Chronic’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape mixed by DJ Matman
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“Today marks the 25th Anniversary of Dr. Dre’s seminal debut solo album ‘The Chronic’. Not many albums can rightfully lay claim to the title of ‘landmark recording’, but ‘The Chronic’ is certainly one of them, an LP that arguably sparked an entire movement in Hip Hop and which certainly held great influence over the genre’s direction for decades to come. As Dre’s first major release after his
departure from N.W.A, it was a record with a lot to prove, and it delivered innovation in spades. It not only solidified Dre’s reputation as an all-rounder - an accomplished rapper and producer - but also marked the start of a new period in his career together with a new crew of collaborators, among them a young Snoop Dogg, Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. Most importantly however the album is largely credited with kick-starting the G-Funk movement, a sonic template which married slick gliding synths, rhythm guitar and more with P-Funk and related samples to create a sound smoother and more polished than most Hip Hop production prior. The presence of similar themes and methods in some of Dre’s work on late N.W.A material and Cold 187um’s work with Above the Law recorded during the same time period should not however be overlooked. For our latest mixtape, former DMC and ITF champion DJ Matman marries album cuts, alt versions and remixes with original sample material and more.”
- Listen on Mixcloud here
- Tracklist here
Dr Dre ‘The Chronic’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 15th December 1992
Label: Death Row, Interscope, Priority
Producers: Dr Dre
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Chronic is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist Dr. Dre. It was released on December 15, 1992, by his own record label Death Row Records and distributed by Interscope Records and Priority Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood. The album is named after a slang term for high-grade cannabis, and its cover is a homage to Zig-Zag rolling papers. It was Dr. Dre’s first solo album after he had departed from hip hop group N.W.A and its label Ruthless Records over a financial dispute. On The Chronic, he included both subtle and direct insults at Ruthless and its owner, former N.W.A member Eazy-E. Although a solo album, it features many appearances by Snoop Dogg, who used the album as a launch pad for his own solo career.
The Chronic peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and had been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America with sales of 5.7 million copies in the United States, which led to Dr. Dre becoming one of the top ten best-selling American performing artists of 1993. Dr. Dre’s production has been noted for popularizing the G-funk subgenre within gangsta rap. The Chronic has been widely regarded as one of the most important and influential albums of the 1990s and regarded by many fans and peers to be one of the most well-produced hip hop albums of all time. The Chronic was ranked at #138 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”
Additional info:
- Listen to DJ Matman’s 25th Anniversary Mixtape.
- The album comes in at #1 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The singles ‘Nuthin’ But A G Thang’ and ‘Dre Day’ come in at #1 and #9 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- The track ‘Let Me Ride’ appears on our 1992 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
The Pharcyde ‘Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 24th November 1992
Label: Delicious Vinyl
Producers: J Swift, L.A Jay, Slimkid3
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde is the debut album of American hip hop group The Pharcyde, released on November 24, 1992 through Delicious Vinyl Records. The album was produced by former group member J-Swift, and features only one guest appearance, provided by little known Los Angeles rapper Bucwheed (known then as “Buckwheat” from The Wascals). In the years after its release, Bizarre Ride has been hailed by music critics and alternative hip hop fans, as a classic hip hop album along with Souls of Mischief’s 93 ‘til Infinity, and has appeared in numerous publications’ “best albums” lists. Released during the dominant Gangsta rap era of West Coast hip hop, Bizarre Ride was described as “refreshing” due to its playful, light-hearted humor and lush, jazzy production. Along with albums such as To Whom It May Concern… by Freestyle Fellowship, and I Wish My Brother George Was Here by Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Bizarre Ride helped establish a new alternative scene on the West Coast, followed by artists such as Hieroglyphics, The Coup and Jurassic 5. Despite its wide critical acclaim, the album produced only moderate sales, peaking at No. 75 on the Billboard 200 album chart in 1993. However, on the strength of the second single, “Passin’ Me By”, the album was certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 28, 1996.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 25th Anniversary Mixtape.
- The album comes in at #6 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The track ‘Ya Mama’ appears on our 1992 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
- Explore virual liner notes in WhoSampled’s ‘Album Experience’.
Purchase: Discogs
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - ‘Live and Let Die’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 24th November 1992
Label: Cold Chillin’
Producers: Sir Jinx, Kool G Rap, Trackmasters
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Live and Let Die is the third and final studio album by the American hip hop duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, which was released November 24, 1992, on Cold Chillin’. The album features guest appearances from Ice Cube, Big Daddy Kane, Scarface, and Bushwick Bill. The singles “Ill Street Blues” and “On the Run” both received consistent airplay on Yo! MTV Raps, and BET’s Rap City upon the album’s release.
Warner Bros. Records eventually refused to distribute Live and Let Die as part of its deal with Cold Chillin’ Records because of the album’s lyrical content and cover art. It is not known if a Warner Bros. catalogue number was ever assigned to the release. Live and Let Die remained out of print until it was re-released and remastered with various bonus material in August 2008 by Traffic Entertainment Group, the current owners of the Cold Chillin’ catalog. Over the years, several music critics have hailed it as an underground classic, due to Kool G Rap’s intricate lyricism, and Sir Jinx’s production.
Compared to the lyrical themes on the duo’s previous albums, this album features an even greater focus on hardcore gangsta and mafioso rap lyrics. The violence and sexual content are much more graphic than on any previous Kool G Rap & DJ Polo album. Most of the songs feature vivid stories of some sort, many of them related to organized crime (especially the singles “On the Run” and “Ill Street Blues”) and violent street crime (“Train Robbery”, “Two to the Head”). There are also sex raps (“Operation CB”, “Fuck U Man”), horrorcore stories (“Straight Jacket”, “Edge of Sanity”), and even some socio-political commentary similar to Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions (“Crime Pays”). The songs “Home Sweet Home”, “Fuck U Man”, and “Still Wanted Dead or Alive” act as sequels, respectively, to the songs “Streets of New York”, “Talk Like Sex”, and “Wanted: Dead or Alive” from the previous album.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Ice Cube ‘The Predator’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 17th November 1992
Label: Priority / EMI
Producers: Ice Cube, DJ Pooh, Sir Jinx, Torcha Chamba, DJ Muggs
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Predator is the third studio album by Ice Cube. Released within months of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, many songs comment on the racial tensions. The title is in part reference to the movie Predator 2, and the album itself includes samples from the film. Though not Ice Cube’s most critically successful album, The Predator is his most commercially successful, reaching 2x platinum status in the United States, also containing his most successful single, “It Was a Good Day.” The Predator is his only number one album on the Billboard 200 to date, selling 193,000 copies in its first week. As of 2008 it has sold over 2 million copies in the USA, according to Nielsen Soundscan.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #13 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Positive K ‘The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 3rd November 1992
Label: Island / Polygram
Producers: Big Daddy Kane, Jazzy Jay, Silver D, L.G, Laz-E-Laz
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“‘The Skills Dat Pay da Bills’ was Positive K’s debut album, which was released November 3, 1992. With “I Got a Man” making waves on the radio, he was doing underground compilation appearances, guest spots on other hip-hop artists’ albums, and worked with emcee Big Daddy Kane on the single (“Nightshift”), which led to his album. Reviews painted the album as a fluke hit and it lacked perseverance on the album charts, resulting it being seen as a one-hit wonder. The album remains beloved among the underground hip-hop community. This album contains the first recorded instances of the phrase “drop it like it’s hot,” which appears in the songs “Ain’t No Crime” and “Minnie the Moocher.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #17 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The track ‘Flower That Grows In Brooklyn’ appears on our Classic Material 1992 Mixtape.
- The track ‘I Got A Man (Hip Hop Remix)’ appears on our 1992 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Grand Puba ‘Reel to Reel’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 20th October 1992
Label: Elektra
Producers: Grand Puba, DJ Shabazz, Anthony Latief King, The Brand New Heavies
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Reel to Reel is the debut album by American rapper Grand Puba. It was Puba’s first solo venture, following group projects with the likes of the short lived group Masters of Ceremony and Brand Nubian. Both of the group’s albums were critically acclaimed but failed to duplicate that success in terms of album sales. The album was largely produced by Puba himself, with help from the Stimulated Dummies, Kid Capri and others. Reel to Reel includes the number one Rap hit “360 Degrees (What Goes Around)”, as well as the singles “Check it Out” (featuring a young Mary J. Blige), and “Ya Know How it Goes.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 25th Anniversary Mixtape
- The album comes in at #16 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The single ‘360 (What Goes Round)’ comes in at #25 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- The singles ‘Check It Out’ and ‘360 (What Goes Round)’ appear on our 1992 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Jurassic 5 - ‘Jurassic 5 EP’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 13th October 1997
Label: Rumble / Interscope
Producers: Cut Chemist, DJ Nu-Mark
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Jurassic 5 EP was the first official release by American hip hop group Jurassic 5. It was an EP that included much of the material that would later appear on Jurassic 5. The first version to be released contained nine tracks and was available in CD single or double-12” single formats. It was released in October 1997 on the band’s own short-lived label, Rumble Records. Although the label only released one record, it did give the band a platform and allowed them to be heard. “I urge every independent artist to put something out first. Prove yourself to yourself, to people that pick up the records, then the [labels] will come looking for you. If they know that you can score, they gonna pass the ball to you.” — Akil. The band signed to a major label, Interscope Records in 1999. Their first release on Interscope was the re-issue of the Jurassic 5 EP in an 8 track version in 1999. This had the same listing as the original EP, excluding the final track “Blacktop Beat”.”
Purchase: Discogs
Redman ‘Whut Thee Album’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 22nd September 1992
Label: Def Jam / Chaos / Columbia
Producers: Erick Sermon, Reggie Noble, Pete Rock
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Whut? Thee Album is the debut studio album by American rapper Redman; it was released on September 22, 1992 by Def Jam Recordings and Chaos Recordings, a dimension of Columbia Records. Taking place at Ian London Studios, North Shore Soundworks and Power Play Studios, recording sessions began in 1991 and continued into 1992. The album heavily features production from mentor and fellow Hit Squad member Erick Sermon, as well as Redman himself under his birth name, with additional production from Pete Rock. Upon its release, Whut? Thee Album debuted at number 49 on the US Billboard 200. In June 1993, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), exceeding the sales of 500,000 copies in the United States. The album initially garnered favorable reviews from music critics due to Redman’s humorous lyrics, and the album’s production, which was noted as having the “EPMD sound.” Over the years, Whut? has been commonly esteemed as a classic hip hop album, and along with Muddy Waters, it is widely regarded as Redman’s best work.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘Time 4 Sum Aksion’ appears on our 1992 Rap Megamix
- The album comes in at #4 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The single ‘Blow Your Mind’ comes in at #14 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Common ‘Can I Borrow A Dollar?’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 6th October 1992
Label: Relativity
Producers: Immenslope, The Beatnuts, The Twilight Zone
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Can I Borrow a Dollar? is the 1992 debut album by Chicago rapper Common (then known as Common Sense), released in the United States on October 6, 1992. The album was entirely produced by No I.D (then called Immenslope) and Twilite Tone, with addictional production by The Beatnuts. It contains guest vocals from Immenslope, Miss Jones and Common’s then-girlfriend Rayshel. Entertainment Weekly’s Neil Drumming described it as “a clever but little-noticed first album”. In 1991, a feature was written about Common in the Unsigned Hype section of The Source. Relativity Records soon signed Common, and prepared to release three singles for his debut album. The first and best-charting single was 1992’s “Take It EZ”. It reached #5 on the Hot Rap Singles chart while his next two singles, “Breaker 1/9” and “Soul by the Pound,” reached #10 and #7 respectively. All of these singles combined to give Common a strong underground reputation prior to the album’s release. Can I Borrow A Dollar? shows Common’s early style of rapping; namely a sing-songy and inflection-heavy vocal delivery, as well as lyrics packed with word play and popular culture allusions. The album’s production, utilizing samples, keyboards, and drum breaks prominently, tends to be minimalistic, jazzy and laid back. The Source called the production top notch. Although receiving a lukewarm reception, Stanton Swihart of Allmusic considers it to have put Chicago hip hop on the map and to be an underrated debut album.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #23 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Common ‘One Day It’ll All Make Sense’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 30th September 1997
Label: Relativity
Producers: Derek Dudley, Common, No I.D, Spike Rebel, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser, Ynot, Dug Infinite
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“One Day It’ll All Make Sense is the third studio album by rapper Common, released on September 30, 1997 on Relativity Records. It was the follow-up to his critically acclaimed album Resurrection and the last Common album to feature producer No I.D. until Common’s 2011 album The Dreamer/The Believer. As he explained in his memoir published in 2011, the title of album was figured out to use a word “sense”, as he was forced to shorten his stage name to Common. The album’s recording was put on hold for up to a year as Common was busy becoming a father. After the birth of his child, Common returned to finish the album, albeit with a newer sense of responsibility, which he relates to his transformation from bachelor to father. He recorded “Retrospect For Life”, with Lauryn Hill, as a dedication to his first child Omoye Assata Lynn. The song became the second single to be released from the album, and was accompanied by a video (directed by Lauryn Hill), as were “Invocation”, “Hungry”, and the album’s first single “Reminding Me (Of Sef)” (a eulogy to a close, deceased friend of Common’s). The album’s cover is a picture of an 8-year-old Common with his mother, Dr. Ann Hines, at an airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica in 1980. The multi-talented Cee Lo Green, who at the time was still a member of Southern Hip hop group Goodie Mob, provides the vocals for the spiritual “G.O.D.” (which stands for “Gaining One’s Definition”). Rapper Canibus makes an early career appearance on the track “Making A Name For Ourselves”, as do veterans De La Soul on “Gettin’ Down At The Amphitheater”. Other guests include Black Thought, and Q-Tip on “Stolen Moments” Parts “II” and “III” respectively, and Common’s future love interest Erykah Badu, on “All Night Long”, which was produced by The Roots. Chicagoan poet Malik Yusef, waxes lyrical about his hometown on “My City”, and as usual Common’s father Lonnie Lynn closes the album out with some words of wisdom on “Pop’s Rap Part 2 / Fatherhood”.
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Compton’s Most Wanted ‘Music to Driveby’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 29th September 1992
Label: Orpheus / Epic
Producers: The Unknown DJ, MC Eiht, DJ Slip, DJ Mike T
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Music to Driveby is the third studio album by American rap group Compton’s Most Wanted. It was released September 29, 1992 on Orpheus Records. The album was produced by DJ Mike T, Master Ric Roc, The Unknown DJ, MC Eiht and DJ Slip. It peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 66 on the Billboard 200. Along with a single, a music video was produced for the songs, “Hood Took Me Under” and “Def Wish II”. Music to Driveby is seen as one of the great Gangsta rap albums from the golden age of hip hop. Similar to N.W.A.‘s Straight Outta Compton, Music to Driveby includes similar themes centered around nihilism, hood life and participation in gangs. It is notable for the single Hood Took Me Under, which was later included in videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ radio station “Radio Los Santos”, and has been considered a classic example of Gangsta Rap by reviewers. The album contains the diss song to rapper Tim Dog, “Who’s Fucking Who?” as well as numerous shots thrown at DJ Quik throughout the album.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #19 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
No I.D ‘Accept Your Own and Be Yourself (The Black Album)’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 23rd September 1997
Label: Relativity
Producers: No I.D, Dug Infinite, Spike Rebel
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Accept Your Own and Be Yourself (The Black Album) is the only full-length album released under producer No I.D.‘s name. It was put out by Relativity Records in 1997. Production is entirely by No I.D, except “Original Man” (co-produced by Dug Infinite), “Sky’s the Limit (Inf Mix)” (produced by Dug Infinite) and “Sky’s the Limit” (co-produced by Spike Rebel). He raps on most of the tracks; Dug Infinite is also featured on most of them. Common and Syndicate also make appearances.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
EPMD ‘Back in Business’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 23rd September 1997
Label: Def Jam
Producers: EPMD, Rockwilder, DJ Scratch, Agallah
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Back in Business is the return 5th album from the hip-hop duo EPMD, which broke up because of personal problems in 1992. After releasing four successful albums between 1988 and 1992 (all of them being considered classics), the duo returned with another successful effort. The single “Da Joint” became their second Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1997. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on November 17, 1997.”
Additional info:
- The Album comes in at #18 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1997
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Diamond D ‘Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 22nd September 1992
Label: Chemistry / Mercury / Polygram
Producers: Diamond D, Showbiz, Lakim Shabazz, jazzy Jay, The 45 King, Large Professor, Q-Tip
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop is the debut album from hip hop producer-emcee Diamond D, released on September 22, 1992. The album features some of the earliest appearances from Diamond’s later D.I.T.C. partners Big L and Fat Joe, as well as his crew the Psychotic Neurotics. Although Diamond D handles the majority of the album’s production, other popular beat makers such
as Large Professor, Q-Tip, Jazzy Jay, Showbiz and The 45 King co-produce on several tracks. The album features the singles “Best-Kept Secret” and “Sally Got a One-Track Mind.” The album was not released on vinyl. However, there were promotional copies pressed with full artwork which were highly sought-after..The vinyl edition was eventually made available as a reissue years
later. The original promo version has a sticker on it. The reissue had this sticker scanned into the artwork. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums.
Additional info:
- The tracks ‘Best Kept Secret (45 King Remix)’, ‘Sally Got a One Track Mind’ and ‘Sally Got a One Track Mind (Showbiz Remix)’ appear on our Classic Material 1992 Mixtape
- The track ‘Best Kept Secret’ appears on our 1992 Rap Megamix
- The album comes in at #5 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The single ‘Best Kept Secret’ comes in at #26 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Showbiz & A.G ‘Runaway Slave’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 22nd September 1992
Label: Payday / London / Polygram
Producers: Showbiz, Diamond D
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Runaway Slave is the debut album from Hip Hop duo Showbiz and A.G., members of legendary New York City crew D.I.T.C.. The album is now out of print. The effort was a highly praised underground release, but didn’t sell strong numbers. Three songs from their debut EP are included here, “Party Groove”, “Soul Clap”, and “Catchin’ Wreck”. The album features an early appearance from late legend Big L, on the posse cut “Represent”, other guest appearances come from Diamond D, Dres, Lord Finesse and DeShawn. The album includes many interludes between songs that feature underground artists such as The Legion, Freddie Foxxx, Fat Joe, Kid Capri and Lord Finesse. Producer Showbiz makes frequent rapping appearance on the album, unlike later releases, where he left the rhyming to A.G.”
Additional info:
- The tracks ‘Catchin Wreck’, ‘Represent’ and ‘Still Diggin’ appear on our Classic Material 1992 Mixtape
- The track ‘40 Acres and My Props’ appears on our 1992 Rap Megamix
- The album comes in at #9 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The single ‘Fat Pockets’ comes in at #33 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Da Lench Mob ‘Guerillas In Tha Mist’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 22nd September 1992
Label: Street Knowledge / East West
Producers: Ice Cube, Chilly Chill, Mr Woody, Rashad, T-Bone
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Guerillas in tha Mist is the debut album by Da Lench Mob, who originally appeared on Ice Cube’s debut solo album, Amerikkka’s Most Wanted. The titular “Guerillas in tha Mist” was a hit at the release of the album, which also appears in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, on the fictional radio station “Radio Los Santos”. The album was produced by Ice Cube and he is featured throughout the album though uncredited. The single “Freedom Got an A.K.” peaked at number 7 on the Hot rap singles charts.
The album title is a pun on the popular movie title Gorillas in the Mist and guerrilla warfare. In the post-Los Angeles Riot atmosphere of the album’s release, the title was also perceived as a clever reference to a comment made by one of the police officers who had arrested Rodney King. Laurence Michael Powell, one of King’s arresting officers, had described through radio message a domestic disturbance involving two blacks as something straight from “Gorillas in the Mist.” Powell’s comment was seen as racist, comparing blacks to gorillas, and was used against the officer during the Rodney King trial.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #11 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Tha Alkaholiks ‘Likwidation’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 26th August 1997
Label: Loud
Producers: E-Swift, Easy Mo Bee, Madlib, T-Smoov, Marley Marl
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Likwidation is the third album by West Coast hip hop group Tha Alkaholiks, released in August 26, 1997 on Loud Records. The album features a large amount of guest appearances, including Nas, Lootpack, Keith Murray, Xzibit, LL Cool J, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and King Tee. The album’s lead single, “Hip Hop Drunkies”, became the group’s biggest hit in 1997, peaking at #66 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Following the release of Likwidation, group member Tash temporarily went solo, and released the album Rap Life in 1999. The group didn’t return with another album until 2001, with X.O. Experience.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘Likwidation’ appears on our Classic Material 1997 Mixtape.
- The track ‘Likwidation’ appears on our 1997 Rap Megamix.
- The single ‘Hip Hop Drunkies’ comes in at #22 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1997.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
MC Shan ‘Down by Law’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 8th August 1987
Label: Cold Chillin’
Producers: Marley Marl
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Down by Law is the debut album by East Coast hip hop artist MC Shan. Released at the height of the Bridge Wars, a feud between artists started by South Bronx’s KRS-One responding to the Queensbridge anthem “The Bridge”. The album contains the diss track, “Kill That Noise” in response to The Bridge Is Over. The album is produced by Marley Marl. It was the only Cold Chillin’/Warner Bros. album that was never initially released on CD by its distributor. The album was not released on that format until 1995, long after the 5-year distribution deal with Warner Bros. Records ended. By this time, Cold Chillin’ distributed its material independently, mostly from its back catalog. This CD pressing would only be available for a limited time and went out of print for a few years. It was then re-released in 2001 as MC Shan: the Best of Cold Chillin’, which featured all the tracks from Down by Law (except “Another One to Get Jealous Of”) with a few additional non-album tracks. This version is now out of print as well. In 2007, it was re-released again by its new owner, Traffic Entertainment, in expanded form as a double-disc set with bonus tracks.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
EPMD ‘Business Never Personal’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 28th July 1992
Label: Def Jam / Columbia
Producers: EPMD, Charlie Marotta, DJ Scratch, Mr Bozack
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Business Never Personal is the fourth studio album by hip hop duo EPMD, released July 28, 1992 on Def Jam Records. Following mixed criticism of their previous studio effort, 1990’s Business As Usual, the duo was able to return to their past acclaim on Business Never Personal. The album is considered the duo’s third classic by fans and critics. The record was originally given a rating of 4.5 mics out of 5 in The Source in 1992. The lead single, “Crossover”, became its biggest success, nearly reaching the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Ironically, the song was about keeping it real and not crossing over to the mainstream, but became EPMD’s biggest mainstream success. The duo cut “Head Banger” with Redman and K-Solo was also a hit in 1992. The album was later certified Gold in sales by the RIAA on October 13, 1992. The single “Crossover” was certified Gold on November 16, 1992. While it has yet to feature a U.S. reissue, Business Never Personal has been re-released in 2005 on vinyl in Europe.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘Crossover’ appears on our 1992 Rap Megamix
- The album comes in at #12 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The singles ‘Crossover’ and ‘Headbanger’ come in at #10 and #17 respectively in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
House of Pain ‘House of Pain’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 21st July 1992
Label: Tommy Boy
Producers: DJ Muggs, DJ Lethal, Ralph M the Mexican, Pete Rock
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“House of Pain, subtitled Fine Malt Lyrics, is the debut album of American hardcore hip hop group House of Pain, released in 1992 through Tommy Boy Records.
Press reviews:
- Rolling Stone: 3.5 Stars - Good Plus - “With a groovy swagger, this collection of hard-core hip-hop tracks offers many moments of technicolor snap and crackle, and also titled House of Pain.”
- Q Magazine: 3 Stars - Good - “...their music is of the dense, hard-hitting school of hip hop…the group have absorbed black rap’s musical lessons and create a satisfying platform for their above average deliveries…”
- The Source: 3.5 Stars - Good Plus - “...a very solid and at times exceptional album…imagine if Licensed To Ill wasn’t an upper middle class Jewish thing but rather a working class Irish thang…the atmosphere is like that of a cross between a frat party and a bar room brawl…”
- NME: 6 - Good - “...contains some creative and accomplished rap music…”
Additional info:
- The Pete Rock Remix of ’Jump Around’ appears on our 1992 Rap Megamix
- The album comes in at #24 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The single ‘Jump Around’ comes in at #11 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Too $hort ‘Born to Mack’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 20th July 1987
Label: Dangerous Music / Jive / RCA
Producers: Too $hort, T Bohanon
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Born to Mack is the fourth studio album and debut major label album by American rapper Too Short. The album was released on July 20, 1987. This album was re-released by Jive Records after the success of Raw, Uncut, and X-Rated. It was originally released in the summer of 1987 by Dangerous Music and in 1988 through Jive/RCA, although Jive Records logos did not appear on
it until it was released on compact disc in 1989.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Eric B & Rakim ‘Paid in Full’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 7th July 1987
Label: 4th & Broadway
Producers: Eric B & Rakim
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Paid in Full is the debut album of American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released on July 7, 1987, by Island-subsidiary label 4th & B’way Records. The duo recorded the album at hip hop producer Marley Marl’s home studio and Power Play Studios in New York City, following Rakim’s response to Eric B.‘s search for a rapper to complement his disc jockey work in 1985. The album peaked at number fifty-eight on the Billboard 200 chart and produced five singles, “Eric B. Is President”, “I Ain’t No Joke”, “I Know You Got Soul”, “Move the Crowd”, and “Paid in Full”. Paid in Full is credited as a benchmark album of golden age hip hop. Rakim’s rapping, which pioneered the use of internal rhymes in hip hop, set a higher standard of lyricism in the genre and served as a template for future rappers. The album’s heavy sampling by Eric B. became influential in hip hop production. The record has sold over a million copies and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it platinum in 1995. In 2003, the album was ranked number 228 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.”
Additional info:
- The single ‘I Know You Got Soul’ comes in at #7 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1987.
- The tracks ‘Eric B is President’ and ‘I Know You Got Soul’ appear on our Classic Material 1984-1987 Mixtape.
- The track ‘I Know You Got Soul’ appears on our 1979-1987 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Gang Starr ‘Daily Operation’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape mixed by Chris Read
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“Last month saw the 25th Anniversary of ‘Daily Operation’, the third studio album by one of Hip Hop’s most celebrated duos, Gang Starr. That anniversary having coincided with the release of our Ahmad Jamal celebration mix, we’ve held this one back a few weeks but are pleased to now share with you this exclusive tribute mix to the much loved LP containing album tracks, interview snippets and of course original sample material. In keeping with tradition, this mix is presented in collaboration with Wax Poetics and mixed by Chris Read.”
- Listen on Mixcloud
- Liston on Soundcloud
Cru ‘Da Dirty 30’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 24th June 1997
Label: Def Jam / Violator
Producers: Yogi
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Da Dirty 30 is the only album released by hip hop group, Cru. It was released on June 24, 1997 as a joint production by Def Jam Recordings and Violator Entertainment, with the entire production of the album coming from the group’s producer Yogi. The album was met with positive reviews but was not a huge commercial success, peaking at 102 on the Billboard 200, number 26 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number one on the Top Heatseekers. Two singles made it to the charts: “Bubblin’”, which was released on August 26, 1997 and peaked at 23 on the Hot Rap Singles chart, and the more successful “Just Another Case”, which made it to 68 on the Billboard Hot 100.”
Additional info:
- The Album comes in at #24 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1997
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Capone N Noreaga ‘The War Report’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 17th June 1997
Label: Penalty / Tommy Boy / Warner Bros
Producers: Charlemagne, EZ Elpee, Nashiem Myrick, Carlos “6 July” Broady, Naughty Shorts, DJ Clark Kent, Tragedy Khadafi, G-Money, Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Marley Marl
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The War Report is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Capone-N-Noreaga (C-N-N). The album features the singles “L.A., L.A.”, “T.O.N.Y.”, “Illegal Life” and “Closer”. Tragedy Khadafi appears on more than half of the album’s songs. Other guest appearances include Imam T.H.U.G., Castro, Mussolini, Mendosa, Troy Outlaw and Mobb Deep. Despite its strong underground overtones, the album was a commercial success, making 1997’s Hip Hop/R&B Top Five.”
Additional info:
- The Album comes in at #2 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1997
- The Single ‘T.O.N.Y’ comes in at #14 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1997
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Pete Rock & CL Smooth ‘Mecca & The Soul Brother’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 9th June 1992
Label: Electra
Producers: Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Eddie F
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Mecca and the Soul Brother is the critically acclaimed 1992 debut album from the Mount Vernon duo, Pete Rock & CL Smooth. The album contains their best known song, “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.).” Mecca and the Soul Brother has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. The album was mostly produced by Pete Rock and executive produced by DJ Eddie F of Heavy D & the Boyz (co-group member with Trouble T-Roy).
Mecca and the Soul Brother followed on the heels of the duo’s EP; All Souled Out, released in 1991. Despite being a critical success, it had little commercial success in comparison to other noteworthy releases of 1992, such as Dr. Dre’s The Chronic. The first single, “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”, a dedication to their deceased friend; Trouble T Roy (a dance member of Heavy D. & The Boyz), has gone on to become not only their signature hit, but also one of hip hop’s most highly regarded songs.Other topics on the album range from life in the ghetto (“Ghettos of the Mind”), the teachings of the Nation of Islam (“Anger in the Nation”), bootlegging (“Straighten It Out”), and love (“Lots of
Lovin’”).
Mecca and the Soul Brother brought considerable acclaim to the duo. They were often compared to the group Gang Starr, which also featured one MC, and a producer/DJ.
Although the album garnered a great amount of acclaim, sales were slow. The group only grew more popular, however, and next appeared on the Menace II Society soundtrack, followed by Who’s the Man?, and Poetic Justice, respectively before returning in 1994, with The Main Ingredient.”
Additional info:
- The tracks ‘Skins’, ‘On and On’ and ‘Straighten it Out’ appear on our Classic Material 1992 Mixtape.
- The track ‘T.R.O.Y’ appears on 1992 Rap Megamix
- The album comes in at #8 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The single ‘T.R.O.Y’ comes in at #5 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Gang Starr ‘Daily Operation’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 5th May 1992
Label: Chrysalis / EMI
Producers: DJ Premier / Guru
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Daily Operation is the third album by American hip hop duo Gang Starr. Despite the album originally only being rewarded 3.5 mics in The Source it was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Hip Hop Albums in 1998. One of the songs of the album, “B.Y.S.”, was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the fictional radio station Playback FM.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘The Pace Where We Dwell’ appears on our Classic Material 1992 Mixtape.
- The album comes in at #3 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The single ‘DWYCK’ comes in at #2 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Beastie Boys ‘Check Your Head’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 21st April 1992
Label: Capitol
Producers: Mario Caldato Jr.
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Check Your Head is the third studio album by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released on April 21, 1992 by Capitol Records. Three years elapsed between the releases of the band’s second studio album Paul’s Boutique and Check Your Head, which was recorded at the G-Son Studios in Atwater Village in 1991 under the guidance of producer Mario Caldato Jr., the group’s third producer in three albums. Less sample-heavy than their previous records, the album features instrumental contributions from all three members: Adam Horovitz on lead guitar, Adam Yauch on bass guitar, and Mike Diamond on drums. It was re-released in 2009 in a number of formats and featured 16 b-sides and rarities as well as a commentary track. The album is extensively broken down track-by-track by Diamond, Yauch, Horovitz, Caldato, and frequent Beasties collaborator Money Mark in Brian Coleman’s book Check the Technique.
In contrast to their previous album, Paul’s Boutique, the Beastie Boys returned somewhat stylistically to their crust punk roots on Check Your Head, playing their own instruments for the first time on record since their early EPs (although they did provide live instrumentation on at least two songs on Paul’s Boutique). Hence photographer Glen E. Friedman’s idea to shoot photos with their instrument cases (one of which became the cover). Supposedly, a trading card with Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. from a set of Desert Storm trading cards was the inspiration for the title.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘Jimmy James’ appears on our Classic Material 1992 Mixtape.
- The album comes in at #7 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The single ‘So Watcha Want’ comes in at #32 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
- The track ‘Pass the Mic’ appears on our 1992 Rap Megamix.
Purchase: Discogs
Das EFX ‘Dead Serious’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape mixed by Chris Read
April 7th 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of Das EFX’s debut LP ‘Dead Serious’. Executive produced by EPMD, the LP shares its sonic template with Hit Squad productions of the era from the likes of Redman, K Solo and EPMD themselves. Densely layered samples are the order of the day, classic drum breaks, P-Funk basslines and layer upon layer of atmospherics and vocal snippets all appearing in spades. It’s the album’s vocal style however that defined it, with ‘Diggedy-Das’s playfully unique and subsequently much imitated style of slang being the LP’s most memorable feature. In keeping with tradition, WhoSampled present this exclusive mixtape of album tracks, alt versions and original sample material in collaboration Wax Poetics, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
- Listen on Mixcloud here
- Listen on Soundcloud here
Das EFX ‘Dead Serious’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 7th April 1992
Label: East West
Producers: Solid Scheme, Das EFX, Dexx
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
”Dead Serious is the debut studio album of American hip hop duo Das EFX, released April 7, 1992 on compact disc and audio cassette on East West Records and distributed through Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Firehouse Studios in Brooklyn, New York and at Charlie Marotta’s North Shore Soundworks studio in Long Island, New York. The album was a certified hit, peaking at 16 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for five weeks and reaching platinum sales by 1993. Well-received upon its release, Dead Serious has since been regarded by music writers as a significant and influential album in hip hop.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 25th Anniversary Mixtape on Mixcloud.
- The album comes in at #10 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- The singles ‘They Want EFX’ and ‘Mic Checka’ come in at #3 and #13 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Notorious B.I.G ‘Life After Death’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“One of the most celebrated rappers of a generation, Notorious B.I.G released just one full length LP during his lifetime, 1994’s ‘Ready to Die’. Released just two weeks after his untimely passing following a shooting incident in L.A, the follow up, ‘Life after Death’, was an instant hit achieving Diamond certified sales and spawning several commercially successful singles, ‘Hypnotize’, ‘Mo Money, Mo Problems’ and ‘Sky’s The Limit’, each based on highly memorable samples. This weekend marks the album’s 20th anniversary and in keeping with tradition, we’ve teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mix of album tracks, alternate versions and of course original sample material, mixed by DJ Matman.”
- Listen on Mixcloud here.
- Listen on Soundcloud here.
- Tracklist here.
Notorious B.I.G ‘Life After Death’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 25th March 1997
Label: Bad Boy
Producers: Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie, Carlos “6 July” Broady, Buckwild, Clark Kent, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Stevie J, DJ Enuff, DJ Premier, Easy Mo Bee, Havoc, Jiv Poss, Daron Jones, Ron “Amen-Ra” Lawrence, Kay Gee, Nashiem Myrick, Notorious B.I.G., Paragon, Chucky Thompson, RZA
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Life After Death is the second and final studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on March 25, 1997, on Bad Boy Records. A double album, it was released posthumously following his death on March 9, 1997. It features collaborations with guest artists such as 112, Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, Mase, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Too $hort, Angela Winbush, D.M.C. of Run-D.M.C., R. Kelly, The LOX and Puff Daddy. Life After Death exhibits The Notorious B.I.G. further delving into the mafioso rap subgenre. The album is a sequel to his first album, Ready to Die, and picks up where the last song, “Suicidal Thoughts”, ends. The album was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 1998 including Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance for its first single “Hypnotize”, and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for its second single “Mo Money Mo Problems”. Life After Death has been considered by music writers as one of the seminal mafioso rap albums, along with Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995) and Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt (1996). In 2003, the album was ranked number 476 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘I Got A Story to Tell’ appears on our Classic Material 1997 Mixtape.
- The track ‘Hypnotize’ appears on our 1997 Rap Megamix.
- The album takes the #1 spot on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1997.
- The singles ‘Mo Money Mo Problems’ and ‘Hypnotize’ comes in at #2 and #3 on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1997.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
- Listen to DJ Matman’s 20th Anniversary mixtape.
Purchase: Discogs
Boogie Down Productions ‘Criminal Minded’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 3rd March 1987
Label: B-Boy Records
Producers: Scott La Rock, KRS-One, Ced-Gee
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Criminal Minded is the debut album by Boogie Down Productions, released on March 3, 1987 on B-Boy Records. Considered a highly influentialhip hop album, it is also credited with providing a prototype for the East Coast gangsta rap which emerged in the following decades. The album’s samples and direct influences were unusual at the time, ranging from liberal use of dancehall reggae (as well as the more commonly used James Brown) to rock music artists such as AC/DC, The Beatles and Billy Joel. The album was eventually certified Gold by the RIAA.The songs “South Bronx” and “The Bridge Is Over” ignited the rivalry with the Queens-bred emcee MC Shan and the Juice Crew. These songs and others on the album spoke of the role the South Bronx area of New York City played in hip hop’s early history.Other songs told streetwise tales of the evils of drugs and prostitution. In 2003, the album was ranked number 444 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.”
Additional info:
- The singles ‘The Bridge Is Over’ and ‘Poetry’ come in at #3 and #24 respectively in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1987.
- The tracks ‘Criminal Minded’ and ‘South Bronx’ appear on our Classic Material 1984-1987 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
- DJ Bobafatt looks back on 30 years of the classic album.
Purchase: Discogs
Boogie Down Productions ‘Sex and Violence’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 25th February 1992
Label: Jive
Producers: KRS-One, Pal Joey, Prince Paul, DJ Kenny Parker, D-Square
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Sex and Violence is the fifth and final album released by hip hop group Boogie Down Productions. The next year, 1993, the group’s lead member, KRS-One, would begin recording under his own name. The track “Build And Destroy” deals with KRS-One’s ideological differences—as a self-proclaimed humanist—with X Clan and its brand of Afrocentrism. Previously, and on numerous occasions, the X-Clan had denounced any association with the concept, instead affirming its pro-Black stance. This, according to KRS-One’s younger brother and Boogie Down Production’s DJ Kenny Parker, was an insinuation that KRS was a “sell-out.” Both parties have since reconciled their differences and on X-Clan’s Return from Mecca album. KRS One has stated that the album has sold about 250,000 copies, half of what the previous BDP album (Edutainment) sold. KRS-One has stated that he believes this was due to an incident that year, in which BDP stormed the stage during a concert performance by alternative hip-hop duo PM Dawn, which was in retaliation for the latter’s published comments that questioned KRS-One being a self-proclaimed “teacher”.The album track “Say Gal” was written about the rape trial of professional boxer Mike Tyson.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #20 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Fu Schnickens ‘F.U Don’t Take It Personal’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 25th February 1992
Label: Jive
Producers: A Tribe Called Quest, Fu-Schnickens, Lyvio G
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“F.U. Don’t Take It Personal is the debut studio album from Americanhip hop group Fu-Schnickens, released February 25, 1992 on Jive Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Battery Studios in New York, New York.The album peaked at number sixty-four on the Billboard 200 chart. By late 1992, it was certified gold by the RIAA, for shipping 500,000 copies in the United States. In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau praised Fu-Schnickens’ ideas and illusory rhymes, calling the group “rappers whose visions of fun, agape, and aural conquest remain open-ended, playful, and, face it, silly”. Stanton Swihart at Allmusic wrote in retrospect that “although their fashion sense (kung fu outfits on the cover) and taste in influences may have initially painted them as a novelty, their approach to music was straight serious on this debut album, and it shows.”
Additional info:
- The single ‘La Schmoove’ featuring ATCQ’s Phife appears at #32 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Lord Finesse ‘Return of the Funky Man’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 11th February 1992
Label: Giant / Reprise
Producers: Lord Finesse, Showbiz, Diamond D, DJ Aladdin
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
”Return of the Funky Man is the second album from hip hop producer and MC Lord Finesse. In 1991, Finesse split from his former partner DJ Mike Smooth, and his former record label, Wild Pitch Records, to release his first solo effort. Return of the Funky Man, which featured production from Finesse’s D.I.T.C. partners Diamond D and Showbiz, and former Ice-T producers Aladdin and S.L.J. Finesse also produced his first beats on this album and would go on to become one of hip-hop’s legendary producers. Guest appearances are provided by Percee P and D.I.T.C.‘s A.G.. Finesse was signed to this Warner Bros. Records subsidiary because of Ice-T, who enjoyed a very positive relationship with the label, even through the controversy surrounding “Cop Killer,” the notorious song by his heavy metal band Body Count.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Erykah Badu ‘Baduizm’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 11th February 1997
Label: Kedar / Universal
Producers: Erykah Badu, Jaífar Barron, Robert Bradford, Madukwu Chinwah, JaBorn Jamal, Ike Lee III, Richard Nichols, James Poyser, Bob Power, The Roots, Tone the Backbone
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Baduizm is the debut album by American R&B and neo soul singer-songwriter Erykah Badu, released on February 11, 1997 by Kedar Records. After leaving university in order to concentrate on music full-time, Badu then began touring with her cousin, Robert “Free” Bradford, where she recorded a 19-song demo, Country Cousins, which attracted the attention of Kedar Massenburg. He set Badu up to record a duet with D’Angelo, “Your Precious Love,” and eventually signed her to a record deal with Universal Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during January to October 1996 at Battery Studios in New York City, Sigma Sounds & Ivory Studios in Philadelphia, and Dallas Sound Lab in Dallas.
Upon release Baduizm was met with universal acclaim from music critics who praised the album’s musical style and Badu’s “artistic vision”; other critics noted similarities between Badu and Billie Holiday. Baduizm was a commercial success debuting at number two on the Billboard charts and number one on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, the album was awarded with a variety of certifications, it was certified three times platinum by Recording Industry Association of America, Gold by British Phonographic Industry and Gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association.
The album was promoted with the release of four singles: “On & On”, “Next Lifetime”, “Otherside of the Game”, and “Apple Tree”. The album won numerous accolades including winning awards for “On & On” and a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album at the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998. The album serves as a landmark album in the neo soul genre, Baduizm’s success earned Erykah Badu popularity at the time and helped establish her as one of the emerging neo soul genre’s leading artists. Along with fellow contemporaries such as D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar (1995) and Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite (1996), the album has been recognized by music writers for beginning neo soul’s popularity and helping the genre obtain commercial visibility at the time.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Public Enemy ‘Yo! Bum Rush The Show’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 10th February 1987
Label: Def Jam
Producers: The Bomb Squad, Bill Stephney
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Yo! Bum Rush the Show is the debut studio album of American hip hop group Public Enemy. The album was released on February 10, 1987 under Def Jam Recordings. The group’s logo, a silhouette of a black man in a rifle’s crosshairs, debuted on the album’s cover.Yo! Bum Rush the Show features a sample-heavy sound by production team The Bomb Squad. The album peaked at number 125 on the U.S. Billboard Top LPs chart and at number 28 on the Top Black Albums chart.NME magazine named it the best album of the year in its 1987 critics poll. Along with the Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill (1986) and LL Cool J’s Radio (1985), music writer Cheo H. Coker has cited Yo! Bum Rush the Show as one of three of the most influential albums in hip hop history. In 1998, it was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. In 2003, the album was ranked number 497 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
According to Jon Pareles of The New York Times, “From its first album, Yo! Bum Rush the Show in 1987, the group marketed itself as a distillation of black anger and resistance. It set out to be the voice of a community, not just one more posse of boasters”. Yo! Bum Rush the Show debuts The Bomb Squad’s sample-heavy production style, which is prominent on the group’s following work. Joe Brown of The Washington Post described the album’s music as “a more serious brand of inner-city aggression”, in comparison to Licensed to Ill (1986) by Def Jam label-mates the Beastie Boys. On its musical style, Brown wrote “Public Enemy’s mean and minimalist rap is marked by an absolute absence of melody - the scary sound is just a throbbing pulse, hard drums and a designed-to-irritate electronic whine, like a dentist’s drill or a persistent mosquito”. The album’s sound is accented by the scratching of DJ Terminator X.Chicago Tribune writer Daniel Brogan described Public Enemy’s style on the album as “raw and confrontational”, writing that the group “doesn’t aim to—or have a chance at—crossing over”.”
Additional info:
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Camp Lo ‘Uptown Saturday Night’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 28th January 1997
Label: Profile / Arista
Producers: Ski, Trugoy the Dove
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Uptown Saturday Night is the acclaimed debut studio album from Americanhip hop group Camp Lo, released January 28, 1997 on Profile Records and distributed through Arista Records. The album spawned the hit single, “Luchini AKA This Is It”. The album peaked at twenty-seven on the U.S. Billboard 200 and reached the fifth spot on the R&B Albums chart. Uptown Saturday Night is often hailed as a classic by fans and critics. Leo Stanley of Allmusic called the album “a refreshing fusion of hip-hop, soul, and jazz that manages to avoid most jazz-rap clichés while retaining street credibility,” and “a worthwhile debut. The album cover is an homage to the album cover of Marvin Gaye’s I Want You, which featured the painting “Sugar Shack” by Ernie Barnes.”
Additional info:
- The album track ‘Swing’ appears on our Classic Material 1997 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Nas ‘Hip Hop Is Dead’ 10th Anniversary
Release date: 19th December 2006
Label: Def Jam / Columbia
Producers: will.i.am, Salaam Remi, L.E.S., Wyldfyer, Kanye West, Dr. Dre, Scott Storch, Mark Batson, Stargate, Chris Webber, Devo Springsteen
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Hip Hop Is Dead is the eighth studio album by American rapper Nas, released December 19, 2006 on Def Jam Recordings. His first album for the label, it was co-financed by Nas’s previous label, Columbia Records, which once distributed for Def Jam. The album’s title was inspired by Nas’s view of the music industry and the state of hip hop music at the time.
The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 355,880 copies in its first week. His fourth U.S. number-one album, it had sold 764,000 copies by November 2008, eventually over time it went platinum by the RIAA. Upon its release, Hip Hop Is Dead received generally positive reviews from most music critics. Hip Hop Is Dead was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, ultimately losing to Kanye West’s Graduation at the 50th Grammy Awards.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘Hip Hop Is Dead’ appears on our 2006/2007 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Keith Murray ‘Enigma’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 26th November 1996
Label: Jive
Producers: Erick Sermon, The Ummah, Sugarless
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Enigma is the second studio album from Americanhip hop artist Keith Murray, released November 26, 1996 on Jive Records. The album peaked at number thirty-nine on the Billboard 200 chart and reached the sixth spot on the R&B Albums chart. Leo Stanley of Allmusic noted Murray’s improving rhythmic skills, stating that Murray’s defiantly East Coast style of production “can make the record a little monotonous, but his kinetic verbal energy keeps Enigma exciting and fresh.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #11 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Mobb Deep ‘Hell on Earth’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 19th November 1996
Label: Loud / RCA
Producers: Mobb Deep
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
”Hell on Earth is the third studio album by East Coast hip hop group Mobb Deep, which was first released on November 19, 1996, on Loud/RCA/BMG Records. The album is largely a continuation of Mobb Deep’s previous album, the critically acclaimed The Infamous. The album is produced by Havoc and Prodigy and also features guest appearances by emcees Nas, Raekwon, Method Man, and frequent collaborator Big Noyd. The album stands out for its acclaimed singles “G.O.D. Pt. III” and “Hell on Earth (Front Lines),” as well as “Drop a Gem on ‘Em,” a response to 2Pac’s diss track “Hit ‘Em Up.” The album, one of the earliest enhanced CDs, also contains an additional track (“In the Long Run”) that at the time, had to be unlocked with the use of a computer.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #3 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996.
- The singles ‘Drop a Gem On ‘Em’ and ‘Hell on Earth’ comes in at #10 and #15 respectively in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1996.
- The track ‘Hell on Earth’ appears on our Classic Material 1996 Mixtape.
- That track also appears on our 1996 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Beastie Boys ‘Licensed to Ill’ 30th Anniversary
Release date: 15th November 1986
Label: Def Jam
Producers: Rick Rubin, The Beastie Boys
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Licensed to Ill is the debut studio album by the American hip hop group Beastie Boys. It was released on November 15, 1986 by Def Jam and Columbia Records. It was the first rap LP to top the Billboard album chart. It is also one of Columbia Records’ fastest-selling debut records to date and eventually sold over ten million copies in the United States.
The full album cover, front to back, features a Boeing 727 — with “Beastie Boys” emblazoned on the tail — crashing head-on into the side of a mountain, appearing as an extinguished joint. The tail of the plane has the Def Jam logo and the tail number “3MTA3” which spells “EATME” when viewed in a mirror.The livery of the plane is based on that of American Airlines.
The group originally wanted to title the album Don’t Be a Faggot, but Columbia Records refused to release the album under this title – arguing that it was homophobic – and pressured Russell Simmons, the Beastie Boys’ manager and head of Def Jam Recordings at the time, into forcing them to choose another name.Adam Horovitz has since apologized for the album’s earlier title. The band then settled with Licensed to Ill, which is a pun on James Bond’s Licence to Kill.
Kerry King of Slayer made an appearance on the album playing lead guitar on “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” and appeared in the music video which is a parody of glam metal. The name of the song itself is a spoof on Motörhead’s No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith album. King’s appearance on the track came about because Rick Rubin was producing both bands simultaneously (Slayer’s Reign in Blood was originally released a month earlier on Def Jam).
CBS/Fox Video released a video album of the five Licensed to Ill videos, plus “She’s on It” in 1987 to capitalize on the album’s success. A laserdisc version was also released in Japan. All versions of the CBS/Fox release are currently out of print because the rights to the album passed from Columbia and Sony Music to Universal Music Group, and also because of the acrimonious nature of the band’s departure from Def Jam Records. Until the 2005 release of the CD/DVD Solid Gold Hits, none of the Def Jam-era videos had been included on any subsequent Beastie Boys video compilations. The Solid Gold Hits DVD includes the videos for “Fight for Your Right” and “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”, as well as a live version of “Brass Monkey” from a 2004 concert.”
Additional info:
- The single ‘The New Style / Paul Revere’ comes in at #13 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1986.
- Listen to DJ Bobafatt’s album minimix on Mixcloud.
Purchase: Discogs
Tim Dog ‘Penicillin On Wax’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 12th November 1991
Label: Ruffhouse
Producers: Ced-Gee, Bobby Crawford, Tim Dog, TR Love
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Penicillin on Wax is the debut album by rapper Tim Dog. This album contained the infamous underground hit “Fuck Compton” which disses West Coast hip hop. The intro used the same beat as N.W.A’s “efil4zaggin” album intro. Tim taunted “I stole your beat and made it better, to show the whole world that you ain’t nothing but a bunch of pussies” before a number of disparaging answering machine messages supported Tim’s position. Tim rapped: “Wearing all that black, driving them cars, but you still look wack!”. A skit called “DJ Quik Beat Down” was a forty-second audio snippet of Tim Dog physically assaulting DJ Quik. The track “Step To Me” taunted Compton rappers and included the line “DJ Quik he can suck my dick”. “Michel’le Conversation” was a skit where a Michel’le soundalike called Tim Dog to complain about Tim’s Compton diss, but then ended up admitting she was “tired of him (Dre) beating down on me” and for Tim to “Call me when you’re in town”. The track “Goin Wild in the Penile” included an intro whereby Tim had recently been released from prison for shooting a “Compton kid”. The lyrical insults were arguably the opening salvo in what would later become the East Coast versus West Coast hip hop conflict which would ultimately lead to the “beef” between Bad Boy Records and Death Row Records.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #21 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The single ‘Fuck Compton’ comes in at #19 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Lil’ Kim ‘Hard Core’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 12th November 1996
Label: Atlantic
Producers: Stretch Armstrong, Puff Daddy, Ski, Jermaine Dupri and others.
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Hard Core is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil’ Kim. It was released on November 12, 1996, by Undeas Recordings and Big Beat Records. Following successwith the group Junior M.A.F.I.A. and their album Conspiracy (1995), Kim began working on her solo album with The Notorious B.I.G. serving as the executive producer. She collaborated with a number of producers, including Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, Stevie J., David “Ski” Willis and Jermaine Dupri, among others. Rappers Jay Z, Lil’ Cease and Puff Daddy feature on the album. Recording for the album took place from 1995 to 1996, mainly at The Hit Factory studio, in New York City.
The album was notable for its overt raunchy sexual tone and Kim’s lyrical delivery. Hard Core debuted at number 11 on the US Billboard 200, and number 3 on the Billboard’s Top R&B Albums, selling 78,000 copies in its first week, and hit the top ten in the Canadian Albums Chart. In the United States, Hard Core was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and to date has sold over 6 million copies worldwide.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #16 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996.
- The single ‘No Time / Queen Bitch’ comes in at #9 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1996.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Listen: Spotify
Purchase: Discogs
Organized Konfusion ‘Organized Konfusion’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 29th October 1991
Label: Hollywood Basic / Elektra
Producers: Organized Konfusion, Snap & The Foolish Mortals, Kid Nyce & So Unique
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Organized Konfusion is the eponymous debut album by QueensHip Hop duo Organized Konfusion. The album was released on October 29, 1991 under Hollywood BASIC. The album and the group have received a large cult following throughout the years. The record was originally given a rating of 4 out of 5 in The Source in January 1992.The effort has received perfect ratings from many sources, including Allmusic and RapReviews. Group members Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po were praised for their highly skilled lyrical ability, making use of intelligent vocabulary and metaphors. The content on the album ranges from light-hearted tales (“Who Stole My Last Piece of Chicken?” “Audience Pleaser”), to extreme, politically influenced songs (“Releasing Hypnotical Gases,” “Prisoners of War”), to religious influence (“Open Your Eyes”).”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #24 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The track ‘Fudge Pudge’ appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Ghostface Killah ‘Ironman’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 29th October 1996
Label: Razor Sharp / Epic
Producers: RZA, True Master, Mitchell Diggs
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Ironman is the debut solo album by American rapper Ghostface Killah, released on October 29, 1996, by Epic Records. It was produced by fellow Wu-Tang Clan member RZA. The album’s music draws prominently on blaxploitation films and soulsamples. More so than on other solo debuts from the group’s members, Ironman contains references to the Nation of Gods and Earths. Ironman sold 156,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number two on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, respectively. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on January 8, 1997, and by February 9, 2004, it had earned a platinum certification for shipping one million copies in the United States. Many music critics have praised the album for Ghostface Killah’s imaginative lyricism and RZA’s production style, with some revering it as one of the greatest Wu-Tang solo albums of all time.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #2 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996.
- The single ‘Daytona 500’ comes in at #12 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1996.
- That track appears on our 1996 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Ice Cube ‘Death Certificate’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 29th October 1991
Label: Priority / EMI
Producers: Sir Jinx, Ice Cube, Boogiemen
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Death Certificate is the second studio album by American rapper Ice Cube, released on October 29, 1991 by Priority Records. Highly anticipated with over one million advanced orders, the album was certified platinum in sales on December 20, 1991. Due to some of its racially and politically charged content, and Ice Cube’s acerbic statements on drug dealing, racial profiling, and the right to keep and bear arms, Death Certificate was the source of much controversy upon its release. In 2003, Priority Records re-released Death Certificate with the bonus track “How to Survive in South Central”, which originally appeared on the Boyz n the Hood soundtrack.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #5 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The single ‘Steady Mobbing / No Vaseline’ comes in at #16 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Black Sheep ‘A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
Blurb from WhoSampled:
”22nd October 2016 marks the 25th Anniversary of Black Sheep’s classic debut LP ‘A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’. The playful long player from the Queen’s New York duo continues in the tradition of output from fellow Native Tongues De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, drawing on a rich pallet of sample material - funk, soul, rock and jazz. In celebration we’ve teamed up once again with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mix of album tracks, remixes, alt versions and of course original sample material, mixed by Chris Read ”
- Listen on Mixcloud here
- Listen on Soundcloud here
- Tracklist here
Del ‘I Wish My Brother George Was Here’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 22nd October 1991
Label: Elektra
Producers: Boogiemen (DJ Pooh & Rashad Coes), Del the Funky Homosapien, Ice Cube
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
”I Wish My Brother George Was Here is the debut album by Del tha Funky Homosapien. The title of the album is a reference to George Clinton, whose music was an influence on Del, as well as to the late pianist Liberace who would on occasion openly pine for his brother George to appear on Liberace’s television program in the mid-1950s.”
Additional info:
- The singles ‘Mistadobalina’, ‘Dr Bombay’ and ‘Ahonetwo’ appear on our Classic Material 1991 Mixtape
- The single ‘Mistadobalina’ also appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
- The album comes in at #19 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The single ‘Sleeping on my Couch’ comes in at #30 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
- The single ‘Mistadobalina comes in at #36 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Black Sheep ‘A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 22nd October 1991
Label: Mercury
Producers: William McLean, Dres
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing is the debut studio album from Americanhip hop group Black Sheep, released October 22, 1991 on Mercury Records. The album peaked at number 30 on the Billboard 200 chart. By April 1992, it was certified gold in sales by the RIAA, after sales exceeding 500,000 copies in the United States. The album peaked at thirty on the U.S. Billboard 200 and reached the fifteenth spot on the R&B Albums chart. It was certified gold in April 1992. John Bush of Allmusic called the album “playfully satirical, witty, and incredibly imaginative,” and stated that “Black Sheep hit a height with their debut that few hip-hop acts would ever reach.” In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums Ever.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 25th Anniversary Mixtape
- The single ‘Flavor of the Month’ appear on our Classic Material 1991 Mixtape
- The track ‘Try Counting Sheep’ appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
- The album comes in at #7 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The single ‘Flavor of the Month’ comes in at #14 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
- The single ‘The Choice is Yours’ comes in at #1 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1992.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
UMCs ‘Fruits of Nature’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 15th October 1991
Label: Wild Pitch
Producers: RNS
Information:
- Album info on Wikipedia.
- The track ‘One to Grow On’ appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
- The album comes in at #18 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Jeru The Damaja ‘Wrath of the Math’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 15th October 1996
Label: PayDay / FFRR
Producers: DJ Premier
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The album was completely produced by DJ Premier and continues the themes of Afrocentricity, preserving hip-hop culture, and more about the harms of materialism that were discussed on The Sun Rises in the East.
In its liner notes, it says, “This album was created to SAVE hip-hop and the minds of the people who listen to it.” One significant track that intends to uphold Jeru’s vision of hip hop is “One Day,” where Jeru tells a story of Puff Daddy, Foxy Brown, and Bad Boy Records kidnapping somebody named Hip-Hop. The Notorious B.I.G. took offense to the song, being that he was signed to Bad Boy Records, and closely affiliated with Puff Daddy and Foxy Brown. Biggie retaliated by throwing subtle jabs at Jeru in the song “Kick in the Door” (which was also aimed at other rap artists as well.) The track “Me or the Papes” contains aim for Puff Daddy, Jeru stating, “My name ain’t Puff, I ain’t got loot to waste,” to which Puff Daddy didn’t respond.
It contains many tracks that are sequels to songs on Jeru’s debut album such as “Revenge of the Prophet (Part 5),” “Me or the Papes,” and “Physical Stamina,” featuring Afu-Ra, the one guest emcee, as he was on Jeru’s debut album.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #18 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996.
- The single ‘Me Or The Papes’ comes in at #14 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1996.
- The track ‘Ya Playin’ Yaself’ appears on our 1996 Rap Megamix.
- That track also appears on the Classic Material 1996 Mixtape.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Freestyle Fellowship ‘To Whom It May Concern’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 8th October 1991
Label: Sun Music
Producers: Freestyle Fellowship, Mathmattiks, Mikah 9, J. Sumbi, All in All, The Mighty O-Roc
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“To Whom It May Concern… is the first studio album by American hip hop group Freestyle Fellowship.Originally released in 1991, the album was re-released in 1999.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #25 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Public Enemy ‘Apolocalypse 91’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 1st October 1991
Label: Def Jam / Columbia
Producers: The Bomb Squad, The Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released on October 1, 1991, by Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records. The album received critical acclaim, ranking at No. 2 in The Village Voice’s 1991 Pazz & Jop critics’ poll.
Apocalypse 91 was recorded at The Music Palace in Long Island, New York and produced by The Bomb Squad and The Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk, which consisted of producers Stuart Robertz, Cerwin “C-Dawg” Depper, Gary “G-Wiz” Rinaldo, and The JBL. The album title refers to the films Apocalypse Now and The Empire Strikes Back. It was released on October 1, 1991, by Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart and at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. On November 26, 1991, Apocalypse 91 was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of one million copies in the United States.
Apocalypse 91 produced four singles: “Can’t Truss It”, “Night Train”, “Shut ‘Em Down” and its B-side “By the Time I Get to Arizona”. The latter featured a controversial music video where Public Enemy was depicted killing the 17th Governor of Arizona, Evan Mecham, who refused to recognize Martin Luther King Jr.‘s birthday as a national holiday. “Can’t Truss It” was Public Enemy’s most successful single, peaking at No. 9 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and at No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also peaked at No. 5 on the Dance chart, becoming their most successful release there. The song “Get the Fuck Outta Dodge” was a previously released as a B-Side to the “Can’t Do Nuttin’ for Ya Man” single from Fear of a Black Planet. The album also includes the thrash cover of their earlier hit “Bring the Noise” featuring Anthrax.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘Can’t Truss It’ appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
- The single ‘Shut Em Down (Pete Rock Remix)’ comes in at #4 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
Scarface ‘Mr. Scarface is Back’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 1st October 1991
Label: Rap-a-lot
Producers: Crazy C, Scarface
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Mr. Scarface Is Back is the debut studio album by American rapper (and member of Houston hip hop group, The Geto Boys) Scarface. It was released on October 8, 1991, by Rap-a-Lot Records. The album was supported by two singles: “Mr. Scarface” and “A Minute to Pray and a Second to Die”. Both of these singles attained a minor chart success. The album debuted at number 51 on the US Billboard 200. On April 23, 1993, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #9 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- Listen to samples used in the making of the album on WhoSampled.
Purchase: Discogs
A Tribe Called Quest ‘The Low End Theory’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“24th September 2016 marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of A Tribe Called Quest’s classic sophomore LP ‘The Low End Theory’. Alongside 1993’s ‘Midnight Marauders’, the album vies for pole position on most Tribe fans’ lists of the group’s best LPs. The album also marks a pivotal moment in the group’s evolution, with founding member Jairobi departing to pursue the culinary arts, Phife steps to the fore as Q Tip’s principal companion on the mic. The album’s sample material draws heavily on jazz pairing the likes of Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey and Jack McDuff with pounding drums and, of course, pushing the low end. In keeping with tradition, we’ve teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mix of album tracks, alt versions, interview snippets and, naturally, original sample material, mixed by Chris Read.”
- Listen on Mixcloud here
- Listen on Soundcloud here
- Tracklist here
A Tribe Called Quest ‘The Low End Theory’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 24th September 1991
Label: Jive / RCA
Producers: A Tribe Called Quest / Skeff Anselm
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Low End Theory is the second album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. Released on September 24, 1991 through Jive Records, the album produced three singles: “Check the Rhime,” “Jazz (We’ve Got),” and “Scenario”. After A Tribe Called Quest’s debut album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990), Jarobi White left the group to study culinary art. Phife Dawg learned that he was diabetic a month after the album’s release and after a discussion with fellow member Q-Tip, they agreed to increase his participation on their second album and to “step it up in general as a group.” Q-Tip credited N.W.A’s album Straight Outta Compton (1988) as an inspiration for the record. The group hired double bassist Ron Carter on the track “Verses from the Abstract”. Q-Tip stated, “We wanted that straight bass sound, and Ron Carter is one of the premier bassists of the century.” Carter agreed to record tracks on the condition that the group avoid profanity, to which Q-Tip assured they were addressing “real issues”.When asked by critics and interviewers if he was afraid of a “sophomore jinx”, Q-Tip responded by saying “‘Sophomore jinx?’ What the fuck is that, I’m going to make The Low End Theory”.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 25th Anniversary Mixtape.
- The singles ‘Check The Rhime’ and ‘Scenario’ appear on our Classic Material 1991 Mixtape
- The track ‘Buggin Out’ appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
- The album comes in at #2 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The single ‘Check The Rhime’ comes in at #2 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
Purchase: Discogs
The Roots ‘Illadelph Halflife’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 24th September 1996
Label: Geffen
Producers: The Grand Negaz, Kelo, Questlove
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Illadelph Halflife is the third studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released September 24, 1996 on Geffen Records. It features a tougher and broader sound than their previous album, Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995). The album also contains integration of programmed drums and guest contributions by R&B musicians such as Amel Larrieux and D’Angelo, as well as jazz musicians such as David Murray, Steve Coleman, Cassandra Wilson, Graham Haynes. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. In 2006, the album was selected as one of Hip-Hop Connection’s 100 Best Rap Albums from 1995 to 2005.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #17 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996.
- The track ‘Section’ appears on our Classic Material 1996 mixtape.
Purchase: Discogs
Nice & Smooth ‘Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 17th September 1991
Label: RAL / Columbia
Producers: Greg Nice, Smooth B, Louie Vega
- Information:
- Album summary on Wikipedia
- The track ‘Hip Hop Junkies’ appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
- The track ‘Hip Hop Junkies’ also appears on our Classic Material 1991 Mixtape.
- The album comes in at #16 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The single ‘Hip Hop Junkies’ comes in at #13 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
Listen: Spotify / Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Jay Z ‘The Blueprint’ 15th Anniversary
Release date: 11th September 2001Label: Roc-a-Fella / Def Jam
Producers: Kanye West, Just Blaze, Trackmasters, Timbaland, Bink, Eminem
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Blueprint is the sixth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released on September 11, 2001, on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States. Its release was set a week earlier than initially planned in order to combat bootlegging. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2001 at Manhattan Center Studios and Baseline Studios in New York City. Contrasting the radio-friendly sound of Jay-Z’s previous work, The Blueprint features soul-based sampling and production handled primarily by Kanye West, Just Blaze and Bink, as well as Timbaland, Trackmasters and Eminem, who also contributes the album’s sole guest verse.
At the time of the album’s recording, Jay-Z was awaiting two criminal trials, one for gun possession and another for assault, and had become one of hip hop’s most dissed artists, receiving insults from rappers such as Nas, Prodigy, and Jadakiss. The album is also famous for both its producers Kanye West and Just Blaze’s breakouts as major producers. Kanye West produced 5 of the 13 tracks on the album, including the song “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” and the controversial track which included diss lyrics aimed at rappers Nas and Prodigy, “Takeover” while Just Blaze produced 3 tracks including “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “Song Cry”, and “U Don’t Know”, in addition produced the hidden bonus track “Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)”. Upon its release, The Blueprint received universal acclaim, with critics praising Jay-Z’s lyricism and the production. It is considered one of Jay-Z’s best albums and has also been labeled as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.”
Additional info:
- Listen to a playlist of samples used in the making of the album via WhoSampled.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Naughty by Nature ‘Naughty by Nature’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 3rd September 1991Label: Tommy Boy
Producers: Naughty by Nature, Louie Vega
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Naughty by Nature is the self-titled debut album from Naughty by Nature, released on September 3, 1991 through Tommy Boy Records. It was a critical and commercial success, having been certified platinum on February 6, 1992, thanks in large part to the hit single, “O.P.P.”, which reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991. The album is now out of print. Additional singles released from the album were “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” and “Uptown Anthem”, both of which were minor hits on the Billboard charts. Stanton Swihart of Allmusic claims that it was the most “contagious crossover radio smash in the autumn of 1991.” In addition, Swihart considers Naughty by Nature to be “both a pop and a rap classic,” as well as a “must-have album for fans of East Coast rap.” In 1998, the album was selected as one of the 100 Best Rap albums by The Source.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘O.P.P’ appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
- The album comes in at #15 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The single ‘O.P.P’ comes in at #3 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
Listen: Spotify
Purchase: Discogs
Outkast ‘ATLiens’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 27th August 1996Label: LaFace
Producers: Organizd Noise, Outkast
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“ATLiens is the second studio album by American hip hop duo OutKast, released on August 27, 1996, by LaFace Records. OutKast recorded ATLiens in sessions at several Atlanta studios—Bosstown Recording Studios, Doppler Recording Studios, PatchWerk Recording Studio, Purple Dragon Studios, and Studio LaCoCo—as well as Chung King Recording Studio and Sound On Sound Recording in New York City.
The record features outer space-inspired production sounds, with OutKast and producers Organized Noize incorporating elements of dub, reggae, and gospel into the compositions. Several songs feature the duo’s first attempts at producing music by themselves. Lyrically, the group discusses a wide range of topics including urban life as hustlers, existential introspection, and extraterrestrial life. The album’s title is a portmanteau of “ATL” (an abbreviation of Atlanta, Georgia) and “aliens”, which has been interpreted by critics as a commentary about the feeling of being isolated from American culture.
ATLiens debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, and it sold nearly 350,000 copies in its first two weeks of release. The album was very well received by music critics upon its release, who praised the record’s lyrical content. It has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of two million copies in the United States. The album spawned the singles “Elevators (Me & You)”, “ATLiens”, and “Jazzy Belle”. Since its release, ATLiens has been listed by several magazines and critics as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #4 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996.
- The single ‘Elevators (Me & You)’ comes in at #1 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1996.
Purchase: Discogs
The Roots ‘Game Theory’ 10th Anniversary
Release date: 29th August 2006Label: Def Jam
Producers: Owen Biddle, J Dilla, Richard Nichols, The Randy Watson Experience, The Roots
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Game Theory is the seventh studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released August 29, 2006, on Def Jam Recordings. The group’s first release for the label after leaving Geffen Records, the album was recorded by the Roots mostly using the Apple-developed software application GarageBand. A darker, grittier album with minimal emphasis on hooks in comparison to their previous work,Game Theory features a stripped-down sound similar to the work of Public Enemy, with lyrics that concern sociological themes and the late hip hop producer J Dilla.The album debuted at number nine on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 61,000 copies in its first week. It produced two singles and achieved moderate sales success. Upon its release, Game Theory received acclaim from most music critics and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. To date, the album has sold over 200,000 copies in the United States.”
Purchase: Discogs
DJ Jazzy Jeff - A Tribute to 1996 Live at Apple House
DJ Jazzy Jeff plays the music of 1996 live at Apple House at SXSW 2016. There’s equal attention on the more commercial R&B orientated material of the time and the more typical underground classics but a decent time capsule of music from the year whichever side of that divide your preferences sit.
Listen on Mixcloud here.
Dilla’s Previously Unheard 1999-2000 Breaks Mixtape
A mixtape put together by the late great J Dilla around 1999/2000 and given to BBE’s Pete Adarkwah in the years preceding the release of his BBE debut Long Player ‘Welcome to Detroit’ has been unearthed and made available for year ears via Boiler Room. Pete recounts the story:
“Towards the end of 1999 or early 2000, it was my first trip to Detroit. James (Yancey) was working with James Poyser on Erykah’s Mama’s Gun LP. We’d checked out a couple of record stores (I can’t recall where or their names) and this tape was playing in the car. I recall Think Twice was on the tape and I suggested there and then that he do a cover with Erykah for the BBE album. We didn’t get the Erykah feature, but people sure remember James’ cover. We drove past a sign, it said Welcome To Detroit and I suggested that would be a good name for the album. When we pulled over James gave me the tape and said this is yours, or words to that effect.”
Listen on Soundcloud here.
Pete Rock & CL Smooth at 25 mixed by Mr Thing
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“Those of you who follow our activities on Mixcloud will be aware from our ‘All Souled Out’ 25th Anniversary mix last month that this year Pete Rock & CL Smooth celebrate 25 years in the business. In celebration of that anniversary the Mount Vernon duo are embarking on a tour, and will be touching down in London on 2nd and 5th September for a pair of shows for The Doctors Orders. In support of those shows former DMC champion and BBE Music recording artist DJ Mr Thing has put together a great mix looking back on Pete & CL’s 25 year career comprising classic tracks alongside original samples.”
Listen on Mixcloud here.
Tracklist here.
J Dilla ‘The Shining’ 10th Anniversary
Release date: 22nd August 2006
Label: BBE
Producers: J Dilla
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Shining is the third studio album by album by Americanhip hop recording artistJ Dilla, who died February 10, 2006. The Shining was incomplete at the time of J Dilla’s passing and was posthumously completed. Discounting the instrumental album Donuts, The Shining was the first full-length solo release by J Dilla (featuring vocals) since Welcome 2 Detroit five years earlier, and as such was highly anticipated. It was released on August 22, 2006 through BBE Records. An instrumental version of the album followed its release shortly afterward.
In the works for many years under working titles such as the rumored Welcome 2 LA, Dilla’s manager, Tim Maynor, said in November 2005 that The Shining would come out in February 2006 on BBE and that the Dilla self-titled album would follow in the same year. As the album was ultimately only 75% complete at the time of J Dilla’s passing, his friend and fellow Detroit hip-hop artist Karriem Riggins was entrusted by Dilla’s mother for the completion and handling of the record. Riggins himself has indicated that there will be further future releases of Dilla’s music in the coming years, stating that “all of his music needs to be heard”.
A few of the tracks on The Shining are vocal versions of previously heard material such as “So Far to Go” (Donuts track “Bye” revamped and extended to serve as an intended remix to Common’s “Go!”). This song was originally to be released by Common during the last quarter of 2005, as part of a Be special edition package. In 2007, an alternate version of “So Far to Go” containing new verses and a new mix was released on Common’s Finding Forever album.
Dilla features some of his past collaborators, such as the aforementioned Common on two songs, Busta Rhymes, D’Angelo, Madlib, and Black Thought on the LP. The closing track, “Won’t Do”, is the only song to feature Dilla rhyming by himself. He does however also rhyme on “Baby” together with Madlib and Guilty Simpson and provide the chorus for “E=Mc2”. “Won’t Do” was also issued as a single (as The Shining EP2), accompanied by a video that premiered on December 12, 2006. The video included appearances by Common, Slum Village, will.i.am, Frank-N-Dank, Karriem Riggins, Black Thought, Talib Kweli, and J Dilla’s younger brother, John Yancey (aka Illa J).
A promo single called “Love”, featuring Pharoahe Monch, was leaked onto the internet in February 2006, days after J.Dilla’s death. Plans for the album’s retail release was accelerated and scheduled for April 2006. Video Producer/Director Brian “B.Kyle” Atkins of Okayplayer Films [14] was in the process of putting together a production consisting of exclusive footage he had shot with J.Dilla… a project which the label heard about and wanted as a bonus DVD to accompany each retail copy of the album. Eventually, however, it was decided to release the two separately. In honor of J.Dilla, Brian “B.Kyle” Atkins created the production entitled J.Dilla: Still Shining, which was made available to J.Dilla fans online, for free, at www.TheJDillaProject.com and YouTube. The album received generally positive reviews and debuted at #103 in its first week of release according to Billboard. An instrumental version of the album soon followed.
The advance copy of the album contains samples from The Shining over the tracks to prevent sharing. These samples are not in the retail version but the advance copy is available on the internet, leading many to believe that the samples are part of the album.”
Additional info:
- Tracks from the album appear on Chris Read’s 2010 BBE Label retospective mixtape.
Purchase: Original album via Discogs / 10th Anniversary 7” Boxset re-issue via BBE Records
Its Overture present ‘The Hot 97 Tapes - Summer of ‘96 Mix’
Its Overture re-imagine the summer of 1996 in this beautifully mixed ode to New York radio station Hot 97. Containing snippets of era specific radio jingles, freestyles alongside popular tracks from the time, this is a classy presentation of some of the best moments from a golden period for New York rap radio.
Listen on Soundcloud here.
Cypress Hill ‘Cypress Hill’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape mixed by DJ Matman
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“This week (13th August 2016) more precisely marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of Cypress Hill’s self titled debut LP, the album which launched the career of one of the West Coast’s most successful hip hop groups. Produced by Soul Assassin DJ Muggs, the album is heavy on the funk samples, providing a drum heavy backdrop to B Real’s nasal delivery and Sen Dog’s trademark adlibs. In keeping with tradition we’ve teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mixtape of album tracks, alternate versions and of course original sample material, mixed by DJ Matman.”
- Listen on Mixcloud here - Listen on Soundcloud here - Tracklist here
Cypress Hill ‘Cypress Hill’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 13th August 1991
Label: Rufhouse / Columbia
Producers: DJ Muggs
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Cypress Hill is the self-titled debut album of Cypress Hill, released on August 13, 1991. It was critically and commercially successful, becoming their second-most successful album with over 2 million copies sold and getting certified double Platinum by the RIAA. The album is broken down track-by-track by Cypress Hill in Brian Coleman’s book Check the Technique. Steve Huey of Allmusic calls Cypress Hill’s debut “a sonic blueprint that would become one of the most widely copied in hip-hop.” In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums. The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Rolling Stone called it “an album that is innovative and engaging in spite of its hard-core messages.”
Additional info:
- The track ‘How I Could Just Kill A Man’ appears on our Classic Material 1991 mixtape.
- That track also appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
- Check out Classic Material contributor DJ Matman’s 25th Anniversary mixtape.
- The album comes in at #6 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The single ‘How I Could Just Kill A Man’ comes in at #5 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
Purchase: Discogs
Poor Righteous Teachers ‘Pure Poverty’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 3rd August 1991
Label: Profile
Producers: Tony D
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
”Pure Poverty is the second album from Hip Hop group Poor Righteous Teachers. The album was another acclaimed effort for the group, but wasn’t as commercially successful as their debut [Holy Intellect - 1990]. The album peaked at #155 in the Billboard top 200 and #23 in the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop album charts.”
Additional info:
- The single ‘Shakiyla’ comes in at #23 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
Purchase: Discogs
A Tribe Called Quest ‘Beats Rhymes & Life’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“Today (30th July 2016) marks the 20th Anniversary of A Tribe Called Quest’s 4th and penultimate studio album, ‘Beats Rhymes & Life’. Produced almost entirely by the Ummah, a production outfit featuring a young J-Dilla, it’s rich in samples and displays a bass heavy, more stripped down production sound than previous albums. Also heavily featured is Consequence whose career was largely kickstarted by the release. Released 3 years after the group’s seminal ‘Midnight Marauders’ with recording said to have been affected by internal differences in the group, the LP failed to gain the critical acclaim of previous offerings at the time of release, critics suggesting it lacked the chemistry evident on earlier albums. 20 years on however it remains a great listen. In keeping with tradition we’ve teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mixtape of album cuts, alt versions and of course original sample material mixed by Chris Read”
Listen on Mixcloud here / Listen on Soundcloud here / Tracklist here
A Tribe Called Quest ‘Beats Rhymes & Life’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 30th July 1996
Label: Jive
Producers: The Ummah, Rashad Smith
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Beats, Rhymes and Life is the fourth album of the hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. Released in 1996, it followed three years after the highly regarded and successful Midnight Marauders. This album is a departure from the joyful, positive vibe of the earlier albums and is regarded as the group’s darkest album in content. It reached number-one on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B Albums charts. The album was also the first to feature production work from The Ummah, a group that was composed of Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jay Dee. The album frequently features rapper Consequence, Q-Tip’s cousin. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 1997 and contains a single titled “1nce Again” that was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group the same year. It was certified Platinum by the RIAA on October 27, 1998, even though it was not regarded as highly as the group’s first three albums.”
Additional info:
- Listen to the ‘Beats, Rhymes & Life’ 20th Anniversary mixtape, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
- “Stressed Out” from the album appears on our Classic Material 1996 Mixtape.
- “1nce Again” and “The Jam” from the album appear on our 1996 Rap Megamix.
Purchase: Discogs
Leaders of the New School ‘A Future Without A Past’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 30th July 1991
Label: Elektra
Producers: Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown, Cut Monitor Milo, Geeby Dajani, Dinco D, John Gamble, Leaders of the New School, Dante Ross, Eric “Vietnam” Sadler
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“A Future Without a Past… is the debut studio album from Americanhip hop group Leaders of the New School, released in 1991 on Elektra Records. The album is now out of print. The album peaked at 128 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and fifty-three on the R&B Albums chart. Stanton Swihart of Allmusic praised the work, calling the group’s debut “one of the most infectious rap albums ever created.” Nikhil P. Yerawadekar at Oh, Word, while noting that at times the insular focus of the album “make(s) the album as a whole feel… meandering,” still commented that the group “bring(s) great production… new flows, and captivating personalities to the listener’s attention in a most entertaining manner.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #14 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The singles ‘Sobb Story’ and ‘Case of the PTA’ come in at #17 and #28 respectively in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
- The track ‘Sobb Story’ appears on our Classic Material 1991 mixtape.
- The track ‘Case of the PTA’ appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
Purchase: Discogs
Main Source ‘Breaking Atoms’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 23rd July 1991
Label: Wild Pitch
Producers: Main Source, Pete Rock
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Breaking Atoms is the debut album of American hip hop group Main Source, released July 23, 1991 on Wild Pitch Records. Production for it was handled by the group and took place during 1990 to 1991 at Homeboy Studio, Power Play Studios, and Libra Digital in New York City. Recorded during the golden age of hip hop, Breaking Atoms is distinguished stylistically by its incorporation of jazz and soul music samples. The album has been highly regarded by music writers due mostly to its production, whose heavy and original use of sampling influenced hip hop producers for a considerable portion of the 1990s.
The album has been widely regarded by writers and music critics as a significantly influential album and has been noted for debuting rapper Nas, who appears on the track “Live at the Barbeque”. His contribution to the song was sampled on “Genesis”, the intro track to his debut album Illmatic (1994). Breaking Atoms has been recognized as one of the most important records in hip hop history, and was out of print in the United States after the demise of Wild Pitch Records in 1997. It was reissued on April 22, 2008 through Fontana Distribution.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #3 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The single ‘Just Hangin Out’ comes in at #7 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991.
- The track ‘Looking At The Front Door’ appears on our Classic Material 1991 mixtape.
- That track and ‘Peace Is Not The Word to Play’ appear on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
Listen: Spotify
Purchase: Discogs
Compton’s Most Wanted ‘Straight Check N Em’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 16th July 1991
Label: Orpheus
Producers: DJ Slip, The Unknown DJ
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Straight Checkn ‘Em is the second studio album by American rap group Compton’s Most Wanted, released July 16, 1991 on Orpheus Records. It peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 92 on the Billboard 200. Along with a single, a music video was produced for the song, “Straight Checkn ‘Em”. The album contained one of the group’s most successful songs, “Growin’ Up in the Hood,” which also appeared on the Boyz n the Hood soundtrack. The first part for the famous “Def Wish” series (I-IV) appears in Straight Checkn ‘Em. Just like their previous album It’s a Compton Thang, this album was entirely produced by DJ Slip and The Unknown DJ. Tha Chill was unable to appear in this album because he was sentenced to prison some months before the recording, the only song he was able to appear was “Growin’ Up in the Hood”.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #23 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
Purchase: Discogs
Geto Boys ‘We Can’t Be Stopped’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 2nd July 1991
Label: Rap-a-Lot
Producers: Bushwick Bill, James Smith, John Bido, Johnny C, Roland, Scarface, Simon, Willie D
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“We Can’t Be Stopped is the third studio album by Geto Boys, released in 1991. It was among their most successful records in terms of units sold. We Can’t Be Stopped was certified Platinum in early 1992. We Can’t Be Stopped took only a few weeks to record. During the recording of the album, DJ Ready Red, one of the original Geto Boys members, left the group for personal reasons. The title track was a criticism of the Geto Boys’ former intended distributor, Geffen Records, after the label refused to distribute the group’s previous album, The Geto Boys, because of its violent lyrics. The Bushwick Bill solo, “Fuck a War”, is a criticism of then president George Bush, an anti-war song inspired by a close relative of Bill’s serving in the Persian Gulf War. The hit single “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” was originally intended to be a Scarface solo with three verses but later became a group song with Bushwick Bill rapping Scarface’s last verse. “I’m Not a Gentleman” was a response to Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First”, while “Chuckie” is a Bushwick Bill solo written by a fellow Rap-A-Lot member, Ganksta N-I-P, after the two watched the movie Child’s Play together. The track “Punk Bitch Game” was influenced by Salt of Salt-n-Pepa wanting more female participation in the song, while the album’s final track, “Trophy”, was about the Geto Boys’ frustration over the lack of attention they were receiving from music awards. Each member of the group has three solo tracks. Three tracks have all three members on the rapping roster, including a short verse from DJ Ready Red on the title track.
The album cover is a graphic picture of member Bushwick Bill in the hospital. Bill was shot in the eye as he and his girlfriend tussled over a gun. Bushwick Bill wanted her to kill him and during the altercation he was shot as both hands were on the gun. The other two Geto Boys members and the group’s management team took Bill out of the hospital room in order to take the picture, removing his eyepatch and intravenous drip in the process. Bill has expressed regret over the album cover, saying “It still hurts me to look at that cover because that was a personal thing I went through… I still feel the pain from the fact I’ve got a bullet in my brain… I think it was pretty wrong to do it, even though I went along with the program at first.”
Additional info:
- The single ‘Mind Playing Tricks On Me’ taken from the album appears on our Classic Material 1991 mixtape.
Purchase: Discogs
Nas ‘It Was Written’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 2nd July 1996
Label: Columbia
Producers: DJ Premier, Dr Dre, Havoc, L.E.S., Live Squad, Trackmasters
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“It Was Written is the second studio album by American rapper Nas, released July 2, 1996 on Columbia Records in the United States. Following the moderate sales success of his acclaimed debut album, Illmatic (1994), Nas chose to focus his efforts in a more mainstream direction. Primarily produced by Trackmasters, it is a departure for him from the raw, underground tone of his debut album towards a more polished, mainstream sound. The album features mafioso and gangsta themes, and marks the first appearance of Nas’s short-lived supergroup The Firm, which included rappers Foxy Brown, AZ, and Cormega.
The album proved to be Nas’s most commercially successful release, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It also heralded Nas’s mainstream popularity and followed the success of other mafioso rap albums such as Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995) and Reasonable Doubt (1996). However, his stylistic changes and increased mainstream success fostered accusations of selling out within the hip hop community. It has been viewed by music writers as one of Nas’s best records and remains Nas’ best-selling release, with over 4 million copies in the United States alone.”
Additional info:
- “If I Ruled The World” from the album appears on Chris Read’s 1996 Rap Megamix.
- “Street Dreams” from the album appears on Chris Read’s Adidas Originals Guest Mix ‘Unite All Originals’.
- Listen to Pete Rock’s unreleased remix of “Street Dreams” on Youtube.
Purchase: Discogs
Slick Rick ‘The Ruler’s Back’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 2nd July 1991
Label: Def Jam / Columbia
Producers: Vance Wright, Slick Rick, Mr. Lee
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The Ruler’s Back is the second studio album by British-American rapper Slick Rick, released July 2, 1991, on Def Jam Recordings. It features production from Vance Wright, Slick Rick and Mr. Lee. The album and its music videos were quickly recorded and filmed before Slick Rick was sentenced to a 5-year prison term.
Upon its release, The Ruler’s Back achieved notable chart success, peaking at number 29 on the Billboard 200, and number 18 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album features the hit single “I Shouldn’t Have Done It”, which peaked at number 2 on the Hot Rap Singles.”
Additional info:
- Large Professor’s remix of the single ‘It’s A Boy’ taken from the album appears on our Classic Material 1991 mixtape.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
De La Soul ‘De La Soul is Dead’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“This month (2nd July more precisely) marks the 20th anniversary of the release of De La Soul’s fourth studio LP ‘Stakes is High’. A departure from the sonic identity of previous long play offerings, the album addresses social issues and the changing state of hip hop in ‘96 over production from the likes of the late great Jay Dee and ATCQ collaborator Skeff Anselm among others. Guest vocals come courtesy of Common and a young Mos Def. In celebration we’ve teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mixtape featuring tracks from the LP, alternate versions, remixes and of course original sample material used in the the creation of this much loved classic”
Listen on Mixcloud here / Listen on Soundcloud here / Tracklist here
Heavy D ‘Peaceful Journey’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: 2nd July 1991
Label: Uptown Records
Poducers: DJ Eddie F, Teddy Riley, Pete Rock, Marley Marl, Howie Tee, Dave Hall & Nevelle Hodge
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“The album was released on July 2, 1991, for Uptown Records and was produced by Pete Rock, DJ Eddie F, Teddy Riley, Marley Marl and Howie Tee. This marked the group’s first album since the death of member Trouble T Roy, who died almost a year before the album’s release, and several on the album pay tribute to him. Though not as successful as the group’s previous album, Big Tyme, the album was able to reach Platinum status and made it to number 21 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The following singles also charted: “Now That We Found Love” (UK #2, US #11), “Is It Good to You” which sampled Mama Used to Say by Junior, “Don’t Curse” and “Peaceful Journey”, which sampled ‘This Place Hotel’ by The Jacksons. Guests on the album include Aaron Hall, Big Daddy Kane, Grand Puba, Kool G. Rap, Q-Tip, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Daddy Freddy and K-Ci & JoJo. One of the songs, “Is It Good to You,” was remade by Teddy Riley and featured singer Tammy Lucas for the soundtrack to the movie Juice.”
Additional info:
- The lead track ‘Peaceful Journey’ appears on ‘The Legacy’ a tribute to Michael Jackson mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Purchase: Discogs
De La Soul ‘Stakes is High’ 20th Anniversary
Release date: 2nd July 1996
Label: Tommy Boy
Producers: De La Soul, Spearhead X, Skeff Anslem, O.Gee, Jay Dee
Profile (Courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Stakes Is High is De La Soul’s fourth full-length album, released on July 2, 1996. The album marked a change in the group’s sound and direction as it was their first release not to be produced in collaboration with Prince Paul. Stakes Is High was mainly produced by the group themselves with additional tracks provided by Jay Dee, DJ Ogee, Spearhead X and Skeff Anslem. It received mostly strong reviews but little commercial success.”
Additional info:
- Listen to Chris Read’s 20th Anniversary tribute mixtape for Wax Poetics x WhoSampled
- De La Soul speak to Okayplayer about the legacy of the LP on its 20th Anniversary.
- The album comes in at #8 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996.
- The lead single ‘Stakes is High’ comes in at #16 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1996.
- The track ‘Stakes is High’ appears on our Classic Material 1996 mixtape.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Pete Rock & CL Smooth ‘All Souled Out’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“This week marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of Pete Rock & CL Smooth‘s classic debut EP ‘All Souled Out’, the 6 track Extended Player that placed one of hip hop’s best loved Producer / MC duos on the map and set the stage for two of the most revered albums of the early 90s, 1992’s ‘Mecca and the Soul Brother’ and 1994’s ‘The Main Ingredient’. In celebration we’ve teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mixtape featuring tracks from the EP, alternate versions, interview snippets and of course original sample material used in the the creation of this all time classic. Mixed by Chris Read.”
Listen on Mixcloud here / Listen on Soundcloud here / Tracklist here
Pete Rock & CL Smooth ‘All Souled Out’ 25th Anniversary
Release date: June 25th 1991
Label: Elektra
Producers: Pete Rock
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
”All Souled Out is an EP by Pete Rock & CL Smooth. It was released in the summer of 1991 to rave reviews and spawned a modest hit in “The Creator”.
After participation in the production and/or remixes of songs by various hip hop and R&B artists in the late 1980s to early 1990s, the duo signed to Elektra Records. All Souled Out was a warm up to their debut album, Mecca and the Soul Brother. All the rapping on the album is performed by C.L. Smooth with the exception of “The Creator”, a Pete Rock solo track. A deluxe edition of All Souled Out was released on February 18, 2014 on Traffic Entertainment Group, featuring the original 6 EP tracks, along with remix and instrumental versions of “The Creator” & “Mecca & the Soul Brother”.”
Additional info:
- The EP comes in at #13 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
- The track ‘Good Life’ from the EP appears on our Classic Material 1991 mixtape.
- The track ‘Go With The Flow’ appears on our 1991 Rap Megamix.
- Listen to the ‘All Souled Out’ 25th Anniversary mixtape.
Purchase: Discogs
3rd Bass ‘Derelicts of Dialect’ 25th Anniversary
A couple of weeks late, here’s the lowdown on a Classic Material HQ favourite.
Release date: June 18th 1991
Label: Def Jam
Producers: 3rd Bass, Prince Paul, KMD, Sam Sever, SD50s (Stimulated Dummies)
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Derelicts of Dialect is Queens-based emcees3rd Bass’ second LP (following its debut LP and an EP) and final studio album, released on Def Jam Recordings. The album is considered to be a critical success (explicitly not aimed toward a mainstream market), and gained publicity by featuring the surprise mainstream hit “Pop Goes the Weasel,” a diss track towards Vanilla Ice. The music video features former Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins as Ice. X-Clan is dissed on songs such as “Herbalz In Your Mouth.”
The album is noted for its variety of styles (both musically and lyrically), and demonstrates influences ranging from De La Soul to A Tribe Called Quest (both members of the then-flourishing Native Tongues Movement). Several amusing anecdotes and skits on the album are influenced by De La Soul’s album 3 Feet High and Rising. The album was certified gold by the RIAA three months after its release.”
Additional info:
- The album comes in at #11 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 albums of 1991.
Listen: Youtube
Purchase: Discogs
Jay Z ‘Reasonable Doubt’ 20th Anniversary
In the coming months we’ll be reformatting these album related posts to make them more browsable so we’re switching up the format a little. All the essential info you need about classic releases in one place!
Release date: June 25th 1996
Label: Roc-a-fella / Priority
Producers: Sean Cane, DJ Clark Kent, DJ Premier, Irv Gotti, Jaz-O, Knobody, Peter Panic, Ski
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Reasonable Doubt is the debut studio album by American rapperJay-Z. It was released on June 25, 1996, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Priority Records. The album features production provided by DJ Premier, Ski, Knobody and Clark Kent, and also it includes guest appearances from Memphis Bleek, Mary J. Blige and The Notorious B.I.G., among others. The album features Mafioso rap themes and gritty lyrics about the “hustler” lifestyle and material obsessions.
Reasonable Doubt debuted at number 23 on the US Billboard 200, on which it charted for 18 weeks. It was promoted with four singles; including “Ain’t No Nigga” and “Can’t Knock the Hustle”. Reasonable Doubt was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and, as of 2006, has sold 1.5 million copies in the United States. A critical success, it has been ranked on several publications’ lists of the greatest rap albums ever, while many hip hop fans have viewed it as Jay-Z’s best work.”
Additional info:
- Album comes in at #1 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996.
- Singles from the album ‘Dead Presidents’ and ‘Can’t Knock the Hustle’ come in at #2 and #4 respectively on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1996.
- For further listening check out Classic Material contributor DJ Matman‘s Reasonable Doubt 20th Anniversary Mixtape.
Purchase: Discogs
Jay Z ‘Reasonable Doubt’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape mixed by DJ Matman
Classic Material contributor DJ Matman has contributed a mix to WhoSampled x Wax Poetics album anniversary mixtape series.
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“This coming week marks the 20th Anniversary of Jay Z‘s ‘Reasonable Doubt’. With a rap career dating back to 1989 including stints as side man to mentor, Jaz, features for the likes of the Dame Dash managed Original Flavor and Big Daddy Kane, Reasonable Doubt (released June 25th 1996) arrived late in the rapper’s career for a debut LP. With production from DJ Premier and Clark Kent, plus features from Mary J Blige and Notorious B.I.G it sits stylistically somewhere between the dominant underground sound of the mid 90s and the emerging sound pushed by labels such as Puffy‘s Bad Boy records which would come to define popular hip hop and R&B into the late 1990s. At the intersection between those sounds lies a varied selection of sample material.”
Listen on Mixcloud here / Listen on Soundcloud here / Tracklist here
Run DMC ‘Raising Hell’ 30th Anniversary
We’re a couple of weeks late on this one but 15th May 2016 marked the 30th Anniversary of Run DMC’s ‘Raising Hell’ LP. Typically we give our own take on the iconic releases of each year, but in this case Wikipedia does a pretty good job of covering the important facts, so we’ll defer to their summary:
“Raising Hell is the third studio album by hip hop group Run–D.M.C. The breakthrough album trumped standing perceptions of commercial viability for hip-hop groups, achieving triple-platinum status and receiving critical attention from quarters that had previously ignored hip hop. Raising Hell features the well-known cover “Walk This Way” featuring Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith. While the song was not the group’s first fusion of rock and hip hop (the group’s earlier singles “Rock Box” and “King of Rock” was), it was the first such fusion to make a significant impact on the charts, becoming the first rap song to crack the top 5 of The Billboard Hot 100. Raising Hell peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart as the first hip hop/rap album to do so, and at No. 6 on the Billboard 200.”
Full length hip hop LPs were sufficiently few in number in 1986 that Ego Trip did not produce an album list. The single ‘My Adidas / Peter Piper’ from the album however comes in #2 on the Top 40 Rap Singles from the year.
PURCHASE: Discogs
NWA ‘Efil4zaggin’ 25th Anniversary
This weekend (28th May) marks the 25th anniversary of the release of NWA’s controversial second (and final) LP ‘efil4zaggiN’. Bridging the gap between the group’s explosive 1988 debut ‘Straight Outta Compton’ and Dr Dre’s breakthrough 1992 solo debut ‘The Chronic’, the LP’s production style sits somewhere between the two baring hallmarks of the fledgling ‘G-Funk’ sound that would come to dominate West Coast hip hop in the following years.
While 2015’s ‘Straight Outta Compton’ movie didn’t offer a great deal of screen time the group’s second LP, it’s undeniably an important part of the group’s story. There’s no shortage of commentary online, but of particular interest was Rolling Stone’s feature this weekend containing commentary from the group’s surviving members on the album’s making.
The album comes in at #1 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1991.
PURCHASE: Discogs
KMD ‘Mr Hood’ 25th Anniversary
Released the same day as De La Soul’s ‘De La Soul is Dead’ (see below) was the debut album from Long Beach trio KMD (a slightly awkward acronym for ‘A positive Kause in a Much Damaged society). A cult classic in its day, the album is best remembered today as the album which launched the rap career of MF Doom, then known as ‘Zev Love X’. Comparable in many ways to output of groups such as De La Soul, ‘Mr Hood’ mixed comedy skits with positive massaging via unorthodox choices of sample material, in particular the character of ‘Mr Hood’ who appears in skits throughout the album constructed from samples of language instruction records.
Sadly ‘Mr Hood’ was the only album released during the group’s active life, the follow up ‘Black Bastards’ having been dropped by Elektra records due to the label’s concerns about its potentially offensive content and imagery. The group’s DJ (and brother of Zev Love X) Subroc died after being hit by a car on the Long Island expressway just days before the group’s deal was brought to an end prompting Zev Love X to retire from rap for around 6 years before finally returning in the guise of MF Doom in 1997. ‘Black Bastards’ finally saw an official release in 2000, some 7 years after it was recorded, although bootleg versions made from the official Elektra promo cassette had been in circulation for some years prior.
There is currently no official stream for the album on Youtube, but you can find a video of the full album here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
De La Soul ‘De La Soul is Dead’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
Blurb from WhoSampled:
“This Weekend (14th May 2016) marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of De La Soul‘s classic sophomore album ‘De La Soul is Dead’. Following in the footsteps of 1989’s sample heavy ‘3 Feet High and Rising’, the album once again delves into unconventional and varied sample material from disco to spoken word via rock, jazz and soul with producer Prince Paul placing a unique spin on all of the above. In celebration of the album’s 25th birthday, we’ve teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mixtape containing tracks from the album, remixes and, of course, original sample material used in the album’s production.”
De La Soul ‘De La Soul is Dead’ 25th Anniversary
We’re playing catch up on the recent album anniversaries here on the blog, but all those with any more than a passing interest in such things will not have avoided the mass celebrations of the 25th Anniversary of De La Soul’s sophomore LP ‘De La Soul is Dead’ this week. There’s little to be said that’s not been said elsewhere, so we’ll simply pass on the best of the links for you to explore:
- Check out WhoSampled x Wax Poetics’ celebratory mixtape, mixed by our very own Chris Read. Mixcloud / Soundcloud links here.
- Check our Wax Poetics’ write up of the album and mix here.
- Listen to & download previously unreleased track ‘Sho Nuff’ from the De La Soul is Dead sessions on Soundcloud here.
- There’s no official Youtube stream, but a reliable stream can be found here.
- Purchase the album / check out release details on Discogs here.
DJ Hi-Tek ‘Hi-Teknology Volume 1’ 15th Anniversary
We’re a week or so late posting this one, but May 8th marked the 15th anniversary of the release of DJ Hi-Tek’s ‘Hi-Teknology Volume 1’ on Rawkus records. Following in the footsteps of Reflections Eternal’s ‘Train of Thought’ (2000) (produced entirely by Hi-Tek) and Mos Def & Talib Kweli’s Black Star LP (1998) (largely produced by Hi-Tek), ‘Hi-Teknology’ was the Ohio native’s debut album production album and featured vocals from the likes of Common, Vinia Mojica, Slum Village in addition to long term collaborators Kweli and Mos Def.
An extract from Hi-Tek’s ‘Scratch Rappin’ taken from the LP appears on both our 2001 Rap Megamix and our Edition #15 mixtape.
There is not currently an official / reliable stream of the album available on Youtube, but you can purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here.
Jay Dee ‘Welcome 2 Detroit’ 15th Anniversary
This weekend (27th February 2016) marked the 15th Anniversary of the release of Jay Dee (aka J Dilla)‘s debut production LP ‘Welcome 2 Detroit on BBE Records. For an artist / producer with such an extensive discography dating back to the mid ‘90s, it’s hard with hindsight to believe that his debut LP as lead artist came this late in his tragically short career. Perhaps more astounding is the fact that this was the only J-Dilla solo album to see release in his lifetime. (‘Donuts’ was of course released just days before his death, but occupies a space somewhere between beat tape, mixtape and instrumenal album.) ‘Welcome 2 Detroit’ was also the first of eleven producer led artist albums to be released under BBE’s ‘Beat Generation imprint. The series would go on to see releases from veterans of the hip hop underground (Marley Marl, Pete Rock, Jazzy Jeff) and emerging a-list producers of the day (Will.I.Am, Madlib). There’s very little to be said about the album that has not been said before, but suffice to say it’s an eclectic masterpiece that’s widely considered one of the most influential LPs of its day for good reason.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
For further listening check out Chris Read’s official Beat Generation 10th Anniversary Mixtape.
The Fugees ‘The Score’ 20th Anniversary
This weekend (13th February 2016) marked the 20th anniversary of the release of The Fugees second and final long player ‘The Score’. An enormous commercial success, the LP spawned three hit singles ‘Killing Me Softly’ (a loose cover version of sorts of the Roberta Flack classic), ‘Fu-gee-la’ and ‘Ready or Not’. Largely produced by members of the group, contributions from stalwart 90s producers Diamond D (title track ‘The Score’) and Salaam Remi (‘Fu-gee-la’) are notable.
The album comes in at #5 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996. ‘Killing Me Softly’, ‘Ready or Not’ and ‘Fu-gee-la’ come in at #3, #13 and #19 in the magazine’s Top 40 Rap Singles of the year. ‘Killing me Softly’ appears in our 1996 Rap Megamix.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
J Dilla ‘Donuts’ 10th Anniversary
This week marked the 10th Anniversary of James Yancey bka Jay Dee / J Dilla’s classic instrumental opus ‘Donuts’. Released February 7th 2006, Dilla’s 32nd birthday and just 3 days prior to his untimely death from complications of the blood disease lupus. There’s little to say about the record that’s not already been said - it was largely created from Dilla’s hospital bed, and via choice of sample material references death and mortality. Because of the circumstances in which it was created and the timing of its release it has rightly been heralded as a seminal release and something of a personal fairwell from one of hip hop’s most influential producers. On a more detached analysis however it’s a record that, whilst sharing some themes with Yancey’s many beat tapes, has a more mixtape oriented feel than many prior beat collections or more traditionally structured albums such as 2001’s Welcome to Detroit.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Gang Starr ‘Step In The Arena’ 25th Anniversary
This weekend marked the 25th Anniversary of Gang Starr’s seminal sophomore LP ‘Step in the Arena’. The follow up to 1989’s ‘No More Mr Nice Guy’, ‘Step in the Arena’ is widely regarded as the album which marked the origins of what would become ‘the Gang Starr sound’, moving away from the more typically late 80s sound of its predecessor and delving into brief repetitive loops mined from a more varied pallet of source material. Keen not to be type-cast as a ‘jazz-rap’ outfit following the success of the single ‘Jazz Thing’ (taken from the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s ‘Mo Better Blues’), the album is equal parts street lyricism and infectiously funky backdrops. The album spawned numerous singles: ‘Just to Get a Rep’ (released prior to the LP), ‘Take A Rest’, the title track ‘Step in the Arena’ and ‘Lovesick’ (arguably the most commercial of the singles, backed with the previously unreleased ‘Credit is Due’).
The single ‘Step In The Arena’ comes in at #25 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1991. Surprisingly the LP does not appear in the chart of the year’s top albums.
‘Form of Intellect’ and ‘Step in the Arena’ from the LP both appear in our Classic Material 1991 mixtape.
There is currently no official stream for the album on Youtube, although a fairly reliable Youtube stream can be found here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
EPMD ‘Business as Usual’ 25th Anniversary
We’re a week late posting this one, but 15th December 2015 marked the 25th Anniversary of the release of EPMD’s third studio album ‘Business as Usual’. The album is the duo’s first for Def Jam following their departure from Fresh Records and displays a slightly more hardcore sound to the previous two LPs, 1989’s ‘Unfinished Business’ and 1988’s ‘Strictly Business’. It is also the last album recorded prior to a period of in fighting between Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith that would mar the recording of 1992’s ‘Business Never Personal’ and subsequent projects. The LP spawned 3 singles, ‘Gold Digger’, ‘Rampage’ (featuring LL Cool J) and ‘Give the People’. The album is also notable for featuring the debut feature from future star Redman.
The album comes in at #5 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990.The single ‘Gold Digger’ comes in at #6 in the year’s Top 40 Rap Singles. ‘Rampage’ features on our 1990 Rap Megamix. ‘Give the People’ and ‘Brothers on my Jock’ appear on our Classic Material 1990 Mixtape.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Brand Nubian ‘One for All’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape mixed by Chris Read
Friday 4th December 2015 marked the 25th Anniversary of the release of Brand Nubian’s classic debut album ‘One for All’. Notable for its use of unconventional sample material (see use of Edie Brickell’s ‘What I Am’ on the smash single ‘Slow Down’), this landmark release of the afro-centric era treads an unlikely path between political commentary and humorous braggadocio. In celebration of the album’s 25th birthday, WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mixtape containing tracks from the album, alternate versions, remixes and, of course, original sample material used in the album’s production, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here / Listen on Soundcloud here.
Brand Nubian ‘One for All’ 25th Anniversary
This weekend (December 4th 2015 more accurately) marked the 25th Anniversary of the release of Brand Nubian’s debut LP ‘One for All’. This is usually the place we give a quick synopsis of the LP and why we have deigned it of sufficient importance to be included on this blog but in this instance we’ll keep it short as our very own Chris Read has put together a mixtape to mark the occasion which says more than a paragraph or two here would achieve. (Although, if it’s words you’re after, this article gives a decent run down.)
For reasons best known to the licencing folks at Youtube almost all the videos in the official stream of the album are dead, but many of the album’s high points appear on their ‘Best Of’ LP which you can listen to on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
LL Cool J ‘Radio’ 30th Anniversary
This week (18th November 2015) marked the 30th Anniversary of LL Cool J’s debut album ‘Radio’. We’ve catalogued many 20th or 25th Anniversaries here, but this is our first 30th. Produced in its entirety by Rick Rubin, the album bears many of the hallmarks of Rubin’s productions for the likes of Run D.M.C and the Beastie Boys, fusing hard hitting drums with rock sonics. Perhaps most famous among the tracks using this sonic template was the single ‘Rock the Bells’ and the AC/DC guitar stab that it incorporated and subsequently became a ubquitous scratch sample.
Whilst Ego Trip have not published a list of the year’s biggest rap albums (albums were still in sufficiently short supply at this point in time that they were not sufficient in number to warrant a list) ‘Rock the Bells’ comes in a #3 in the year’s Top 40 Rap Singles.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
The Pharcyde ‘Labcabincalifornia’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape mixed by Chris Read
Saturday 14th November 2015 marked the 20th Anniversary of the release of The Pharcyde’s seminal sophomore album ‘Labcabincalifornia’. Produced in part by the late great Jay Dee together with various members of the group and guest producers including Diamond D, it’s a timeless long player that sounds as fresh today as the day it was released. In celebration of the album’s 20th birthday, WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mixtape containing tracks from the album, alternate versions, remixes, acapellas and, of course, original sample material used in the album’s production, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here / Listen on Soundcloud here.
The Pharcyde ‘Labcabincalifornia’ 20th Anniversary
This weekend (14th November 2015) marked the 20th Anniversary of The Pharcyde’s seminal sophomore album ‘Labcabincalifornia’. Produced in part by the late great Jay Dee, production on the remainder of the album came from various members of The Pharcyde crew and guest producers who included Diamond D. SIngles from the album came in the form of the Jay Dee produced classic ‘Runnin’ (b/w ‘Drop’) and ‘She Said’.
The album comes in at #21 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1995. ‘Runnin’ comes in at #27 in their Top 40 Rap Singles of the year.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
GZA ‘Liquid Swords’ 20th Anniversary
This weekend (7th November 2015) marks the 20th Anniversary of the release of GZA’s sophomore LP ‘Liquid Swords’, The Genius’ first full length solo release following his departure from the Cold Chillin’ label. The album is the third of the Wu-Tang solo albums released in the wake of the group’s 1993 debut ‘36 Chambers’. Famed for its extensive sampling of banned 1980 martial arts classic ‘Shogun Assassin’ and gritty soul samples, the album appeared in sharp contrast to 1991’s ‘Words from the Genius’ and its New Jack Swing influenced lead single ‘Come Do Me’.
The album comes in at #3 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 albums of 1995, while the album’s lead single of the same name comes in at #29 in the year’s Top 40 Singles.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Cypress Hill ‘III: Temples of Boom’ 20th Anniversary
We’re a little late posting this, but this week (October 31st 2015 more precisely) marked the 20th anniversary of the release of Cypress Hill’s third album, the platinum selling ‘III: Temples of Boom’. The album completes a trio of LPs produced by DJ Muggs, each with a very distinct production style. In keeping with trends of the day, ‘Temples of Boom’ steps into more downtempo territory with a slightly more polished (all be it darker) production sound. The album displays more East Coast influence than earlier offerings, Wu-Tang’s RZA and U-God both featuring and Q-Tip and Erick Sermon offering contributions to the singles ‘Illusions’ and ‘Throw Your Set In The Air’ respectively. The latter appears in our 1995 Rap Megamix.
For reasons best known to Youtube, the official playlist for the album contains both tracks from ‘Temples of Boom’ and the group’s previous album ‘Black Sunday’. Listen / watch here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Isis ‘Rebel Soul’ 25th Anniversary
This weekend also marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of Isis’s debut LP ‘Rebel Soul’. A member of the Black Watch Movement (together with X-Clan, Proffesor X and associated artists), this is one of a handful of what are essentially X-Clan spin off albums released in the wake of the success of ‘To The East Blackwards’. It’s a solid listen that stands up to the quality of other X-Clan related LPs from the era and features Professor X’s trademark monologues throughout.
Sadly there’s no stream of the album currently available on Youtube, but we were pleased to find official streams for two tracks from the album to have received official videos, the title track ‘Rebel Soul’ and ‘The Power of Myself Is Moving’, the latter appearing on our Classic Material 1990 mixtape.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Onyx ‘All We Got Iz Us’ 20th Anniversary
Also released on 24th October 1995 was Onyx’s sophomore LP ‘All We Got Iz Us’, the follow up to 1993’s explosive debut ‘Bacdafucup’. The angst and anger of the debut is still present, but without Jam Master Jay at the helm it suffers for the absence of JMJ’s jazz based production which gave the debut its distinctive sound. Stand out tracks include ‘Last Dayz’ (a track given a second lease of life thanks to its inclusion in the battle scene of the movie ‘8 Mile’) and ‘Shout’ (although Pete Rock’s remix of the track is far superior to the album version).
Although the album doesn’t make Ego Trip’s end of year list, ‘Last Dayz’ makes it to #15 on the Top 40 Rap Singles of the year.
There is currently no official stream for the album on Youtube, although a fairly reliable Youtube stream can be found here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Fat Joe ‘Jealous One’s Envy’ 20th Anniversary
This weekend (24th October 2015) marks the 20th anniversary of the release of South Bronx rapper Fat Joe’s sophomore LP ‘Jealous One’s Envy’. The follow up to 1993’s ‘Represent’, the album occupies a middle ground between underground sonics of that 1993 debut and the more commercial sound of later material. Production comes courtesy of fellow D.I.T.C member Diamond D and DJ Premier among others. Stand out tracks include the Diamond D produced ‘Bronx Tale’ featuring KRS-One and DJ Premier’s remix of ‘The Sh*t is Real’ (the original version of which featured on ‘Represent’). As a long player however it’s a patchy affair with the ‘Sexual Healing’ sampling ‘Envy’ (one of two tracks from the album to be released as a single) offering a preview of the more commercial sound that would dominate Joe’s music in later years.
The album comes in at #17 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1995.
There is currently no official stream for the album on Youtube, although a fairly reliable Youtube stream can be found here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Grand Daddy IU ‘Smooth Assassin’ 25th Anniversary
This weekend (October 16th 2015) marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of Grand Daddy IU’s debut LP ‘Smooth Assassin’ on the Cold Chillin. An often overlooked album in discussion of the era’s (and label’s) greatest, it’s one of the few Cold Chillin albums from the period in which Marley Marl did not have a hand. There is however a Juice Crew connection, the album being largely produced by Biz Markie with assistance from partner Cool V.
Still active, Grand Daddy IU operates a bandcamp page on which the album can be streamed / downloaded.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
AZ ‘Doe or Die’ 20th Anniversary
Also released on 10th October 1995 was AZ’s debut LP ‘Doe or Die’. Despite production from heavyweights Pete Rock, Buckwild and L.E.S and guest appearances from Nas and others, the album fails to make Ego Trip’s Top 25 rap albums of the year. The album hit the #1 spot in the Billboard Rap Album Chart while the album’s lead single, the gold certified ‘Sugar Hill’ hit the #3 spot on the Billboard Rap Chart.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
KRS-One ‘KRS-One’ Album 20th Anniversary
This weekend (10th October 2015 to be more precise) marks the 20th Anniversary of the release of KRS-One’s self titled LP. His second solo album, ‘KRS-One’ follows in the footsteps of 1993’s ‘Return of the Boom Bap’ with significant contributions from DJ Premier as well as DITC producers Showbiz and Diamond D. Two singles from the album, ‘MCs Act Like They Don’t Know’ and ‘Rappaz R N Danja’ both feature production from DJ Premier. Originally titled ‘Hip Hop vs. Rap’ (as evidenced by some early magazine reviews) last minute amendments to the album included not only a name change but also removal of a handful of tracks, which although not officially released have surfaced online.
The album comes in at #10 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1995. ‘MCs Act Like They Don’t Know’ makes the #11 spot in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1995. That track also appears in our 1995 Rap Megamix.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
King Tee ‘At Your Own Risk’ 25th Anniversary
There’s some debate as to whether this album was released on 2nd October 1990 or a week prior, but at the time of writing Wikipedia is suggesting the former so we’ll go with that, making today the album’s 25th Anniversary. In the wake of NWA’s explosive debut LP in 1988, ‘89 and ‘90 saw a raft of solid Compton releases hit the shelves. Oft overlooked among them is King Tee’s ‘At Your Own Risk’, the follow up to 1988’s ‘Act a Fool’. Featuring production from frequent Ice Cube collaborator DJ Pooh and a pre-Alkaholiks E-Swift, the album carries a more light hearted feel than much of Compton’s output from the era, including the uncharacteristic New Jack Swing flavored ‘On the Dance Tip’.
The album comes in at #19 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990 whilst ‘Ruff Rhyme’ from album (backed with ‘Played Like A Piano’ feat Ice Cube) comes in at #31 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles from the year. ‘Played Like A Piano’ also features on our Classic Material 1990 Mixtape.
There is currently no official stream for the album on Youtube, although a fairly reliable Youtube stream can be found here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
LL Cool J ‘Mama Said Knock You Out’ 25th Anniversary
This post is a couple of weeks behind schedule, September 14th 2015 having been the 25th Anniversary of the release of LL Cool J’s stand out ‘Mama Said Knock You Out’ LP. If you’ve been following these anniversary posts, you’ll have seen by now that 1990 was Marley Marl’s year. Produced almost entirely by Marley Marl ‘Mama Said ...’ was a stellar come back (although “Don’t call it a come back”) after the somewhat lukewarm reception to 1989’s ‘Walking with a Panther’. A raft of popular singles from the album, ‘Mama Said Knock You Out’, ‘Boomin’ System’ and ‘Around the Way Girl’ among them have sealed the album’s status as an all time classic.
The album comes in at #6 in Ego Trip’s ‘Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990’ whilst LL takes no fewer than 4 places in the Top 40 Rap Singles of 1990 holding down the #4, #14, #23 and #38 spots for ‘Jingling Baby’, ‘To Da Break of Dawn’ and ‘Boomin’ System respectively. The album’s title track and the Boomin’ System remix appear in both our Classic Material 1990 Mixtape and our 1990 Rap Megamix.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Win a Public Enemy ‘Live at Metropolis Studios’ Boxset Courtesy of WhoSampled
On August 6, 2014, hip hop legends Public Enemy performed at London’s world-renowned Metropolis Studios in the most intimate gig of their career. This unique show gave 125 lucky fans the rare opportunity to witness one of the most influential rap collectives record a live album up close and personal, at a venue that is rarely opened to the public.
September 4, 2015 sees the release of ‘Public Enemy – Live From Metropolis Studios‘, a beautifully packaged box set which includes a Blu-ray disc of the performance, a 2-CD soundtrack, a double vinyl LP pressed on clear vinyl, a 12” Booklet and MP3 download voucher. (The Blu-Ray, DVD, Double CD, and Double Vinyl LP are also available individually).
WhoSampled are giving you the chance to win a copy! Entry details here.
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ 25th Anniversary
This past Friday (14th August 2015) also marked the 25th Anniversary of Kool G Rap & DJ Polo’s sophomore LP for the Cold Chillin’ label ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’. In a break from the tradition of albums for the label at the time being largely produced by Marley Marl, the LP features extensive production credits for Eric B and contributions from a young Large Professor, the latter widely believed to have been the more ‘hands on’ of the two, Eric B being known primarily as a money man and facilitator rather than a producer in the technical sense. Large Professor also delivers vocals on one of the album’s two posse cuts, ‘Money in the Bank’ alongside Ant Live. The other, ‘Erase Racism’ features Cold Chillin’ stalwarts Big Daddy Kane and Biz Markie and was released as a single backed with versions of the album’s title track.
The album comes in at #8 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990. ‘Streets of New York’, also taken from the album comes in at #11 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1990.
There is currently no official stream for the album on Youtube, although a fairly reliable Youtube stream can be found here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
N.W.A ‘100 Miles and Runnin’ 25th Anniversary
This past Friday (14th August 2015) marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of N.W.A‘s ‘100 Miles and Runnin’ EP, a timely anniversary given the recent release of Dre’s ‘Compton: A Soundtrack’. The 5 track EP was the group’s first release following the acrimonious split from former group member Ice Cube who released his solo debut ‘Amerikkka’s Most Wanted’ earlier in the year. The EP serves as prelude of sorts to the group’s second Long Player ‘Efil4zaggin’ released in spring of the following year and ‘Real Niggaz‘ from the 100 Miles EP also appears on that album. The Dre-produced EP is a sample heavy affair, the title track alone containing nearly 20 samples. It’s the tracks that display the group’s politicised anger over bombsquad-esque sample packed sound collages that are most memorable, whilst shock value sexual brags of the variety popular with teenage boys are easily forgotten.
The EP (although not technically and album) comes in at #4 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990. A brief extract from the title track appears in our 1990 Rap Megamix.
Stream the EP on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
...and as an added bonus the good folks at WhoSampled have put together a playlist of samples used in the making of the record which you can check out here.
Raekwon ‘Only Built 4 Cuban Linx’ 20th Anniversary
This weekend (1st August 2015) marked the 20th Anniversary of the release of Raekwon’s solo debut ‘Only Built for Cuban Linx’. The album, billed as featuring Ghostface Killah (pictured alongside Raekwon on the cover), precedes Ghostface’s solo debut ‘Ironman’ by more than a year. As was typical of the first ‘round’ of Wu-Tang solo LPs, the album in fact features guest appearances from all of the clan’s prominent members, although Ghostface features most heavily. Links to the Wu-Tang’s 1993 debut ‘36 Chambers do not end with the album’s personnel, a remixed version of the clan’s ‘Can It All Be So Simple’ being one of Cuban Linx’s more memorable cuts.
The album comes in at #1 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1995. Singles from the album ‘Incarcerated Scarfaces’ and ‘Criminology’ come in at #10 and #21 respectively in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1995.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Master Ace ‘Take A Look Around’ 25th Anniversary
This weekend (24th July 2015 to be precise) marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of Master Ace’s (later Masta Ace) seminal debut for the Cold Chillin’ label ‘Take A Look Around’. The second Marley Marl prodcued album we’ve mentioned in as many weeks, this album has a much lighter, more soulful feel than the likes of ‘Intelligent Hoodlum’. It’s arguably similarly varied lyrically however, with a bias toward social commentary, there are also a couple of straight up party tracks and a decent dose of humour (see Me & The Biz). The 15 track album is not short on singles: ‘Together b/w Letter to the Better’ preceded the album, released on Prism in 1989. A remix of the B-side appears on ‘Take A Look Around’. ‘Music Man’, ‘Movin On’ and ‘Me & The Biz’ were all released subsequently. ‘I Gotta’ (which formed the B-side to ‘Me & The Biz’ was released separately as an A-Side in the UK, with UK only remixes from London’s Brixton Bass.
The album comes in at #22 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990. ‘Me & The Biz’ comes in at #35 in Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1990. The Brixton Bass Remix of ‘I Gotta’ features on our Classic Material Edition #4 mixtape.
No official Youtube stream for the album currently exists, although you can find a pretty reliable stream of the full LP on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Special Ed ‘Legal’ 25th Anniversary
Today (19th July 2015) marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of Special Ed’s sophomore LP ‘Legal’. Whilst the anthemic ‘Got It Made’ cast Ed’s 1989 debut ‘Youngest in Charge’ as a classic, most would agree that ‘Legal’ is a more solid album offering. Two singles from the LP, ‘Come On Let’s Move It’ and the James Bond inspired ‘The Mission’ were both relative successes, although neither achieved the level of recognition of ‘Got It Made’. Also featured is a remix of ‘I’m The Magnificent’, the original version having appeared on ‘Youngest In Charge’. With 10 tracks and a run time of under 40 minutes, it’s a brief and fast paced affair with the exception of ‘See It Ya’, a slightly out of place Dancehall cut which closes the album.
The album comes in at #17 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990. ‘Livin’ Like A Star’ from the album appears on our Classic Material Edition #4 Mixtape.
No official Youtube stream for the album currently exists, although you can find it on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Intelligent Hoodlum ‘Intelligent Hoodlum’ 25th Anniversary
This weekend (10th July 2015) marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of Intelligent Hoodlum’s self titled debut. Later working under the monikers ‘Tragedy’ (a nickname which predates ‘Intelligent Hoodlum’)and ‘Tragedy Khadafi’, it’s his debut which is widely considered his best work. Featuring production from fellow Queensbridge native Marley Marl and a young Large Professor, much of the production bears the hallmarks of Marley’s work of the era. Lyrically however the album is far more varied, from the politically charged ‘No Justice, No Peace’, ‘Arrest the President’ and ‘Black and Proud’ to party pieces ‘Party Pack’ and ‘Live Motivator’.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Ice Cube ‘Kill at Will’ EP 25th Anniversary
This week (1st July 2015), marks the 25th Anniversary of Ice Cube’s ‘Kill at Will’ EP. A footnote of sorts to O’Shea Jackson’s incendiary debut LP ‘Amerikkka’s Most Wanted’ (and released just a few months later), standout cuts from this 7 track EP include an alternate version of Endangered Species featuring Public Enemy’s Chuck D, the sample heavy ‘Jackin 4 Beats’ and the reflective ‘Dead Homiez’. Largely following in the politically charged footsteps of ‘Amerikkka’s Most Wanted’, the EP’s not without a couple of low points, occasionally drifting into ‘shock value sells’ territory, as with much of the later NWA affiliated material but remains a solid mini album and important release of its time.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Slum Village ‘Fantastic Volume 2’ 15th Anniversary
This weekend (13th June 2015) marks the 15th Anniversary of Slum Village’s seminal J Dilla produced ‘Fantastic Volume 2’ LP. Very little to be said about this record that’s not already been said in countless Dilla career retrospectives already, but needless to say it’s a Classic Material favourite with tracks from the album appearing in our year 2000 Rap Megamix. The album comes in at #2 on the Ego Trip Top 25 Rap Albums of 2000.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Eric B & Rakim ‘Let The Rhythm Hit Em’ 25th Anniversary
This weekend (22nd May 2015) marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of Eric B & Rakim’s 3rd studio album ‘Let The Rhythm Hit Em’. It would be the duo’s penultimate Long Player, Rakim leaving to pursue a solo career following the release of 1992’s ‘Don’t Sweat the Technique’. Both sonically and visually (the cover displaying the duo sporting gold jewellery in poses more typically associated with the late 80s), the album is less progressive than much of the year’s output (see A Tribe Called Quest, X-Clan and others). That said, the album is widely considered a classic of the day primarily based on its lyricism and received the much coveted 5 mic rating in The Source. The album comes in at number 7 in Ego Trips Top 25 Rap albums of 1990. Chris Read’s remix of the title cut appears on our Classic Material 1990 Bonus Tracks.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Ice Cube ‘Amerikkka’s Most Wanted’ 25th Anniversary
This weekend (16th May 2015) marked the 25th anniversary of the release of Ice Cube’s politically charged debut LP ‘Amerikkka’s Most Wanted’. Produced by the Bomb Squad, the album is as uncompromising sonically as it is lyrically, bearing many of the hallmarks of the squad’s production on early Public Enemy releases. The album displayed a more thoughtful style of lyricism than that evident on NWA releases and whilst the LP arguably courted controversy in a similar way to those of the group, there was without doubt a more focused political agenda here, a theme built upon in subsequent LPs, in particular the 1991 follow up ‘Death Certificate’. The album comes in at #1 on Ego Trip’s list of 1990’s top rap albums. A track from Ice Cube’s ‘Kill at Will’ EP which preceded the LP appears on our 1990 Rap Megamix.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Mobb Deep ‘The Infamous’ 20th Anniversary
This weekend (25th April 2015 to be more precise) marked the 20th Anniversary of the release of Mobb Deep’s ‘The Infamous’ LP, in the minds of most their most solid long player. With production duties shared between the Queensbridge duo and A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip, the album picks up where Illmatic left off in terms of displaying a grittier, more melancholy side to Q-Tip’s production. The album comes in at #2 in Ego Trip’s list of 1995’s Top 25 rap albums and tracks from the album appear on both our Classic Material 1995 Mixtape and 1995 Rap Megamix. ‘Shook Ones Part II’ from the album takes the #1 spot on Ego Trip’s list of the year’s Top 25 rap singles. Other singles from the album ‘Temperature’s Rising’ and ‘Survival of the Fittest’ are surprisingly absent from the list but worthy of mention. You can also check Chris Read remixes of two tracks from the album produced in tribute to the production style of the day featured in our Classic Material 1995 Bonus Tracks.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
X-Clan ‘To The East Blackwards’ 25th Anniversary
Today (24th April 2015) marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of X-Clan’s debut LP ‘To The East Blackwards’. Packed with novel sample material, Afrocentric sentiment, black nationalist rhetoric and mystic terminology, it was a memorable debut, the popularity of which the group never quite succeeded in repeating (although we have to say we are remain big fans of the group’s 1992 follow up ‘Xodus’ and group member Professor X’s solo outings ‘Years of the 9’ and ‘Puss ‘n Boots’). Historically best remembered for Professor X’s monologues “This is protected by the Red, the Black and the Green, with the key ...” which proliferated the album and subsequently those of group members and associates (see Isis and Queen Mother Rage), the album is still a solid listen front to back 25 years on. In the years after its release tragedy befell the group, DJ Sugar Shaft reportedly dying of complications of AIDS in 1995 and Professor X dying of meningitis in 2006.
Of all the albums we’ve featured since writing these anniversary posts, this is the first not to be available in full on Youtube, although you can check the reasonable quality MTV rips of the videos for singles from the album, ‘Funkin’ Lesson’ and ‘Heed the Word of The Brother’.
The album comes in at #13 in Ego Trip’s list of the Top 25 Rap Albums of 1990. ‘Heed the Word of the Brother’ appears on both our Classic Material 1990 Mixtape and our 1990 Rap Megamix.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
Whosampled x Wax Poetics: ‘People’s Instinctive Travels’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
On Friday last week Classic Material’s Chris Read put out a new mixtape for WhoSampled x Wax Poetics in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of A Tribe Called Quest’s debut LP ‘People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm’. In the four short days since it went online it’s already clocked over 20,000 plays across Mixcloud and Soundcloud, hit the #1 spot in Mixcloud‘s Top 100 mixes and been picked up by the cream of the internet’s credible music publications: Complex Magazine, Fact Mag, Okay Player, Ego Trip among others. Tracklist follows:1. A Tribe Called Quest – Can I Kick It? (Extended Boilerhouse Mix) (Extract).
2. A Tribe Called Quest – If The Papes Come (Loop)
3. Chris Read – Theme #3 (Scratchapella)
4. Jimi Hendrix – EXP (sampled in ‘If The Papes Come’)
5. Eugene McDaniels – Jagger The Dagger (sampled in ‘Push It Along’ and others)
6. Ali Shaheed Muhammad interview for Wax Poetics
7. Junior Mance – Thank You Falletin Me Be Mice Elf Agin (sampled in ‘Push It Along’)
8. Grover Washington Junior – Loran’s Dance (sampled in ‘Push It Along’)
9. A Tribe Called Quest – Push It Along
10. A Tribe Called Quest – Bonita Applebum (Why? Version)
11. Carly Simon – Why (Extended Version) (sampled in ‘Bonita Applebum (Why? Version)’)
12. Little Feat – Fool Yourself (sampled in ‘Bonita Applebum (Album Version)’)
13. Isley Brothers – Between The Sheets (sampled in ‘Bonita Applebum (Hootie Mix)’)
14. A Tribe Called Quest – Bonita Applebum (Hootie Mix)
15. RAMP – Daylight (sampled in ‘Bonita Applebum (Album Version)’)
16. A Tribe Called Quest – Bonita Applebum (Album Version)
17. Funkadelic – Nappy Dug Out (sampled in ‘Ham & Eggs’)
18. A Tribe Called Quest – Ham & Eggs
19. Lou Reed – Walk On The Wild Side (sampled in ‘Can I Kick It?’)
20. A Tribe Called Quest – Can I Kick It? (Extended Boilerhouse Mix)
21. Lonnie Smith – Spinning Wheel (sampled in ‘Can I Kick It?)
22. Chambers Brothers – Funky (sampled in ‘I Left My Wallet in El Segundo’)
23. A Tribe Called Quest – I Left My Wallet In El Segundo
24. A Tribe Called Quest – Footprints
25. Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke (sampled in ‘Footprints’)
26. The Cannonball Adderley Quintet feat Jesse Jackson – Walk Tall (sampled in ‘Footprints)
27. Donald Byrd – Think Twice (sampled in ‘Footprints’)
28. Sly & The Family Stone – Remember Who You Are (sampled in ‘After Hours’)
29. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘After Hours’
30. Billy Brooks – Forty Days (sampled in ‘Luck of Lucien’)
31. A Tribe Called Quest – Luck of Lucien
32. A Tribe Called Quest – Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts)
33. Earth Wind & Fire – Brazilian Rhyme (Beijo Interlude) (sampled in ‘Mr Muhammad’)
34. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Mr Muhammad’
35. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Description of a Fool’
36. Roy Ayers Ubiquity – Running Away (sampled in ‘Description of a Fool’)
37. Billy Baron and his Smokin Challengers – Communication is Where It’s At (sampled in ‘Public Enemy)
39. A Tribe Called Quest – Public Enemy
40. Reuben Wilson – Inner City Blues (sampled in ‘Youthful Expression’)
41. A Tribe Called Quest – Youthful Expression
42. Slave – Son of Slide (sampled in ‘Go Ahead In The Rain’)
42. A Tribe Called Quest – Go Ahead in the Rain
43. A Tribe Called Quest – Ham & Eggs (Outro)
Listen here
Public Enemy ‘Fear of a Black Planet’ 25th Anniversary
This week marked the 25th Anniversary of the release of Public Enemy’s sample heavy classic ‘Fear of a Black Planet’ (released 10th April 1990). Sonically following in the footsteps of 1988’s sophomore LP ‘It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back’, the album broke new ground in its use of samples with heavily layered cuts delivering busy but memorable backdrops to the album’s political lyrical content. Among the album’s memorable moments are Fight the Power (a cut previously featured on the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s 1989 movie ‘Do The Right Thing’) and ‘Welcome to the Terrordome’ (both released as singles). Flava Flav played a more central role on this than previous albums leading on two further singles from LP, ‘911 Is A Joke’ and ‘Can’t Do Nuttin’ For Ya Man’. ‘Welcome to the Terrordome’ appears on our 1990 Rap Megamix (the single topping Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Singles of 1990). The album coming in at number three on their list of the year’s Top 25 Rap Albums.
Public Enemy fans will know the group has traditionally been somewhat protective over their online presence with few tracks other than live versions having an official presence on Youtube. Thanks however to Youtube’s recent taking of matters into their own hands, the album is now present in full.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / check release details on Discogs here]
ODB ‘Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version’ 20th Anniversary
Released the same day (28th March 1995) as Big L’s debut (see below) was ODB’s solo debut ‘Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version’, the second solo album from a Wu member following the group’s 1993 debut ‘36 Chambers’. ODB’s LP follows in the footsteps of that debut not only in title, but also in sonics with the majority of the album’s production handled by RZA and guest vocal appearances coming courtesy of the group’s core members Method Man, Ghostface and Raekwon. Extracts from the album’s second single ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’ appear on our 1995 Rap Megamix. The album comes in at #4 in Ego Trip’s list of 1995’s Top 25 Rap Albums.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / Check release details on Discogs here]
Big L ‘Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous’ 20th Anniversary
This week also marks the 20th anniversary of Big L’s debut LP ‘Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous’ (released March 28th 1995), his sole album release prior to his untimely death in 1999. (His second LP ‘The Big Picture’ was released posthumously in 2000). Lifestylez features production from many of the greats of the era, Buckwild, Kid Capri, Lord Finesse & Showbiz. The lead (and most popular) single from the album ‘Put It On’ (featuring Kid Capri), released at the tail end of 1994, features on both our 1994 Rap Megamix and Classic Material 1994 Mixtape. The album comes in at #25 in Ego Trip’s list of 1995’s Top 25 Rap Albums.
Stream the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / Check release details on Discogs here]
Digital Underground ‘Sex Packets’ 25th Anniversary
This week marked the 25th Anniversary of Digital Underground’s seminal debut LP ‘Sex Packets’ (released 26th March 1990), an album that stands alone among West Coast albums of the day with its trademark blend of humour, character play and of course beats based on a rich collection of P-Funk influenced sample sources. Two tracks from the album (and its singles) appeared on our 1990 Rap Megamix and the album comes in at #18 in Ego Trip’s list of 1990’s Top 25 Rap Albums.
Once again Youtube deliver the goods - you can stream the complete album here.
[Purchase physical copies / Check release details on Discogs here]
Poor Righteous Teachers ‘Holy Intellect’ 25th Anniversary
Today (13th March 2015) marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Poor Righteous Teachers’ classic debut LP ‘Holy Intellect’. Three tracks from the album and its singles appear on our Classic Material 1990 mixtape. Once again Youtube has delivered the goods with its recent catalogue uploading, making the full album available as an official Youtube playlist.
Listen to the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / Check release details on Discogs here]
Above the Law - ‘Livin’ Like Hustlers’ 25th Anniversary
Today (22nd February 2015) marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Above the Law’s classic debut LP ‘Livin’ Like Hustlers’. Produced by Dr Dre and executive produced by Eazy-E, it’s not a record that received the same sort of mainstream notoriety as some other NWA affiliated releases, but it is still considered by many to be one of the better executed albums of the era / genre and is one of our personal favourites. ‘What Cha Can Prove’ (a single only remix of album track ‘Untouchable’) appears on our Classic Material 1990 mixtape. (Side note: the video for ‘Untouchable’ holds the dubious honour of probably being the first rap video to feature a speedboat chase and also features classic scenes such as Eazy-E being served a giant mobile phone on a silver platter.) Once again Youtube has delivered the goods with its recent catalogue uploading, making the full album available as an official Youtube playlist.
Listen to the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / Check release details on Discogs here]
Alkaholiks - ‘Coast II Coast’ 20th Anniversary
This weekend marked the 20th Anniversary of Tha Alkaholiks sophomore album ‘Coast II Coast’. Activity here on the blog has been a bit sporadic lately so we’re going to start by dropping by once in a while with some relevant music from the vaults. Timing is good because Youtube are in the middle of trying to beat Spotify at their own game, so a decent proportion of those classic albums are now up on Youtube with licensed streams in ready made playlists.
Listen to the full album on Youtube here.
[Purchase physical copies / Check release details on Discogs here]
Edo.G, Reks, Termanology & Akrobatik Live at Jazz Cafe London - Tickets Available Now
Veteran Boston MC Edo.G performs a rare UK date with support from fellow Massachusetts natives including frequent DJ Premier collaborators Reks & Termanology plus indie era favourite Akrobatik. DJ support from Classic Material’s Chris Read & Nick Armitage.
Facebook event page here. Tickets available from Ticket Master.
Whosampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Ready to Die’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape
The Classic Material blog’s been feeling a bit unloved for the past few months so with a new year upon us it seems like a good time to get things back in gear. We overlooked posting about this mix produced for Wax Poetics and WhoSampled last year, so here’s a little reminder. (Check it out on the mixes page).
We’ve got some exciting new projects in the pipeline for 2015 - watch this space!
The Coup live at Jazz Cafe next Tuesday
Next Tuesday (21st October) The Coup & Boots Riley touch down at London’s Jazz Cafe with support from Classic Material DJs Chris Read & Nick Armitage.
Purchase tickets here.
Classic Material: ‘The Breaks of 88’
A continuation of sorts from The Diary and Classic Material mix series, ‘The Breaks of ...’ revisits the chronological theme of those mixes, this time reconstructing classic hip hop from the year in question utilising only the original sample material. Originally released on Limited Edition Cassette in the summer of 2013, I thought it was about time these mixes got an airing online. This edition reconstructs the hits of 1988. Artwork by John Brotherhood in tribute to the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series, the original sampled breaks collection. We hope you enjoy!
Listen on Mixcloud or download from Bandcamp via the downloads page.
Classic Material: ‘The Breaks of 87’
A continuation of sorts from The Diary and Classic Material mix series, ‘The Breaks of ...’ revisits the chronological theme of those mixes, this time reconstructing classic hip hop from the year in question utilising only the original sample material. Originally released on Limited Edition Cassette in the summer of 2013, I thought it was about time these mixes got an airing online. This edition reconstructs the hits of 1987. Artwork by John Brotherhood in tribute to the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series, the original sampled breaks collection. We hope you enjoy!
Listen on Mixcloud or download from Bandcamp via the downloads page.
The Pharcyde – Runnin / Passin Me By (Chris Read Remixes) 7inch Vinyl Double Pack
I’m very pleased to announce that this remix release for BBE Records x Delicious Vinyl (available exclusively on 7inch vinyl double pack), is out now and available to purchase from Juno among other typical outlets. Blurb from BBE below:
“In the closing months of 2012 BBE label artist Chris Read was enlisted by classic Los Angeles imprint Delicious Vinyl to produce a mixtape for Wax Poetics magazine celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the release of The Pharcyde’s seminal debut LP ‘Bizarre Ride’. The resulting mix was a runaway success clocking tens of thousands of plays online and kickstarted a relationship with the label that would go on to see Chris remix two of the group’s best loved tracks, ‘Runnin’ and ‘Passin Me By’.
Those tracks are now available for the first time on this limited edition BBE x Delicious Vinyl double vinyl 7inch release. Treating the familiar original with respect, Chris has called upon the vocal talents of long time collaborators Lizzy Parks (Tru Thoughts) and guitarist Giles Barratt (Breakin Bread) to rework passages from ‘Runnin’ to create a 2014 update on the themes of the much loved Jay Dee produced classic. ‘Passin Me By’ meanwhile gets a ’90s throwback rework utilising sample material from the original to great effect to create a track which bears all the hallmarks of the golden era.
Mastered and cut by Walter Coelho who cut Jay Dee’s ‘Welcome to Detroit’ back in 2001, the circle is complete!”
Listen to previews on Bandcamp or Soundcloud.
1974 to 2014 - Mr Bongo x WhoSampled: Incredible Bongo Band ‘Bongo Rock’ 40th Anniversary Mixtape
It’s been up on the downloads page here for some time but we haven’t yet given it a mention here on the blog so before we move on to new releases, here’s a quick reminder of this mix put together for WhoSampled and Mr Bongo in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Incredible Bongo Band’s classic ‘Bongo Rock’ LP.
Listen here.
2006 to 2010 - Classic Material Edition #16 Bonus Tracks
Last year we rounded off our series of Classic Material mixes with a mix covering the years 2001 to 2005 which didn’t feature as part of the original CD series. Our intention had been to supplement that with a final mix covering the years 2006 to 2010, but new projects got underway and other priorities took over so that idea has been parked for the foreseeable. That said, we wanted to wrap up the series in some way before getting this year’s project underway, so here are the bonus tracks that were intended to go along with that mix: A selection of remixes of music released between 2006 and 2010 put together by Classic Material’s Chris Read back in 2009 /2010. Many have been available before in some format, but some have not been available until now.
Listen / download here
Classic Material 2013 Photographic Prints In Store
Five brand new photo prints produced in collaboration with Classic Material contributor Normski are now available to purchase from our online store. Featured artists include Ice Cube, De La Soul, Dr Dre, Eric B and Guru.
Shop here.
1993 to 2013 - A Tribe Called Quest ‘Midnight Marauders’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape
Produced in conjunction with Wax Poetics and WhoSampled and mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read, this mix celebrates the 20th Anniversary of A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Midnight Marauders’. Original album tracks and original sample material in the mix. At the time of writing it has been streamed almost 60,000 times on Soundcloud and Mixcloud.
Listen on Mixcloud here.
1993 to 2013 - Souls of Mischief ‘93 Til Infinity’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape mixed by Chris Read
Produced in conjunction with Wax Poetics and WhoSampled and mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read, this mix celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Souls of Mischief’s seminal debut ‘93 til Infinity’. Original album tracks, remixes and alternate versions, interview extracts and original sample material in the mix. At the time of writing it has been streamed over 20,000 times on Soundcloud and Mixcloud.
Listen on Mixcloud here.
2013 - Adidas Original ‘Unite All Originals’ Mixtape mixed by Chris Read
Commissioned mix for Adidas Originals & WhoSampled pairing some of Hip Hop’s biggst names with the tracks they have sampled. Features the likes of Common, Mos Def, The Beatnuts and many more. At the time of writing, the mix has been streamed over 40,000 times.
Listen here.
2013 - Chris Read feat Phill Most Chill - Rap Tradition 7” Single
Released in September 2013, traditional rap from Classic Material’s Chris Read featuring Phildelphia Soulman Phill Most Chill on Breakin Bread records. Info from the Breakin’ Bread press release:
” ‘Rap Tradition’ is not only a title but a mission statement as guest vocalist Phill Most leads the fast-rap renaissance. Fondly recalling an era of innovation and the competitive spirit of the battle, the track is a lyrical ode the genre’s traditions. Sitting atop a pounding drum track which is equal parts crisp 2013 production and homage to the classic beat makers of the late ’80s, deft wordplay weaves in and out of punchy drums, horn stabs, hints of hammond and a captivating bass groove. With a nod to ’80s greats 45 King and Marley Marl, it’s a track which follows in the footsteps of those playfully keeping their tradition alive: NuMark, DJ Format, Cut Chemist et al.”
Listen to the A-Side here / B-Side here. Purchase here.
2013 - Simba & Milton Gulli - Scenrario (Chris Read Rap Renaissance Remix)
Released in September 2013, Classic Material’s Chris Read remixes Mozambique duo Simba & Milton Gulli‘s cover version of A Tribe Called Quest’s early 90s classic ‘Scenario’ for BBE Records.
Listen on Soundcloud here. Purchase from BBE here.
2013 - WhoSampled Guest Mix: “Jay-Z The Samples”
Put together as a guest mix for WhoSampled by Classic Material’s Chris Read in July 2013 to coincide with the release of Jay Z’s ‘Magna Carta, Holy Grail’ album. Here’s what they had to say about it at the time:
“Coinciding with the release of Jay-Z’s twelfth studio album ‘Magna Carta… Holy Grail’, once again we dig in the vaults, this time to bring you a retrospective of some of our favourite source material from Jay-Z’s 20+ year career. With a little bias toward the late ‘90s classics which forged his reputation as a major player, we take in samples sources from early 90s collaborations with Jaz and Original Flavor all the way through to ‘Magna Carta… Holy Grail’. Many of the classics are represented and a few less prominent cuts too.”
Listen on Mixcloud here.
2013 - WhoSampled Guest Mix: “Kanye West The Samples”
Put together as a guest mix for WhoSampled by Classic Material’s Chris Read in June 2013 to coincide with the release of Kanye’s ‘Yeezus’ album. Here’s what they had to say about it at the time:
“As Yeezus fever grips the internet ahead of tomorrow’s official release of Kanye’s electronic opus, we thought it a perfect opportunity to review some of the source material that has made Kanye consistently one of our site’s most popular artists. With a nod to the quirky sources of the forthcoming Yeezus and the trademark vocal chops of Cruel Summer, we revisit the early years of the Soul on 45 sound that made his debut LP a timeless classic and reference his wholesale reworkings of classics from the likes Curtis Mayfield, Ray Charles, Otis Redding and others: A whistle-stop tour of some of our favourite moments in the career of the poster boy for contemporary popular sample based Hip Hop.”
Listen on Mixcloud here.
2013 - Southern Hospitality Twelve 12s Guest Mix
The 43rd of Southern Hospitality’s ‘Twelve 12"s’ live vinyl only mix series. Twelve mid ‘90s dancefloor hip hop edits from Armand Van Helden’s much maligned AV8 records imprint in the mix. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or download from Southern Hospitality here.
1992 to 2012 - Bizarre Ride to the Pharcyde 20th Anniversary Mixtape
In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of The Pharcyde’s seminal ‘Bizarre Ride’ album and in support of the group’s 2012 ‘Bizarre Ride Live’ tour Classic Material resident DJ Chris Read put together this special mix for OG West Coast label Delicious Vinyl in conjunction with Wax Poetics. Comprising original album tracks, remixes, instrumentals, acapellas, original sample material and even some interview snippets from the time of release, this 40 minute mix takes in the high points of this incredible album and summarises why to us (and many others) it is a timeless classic.
Listen / download links here.
2012 - DJ Center feat Oddisee - Leave The City Outside (Chris Read Remix)
Remix by Classic Material’s Chris Read of Brooklyn’s DJ Center’s single ‘Leave The City Outside’ featuring in demand vocalist Oddisee.
Listen on Bandcamp, Soundcloud or Spotify / Purchase on iTunes
2011 - Beat Generation 10th Anniversary Mix Album
In March 2011, Classic Material resident DJ & curator Chris Read released his first official mix for the BBE label, a mix in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of BBE’s Beat Generation series which accompanied similar mixes from DJ Spinna and Mr Thing on the digital version of the official 10th Anniversary Compilation and Mix Album.
You can listen to an extract from the mix on Mixcloud here.
2010 - DJ KO feat Phonte, Masta Ace, Wordsworth & K Hill - Ladder of Success (Chris Read Remix)
Chris Read remix of DJ KO’s ‘Ladder of Success’ featuring an all star cast of vocal talent inc Phonte of Little Brother, Masta Ace & Wordsworth.
Listen / Download here.
2009 - Chris Read presents The Little Brother Show (Instrumentals)
Instrumental version of Chris Read’s 2009 EP of Little Brother Remixes. Listen / Download via Bandcamp here.
2009 - Chris Read presents The Little Brother Show
Nine track remix EP of tracks by or featuring members of North Carolina’s Little Brother.
Listen or Download via Bandcamp here.
1989 to 2009 - Diary Remix Instrumentals
Having now posted the last of the Diary Remixes from the series, grab instrumentals of the entire set via Bandcamp here.
2006 to 2009 - Chris Read’s Diary Remixes
Another set of remixes produced by Classic Material’s Chris Read revisiting some favourites from 2001 to 2005, remixed in tribute to the popular production styles of the day:
- Lupe Fiasco - Kick Push (Chris Read Remix) (2006)
- Little Brother feat Carlitta Durand - Life of the Party (Chris Read Remix) (2007)
- Black Grass feat J Live - Set It Straight (Chris Read Remix) (2008)
- Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me(2009)
Someone also set the Lupe Fiasco track to the original video. The audio and visual quality seem to have suffered a little in the process but it’s still worth a view. Check that here.
2001 to 2005 - Classic Material Edition #15 Bonus Tracks
It’s been a long road over the last few months to get all of the Classic Material bonus tracks up on to Bandcamp, but we’re finally at the end of the series. Well, we say that - we are considering putting together a Classic Material #16 mixtape so, if that happens, it’s not unlikely that we’ll have some bonus tracks to accompany that but for now at least, this is the final bundle. And it’s a bumper one - 7 tracks this week, among them 3 that have never been available before on either CD or online! This collection of Chris Read remixes includes tracks by Kev Brown, Jay Dee, Little Brother, Checkmate, and Big Daddy Kane & DJ Premier.
Listen / download here.
2001 to 2005 - Chris Read’s Diary Remixes
Another set of remixes produced by Classic Material’s Chris Read revisiting some favourites from 2001 to 2005, remixed in tribute to the popular production styles of the day:
- Jaz O & Immobilaire - The Love Is Gone (Chris Read Remix) (2001)
- Jay Dee feat Frank & Dank - Pause (Chris Read Remix) (2002)
- Kev Brown - Allways (Chris Read Remix) (2003)
- Encore feat LadyBug Mecca - Real Talk (Chris Read Remix) (2004)
- Common feat Floetry - Superstar (Chris Read Remix) (2005)
2001 to 2005 - Diary Rap Megamixes
This is the final post for our Diary Rap Megamixes! By now regular followers of the blog know the format so little explanation required. Listen / download links below:
2001 Rap Megamix / 2002 Rap Megamix / 2003 Rap Megamix / 2004 Rap Megamix / 2005 Rap Megamix
2001 to 2005 - Classic Material Edition #15 Mixtape
Beyond content relating to the year 2000, we’re switching up the format a little covering a longer time period with each of the final editions. Edition #14, covering material for the year 2000, marked the end of our initial series of events and monthly box set releases, following which Classic Material changed its focus to more one off projects, exhibitions, products and spending more time on our online endeavours. Bringing things more up to date, this mixtape covering material from the years 2001 to 2005 was released about this time last year to coincide with our first collaboration with Normski and FootPatrol.
Classic Material Bonus Tracks Round Up [Download]
For the past 3 to 4 months we’ve been posting a new free download bundle on Bandcamp each week, each one containing the bonus tracks from one of the now sold out Classic Material CD series. Those bonus tracks were a mixture of material previously featured on the Diary mixtapes and new remixes produced especially for the Classic Material CDs. To round off the series, here is a full download of the final CD of the series, a sort of ‘best of’ the remixes, previously limited to just 100 physical copies. The collection features 14 Chris Read Remixes taken from Classic Material Editions #1 to #14 featuring artists including Heavy D, Kool Chip, Ultramagnetic MCs, Erick Sermon, The Beatnuts and Common, each produced in tribute to the production styles popular at the time of original release.
It doesn’t quite end here though, there will also be a bonus tracks download for the digi-only Classic Material #15 which will include some new remixes never before available either online or on CD! Watch this space for details.
Listen / download Classic Material ‘Bonus Material’ here.
‘Classic Material: The Breaks’ Limited Edition Cassette Only Mixtape
Those in attendance at our recent launch party may have been lucky enough to take home a copy of this exclusive cassette only mix, ‘Classic Material: The Breaks’. Limited to just 100 copies, they were only available to those who attended our Soho pop up store and a select handful of close friends of Classic Material. We may in due course make some of the audio available online though so watch this space!
Classic Material x Normski x Footpatrol Season 3 Launch Event [Video]
With the main portion of our year by year rap history run down now complete, this seems an opportune time to introduce our Season 3 product range. Two weeks ago we launched Classic Material’s third range of T-Shirts in collaboration with Foot Patrol and photographer Normski. The launch night at our Soho pop-up store supported by Celia Lager was a huge success. The team at Nonsense put a great video documenting the event together for us, which premiered this week on Slam X Hype.
Watch the video here.
2000 - Classic Material Edition #14 Bonus Tracks
In keeping with tradition, we wrap up our entries for the year with a free download of bonus tracks from our Classic Material CD for the year. This week’s edition includes a remix of a West Coast indie classic from Jurassic 5 in stylistic tribute to production trends of the day and another of our classic megamixes.
Listen / download via Bandcamp here.
2000 - Classic Material’s Top 25 Rap Albums
In previous weeks our top 25 album chart has been delivered courtesy of Ego Trip’s book of rap lists. Unfortunately that resource only takes us as far as 1998 so we’re now left to do the work ourselves. Beyond the end of the 90s the scene is pretty splintered, so the following list is presented in no particular order and is a mixture of personal favourites and albums with notable impact:
1. Common - Like Water For Chocolate
2. Slum Village - Fantastic Volume 2
3. Ghostface Killer - Supreme Clientele
4. De La Soul - Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
5. Reflection Eternal - Train of Thought
6. Outkast - Stankonia
7. Quasimoto - The Unseen
8. Dead Prez - Let’s Get Free
9. Big L - The Big Picture
10. People Under The Stairs - Question in the Form of an Answer
11. Jurassic 5 - Quality Control
12. Black Eyed Peas - Bridging The Gap
13. Foreign Legion - Kidnapper Van
14. Various Artists - Lyricists Lounge Volume 2
15. Creators - The Weight
16. Wu Tang Clan - The W
17. MOP - Warriorz
18. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030
19. Guru - Jazzmatazz 3: Streetsoul
20. Ugly Duckling - Journey to Anywhere
21. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
22. Dilated Peoples - The Platform
23. Bumpy Knuckles - Industry Shakedown
24. Screwball - Y2K The Album
25. D.I.T.C - D.I.T.C
2000 - A Year In Rap
The year 2000 of course signals the beginning of a new decade and the end of what many consider to be hip hop’s greatest era, the 90s. The year 2000 marked a turning point for the Indie scene with artists such as De La Soul, DJ Premier and others proving to the so called ‘back pack’ fraternity that credibility and club friendly / commercial music could co-exist. It’s a landmark year for us here at Classic Material since it was the last year covered by our initial series of events and mixes. There have of course been a number of follow up projects, but it’s the year that closes our year by year run down. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key mainstream events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- Outkast continues to sit at the cutting edge of mainstream hip-hop with their fourth LP, ‘Stankonia’. As praised as their previous work and containing their two biggest commercial hits thus far, the group graduate from critics’ darlings to superstars.
- Eminem’s second album, ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’, is a huge hit, (eventually becoming one of the best-selling rap albums of all-time). A more personal album than his previous one, (but even more inflammatory), it catapults Em into rap superstardom and creates controversy for its homophobic content. Despite a small backlash, he maintains credibility in the hip-hop community while remaining immensely popular (and controversial) outside of it.
- Jay-Z continues his reign as a figurehead of mainstream hip-hop with the release of ‘Dynasty: Roc-La-Familia’, an album featuring up and coming artists from the Roc-A-Fella Records label, founded by Jay-Z with business partner Damon Dash.
- Building on his semi-reunion with Snoop Dogg on 1999’s successful comeback effort ‘2001’, Dr. Dre reunites with former NWA bandmates Ice Cube and MC Ren on the single, ‘Hello,’ from Cube’s album, ‘War & Peace, Vol. 2’.
- St. Louis-based rapper Nelly debuts with ‘Country Grammar’. The album is a monster hit, it’s success (and that of other rappers from New Orleans, Houston, and Detroit) prove that hip-hop has moved farther away from bi-coastal domination.
- Superstar Latino rapper Big Pun (pictured) dies of heart attack aged just 29.
- Shunning fame and the spotlight, acclaimed MC/singer/songwriter Lauryn Hill goes into self-imposed seclusion.
2000 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 2000’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
2000 - Jurassic 5 - Quality Control (Chris Read Remix)
This remix of Jurassic 5’s ‘Quality Control’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
2000 - Classic Material Edition #14 Mixtape
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 2000, here’s a quick reminder of our own 2000 mixtape. Classics from the likes of Mos Def, De La Soul and Common appear alongside lesser known cuts. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here. We’ve also now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all of the mixes from the Classic Material mix series in one place.
2000 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Moving on to 2000, we kick things off with another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 200 mix on Mixcloud here or download from Brooklyn Radio here. And to make life easier, we’ve now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all the mixes from this series in one place. You can check that out on Classic Material curator Chris Read’s Mixcloud page here.
1999 - Classic Material Edition #13 Bonus Tracks
In keeping with tradition, we wrap up our entries for the year with a free download of bonus tracks from our Classic Material CD for the year. This week’s edition includes a remix of an indie era classic from Common (originally produced by 45 King) in stylistic tribute to production trends of the day and another of our classic megamixes.
Listen / download via Bandcamp here.
1999 - Classic Material’s Top 25 Rap Albums
In previous weeks our top 25 album chart has been delivered courtesy of Ego Trip’s book of rap lists. Unfortunately that resource only takes us as far as 1998 so we’re now left to do the work ourselves. The scene is pretty splintered by the time we hit the end of the 90s so the following list is presented in no particular order and is a mixture of personal favourites and albums with notable impact:
1. The Roots - ‘Things Fall Apart’
2. Dr Dre - ‘The Chronic 2001’
3. Blackstar - ‘Blackstar’
4. Mos Def - ‘Black On Both Sides”
5. Pharoahe Monche - ‘Internal Affairs’
6. Q Tip - ‘Amplified’
7. Eminem - ‘The Slim Shady LP’
8. The Beatnuts - ‘A Musical Massacre’
9. Rob Swift - ‘The Ablist’
10. MF Doom - ‘Operation Doomsday’
11. Mobb Deep - ‘Murda Muzik’
12. High & Mighty - ‘Home Field Advantage’
13. Method Man & Redman - ‘Blackout!’
14. Lootpack - ‘Soundpieces: Da Antidote’
15. Prince Paul - ‘Prince Among Thieves’
16. Arsonists - ‘As The World Burns’
17. Black Moon - ‘War Zone’
18. Nas - ‘I Am…’
19. Notorious B.I.G - ‘Born Again’
20. Peanut Butter Wolf - ‘My Vinyl Weighs A Ton’
21. Roots Manuva - ‘Brand New Second Hand’
22. Inspectah Deck - ‘Uncontrolled Substance’
23. DJ Spinna -‘Heavy Beats Volume 1’
24. Various Artists - ‘Soundbombing Volume 2’
25. Mountain Brothers - ‘Self: Volume 1’
1999 - A Year In Rap
1999 was a year which marked a coming of age for the Indie Hip Hop scene. Whereas the previous year had been dominated by leftfield and arguably less accessible indie releases, 1999 delivered more accomplished and club friendly indie releases with labels such as Rawkus really growing into their hype. At the more commercial end of the spectrum big budget albums including Dre’s Chronic 2001 delivered on expectations. Other notable albums from the year include DJ Spinna’s Heavy Beats Volume 1 and underground classics including MF Doom’s ‘Operation Doomsday’ and Lootpack’s ‘Soundpieces’. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key mainstream events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- Nas releases his third album, ‘I Am…’, to mixed reviews and mediocre sales, as does its rushed follow-up ‘Nastradamus’, furthering the Queensbridge rapper’s downward career slide.
- With the continuing multiplatinum success of Cash Money Records out of New Orleans and hit albums by Atlanta-based Ludacris and the Hypnotized Mindz Camp from Memphis. the South looks to eclipse the West Coast in overall popularity and sales.
- Jay-Z, DMX, Redman and Method Man embark on the ‘Hard Knock Life Tour’, one of hip-hop’s most successful major tours in around a decade.
- Lauryn Hill’s debut album wins five Grammy awards, including Album of the Year; the first hip-hop album to do so.
- Now signed to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment, Eminem makes his major label debut with ‘The Slim Shady LP’. The album and debut single, ‘My Name Is’, announce the darkly comical rapper as a star in the rap world. The rapper garners both praise for his wit and creativity and derision for the album’s misogyny and vulgarity.
- Mos Def and Talib Kweli, collectively known as Black Star (pictured above) release their eponymous debut. With their thoughtful, intelligent lyrics and laid-back approach, the album, along with Mos Def’s solo debut, ‘Black On Both Sides’, delivers the sound of Hip Hop’s independent underground to wider audiences.
- Slick Rick releases ‘The Art of Storytelling’, his first album since being released from prison two years earlier. It is praised as a return-to-form for the MC.
- Puff Daddy releases ‘Forever’. It fails to match the success of his debut and disappears from the charts quickly. To add insult to injury, Ma$e, the biggest star on his Bad Boy label after Puffy himself leaves rap music behind to pursue religious ministry.
- Eve, a brash young female rapper from DMX’s Ruff Ryders posse, releases her debut album ‘Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders First Lady’. Despite a degree of pop gloss, her presence is viewed by some as a welcome departure from the money-and-sex obsessed rhymes of most of her female contemporaries.
- Underground sensation Big L is shot and killed just blocks away from his home.
- After touring successfully for years, Run DMC return to recording after a six-year hiatus. The album, ‘Crown Royal’, is both a critical and commercial disappointment. Featuring little-to-no input from DMC, a bevy of guest stars and spawning only one moderate hit, it throws the future of legendary trio into doubt.
- Dr. Dre finally releases a proper follow-up to his 1992 masterpiece, ‘The Chronic’. ‘2001’ is a strong return to form for the producer/rapper, with guest appearances by his new protege, Eminem and a long-awaited reunion with Snoop Dogg.
- At a New Year’s Eve party at club New York, Puff Daddy and his girlfriend, actress/singer Jennifer Lopez get into an altercation with some patrons that turns into a shootout. After fleeing from the scene, they are arrested on charges of aggravated assault.
1999 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1999’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1999 - Common - Car Horn (Chris Read Remix)
This remix of Common’s ‘Car Horn’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1999 - Classic Material Edition #13 Mixtape
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1999, here’s a quick reminder of our own 1999 mixtape. Classics from the likes of Rakim, The Roots and Common appear alongside lesser known cuts. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here. We’ve also now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all of the mixes from the Classic Material mix series in one place.
1999 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Moving on to 1999, we kick things off with another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1999 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here. And to make life easier, we’ve now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all the mixes from this series in one place. You can check that out on Classic Material curator Chris Read’s Mixcloud page here.
1998 - Classic Material Edition #12 Bonus Tracks
In keeping with tradition, we wrap up our entries for the year with a new download of bonus tracks. This week’s edition includes a previous unreleased remix of DJ Honda & The Beatnuts and another remix of an indie era classic from Unspoken Heard both produced in stylistic tribute to production trends of the day.
Listen / download via Bandcamp here.
1998 - A Year In Rap
1998 is a year often celebrated as the pinnacle of the late 90s ‘Indie’ era. Revered independent labels including Rawkus, ABB, Fondle Em and countless other less well known imprints released some of their strongest material during the year. Major labels were quick to get in on the act with Tommy Boy launching its ‘Black Label’ imprint as an outlet for less commercial sounding output from the likes of Defari and DV Alias Khrist. Notable albums include Black Star seminal debut, Tribe Called Quest’s Ummah produced ‘Love Movement’ and Pete Rock’s star studded solo debut ‘Soul Survivor’. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- DMX makes his debut with ‘It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot’. It becomes a monster hit and signals a return of gritty, hardcore rap after a year of the more radio-friendly, Bad Boy-influenced party-rap.
- Master P’s No Limit Records continues to churn out one hit album after the other. Even though critics and hip-hop purists scoff at the cheap production and lackluster artists on the label. Seeking to strike while he’s hot, P also creates No Limit Films, No Limit Wireless, and his own Percy Miller Clothing Line.
- Jay-Z’s third album, “Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life,” becomes his biggest-seller and restores some of his credibility in hip-hop circles.
- Lauryn Hill (pictured), formerly of the Fugees, releases her solo debut, ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’. With an emphasis on confessional songwriting and a powerful mix of rap, reggae, gospel, soul and folk, it becomes the most-acclaimed album of the year and thrusts Hill into international stardom.
- ‘Aquemini’, the third outing for Atlanta rappers Outkast, is a startling leap forward for the group. Combining live instrumentation with thought-provoking and forward-thinking lyrics, as well as meshing hip-hop, country, soul, techno, and funk elements, the album follows Lauryn Hill’s debut as one of the most acclaimed albums of the year, though it isn’t as successful commercially.
- After releasing their fifth album, ‘The Love Movement’, A Tribe Called Quest abruptly announce their breakup. Lead rapper Q-Tip immediately embarks on a solo career.
- Seeking a career rebirth, Snoop Dogg signs with Master P’s No Limit label and rush-releases two lackluster albums.
- With a chain of restaurants, (“Justin’s”), a clothing line, (“Sean John”), and a celebrity girlfriend, (Jennifer Lopez), Puff Daddy becomes the most recognized man in hip-hop.
- West Coast underground rapper C-Bo goes to jail as a judge claims his violent lyrics are a violation of his probation.
- Upstart New Orleans label Cash Money Records signs a 100M distribution deal with Universal and releases albums from Juvenile, Lil Wayne and B.G. confirming the ‘Dirty’ South as hip-hop’s new second coast.
- Rap-rock explodes into the mainstream as albums by Limp Bizkit, Korn, and Kid Rock sell huge numbers, confirming the influence of hip-hop in general (and Run DMC in particular) on an entire generation.
- After appearing on the song ‘4, 3, 2, 1’ with LL Cool J, young up-and-comer Canibus releases ‘2nd Round K.O.’, a scathing diss of the legendary rapper. LL responds with ‘The Ripper’s Back’, returning some of the street credibility to his career after a string of pop hits.
- Later the same year DMX releases his sophomore album, ‘Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood’. He becomes the first rap artist to have two number one albums in the same year.
- Puff Daddy, Russell Simmons, and Master P all appear on Forbes’ Top Moneymakers in Entertainment of 1998.
- Big Punisher, a Puerto-Rican MC from the Bronx; releases his debut album, ‘Capital Punishment’, and becomes the first Hispanic solo rapper to have a platinum-selling album.
1998 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1998’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1998 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1998’s most popular hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists. This will be the last Ego Trip we’ll be publishing here on the site, the last to appear in the book. Stay tuned for new features in coming weeks:
1. Gang Starr - Moment of Truth
2. OutKast - Aquemini
3. Jay-Z - Vol.2 ... Hard Knock Life
4. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
5. M.O.P - First Family For Life
6. Goodie Mob - Still Standing
7. DMX - It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot
8. Redman - Doc’s Da Name 2000
9. Noreaga - N.O.R.E
10. Big Punisher - Capital Punishment
11. Def Squad - El Nino
12. Master P - MP Da Last Don
13. Jermaine Dupri - Life in 1472
14. Silkk The Shocker - Charge It 2 Da Game
15. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told
16. Daz Dillinger - Retaliation, Revenge And Get Back
17. Young Bleed - My Balls and My Word
18. Juvenile - 400 Degreez
19. WC - The Shadiest One
20. E-40 - The Element of Surprise
21. Witchdoctor - ...a s.w.a.t Healin’ Ritual
22. Eightball - Lost
23. C Murder - Life or Death
24. Devin - The Dude
25. Show & AG - Full Scale EP
1998 - Unspoken Heard - Better (Chris Read Remix)
This remix of Unspoken Heard’s ‘Better’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day, in this case a nod to the fluid jazzy production appearing on key tracks from the era such as Fortified Live’s ‘2000 Seasons’.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1998 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1998’s most popular single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists. As we mentioned in connection with the 1997 list, as we enter the late 90s, the content of these release lists starts to deviate fairly dramatically from the personal tastes of the Classic Material curators (as is evidenced by the fact that very few of the records listed here appear on our 1998 mixtape):
1. Jay-Z: “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” (Roc-a-Fella)
2. Noreaga: “Superthug” (Penalty)
3. Big Punisher featuring Joe: “Still Not a Player” (Loud)
4. DMX: “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” (Def Jam)
5. Outkast: “Rosa Parks” (LaFace)
6. DMX featuring Sheek: “Get at Me Dog” (Def Jam)
7. Silkk the Shocker featuring Mystikal: “It Ain’t My Fault” (No Limit)
8. Jay-Z featuring Amil & Ja Rule: “Can I Get a…” (Roc-a-Fella)
9. Jermaine Dupri featuring Jay-Z: “Money Ain’t a Thing” (So So Def)
10. Juvenile: “Ha” (Cash Money)
11. Master P featuring Fiend, Silkk the Shocker, Mia X and Mystikal: “Make ‘em Say Unngh!”(No Limit)
12. Redman: “I’ll Bee Dat!” (Def Jam)
13. Lauryn Hill: “Doo Wop (That Thing)”/“Lost Ones” (Ruffhouse)
14. Noreaga: “N.O.R.E.” (Penalty)
15. Pete Rock featuring Inspectah Deck & Kurupt: “Tru Master” (Loud)
16. Busta Rhymes: “Dangerous” (Elektra)
17. Def Squad: “Full Cooperation” (Def Jam)
18. Canibus: “Second Round K.O.” (Universal)
19. Jayo Felony featuring Method Man & DMX: “Whatcha Gonna Do” (Def Jam)
20. Puff Daddy: “Victory”/“Been Around the World (Remix)” (Bad Boy)
21. E-40: “Hope I Don’t Go Back” (Sick wid It)
22. Big L: “Ebonics” (Fat Beats)
23. Xzibit: “What U See is What u Get” (Loud)
24. Mystikal: “The Man Right Chea” (No Limit)
25. Snoop Doggy Dogg: “Still a G Thang” (No Limit)
26. Cam’ron: “357”/ “Pull It” (Untertainment)
27. Goodie Mob: “They Don’t Dance No Mo” (LaFace)
28. Cam’ron featuring Mase: “Horse & Carriage” (Untertainment)
29. Flipmode Squad: “Cha Cha Cha” (Elektra)
30. Dilated Peoples: “Work the Angles”/“The Main Event”/“Triple Optics”(ABB)
31. Missin’ Linx: “M.I.A.” (Fat Beats)
32. A Tribe Called Quest: “Find a Way” (Jive)
33. Mase featuring Total: “What You Want” (Bad Boy)
34. Kurupt featuring Baby S: “We Can Freak It” (A&M)
35. 2Pac: “Do for Love” (Interscope)
36. Gangsta Boo featuring DJ Paul & Juicy J: “Where Dem Dollas At” (Relativity)
37. Timbaland featuring Magoo & Missy Elliott: “Here We Come” (Atlantic)
38. All City: “The Actual”/“Priceless” (MCA)
39. Sporty Thievz: “Cheapskate” (Ruffhouse)
40. Lootpack: “The Anthem”/“Lost Art”/“Likwit Fusion” (Stones Throw)
1998 - Classic Material Edition #12 Mixtape
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1998, here’s a quick reminder of our own 1998 mixtape. Classics from the likes of Gang Starr, Pete Rock, Paula Perry and Black Star appear alongside lesser known cuts. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here. We’ve also now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all of the mixes from the Classic Material mix series in one place.
1998 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Moving on to 1998, we kick things off with another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1998 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here. And to make life easier, we’ve now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all the mixes from this series in one place. You can check that out on Classic Material curator Chris Read’s Mixcloud page here.
1997 - Classic Material Edition #11 Bonus Tracks
In keeping with tradition, we wrap up our entries for the year with a new download of bonus tracks. This week’s edition includes remixes of The Beatnuts and X-Men both produced in stylistic tribute to production trends of the day.
Listen / download via Bandcamp here.
1997 - A Year In Rap
1997 is a year which many associate with the dawn of the so called ‘Indie’ era. The music of 1997 set the stage the development of two distinct sounds over the following years, the underground independent sound nurtured by labels such as Correct, ABB, Rawkus et al and the commercial sound of the major labels typified by the output of artists such as Jay Z, Foxy Brown and others. Whilst the independent productions of the likes of Shawn J Period and DJ Hi Tek certainly broke new ground, the commercial output should not be written off, with novel sample sources still playing an important role (see Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz’ use of Steely Dan or Lil Kim’s use of Jeff Lorber for example). Notable albums include, of course, Notorious B.I.G’s (pictured above) seminal ‘Life After Death’ and at the other end of the spectrum Jurassic 5’s debut ‘J5’ EP and Company Flow’s leftfield classic ‘Funcrusher Plus’. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- After a year of critical acclaim, The Fugees announce that they are going their seperate ways, citing creative differences. Wyclef Jean almost immediately begins work on his solo debut.
- After leaving the Soul Train Music Awards in Los Angeles, the Notorious B.I.G. is shot and killed in a drive-by shooting that eerily resembles that which claimed 2Pac’s life six months earlier. With the twin murders of two of it’s biggest stars, the hip-hop community is forced to take stock of itself and what it represents. B.I.G.‘s second album, the prophetically titled ‘Life After Death’, is released only a few days after his killing and becomes the best-selling rap album of all time.
- Sean Combs, now calling himself ‘Puff Daddy’ releases two benefit singles as memoriam to the slain Notorious B.I.G.
- The Wu-Tang Clan release their second album, the double LP ‘Wu-Tang Forever’. It sells well but fails to match the critical respect of the group’s more acclaimed debut.
- Suge Knight is sentenced to four years in prison for parole violation.
- After writing and producing hits for MC Lyte and R&B groups Xscape and 702, female rap artist Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott releases her debut album, ‘Supa Dupa Fly’. It is a triumph and she is praised for her wit and quirky musical approach.
- Puff Daddy makes his debut as an artist with ‘No Way Out’. Spawning four top ten singles, the album becomes a monster hit and makes Puffy the biggest star on the Bad Boy label in the wake of B.I.G.‘s murder.
- Snoop Dogg finally releases his second album, the lackluster ‘The Doggfather’. After the album fails to sell, Snoop announces he is leaving the crumbling Death Row Records.
- After starring in his third-straight summer blockbuster, ‘Men In Black’, Will Smith confirms his status as one of the biggest box-office draws of the 90s. In a somewhat surprising move, he also returns to music, releasing his first solo album, ‘Big Willie Style’. Though lightweight, it becomes one of the best-selling albums of the year.
- Ending a five-year period of seclusion that saw his reputation as a lyricist reach near-mythic proportions, Rakim finally makes his return with ‘The 18th Letter’, his solo debut.
- After operating in obscurity in the Deep South for almost a decade, New Orleans based rapper-entrepeneur Master P releases ‘Ghetto D’. Derided by critics as an untalented hack, the album nonetheless becomes a hit and opens the floodgates for a wealth of New Orleans gangsta rap to hit the airwaves. Master P, as founder and CEO of the No Limit record label, unexpectedly becomes one of the most powerful men in hip-hop.
- Emerging from the shadow of Notorious B.I.G, Bad Boy rapper Ma$e releases his debut album, ‘Harlem World’. It is a smash and confirms Bad Boy’s status as one of the most commercially successful labels in rap.
- Def Jam Records signs Jay-Z and releases popular albums by rappers Redman, Method Man, and Foxy Brown, signalling a return to form for Russell Simmons and rap’s longest-running label.
- Simmons also signs a newly-reformed EPMD and DMX, an intense MC from Yonkers. Jay-Z releases his second album, ‘In My Lifetime, Vol. 1’. It sells much better than his debut, but critics deride it as a flaky attempt to reach a crossover audience.
- Afeni Shakur, mother of the slain 2Pac Shakur, releases ‘R U Still Down (Remember Me)’, a double-album of unreleased material the rapper recorded prior to his death. It is the beginning of a flood of songs, compilations and albums from the deceased rap star’s vaults.
1997 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1997’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1997 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1997’s most popular hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. The Notorious B.I.G - Life After Death
2. Capone N Noreaga - The War Report
3. Wu Tang Clan - Wu Tang Forever
4. Wyclef Jean feat Refugee Allstars - The Carnival
5. The Beatnuts - Stone Crazy
6. Mystikal - Unpredictable
7. Puff Daddy & The Family - No Way Out
8. Master P - Ghetto D
9. Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly
10. Mia X - Unlady Like
11. Jay-Z - In My Lifetime Vol. 1
12. Kool Keith - Sex Style
13. Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus
14. Bust Rhymes - When Disaster Strikes…
15. Ma$e - Harlem World
16. Bone Thugs & Harmony - The Art of War
17. Rakim - The 18th Letter, The Book of Life
18. EPMD - Back In Business
19. Jurassic 5 - Jurassic 5 EP
20. TRU - Tru 2 Da Game
21. O.C. - Jewelz
22. Scarface - The Untouchable
23. Mack 10 - Based On A True Story
24. Cru - Da Dirty 30
25. No I.D. - Accept Your Own & Be Yourself (The Black Album)
1997 - The Beatnuts - Off The Books (Chris Read Remix)
This remix of The Beatnuts’ ‘Off The Books’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day, in this case a nod to the Beatnuts’ own productions from the era.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1997 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1997’s single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists. At this point it’s probably worth pointing out that the content of these release lists starts to deviate fairly dramatically from the personal tastes of the Classic Material curators (as is evidenced by the fact that very few of the records listed here appear on our 1997 mixtape). The same is largely true of the lists for 1996. Nonetheless it’s interesting to see the divergence of taste and opinion as the decade draws to a close so in the interests of completeness we’ll continue to post these.
1. Puff Daddy featuring the Lox, Lil’ Kim & the Notorious B.I.G.: “It’s All About the Benjamins (Remix)” (Bad Boy)
2. The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy & Mase: “Mo’ Money Mo’Problems” (Bad Boy)
3. The Notorious B.I.G.: “Hypnotize” (Bad Boy)
4. Busta Rhymes: “Put Your Hand Where My Eyes Can See” (Elektra)
5. The Beatnuts featuring Big Punisher & Cuban Link: “Off the Books” (Relativity)
6. Jay-Z: “Who You Wit” (Qwest)
7. Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G. & Mase: “Been Around the World” (Bad Boy)
8. Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz: “Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)” (Codeine)
9. The Lox featuring Lil’ Kim & DMX: “Money, Power & Respect” (Bad Boy)
10. Mase featuring Kelly Price: “Feel So Good” (Bad Boy)
11. Wu-Tang Clan: “Triumph” (Loud)
12. L.L. Cool J featuring Method Man, Redman, Canibus & DMX: “4. 3. 2. 1” (Def Jam)
13. Young Bleed featuring Master P & C-Loc: “How Ya Do Dat” (No Limit)
14. Capone-n-Noriega featuring Tragedy: “T.O.N.Y. (Top of New York)” (Penalty)
15. Gang Starr: “You Know My Steez” (Noo Trybe)
16. Makaveli featuring the Outlawz: “Hail Mary” (Death Row)
17. Lil’ Kim featuring Lil’ Cease: “Crush on You (Remix)” (Big Beat)
18. Missy Elliott: “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” (EastWest)
19. Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ & Nature: “Phone Tap” (Aftermath)
20. Wyclef Jean featuring Lauryn Hill: “Guantanamera” (Ruffhouse)
21. Redman featuring Erick Sermon: “Whateva Man” (Def Jam)
22. Tha Alkaholiks featuring Ol’ Dirty Bastard: “Hip Hop Drunkies” (Loud)
23. Mos Def: “Universal Magnetic” (Rawkus)
24. DJ Pooh featuring Kam: “Whoop! Whoop!” (Big Beat)
25. Rakim: “It’s Been a Long Time” (Universal)
26. Ras Kass: “Soul on Ice (Remix)” (Priority)
27. Scarface featuring 2Pac & Johnny P: “Smile” (Rap-a-Lot)
28. Street Smartz featuring O.C. & Pharaohe Monche: “Metal Thangz” (Tru Criminal)
29. Reflection Eternal featuring Mos Def & Mr. Man: “Fortified Live” (Rawkus)
30. EPMD: “Da Joint” (Def Jam)
31. Rampage featuring Busta Rhymes: “Wild for da Night” (Elektra)
32. Mobb Deep featuring Big Noyd & Rakim: “Hoodlum” (Loud)
33. KRS-One: “Step into a World (Rapture’s Delight)” (Jive)
34. Freak Nasty: “Da Dip” (HardHood)
35. D.I.T.C.: “Day One” (D.I.T.C.)
36. Krumb Shatcha: “Gettin’ Closer to God” (Mass in Action)
37. Big Mike: “Burban & Impalas” (Rap-a-Lot)
38. Mos Def, Tash & Q-Tip: “The Body Rock” (Rawkus)
39. Tela: “Tired of Ballin’” (Suave House)
40. Mr. Complex: “Visualize” (Raw Shack)
1997 - Classic Material Edition #11 Mixtape
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1997, here’s a quick reminder of our own 1997 mixtape. Classics from the likes of D.I.T.C, Gang Starr, The Beatnuts and Rakim appear alongside lesser known cuts. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here. We’ve also now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all of the mixes from the Classic Material mix series in one place.
1997 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Moving on to 1997, we kick things off with another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1997 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here. And to make life easier, we’ve now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all the mixes from this series in one place. You can check that out on Classic Material curator Chris Read’s Mixcloud page here.
1996 - Classic Material Edition #10 Bonus Tracks
In keeping with tradition, we wrap up our entries for the year with a new download of bonus tracks. This week’s edition includes a remix never before available online, plus a previously released remix both produced in stylistic tribute to production trends of the day.
Listen / download via Bandcamp here.
1996 - A Year In Rap
1996 is a year which marks a turning point for the genre with a divide growing between the popular RnB influenced sound and the underground ‘independent’ sound blossoming in reaction to it. Whilst many established artists including De La Soul openly attacked the emerging commercial sound of the day, artists such as Busta Rhymes managed to retain underground credibility and deliver more chart friendly offerings for major labels. Notable album releases include the Fugees’ (pictured above) commercially succesful yet credible ‘The Score’, Tribe Called Quest’s Ummah produced 4th album, ‘Beats Rhymes and Life’, Jay Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ and Jeru’s ‘Wrath of the Math’ in stark contrast to it. Debut releases from Kool Keith alias Dr Octagon and newcomers Company Flow set the tone for a new breed of leftfield acts. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- 2Pac releases his fourth album, ‘All Eyez On Me’, hip-hop’s first double-disc of all-original material and his first album for Death Row Records. It becomes a hit and raising the rap star’s ever growing profile.
- Underground sensation Jay-Z begins a budding friendship with the Notorious B.I.G. and releases his first two mainstream singles, ‘Dead Presidents’ and ‘Ain’t No N*gga’. Both are moderate hits and help build anticipation for his debut album.
- Cleveland rappers Bone Thugs-N-Harmony release, ‘The Crossroads,’ the second single from their critically-acclaimed 1995 album, ‘E. 1999-Eternal’. With it’s heartfelt lyrics and funereal production, it becomes a huge hit and is nominated for a Grammy.
- Alternative rap group The Fugees release their second album, ‘The Score’, a stirring mix of reggae, rap, and soul, the album is one of the most acclaimed of the year and the group members, (Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, and Pras) are thrust into the spotlight.
- 2Pac releases the inflammatory b-side single, ‘Hit ‘Em Up’. Dissing the Notorious B.I.G. and Bad Boy Entertainment, he also claims to have had sex with B.I.G.‘s estranged wife, Bad Boy ingenue Faith Evans.
- Nas finally releases ‘It Was Written’, the follow-up to his landmark ‘Illmatic’. With the lyrical focus shifting from street poetry to a glamorised criminal lifestyle and the production becoming more slick and accessible, he is bashed by hip-hop purists for selling out to a pop audience.
- Dr. Dre abruptly announces he’s leaving Death Row Records. He goes on to form a new label, Aftermath Entertainment.
- Will Smith stars in the action sci-fi flick ‘Independence Day’, raising his profile as an A-list celebrity in Hollywood.
- Jay-Z’s debut album, ‘Reasonable Doubt’ is released to much praise from critics but disappointing initial sales.
- After leaving a Mike Tyson fight in Las Vegas, a car carrying Suge Knight and Tupac Shakur is riddled with gunfire. Though Suge only suffers minor injuries, 2Pac, after fighting for his life for seven days in a hospital, dies from his wounds.
- Southern rap duo Outkast release their second album, “ATLiens.” It is critically acclaimed for it’s positive outlook, progressive lyrics and a more futuristic production style.
- The Notorious B.I.G. is almost killed in a car accident in New Jersey. With his leg partially shattered, he is forced to walk with a cane.
- Eminem, a White rapper from Detroit, releases his debut album, ‘Infinite’, on a small indie label. Despite displaying a flair for clever, witty rhymes, the album goes largely unnoticed by fans and critics.
- A Tribe Called Quest release their fourth album, ‘Beats, Rhymes, & Life’. For the first time in their storied career, the trio is bashed by critics for releasing a half-hearted album. The album however displays the early examples of Dilla’s stripped down production style that would go on to shape the course of seminal underground releases for years to come.
- Two debuts by two new female rappers, B.I.G. protege Lil Kim and Foxy Brown, albums that feature a heavy emphasis on sex and materialism, signal a change in direction for female MCs in hip-hop.
1996 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1996’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1996 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1996’s best loved hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt
2. Ghostface Killah - Ironman
3. Mobb Deep - Hell On Earth
4. Outkast - ATLiens
5. Fugees - The Score
6. Redman - Muddy Waters
7. M.O.P - Firing Squad
8. De La Soul - Stakes Is High
9. Prince Paul - Psycoanalysis (What Is It?)
10. Makaveli - The Don KIlluminati: The 7 Day Theory
11. Keith Murray - Enigma
12. Dr. Octagon - Dr. Octagonecologyst
13. Busta Rhymes - The Coming
14. 2Pac - All Eyez On Me
15. Westside Connection - Bow Down
16. Lil Kim - Hardcore
17. The Roots - Illadelph Halflife
18. Jeru The Damaja - Wrath of the Math
19. E-40 - The Hall of Game
20. Heltah Skeltah - Nocturnal
21. U.G.K - Ridin’ Dirty
22. Geto Boys - The Resurrection
23. Xzibit - At The Speed Of Life
24. Master P - Ice Cream Man
25. Crucial Conflict - The Final Tic
1996 - Busta Rhymes - Woo Hah Got You All In Check (Chris Read Remix)
This remix of Busta Rhymes’s ‘Woo Hah Got You All In Check’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day, in this case a nod to the mid 90s output of Tribe and the Ummah.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1996 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1996’s best loved single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Outkast: “Elevators (Me & You)” (LaFace)
2. Jay-Z: “Dead Presidents”/“Ain’t No Nigga” (Roc-a-Fella)
3. Fugees: “Killing Me Softly” (Ruffhouse)
4. Jay-Z featuring Mary J. Blige: “Can’t Knock the Hustle” (Roc-a-Fella)
5. Busta Rhymes: “Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check” (Elektra)
6. Goodie Mob: “Cell Therapy” (LaFace)
7. Westside Connection: “Bow Down” (Priority)
8. Junior M.A.F.I.A. featuring the Notorious B.I.G.: “Get Money (Remix)” (Big Beat)
9. Lil’ Kim: “No Time”/“Queen Bitch” (Undeas)
10. Mobb Deep: “Drop a Gem on ‘Em” (Loud)
11. Too $hort featuring Erick Sermon: “Buy You Some” (Jive)
12. Ghostface Killah featuring Raekwon, Cappadonna & the Force MDs: “Daytona 500” (Razor Sharp)
13. Fugees: “Ready or Not” (Ruffhouse)
14. Jeru the Damaja: “Ya Playin’ Yaself” (Payday)
15. Mobb Deep: “Hell on Earth (Front Lines)” (Loud)
16. De La Soul: “Stakes is High”/“The Bizness” (Tommy Boy)
17. Crucial Conflict: “Hay” (Pallas)
18. GZA: “Shadowboxin’”/“4th Chamber” (Geffen)
19. Fugees: “Fu-Gee-La”/“How Many Mics” (Ruffhouse)
20. The East Flatbush Project featuring DeS: “Tried by 12” (10/30 Uproar)
21. Akinyele featuring Kia Jefferies: “Put It in Your Mouth” (Stress)
22. 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre: “California Love” (Death Row)
23. Xzibit: “Paparazzi” (Loud)
24. The Fab 5: “Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka” (Duck Down)
25. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony: “Tha Crossroads” (Relativity)
26. Do or Die featuring Johnny P & Twista: “Po Pimp” (Rap-a-Lot)
27. Redman: “Funkorama” (Interscope)
28. Capone-n-Noriega featuring Mobb Deep & Tragedy: “L.A., L.A.” (25 to Life)
29. Company Flow: “8 Steps to Perfection”/“Vital Nerve” (Official)
30. Chuck D: “No” (Mercury)
31. M.O.P.: “Brownsville”/“Stick to Ya Gunz” (Relativity)
32. Ghostface Killah featuring Raekwon: “Motherless Child” (Razor Sharp)
33. Master P featuring Mia X: “Bout It, Bout It II” (No Limit)
34. InI: “Fakin’ Jax” (Soul Brother)
35. Royal Flush: “Worldwide” (Blunt)
36. Saukrates: “Father Time” (Day)
37. Mr. Voodoo: “Lyrical Tactics”/“Shine” (Fortress)
38. Big Noyd featuring Prodigy of Mobb Deep: “Recognize & Realize (Pt.1)” (Tommy Boy)
39. Foxy Brown featuring Blackstreet: “Get Me Home” (Def Jam)
40. Big Shug: “Crush”/ “Official” (Payday)
1996 - Classic Material Edition #10 Mixtape
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1996, here’s a quick reminder of our own 1996 mixtape. Classics from the likes of Mobb Deep, Busta Rhymes, Tribe Called Quest and Jeru appear alongside lesser known cuts. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here. We’ve also now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all of the mixes from the Classic Material mix series in one place.
1996 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Moving on to 1996, we kick things off with another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1996 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here. And to make life easier, we’ve now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all the mixes from this series in one place. You can check that out on Classic Material curator Chris Read’s Mixcloud page here.
1995 - Classic Material Edition #9 Bonus Tracks
In keeping with tradition, we wrap up our entries for the year with a new download of bonus tracks. This one’s extra special since it includes a two remixes never before available online, one of Mobb Deep’s ‘Shook Ones’ and another of Erick Sermon’s ‘Bomdigi’, both in stylistic tribute to production trends of the day.
Listen / download via Bandcamp here.
1995 - A Year In Rap
The output of 1995 arguably typifies what is often referred to as the ‘mid 90s sound’, with filtered and layered grooves accompanying crisp programmed drums at a tempo generally far lower than in previous years. The general trend for decreasing tempos peaked in ‘95 with a significant proportion of single releases barely breaking the 90bpm mark. 1995 is also notable for the rise of a darker more melancholy production style with even the darkest of backdrops (Mobb Deep’s Shook Ones Part 2 for example) scoring as unlikely club hits. There were of course also a host of more typically upbeat club tracks, Blahzay Blahzay’s ‘Danger’ and ODB’s ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’ being good examples. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- 2Pac is shot in what appears to be a robbery outside of a New York recording studio only days after being found guilty of sexual assault. He checks himself out of the hospital and appears in court in a wheelchair for his sentencing. He immediately accuses the Notorious B.I.G. (a former friend) and Puffy Combs for orchestrating the attack. Nonetheless, he begins serving his five-year prison term.
- Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z releases the underground single, ‘In My Lifetime.’ With his clever wordplay and quick delivery, he quickly becomes a word-of-mouth sensation in New York.
- Eccentric Wu-Tang Clan member, Ol’ Dirty Bastard gains notoriety by picking up food stamps in a limousine while appearing on MTV. He is promptly arrested.
- 2Pac releases his third album, ‘Me Against the World’ while still in prison. It’s more thoughtful and introspective approach earns him the biggest critical praise of his career and his legend grows among hip-hop fans as he showcases his more tortured and self-conscious side.
- At the Source Awards, Suge Knight publicly insults Sean “Puffy” Combs onstage adding fuel to the ever-growing tensions between the East Coast and West Coast and the feud between his L.A. based Death Row Records and Combs’ New York based Bad Boy Entertainment.
- While filming the video for the song ‘New York, New York,’ members of the Death Row Records group Tha Dogg Pound are shot at.
- Eazy-E (pictured), gangsta rap icon and co-founder of N.W.A., announces that he has full-blown AIDS. After only a few days at Cedar-Sinai hospital for treatment, he dies from pneumonia.
- Notorious B.I.G. signs his proteges, the Junior M.A.F.I.A. to the small Untertainment Label. Their debut album, “Conspiracy” is a moderate hit and provides a showcase for a young female rapper named Lil Kim.
- Will Smith stars in the buddy-cop action film “Bad Boys”. It becomes one of the biggest hits of the year.
- Chicago-bred female rapper Da Brat releases her debut album, ‘Funkdafied’. It becomes the first album by a solo female rapper to go platinum.
- Bad Boy Entertainment’s empire continues to grow with platinum-selling R&B albums by Faith Evans and the girl-group Total.
- Snoop Doggy Dogg is acquitted of second-degree murder charges.
- At the end of the year, Suge Knight bails 2Pac out of prison and immediately signs the embattled rapper to Death Row Records. With Knight’s hatred of Sean “Puffy” Combs and 2Pac’s belief that the Notorious B.I.G. conspired against him; the conflict between Death Row and Bad Boy Entertainment intensifies.
1995 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1995’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1995 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1995’s best loved hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Raekwon - Only Built For Cuban Linx ...
2. Mobb Deep - The Infamous
3. The Genius - Liquid Swords
4. Ol’ Dirty Bastard - Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
5. Tha Alkaholiks - Coast II Coast
6. Goodie Mob - Soul Food
7. 2Pac - Me Against The World
8. Group Home - Livin’ Proof
9. Smif N Wessun - Dah Shinin’
10. KRS One - Krs One
11. The Dogg Pound - Dogg Food
12. DJ Quik - Safe & Sound
13. Grand Puba - 2000
14. E-40 - In A Major Way
15. WC and the MAAD Circle - Curb Servin’
16. Bone Thugs N Harmony - E.1999 Eternal
17. Fat Joe - Jealous Ones Envy
18. Mack 10 - Mack 10
19. Luniz - Operation Stakola
20. TRU - True
21. The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia
22. Eightball & MJG - On Top Of The World
23. The Click - Down And Dirty
24. JT The Bigga Figga - Dwellin’ In Tha Labb
25. Big L - Liefstylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous
1995 - Matman’s Classic Material Guest Mix
Guest DJ at our 1995 event was former DMC Champ and in demand London club rocker DJ Matman. Not content with rocking a tidy set at the event, Mat kindly put together a two part guest mix which pays tribute to the finest releases of the year with the usual style and flair.
Listen to Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
1995 - Mobb Deep - Survival of the Fittest (Chris Read Remix)
This remix of Mobb Deep’s ‘Survival of the Fittest’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1995 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1995’s best loved single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Mobb Deep: “Shook Ones Pt. II” (Loud)
2. The Notorious B.I.G.: “One More Chance (Stay with Me Remix)” (Bad Boy)
3. Luniz: “I Got 5 on It” (Noo Trybe)
4. Ol’ Dirty Bastard: “Brooklyn Zoo” (Elektra)
5. The Notorious B.I.G.: “One More Chance (Stay with Me Remix)” (Bad Boy)
6. Method Man featuring Mary J. Blige: “You’re All I Need to Get By” (Def Jam)
7. Junior M.A.F.I.A. featuring the Notorious B.I.G.: “Get Money” (Big Beat)
8. TRU featuring Mia X: “I’m Bout It, Bout It” (No Limit)
9. Smoothe da Hustler featuring Trigger tha Gambler: “Broken Language”(Profile)
10. Raekwon: “Incarcerated Scarfaces”/“Ice Cream” (Loud)
11. KRS-One: “MCs Act Like They Don’t Know” (Jive)
12. E-40 featuring Suga T: “Sprinkle Me” (Jive)
13. Blahzay Blahzay: “Danger” (Mercury)
14. WC and the MAAD Circle featuring Mack 10 & Ice Cube: “West Up!”(Payday)
15. Onyx: “Last Dayz” (Def Jam)
16. Tha Dogg Pound featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg: “New York, New York” (Death Row)
17. Junior M.A.F.I.A. featuring the Notorious B.I.G.: “Player’s Anthem” (Big Beat)
18. Big Mike: “Playa Playa” (Rap-a-Lot)
19. Mack 10: “Foe Life” (Priority)
20. Redman & Method Man: “How High” (Def Jam)
21. Raekwon: “Criminology”/“Glaciers of Ice” (Loud)
22. Smif-n-Wessun featuring Starang Wondah: “Sound Bwoy Bureill” (Nervous)
23. Grand Puba: “I Like It (I Wanna Be Where You Are)” (Elektra)
24. Show & AG: “Next Level” (Payday)
25. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony: “1st of tha Month” (Relativity)
26. Da Brat: “Give It 2 You (Remix)” (So So Def)
27. The Pharcyde: “Runnin’”/“Drop” (Delicious Vinyl)
28. Tha Alkaholiks: “DAAAM!” (Loud)
29. GZA: “Liquid Swords” (Geffen)
30. Group Home: “Livin’ Proof” (Payday)
31. Crooklyn Dodgers ‘95: “Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers” (MCA)
32. Das EFX: “Real Hip Hop” (EastWest)
33. J-Live: “Braggin’ Writes” (Raw Shack)
34. Nine: “Whutcha Want?” (Profile)
35. Lost Boyz: “Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz” (Universal)
36. Ol’ Dirty Bastard: “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” (Elektra)
37. Jay-Z: “In My Lifetime”/“Can’t Get wit That” (Roc-a-Fella)
38. Three 6 Mafia: “Tear da Club Up (Da Real)” (Prophet)
39. Frankie Cutlass feat. Doo Wop, Fat Joe, Ray Boogie & True God; “Boriquas on da Set”(Relativity)
40. Q-Ball & Curt Cazal: “My Kinda Moves” (VZQ)
1995 - Classic Material Edition #9 Mixtape
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1995, here’s a quick reminder of our own 1995 mixtape. Classics from the likes of Grand Puba, Das EFX, Common and Erick Sermon appear alongside lesser known cuts. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here. We’ve also now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all of the mixes from the Classic Material mix series in one place.
1995 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Moving on to 1995, we kick things off with another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1995 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here. And to make life easier, we’ve now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all the mixes from this series in one place. You can check that out on Classic Material curator Chris Read’s Mixcloud page here.
1994 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1994’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1994 - Classic Material Edition #8 Bonus Tracks
In keeping with tradition, we wrap up our entries for the year with a new download of bonus tracks. This one’s another special one since it includes a remix never before available online, a remix of Funkdoobiest’s ‘Rock On’ in stylistic tribute to the mid 90s output of producers such as Buckwild.
Listen / download via Bandcamp here.
1994 - A Year In Rap
1994 was a year which for many is best remembered for giving us two of hip hop’s most revered debut albums, Nas’ ‘Illmatic’ and Notorious B.I.G’s ‘Ready to Die’. It was also a golden year for radio and mixtape DJs with tapes from the likes of Funkmaster Flex, Stretch Armstrong, Doo Wop, Ron G and others being a key outlet for the new breed of underground acts as well as established names. Despite tempos generally drifting downward in comparison with previous years and the general sound of the year’s output being laidback and largely jazz infused, ‘94 had its fair share of anthems, Craig Mack’s ‘Flava In Your Ear’, Gang Starr’s ‘Mass Appeal’ and Channel Live’s ‘Mad Izm’ being notable examples. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- Arista chief Clive Davis signs Bad Boy Entertainment to a subsidiary/distribution deal. Puffy Combs begins work on the Notorious B.I.G.‘s debut album. After cameo appearances on several popular singles, B.I.G. finally releases ‘Ready to Die’, his debut album for Bad Boy. It spawns two hit singles, ‘Juicy’ and ‘Big Poppa;’ one hit remix, ‘One More Chance’, and returns the East Coast to the top of the charts after a two-year absence. It also elevates Puffy Combs’ Bad Boy label to the top of hip-hop.
- Queens rapper Nas releases his solo debut, ‘Illmatic’. It instantly becomes one of the most critically-acclaimed rap albums of all time, with Nas’ lyrical skill giving rise to comparison with veterans of the scene such as Rakim.
- Snoop Doggy Dogg releases the short film/soundtrack, ‘Murder Was the Case’. With it’s graphic storytelling about a man being sentenced for murder uncomfortably close to Snoop’s real-life legal woes, many critics blast the rapper for exploiting the unfortunate circumstances.
- ‘Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik’, the debut album from Atlanta-based rap duo Outkast signals a shift from hip-hop’s bi-coastal grip. Loose and funky with clever lyrics, the group becomes a cult favourite among hip-hop enthusiasts.
- Adding to a seemingly endless string of legal charges, 2Pac is charged with sexual assault by a female fan in New York City.
- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, a new Cleveland-based rap group discovered by Eazy-E, release an EP called ‘Creepin’ On Ah Come-up’. Their sound is a combination of double time raps over downtempo West Coast production and vocal harmonizing. The single ‘Thuggish Ruggish Bone’ becomes a moderate hit.
1994 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1994’s best loved hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Nas - Illmatic
2. The Notorious B.I.G - Ready to Die
3. OutKast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
4. Jeru The Damaja - The Sun Rises In The East
5. The Beatnuts - The Beatnuts
6. Common - Resurrection
7. Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep
8. Organized Konfusion - Stress: The Extinction Agenda
9. Gang Starr - Hard To Earn
10. Beastie Boys - Ill Communication
11. Big Mike - Somethin’ Serious
12. Method Man - Tical
13. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Creepin On Ah Come Up EP
14. The Roots - Do You Want More?!!!??!
15. Scarface - The Diary
16. King Tee - IV Life
17. E-40 - The Mailman EP
18. Redman - Dare Iz A Darkside
19. Eightball & MJG - On The Outside Looking In
20. Odd Squad - Fadanuf Fa Erybody
21. U.G.K - Super Tight…
22. Dru Down - Explicit Game
23. JT The Bigga Figga - Playaz N The Game
24. Compton’s Most Wanted - We Come Strapped
25. Kurious - Constipated Monkey
1994 - The Beatnuts - Props Over Here (Chris Read Remix)
This remix of The Beatnuts’ ‘Props Over Here’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1994 - Ego Trip’sTop 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1994’s best loved single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Craig Mack: “Flava in Your Ear” (Bad Boy)
2. Snoop Doggy Dogg: “Gin & Juice” (Death Row)
3. Wu-Tang Clan: “C.R.E.A.M.” (Loud)
4. The Notorious B.I.G.: “Juicy”/ “Unbelievable” (Bad Boy)
5. Method Man: “Bring the Pain” (Def Jam)
6. O.C.: “Time’s Up” (Wild Pitch)
7. Common: “i used to love h.e.r.” (Relativity)
8. Black Moon: “I Got Cha Opin (Remix)”/“Reality (Killin’ Every Nigga in Sight)” (Nervous)
9. Keith Murray: “The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World” (Jive)
10. Above the Law: “Black Superman” (Ruthless)
11. Nas: “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” (Columbia)
12. Smif-n-Wessun: “Bucktown”/“Let’s Git It On” (Nervous)
13. Fugees: “Nappy Heads (Remix)” (Ruffhouse)
14. Jeru the Damaja: “D. Original” (Payday)
15. Gang Starr: “Mass Appeal” (Chrysalis)
16. Nas: “The World is Yours” (Columbia)
17. Outkast: “Player’s Ball” (LaFace)
18. Scarface: “I Seen a Man Die” (Rap-a-Lot)
19. Group Home: “Supa Star” (Payday)
20. Snoop Doggy Dogg: “Murder Was the Case” (Death Row)
21. Too $hort: “Money in the Ghetto” (Jive)
22. The Lady of Rage featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg: “Afro Puffs” (Death Row)
23. Wu-Tang Clan: “Can It Be All So Simple” (Loud)
24. Channel Live featuring KRS-One: “Mad Izm” (Capitol)
25. Black Moon: “How Many MCs” (Nervous)
26. Redman: “Rockafella (Remix)” (Def Jam)
27. Redman: “Can’t Wait” (Def Jam)
28. Black Moon: “Buck ‘em Down (remix)”/“Murder MCs” (Nervous)
29. De La Soul: “Ego Trippin’ Part Two” (Tommy Boy)
30. Gravediggaz feat. Shabazz the Disciple & Killah Priest: “Diary of a Madman” (Gee Street)
31. Crooklyn Dodgers: “Crooklyn” (MCA)
32. Outkast: “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik” (LaFace)
33. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony: “Thuggish Ruggish Bone” (Relativity)
34. Dru Down featuring Luniz: “Ice Cream Man” (Relativity)
35. Craig Mack featuring Q-Tip: “Get Down (Remix)” (Bad Boy)
36. Shyheim: “On and On” (Virgin)
37. JT the Bigga Figga featuring Mac Mall: “Game Recognize Game” (Get Low)
38. E-40 featuring the Click: “Captain Save a Hoe” (Sick wid It)
39. Ill Al Skratch: “Where My Homiez” (Mercury)
40. Nate Dogg & Warren G: “Regulate” (Death Row)
1994 - Classic Material Edition #8 Mixtape
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1994, here’s a quick reminder of our own 1994 mixtape, one of our most popular mixes to date. Classics from the likes of Common, Nas, Brand Nubian and The Beatnuts appear alongside lesser known cuts. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here. We’ve also now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all of the mixes from the Classic Material mix series in one place.
1994 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Moving on to 1994, we kick things off with another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1994 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here. And to make life easier, we’ve now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all the mixes from this series in one place. You can check that out on Classic Material curator Chris Read’s Mixcloud page here.
1993 - Classic Material Edition #7 Bonus Tracks
In keeping with tradition, we wrap up our entries for the year with a new download of bonus tracks. This one’s another special one since it includes a remix never before available online, a remix of Da Youngstas’ ‘Iz U Wit Me’ in stylistic tribute to early Pete Rock productions / remixes. One of our favourites from the series in fact.
Listen / download via Bandcamp here.
1993 - A Year In Rap
1993 was a year which many consider the pinacle of the so called early 90s golden era. Sampling and production techniques honed during the early 90s had reached a natural maturity by 1993 with key golden era producers such as Pete Rock and the Beatnuts establishing their own trademark sounds. The East Coast also ushered in a new harder edged sound with Wu Tang Clan (pictured) and Onyx both delivering gritty debuts. On the West Coast, the ‘G Funk’ sound which found its feet the year prior delivered arguably its most accomplished album in the form of Snoop’s seminal LP, Doggy Style. 1993 was also a great year for emerging undergound acts carving out their own sound, Souls of Mischief being a notable example. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- KRS-One, deciding on a change of approach, officially ‘retires’ the name Boogie Down Productions, subsequently releasing albums only as KRS-One.
- A loose collective of Staten Island MCs calling themselves the Wu-Tang Clan featuring former Cold Chillin’ artist The Genius release their first single, ‘Protect Ya Neck.’ It becomes an underground hit, making anticipation for the nine-man crew’s debut album extremely high. Wu-Tang Clan’s debut album, ‘Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers’ is released in November that year to critical acclaim but moderate sales. After the single, ‘C.R.E.A.M.’ is released, the album begins a steady climb up the charts, beginning a new age for hardcore, gritty East Coast hip-hop.
- 2Pac releases his second album, “Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.” Almost as inflammatory as his debut, it also showcases a sensitive, thoughtful side to the rapper. The single, “Keep Ya Head Up” is especially praised as a love letter to Black women, and becomes his biggest hit to date.
- Run DMC make an unexpected return to the charts with their acclaimed comeback album, “Down With the King.”
- Sean “Puffy” Combs sets up his own label, Bad Boy Entertainment, running the label initially from his apartment. The company grows rapidly, and Combs soon signs two up-and-coming MCs, former EPMD roadie Craig Mack and a former drug dealer from Brooklyn named Christopher Wallace aka Notorious B.I.G.
- Dr. Dre protege Snoop Doggy Dogg releases his highly-anticipated solo debut, ‘DoggyStyle’ for Death Row Records. The album is a monstrous hit, becoming the first debut album to enter the Billboard chart at #1. Around the time of release, Snoop is implicated in the murder of a Long Beach man and is charged with second-degree murder. Surprisingly, this does nothing to slow his skyrocketing popularity.
- 2Pac is arrested on charges of assault and battery after he attacks director Allen Hughes on the set of the film “Menace II Society”.
- MC Lyte releases her first hardcore rap album in four years (after a brief foray into more pop-friendly territory). Her hit single, ‘Ruffneck,’ becomes the first rap single by a female artist to go gold and is nominated for a Grammy.
- Craig Mack’s ‘Funk Da World’ becomes the first album to be released by the fledgling Bad Boy Entertainment label. It eventually goes gold.
- Continuing their string of brilliant albums, A Tribe Called Quest releases ‘Midnight Marauders’, which spawns their biggest hit to date, the infectious single ‘Award Tour’.
- 2Pac is charged in the shooting of two off-duty police officers in Atlanta, GA. The charges would later be dismissed. He also lands a second high-profile film role, starring in John Singleton’s urban romance ‘Poetic Justice’. He follows that with yet another starring turn in the basketball drama ‘Above the Rim’.
- Queen Latifah releases the uplifting respect anthem, ‘U.N.I.T.Y.’, which wins a Grammy. Her third album, ‘Black Reign’, becomes the first gold album for a solo female MC.
- C. Deloris Tucker, Dionne Warwick, and several other high-profile moral activists call for a boycott against gangsta-rap artists such as 2Pac, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Doggy Dogg, citing the lyrics of much of their music to be violent and misogynistic.
- Salt-N-Pepa release their fourth album, ‘Very Necessary’. It goes on to become the best-selling rap album of all time by a female artist.
- After six years and four critically-acclaimed albums, (and jump-starting the career of close friend Redman) EPMD, one of underground rap’s most respected groups, announce that they are going their separate ways.
1993 to 2007 - The Are’s Manipulated Marauders
A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Midnight Maruaders’, released November 1993 is without doubt one of the genre’s best loved albums, a 90s classic which broke new ground in terms of production techniques, sample material and lyrical content. As a well loved album it has, probably more so than almost any other album, seen its fair share of unofficial remixes and reworks. One of our favourites is from Houston beat maker The Are. You can listen to (and buy) the ‘Producers I Know’ affiliate’s ‘Manipulated Marauders’ beat tape via bandcamp here.
1993 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1993’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1993 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1993’s best loved hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers)
2. A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
3. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
4. De La Soul - Buhloone Mind State
5. Black Moon - Enta Da Stage
6. KRS One - Return Of The Boom Bap
7. The Beatnuts - Intoxicated Demons EP
8. Onyx - Bacdafucup
9. Ultramagnetic MCs - The Four Horsemen
10. King Tee - The Triflin’ Album
11. Alkaholiks - 21 & Over
12. Souls of Mischief - 93 Til Infinity
13. Masta Ace - Slaughtahouse
14. Mr Scarface - The World Is Yours
15. Yo Yo - You Better Ask Somebody
16. Del The Funkee Homosapien - No Need For Alarm
17. Geto Boys - Til Death Do Us Part
18. Too $hort - Get In Where You Fit In
19. Cypress Hill - Black Sunday
20. Eightball & MJG - Comin’ Out Hard
21. E-40 - Federal
22. Akinyele - Vagina Diner
23. The Roots - Organix
24. Lords of the Underground - Here Come The Lords
25. Fat Joe - Represent
1993 - Whooliganz - Put Your Handz Up (Chris Read Remix)
This remix of The Whooliganz’ ‘Put Your Handz Up’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day. In the this instance some inspiration was taken from jazzy uptempo dancefloor cuts released at the time by the likes of Yaggfu Front and early Bush Babees cuts such as ‘Swing It’.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1993 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1993’s best loved single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg: “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (Death Row)
2. Wu-Tang Clan: “Protect Ya Neck” (Wu-Tang)
3. Jeru the Damaja: “Come Clean” (Payday)
4. The Pharcyde: “Passin’ Me By” (Delicious Vinyl)
5. Redman: “Tonight’s da Night” (Def Jam)
6. 2Pac featuring Shock G & Money B: “I Get Around” (Interscope)
7. A Tribe Called Quest featuring Trugoy: “Award Tour” (Jive)
8. Onyx: “Throw Ya Gunz” (Def Jam)
9. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg: “Fuck wit Dre Day (and Everybody’s Celebratin’” (Death Row)
10. Redman: “Time 4 Sum Aksion” (Def Jam)
11. Wu-Tang Clan: “Method Man” (Loud)
12. KRS-One: “Outta Here” (Jive)
13. A Tribe Called Quest: “Electric Relaxation” (Jive)
14. Souls of Mischief: “93 ‘til Infinity” (Jive)
15. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo: “On the Run (Dirty Untouchable Remix)” (Cold Chillin’)
16. Onyx: “Slam” (Def Jam)
17. MC Eiht: “Streiht Up Menace” (Jive)
18. M.O.P.: “How About Some Hardcore” (Select)
19. The Pharcyde: “Otha Fish” (Delicious Vinyl)
20. Notorious B.I.G.: “Party and Bullshit” (Uptown)
21. Alkaholiks: “Make Room” (Loud)
22. MC Breed featuring 2Pac: “Gotta Get Mine” (Ichiban)
23. Beatnuts: “Reign of the Tec” (Relativity)
24. Casual: “That’s How It Is (Remix)” (Jive)
25. Fat Joe: “Flow Joe” (Relativity)
26. KRS-One: “Sound of da Police”/“Hip Hop vs. Rap” (Jive)
27. De La Soul: “Breakadawn” (Tommy Boy)
28. Ultramagnetic MCs: “Two Brothers with Checks (San Francisco,Harvey)”/“One, Two, One, Two” (Wild Pitch)
29. Diamond D: “I’m Outta Here”/“You Can’t Front (the Shit is Real)” (ChemistrY)
30. Casual: “I Didn’t Mean to” (Jive)
31. Lords of the Underground: “Chief Rocka” (Elektra)
32. Kurious: “Walk Like a Duck” (Columbia)
33. Geto Boys: “Crooked Officer” (Rap-a-Lot)
34. Leaders of the New School: “What’s Next?” (Elektra)
35. Domino: “Getto Jam” (Outburst)
36. Intelligent Hoodlum: “Grand Groove (Remix)” (A&M)
37. 2Pac: “Keep Ya Head Up” (Interscope)
38. Trends of Culture: “Off & On (Remix)” (Mad Sounds)
39. Cypress Hill: “Insane in the Brain”/ “When the Shit Goes Down” (Ruffhouse)
40. Mobb Deep: “Hit It From the Back” (4th & B’way)
1993 - Classic Material Edition #7 Mixtape
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1993, here’s a quick reminder of our own 1993 mixtape. Classics from the likes of KRS One, Tribe Called Quest, Black Moon and Main Source alongside lesser known cuts. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here. We’ve also now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all of the mixes from the Classic Material mix series in one place.
1993 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Moving on to 1993, we kick things off with another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1993 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here. And to make life easier, we’ve now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all the mixes from this series in one place. You can check that out on Classic Material curator Chris Read’s Mixcloud page here.
1992 - Classic Material Edition #6 Bonus Tracks
In keeping with tradition, we wrap up our entries for the year with a new download of bonus tracks. This one’s a little more special than the last couple of bonus giveaways since it includes a remix never before available online.
Listen / download via Bandcamp here.
1992 - A Year In Rap
1992 was a year notable for shifts in production techniques and styles and perhaps more importantly sampling trends. Abandoning over-saturated funk standards in favour of obscure jazz samples, producers such Showbiz, Diamond D, Q Tip and many others besides laid the foundations for the laid back jazz led sound that characterised countless East Coast classics of the early to mid 90s. On the West Coast, Dr Dre’s seminal Chronic LP also broke new ground in terms of production style with a polished classicly LA sound that formed the blueprint for the ‘G Funk’ sound which ruled supreme throughout the early 90s. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- 2Pac Shakur, former roadie, dancer, and second-string MC for Digital Underground, releases his debut album, ‘2Pacalypse Now’. It immediately incites controversy for it’s content, particular lyrics regarding police officers. Vice President Dan Quayle even calls for a ban of the album during his campaign for re-election. Shakur’s visibility is also raised by a star-making performance in the gritty urban drama ‘Juice’.
- Body Count, Ice-T’s new rap-metal band, release their debut album. The song ‘Cop Killa’ ignites a firestorm of controversy. After nationwide protests from law enforcement officials, Time-Warner pressures Ice-T to pull the song from the album and eventually sells it’s share of Interscope Records, the distributor.
- With “Paul’s Boutique” having obtained cult-classic status in the years following its release, the Beastie Boys (pictured above) release their third album, ‘Check Your Head’. It becomes a smash hit debuting in the Top Ten and returning the Boys to the charts for the first time since their debut album, although with a much different sound.
- After producing a successful album for R&B singer Mary J. Blige and remixing several other hits for artists including Jodeci and Heavy D, Sean “Puffy” Combs is fired from Uptown after a dispute with label head Andre Harrell.
- Eric B. & Rakim release their fourth album, ‘Don’t Sweat the Technique’. The album is critically acclaimed, but the duo split almost immediately after its release. Eric B continues to produce for other rappers, (with mixed results), while Rakim, arguably the most celebrated MC in rap at this point in time goes into seclusion.
- After the acquittal of the officers accused of beating Rodney King, South Central Los Angeles erupts in violent street riots. After the two-day mayhem, rappers including Ice-T and Chuck D of Public Enemy are called upon to provide insight.
- Dr. Dre and Suge Knight form a partnership and create Death Row Records. Their first project is a song for the soundtrack to a police drama called ‘Deep Cover’. The song features a previously unheard young rapper from Long Beach named Snoop Doggy Dogg.
1992 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1992’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1992 to 2012 - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde 20th Anniversary Mixtape
In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of The Pharcyde’s seminal ‘Bizarre Ride’ album and in support of the group’s ‘Bizarre Ride Live’ tour Classic Material’s Chris Read produced this special mix for OG West Coast label Delicious Vinyl in conjunction with Wax Poetics.
Comprising original album tracks, remixes, instrumentals, acapellas, original sample material and even some interview snippets from the time of release, this 40 minute mix takes in the high points of this incredible album. Check out the feature on Wax Poetics here.
1992 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1992’s best loved hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Dr Dre - The Chronic
2. Brand Nubian - In God We Trust
3. Gang Starr - Daily Operation
4. Redman - Whut Thee Album
5. Diamond D & The Psychotic Neurotics - Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop
6. Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
7. Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
8. Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Meccas & The Soul Brother
9. Showbiz & AG - Runaway Slave
10. Das EFX - Dead Serious
11. Da Lench Mob - Guerillas In Tha Mist
12. EPMD - Business Never Personal
13. Ice Cube - The Predator
14. DJ Quik - Way 2 Fonky
15. Heavy D & The Boyz - Blue Funk
16. Grand Puba - Reel to Reel
17. Positive K - Skills Dat Pay Da Bills
18. Too $hort - Shorty The Pimp
19. Compton’s Most Wanted - Music To Drive By
20. Boogie Down Productions - Sex and Violence
21. UGK - Too Hard To Swallow
22. Spice 1 - Spice 1
23. Common - Can I Borrow A Dollar
24. House of Pain - House of Pain
25. J.T The Bigga Figga - Don’t Stop Til We Major
1992 - Ultramagnetic MCs - Poppa Large (Daily Diggers Remix)
This remix of Ultramagnetic MCs’ ‘Poppa Large’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day. In the this instance some inspiration was taken from the likes of Diamond D and the practice of using well chosen drum loops laced with sample material from unusual sources.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1992 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1992’s best loved single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Black Sheep: “The Choice is Yours (Revisited)” (Mercury)
2. Gang Starr featuring Nice & Smooth: “DWYCK” (Chrysalis)
3. Das EFX: “They Want EFX” (Eastwest)
4. Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg: “Deep Cover” (Epic)
5. Pete Rock & CL Smooth: “T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You)”(Elektra)
6. A Tribe Called Quest featuring Leaders of the New School: “Scenario” (Jive)
7. Main Source featuring Neek the Exotic: “Fakin’ the Funk (Remix)”(Wild Pitch)
8. Brand Nubian: “Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down” (Elektra)
9. Nas: “Half Time” (Columbia)
10. EPMD: “Crossover”/“Brothers from Brentwood L.I.” (Def Jam)
11. House of Pain: “Jump Around” (Tommy Boy)
12. Ultramagnetic MCs: “Poppa Large (East Coast Remix)” (Mercury)
13. Das EFX: “Mic Checka (Remix)”/“Jussumen (Remix)” (Eastwest)
14. Redman: “Blow Your Mind”/“How to Roll a Blunt” (Def Jam)
15. Naughty by Nature: “Uptown Anthem” (MCA)
16. Eric B. & Rakim: “Juice (Know the Ledge)” (MCA)
17. EPMD featuring K-Solo & Redman: “Head Banger” (Def Jam)
18. A Tribe Called Quest: “Jazz (We’ve Got)” (Jive)
19. Naughty by Nature: “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (Ghetto Bastard)”(Tommy Boy)
20. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo: “Ill Street Blues” (Cold Chillin’)
21. Black Moon: “Who Got da Props?” (Nervous)
22. Apache: “Gangsta Bitch” (Tommy Boy)
23. Cypress Hill: “Hand on the Pump” (Ruffhouse)
24. Afrika Bambaataa Presents Time Zone: “Zulu War Chant” (Planet Rock)
25. Grand Puba: “360 Degrees (What Goes Around)” (Elektra)
26. Diamond D: “Best Kept Secret”/“Freestyle (Yo, That’s That Shit)” (Chemistry)
27. DJ Quik: “Just Like Compton” (Profile)
28. Double XX Posse: “Not Gonna Be Able to Do It” (Big Beat)
29. Pete Rock & CL Smooth: “Straighten It Out” (Elektra)
30. UMC’s: “One to Grow On” (Wild Pitch)
31. Beastie Boys: “So What’cha Want” (Grand Royal)
32. Fu-Schnickesn featuring Phife Dawg: “La Schmoove” (Jive)
33. Show & AG: “Fat Pockets (Remix)” (Payday)
34. Organized Konfusion featuring O.C.: “Fudge Pudge” (Hollywood BASIC)
35. Chi Ali: “Age Ain’t Nothin’ But a #” (Relativity)
36. Del tha Funkee Homosapien: “Mistadobalina” (Elektra)
37. Eric B. & Rakim: “Don’t Sweat the Technique” (MCA)
38. MC Ren: “Final Frontier” (Ruthless)
39. Sir Mix-a-Lot: “Baby Got Back” (Def American)
40. N2Deep: “Back to the Hotel” (Profile)
1992 - Classic Material Edition #6 Mixtape
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1992, here’s a quick reminder of our own 1992 mixtape. Classics from the likes of Showbiz & AG, Gang Starr, Brand Nubian and Diamond D alongside lesser known cuts. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here. We’ve also now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all of the mixes from the Classic Material mix series in one place.
1992 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Moving on to 1992, we kick things off with another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1992 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here. And to make life easier, we’ve now created a handy Mixcloud playlist where you can check out all the mixes from this series in one place. You can check that out on Classic Material curator Chris Read’s Mixcloud page here.
1991 - Ollie Teeba’s 4 Hour Classic Material Guest Mix
For the last of our 1991 entries, we have something pretty special for you. The Herbaliser’s Ollie Teeba, guest DJ at our 1991 party, went all out on the preparation and put together an amazingly comprehensive 4 hour set which he performed on the night. What’s even better is that he recorded the whole thing and uploaded it to Mixcloud in seven handy sized chunks. We’ve added all seven parts to a convenient playlist so you can listen in one sitting or in parts as you please.
Listen here.
1991 - Classic Material Edition #5 Bonus Tracks
So, we arrive at the fifth of our Classic Material Bonus Tracks giveaways. This week’s edition may not be of quite as much interest to seasoned followers since both tracks featured in this week’s giveaway have in fact been available online before, but if you’ve always had a hankering for that Nice & Smooth Remix from the Diary Volume 1.5 remix album without the ident at the beginning, then you’re in luck.
Listen / download the tracks from Bandcamp here.
1991 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1991’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1991 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1991’s best loved hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. NWA - Efil4zaggin
2. A Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
3. Main Source - Breaking Atoms
4. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead
5. Ice Cube - Death Certificate
6. Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill
7. Black Sheep - A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing
8. DJ Quik - Quik Is The Name
9. Scarface - Mr. Scarface Is Back
10. Show & AG - Soul Clap EP
11. 3rd Bass - Derelicts of Dialect
12. AMG - Bitch Betta Have My Money
13. Pete Rock & CL Smooth - All Souled Out EP
14. Leaders of the New School - A Future Without A Past
15. Naughty by Nature - Naughty by Nature
16. Nice & Smooth - Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed
17. Public Enemy - Apocalypse ‘91… The Empire Strikes Black
18. UMCs - Fruits Of Nature
19. Del Tne Funkee Homosapien - I Wish My Brother George Was Here
20. Geto Boys - We Can’t Be Stopped
21. Tim Dog - Penicillin on Wax
22. KMD - Mr Hood
23. Compton’s Most Wanted - Straight Checkin’ ‘Em
24. Organized Konfusion - Organized Konfusion
25. Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom I May Concern…
1991 - Nice & Smooth - Hip Hop Junkies (Chris Read Remix)
This remix of Nice & Smooth’s ‘Hip Hop Junkies’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’ and was subsequently featured as a bonus track on the Classic Material Edition #5 mix CD. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day. In the this instance I took some inspiration from the SD50s, Electra Records remixers of choice, notable for their bouncey productions liberally borrowing recognisable Jazz-Funk hooks.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1991 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1991’s best loved single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Geto Boys: Mind Playing Tricks on Me” (Rap-a-Lot)
2. A Tribe Called Quest: “Check the Rhime” (Jive)
3. Naughty by Nature: “O.P.P.” (Tommy Boy)
4. Public Enemy: “Shut ‘em Down (Pete Rock Remix)” (Def Jam)
5. Cypress Hill: “How I Could Just Kill a Man” (Ruffhouse)
6. Brand Nubian: “Slow Down” (Elektra)
7. Main Source: “Just Hangin’ Out”/“Live at the Barbeque” (Wild Pitch)
8. DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince: “Summertime” (Jive)
9. Brand Nubian: “All for One” (Elektra)
10. Ed O.G. & da Bulldogs: “I Got to Have It” (PWL)
11. MC Breed: “Ain’t No Future in Yo’ Frontin’” (Ichiban)
12. EPMD featuring L.L. Cool J: “Rampage” (Def Jam)
13. Nice & Smooth: “Hip Hop Junkies” (Fresh)
14. Black Sheep: “Flavor of the Month” (Mercury)
15. De La Soul: “Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)” (Tommy Boy)
16. Ice Cube: “Steady Mobbin’”/“No Vaseline” (Priority)
17. Leaders of the New School: “Sobb Story” (Elektra)
18. Compton’s Most Wanted: “Growin’ Up in the Hood” (Orpheus)
19. Tim Dog: “Fuck Compton” (Ruffhouse)
20. Digital Underground featuring 2Pac: “Same Song” (Tommy Boy)
21. AMG: “Jiggable Pie” (Select)
22. MC Lyte: “Poor Georige” (First Priority)
23. Ed O.G. & da Bulldogs: “Be a Father to Your Child” (PWL)
24. WC & the MAAD Circle: “Dress Code” (Priority)
25. Gang Star: “Step in the Arena”/ “Check the Technique”(Chrysalis)
26. Poor Righteous Teachers: “Shakiyla” (Profile)
27. De La Soul featuring Q-Tip: “A Rollerskating Jam Named ‘Saturdays’” (Tommy Boy)
28. Leaders of the New School: “Case of the P.T.A.” (Elektra)
29. K.M.D.: “Nitty Gritty (Remix)”/“Plumskinzz” (Elektra)
30. Del tha Funkee Homosapien: “Sleepin’ on My Couch” (Elektra)
31. K-Solo: “Fugitive” (Atlantic)
32. Eric B. & Rakim: “Mahogany” (MCA)
33. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo: “Bad to the Bone” (Cold Chillin’)
34. AMG: “Bitch Betta Have My Money” (Select)
35. D-Nice: “25 ta Life” (Jive)
36. DJ Quik: “Tonight” (Profile)
37. Special Ed: “Come on, Let’s Move It” (Profile)
38. Ice-T: “O.G. Original Gangster”/“Bitches 2” (Sire)
39. K.M.D.: “Who Me?” (Elektra)
40. Raw Fusion: “Throw Your Hands in the Air”/“Do My Thang” (Hollywood BASIC)
1991 - Classic Material Edition #5 Mixtape
As we push on with our entries for 1991, here’s a quick reminder of our 1991 mixtape. Classics from the likes of Tribe Called Quest, Black Sheep and Del alongside lesser known cuts. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here.
1991 - A Year In Rap
1991 was the year which many consider to have signaled the birth of a golden period for club friendly credible hip hop releases. Aside from numerous memorable LP releases, 1991 was above all a year of anthems - Tribe’s ‘Scenario’, Nice and Smooth’s ‘Hip Hop Junkies’, Showbiz and AG’s ‘Party Groove’ and many other club friendly cuts with catchy hooks saw release during the year. 1991 was also a solid year for long players with stand out debut LPs from Black Sheep and Main Source amongst others. Debut LPs from Del the Funkee Homosapien and Cypress Hill both broke preconceptions about the West Coast sound in very different ways. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- Gilbert O’Sullivan successfully sues rapper Biz Markie, claiming that Biz’s single ‘Alone Again’ uses a sample of O’Sullivan’s song ‘Alone Again (Naturally)’ without consent. The lawsuit signals a turning point in hip-hop sampling, dissuading future producers from building multi-layered sound collages out of multiple samples for fear of litigation.
- Digital Underground follow their well received debut album with the quirkily titled ‘This Is An EP Release’. The hit single ‘Same Song’ features a young, lesser-known member of the crew named Tupac Shakur.
- Ice Cube stars in the gritty urban drama ‘Boyz N the Hood’, telling he tale of a group of young black men growing up in South Central Los Angeles. The film is a huge hit and spawns a legion of similarly styled movies in the following years.
- Bronx rapper Tim Dog (pictured above) releases the single ‘Fuck Compton,’ firing some of the first verbal shots in a simmering feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers.
- A Tribe Called Quest releases their much-anticipated sophomore album ‘The Low End Theory’. Praised by critics and fans, the album is notable for its jazz-led production sealing the group’s reputation as leaders of the ‘new school’ movement of the day.
- After the success of A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Low End Theory’ and De La Soul’s sophomore effort ‘De La Soul Is Dead’, an alternative movement in hip hop gains momentum supported by strong debuts from Digable Planets, Arrested Development, Del the Funkee Homosapien, the Pharcyde, and Gang Starr.
- N.W.A. release their second full-length album, the inflammatory and controversial ‘Efil4zaggin’. In spite of widespread media criticism of the album’s graphic content, the album debuts at number one on the charts.
- Vanilla Ice’s film, ‘Cool As Ice’ premieres to poor reviews and even worse box office returns. He is also criticised for fabricating his entire life story in interviews. To add insult to injury, Ice is successfully sued by David Bowie and Queen, who claim that he used the bassline from their hit ‘Under Pressure’ for his hit single ‘Ice Ice Baby’.
- A video showing four Los Angeles police officers brutally beating a black man named Rodney King filmed by a third party onlooker is broadcast on television news wordwide provoking outrage. The incident provokes a wave of politically charged commentary in hip hop releases shortly thereafter. The subsequent acquittal of the four officers on assault charges the following year spark the 1992 L.A. riots.
- M.C. Hammer releases his third album, ‘2 Legit To Quit’. Although the title cut is a sizeable hit, the album fails to match the success of it’s predecessor as the backlash against ‘pop-rap’ has Hammer losing his (already limited) crediblity among rap fans and the general public.
- Dr. Dre, citing a dispute over finances with Eazy-E and Ruthless Records quits N.W.A. Dre is still under contract to Ruthless and hires gangster-turned-businessman Marion “Suge” Knight to get him out of his deal with the record label. With Dre departing for a solo career, N.W.A. officially split.
- Sean Combs, still only 20 years old, is promoted to A&R at Uptown Records and executive produces hit albums for Father MC and Heavy D.
- New York rap group Main Source release their debut LP, the critically acclaimed ‘Breaking Atoms’ on Wild Pitch records. Despite moderate sales, the album goes down in hip hop history as one of the greatest debut long players of all time and the single ‘Live At the Bar-B-Q’ features a memorable verse by a seventeen year old Queens rapper named Nas.
1991 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1991, we have a further offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here.
1991 - Rap History Mix by DJ Crash
Moving on to 1991, we kick things off in the customary fashion with a mix from Berlin’s Rap History crew. As with the 1989 and 1990 installments, we have a 75 minute mix from DJ Crash.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud and check out the tracklist here.
1990 - Classic Material Edition #4 Bonus Tracks
As is customary, we complete our blog entries for the year with a free download of bonus tracks. For our latest, we offer you 2 remixes and a megamix, all produced in keeping with the styles of the day.
Listen and / or grab yourself a free download from Bandcamp here.
1990 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1990’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1990 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1990’s best loved hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Ice Cube - Ameirkkka’s Most Wanted
2. Brand Nubian - One For All
3. Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet
4. NWA - 100 Miles and Runnin EP
5. EPMD - Business As Usual
6. LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out
7. Eric B & Rakim - Let The Rhythm Hit Em
8. Kool G Rap & Polo - Wanted: Dead or Alive
9. A Tribe Called Quest - People’s Instinctive Travels In The Paths Of Rhythm
10. Gang Starr - Step In The Arena
11. Boogie Down Productions - Edutainment
12. Above The Law - Livin’ Like Hustlers
13. X Clan - To The East Blackwards
14. Ice Cube - Kill At Will EP
15. Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth - Funky Technician
16. Too $hort - Short Dog’s In The House
17. Special Ed - Legal
18. Digital Underground - Sex Packets
19. King Tee - At Your Own Risk
20. K Solo - Tell The World My Name
21. Poor Righteous Teachers - Holy Intellect
22. Masta Ace - Take A Look Around
23. Digital Underground - This Is An EP Release
24. Compton’s Most Wanted - It’s A Compton Thing
25. D Nice - Call Me D Nice
1990 - Eric B & Rakim - Let The Rhythm Hit Em (Chris Read Remix)
This remix of Eric B & Rakim’s ‘Let The Rhythm Hit Em’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’ and was subsequently featured as a bonus track on the Classic Material Edition #4 mix CD. As with all remixes from the Diary collection, the production style owes something to popular production styles of the day. In the this instance I took some inspiration from early Showbiz productions, particularly with regards to the jazzy bass groove and those trademark raspy horns.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1990 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1990’s best loved single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Public Enemy - Welcome To The Terrordome
2. A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebum
3. Digital Underground - The Humpty Dance
4. LL Cool J - Jingling Baby (Remixed and Still Jingling)
5. Nice Smooth - Funky For You / No Bones In Ice Cream
6. EPMD - Gold Digger
7. Gang Starr - Just To Get A Rep / Who’s Gonna Take The Weight
8. A Tribe Called Quest - Can I Kick It? / When The Papes Come
9. Main Source - Looking At The Front Door
10. Boogie Down Productions - Love’s Gonna Get Cha (Material Love)
11. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Streets Of New York
12. Eric B. & Rakin - In The Ghetto
13. Public Enemy - Brother’s Gonna Work It Out
14. LL Cool J - Around The Way Girl
15. Jungle Brothers - J Beez Comin Through
16. Ice Cube - Amerikkka’s Most Wanted / Once Upon A Time In The Projects
17. Terminator X feat Chuck D & Sister Souljah - Buck Whylin
18. Digital Undergound - Freaks Of The Industry
19. D Nice - Call Me D Nice
20. Chubb Rock - Treat Em Right
21. 3rd Bass - Product Of The Environment (Remix) / 3 Strikes 5000
22. K Solo - Your Moms In My Business
23. LL Cool J - To Da Break Of Dawn
24. Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth - Strictly For The Ladies
25. Poor Righteous Teachers - Rock Dis Funky Joint
26. Above The Law - Murder Rap
27. Special Ed - I’m The Magnificent (Remix) / Ready 2 Attack
28. KMD - Peachfuzz
29. Ice Cube - Who’s The Mack?
30. K Solo - Spellbound
31. King Tee - Ruff Rhyme (Back Again) / Played Like A Piano
32. X Clan - Funkin’ Lesson
33. Kid Frost - La Raza
34. Kings Of Swing - Nod Your Head To This
35. Masta Ace - Me And The Biz
36. Double XX - Executive Class
37. Special Ed - The Mission
38. LL Cool J - Boomin’ System
39. Above The Law - Untouchable
40. The Jaz featuring Jay-Z - The Originators
1990 - Classic Material Edition #4 Mixtape
If you’re following the daily updates here on the blog, then you’ll no doubt be used to the formula by now: first some relevant mixtapes from friends and kindred spirits, then a reminder of our own for the relevant year. So, true to that formula, here’s a reminder of our 1990 mix!
You can listen on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download here.
1990 - A Year In Rap
As we enter the ‘90s, we present another round up of the key events in rap history for the year 1990. In terms of general trends in the culture’s development, 1990 is probably most celebrated as being the birth of the ‘afro-centric’ era, with debut albums from X-Clan, Professor X, Poor Righteous Teachers, Tribe Called Quest and many others hitting the stores during the year. But 1990 was also an important year for the artists from the opposite end of the spectrum: Compton’s Most Wanted, Capital Punishment Organisation and Above The Law all released debut albums proving LA’s harder edged sound had more to offer than just NWA. Aside from new developments, established artists including LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy and EPMD all dropped certified classics. Below is a snapshot of some of the year’s key events, produced this time with the assistance of Dream Door’s hip hop timeline:
- Queens-based A Tribe Called Quest (picture above) follow close stylistically in the footsteps of De La Soul’s ‘3 Feet High And Rising’ with the release of their debut album, ‘People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm’. Building on the template established by fellow Native Tongues crew members the Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah and De La Soul, the group is praised for it’s intelligently quirky lyrics, inventive musical style and use of unconventional sample material.
- Following an acrimonious split from NWA, Ice Cube takes his new crew, Da Lench Mob to New York and records his solo debut with production from Public Enemy’s production team, The Bomb Squad. The album, “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted,” goes down in history as a classic and sets Cube on the road to solo superstardom.
- M.C. Hammer continues to enjoy pop-rap notoriety with two Grammy nominations, a Saturday morning cartoon, and an action figure. Despite all of his commercial success; there is a growing backlash against his image and music among rap fans and artists, 3rd Bass’s 1989/1990 single ‘The Gas Face’ being a notable example of Hammer receiving a lyrical lashing from the credible underground.
- Salt-N-Pepa release their third album, “Blacks Magic.” The album receives strong reviews with the single ‘Let’s Talk About Sex’ both causing controversy and attracting praise for it’s honest look at relationships and promiscuity.
- After shooting his cousin and leading police on a high-speed chase, Slick Rick is captured and taken to prison. Def Jam head Russell Simmons bails Rick out in time to finish his second album, ‘The Ruler’s Back’, but Rick is eventually sentenced to five years in prison on charges of attempted murder.
- Will Smith aka The Fresh Prince is tapped to star in a new sitcom, dubbed ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’.
- Oakland-based alternative rap group Digital Underground release their debut album, ‘Sex Packets’. Drawing heavily on staple West Coast sample material from the Parliament / Funkadelic camp, the group are quick to capture the world’s attention with rapper Shock G adopting a number of voices in his raps to create a cast of quirky characters including the hapless ‘Humpty Hump’. The Album’s second single, ‘The Humpty Dance,’ becomes a platinum hit.
- Run DMC release their fifth album, ‘Back From Hell’. The single ‘What’s It All About’, which samples UK indie rockers The Stone Roses’ ‘Fools Gold’, is a moderate success, but in stark contrast to earlier releases, the album barely goes gold and the group takes a break from recording.
- ‘Ice, Ice Baby’ becomes a hit for Miami-based white rapper Vanilla Ice. Though Ice is derided as a fake, his debut album, ‘To The Extreme’ goes on to sell over seven million copies.
- Popular rapper Heavy D. convinces Andre Harrell, the president of Uptown Records (Heavy D’s label), to take on a young college student/dancer named Sean Combs (later known as Puff Daddy / P Diddy) as an intern. Combs goes on to forge the sound of the label’s further releases and play a central role in a hip hop / RnB crossover movement that will shape popular hip hop for years to come.
1990 - ‘Stompin’ To Tha 90s’ mixed by Bobafatt
Friend of the site Bobafatt who kindly played at our 1993 party has put together not one but two mixes documenting the musical output of 1990. Check out Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
1990 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1990, we have a further offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here.
1990 - Rap History Mix by DJ Crash
Moving on to 1990, we kick things off in the customary fashion with a mix from Berlin’s Rap History crew. As with the 1989 installment, we have a 75 minute mix from DJ Crash.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud and check out the tracklist here.
1989 - Strictly Kev’s Classic Material Guest Mix: “88 Was Great But 89 Is Mine”
The last blog entry for 1989 is also the first to showcase a guest mix from one of our contributors. Strictly Kev who kindly played at our 1989 party made a live all vinyl recording of the set he prepared for the night which he aptly titled ‘88 was great but 89 is mine’. Kev also wrote a great blog post in which he reminisces on his favourite releases from the year, home made De La Soul t-shirts and much more besides.
Check out the mix on Soundcloud here.
1989 - More Remembrance of Paul’s Boutique
We certainly weren’t the only ones to put together a tribute to the Beastie Boys’ ‘Paul’s Boutique’ worthy of your time. Ninja Tune’s Strictly Kev (coincidentally the guest DJ at our 1989 party) and his Solid Steel compadres DJ Cheeba and Moneyshot put together this mix entitled ‘Caught In The Middle Of A Three Way’ reconstructing Paul’s Boutique from its constituent parts creating something of an online hit.
Read more about it on the DJ Food blog here, together with tracklist and stream links for Soundcloud and Mixcloud.
1989 - Classic Material Edition #3 Bonus Tracks
So, we finally arrive at the third of our Classic Material Bonus Tracks giveaways. This week’s edition may not be of quite as much interest to seasoned followers since both tracks featured in this week’s giveaway have in fact been available online before, but if you’ve always had a hankering for that Heavy D Remix from the Diary Volume 1.5 remix album without the ident at the beginning, then you’re in luck.
Listen / download the tracks from Bandcamp here.
1989 - Beastie Boys’ ‘Paul’s Boutique’ Remembered
It’s no coincidence that the two albums that appear in positions 1 and 2 in Ego Trip’s Top 25 albums of 1989 (De La Soul’s ‘3 Feet High And Rising’ and Beastie Boys’ ‘Paul’s Boutique’) are renowned for their unique take on the use of samples - both in terms of quantity and variety. It’s perhaps for that reason that both albums have been so heavily celebrated over the years. Unlike De La Soul’s much celebrated debut however ‘Paul’s Boutique’ was very much the Beastie Boys’ ‘difficult second album’. It’s a testament to the album’s unique feel that it subsequently rose above it’s comparatively poor sales figures and lack of mainstream media attention at the time of release to take it’s place in hip hop history as one of the genre’s unsung classics.Following the untimely passing of Beastie Boys’ MCA last year after a lengthy battle with cancer, tributes were understandably numerous and varied but many focused on Paul’s Boutique and its famously quirky sample material. Our ‘Boutique Beats’ mix blends a selection of Beastie Boys favourites, acapellas and more with original sample material, largely (but not exclusively) from the Paul’s Boutique LP.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a download here.
1989 to 2009 - Twenty Years of De La Soul
The presence of De La Soul’s ‘3 Feet High And Rising’ in the number one spot in Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1989 gives a good opportunity to remind the world of this great mixtape released in 2009 celebrating 20 years of De La Soul. Although presented as a ‘mixtape’, in fact it’s a collection of De La Soul classics (from 3 Feet High And Rising and subsequent albums) reworked by some of the genre’s best talent, including Talib Kweli, Phife, Tanya Morgan and Camp Lo.
You can download the individual tracks via Mixstream here.
1989 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1989’s best loved hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. De La Soul - 3 Feet High And Rising
2. Beastie Boys - Paul’s Boutique
3. Jungle Brothers - Done By The Forces Of Nature
4. Big Daddy Kane - It’s A Big Daddy Thing
5. The D.O.C - No One Can Do It Better
6. Geto Boys - Grip It! On That Other Level
7. 3rd Bass - The Cactus Album
8. 2 Live Crew - As Nasty As They Wanna Be
9. Nice & Smooth - Nice & Smooth
10. Biz Markie - The Biz Never Sleeps
11. EPMD - Unfinished Business
12. Queen Latifah - All Hail The Queen
13. LL Cool J - Walking With A Panther
14. Special Ed - Youngest In Charge
15. Chill Rob G - Ride The Rhythm
16. Low Profile - We’re In This Together
17. MC Lyte - Eyes On This
18. Three Times Dope - Original Stylin’
19. Stezo - Crazy Noise
20. Boogie Down Productions - Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop
21. Ice T - The Iceberg / Freedom of Speech ... Just Watch What You Say
22. Willie D - Controversy
23. Heavy D & The Boyz - Big Tyme
24. Sir Mix-A-Lot - SWASS
25. Kwame - The Boy Genius Featuring A New Beginning
1989 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1989’s best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1989 - Heavy D - We Got Our Own Thang (Chris Read Remix)
As we approach the last of our blog entries for 1989, we finally have an opportunity to post the first of our Classic Material remixes. This remix of Heavy D’s ‘We Got Our Own Thang’ originally appeared on the 2009 remix compilation ‘Diary 1.5: Twenty Years of the Remix’ and was subsequently featured as a bonus track on the Classic Material Edition #3 mix CD.
Listen to / download the vocal version here or grab the instrumental version here.
1989 - Classic Material Edition #3 Mixtape
With all the 1989 mixes we’ve posted on the blog over the last week or so, it’s only right that we give a little reminder of our own mix. 30 or so classic and lesser heard tracks from 1989 in the mix. CD copies of this mix have long since sold out but you can listen on Mixcloud here or cop a free download (and read little more about the mix) here.
1989 - ‘Who’s Flat Top Ruled in ‘89?’ Mixed by Bobafatt
There’s no shortage of mixtapes reminiscing on 1989 it seems. Friend of the Classic Material family Bobafatt (who kindly played at our 1993 party) put together this very nice mixtape aptly titled ‘Who’s Flat Top Ruled in ‘89?’.
Have yourself a listen on Mixcloud here.
1989 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1989’s best loved single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Public Enemy - Fight The Power
2. EPMD - So Watch Sayin’
3. Slick Rick - Children’s Story
4. Special Ed - I Got It Made
5. Slick Rick - Hey Young World / Mona Lisa
6. Biz Markie - Just A Friend
7. Big Daddy Kane - Smooth Operator / Warm It Up Kane
8. De La Soul feat Native Tongues - Buddy (Native Tongue Decision)
9. NWA - Straight Outta Compton
10. Three Times Dope - Funky Dividends
11. DOC - It’s Funky Enough
12. NWA - Express Yourself / A Bitch Iz A Bitch
13. Eazy E - Eazy-er Said Than Dunn
14. 2 Live Crew - Me So Horny
15. 3rd Bass feat Zev Love X - The Gas Face
16. Stezo - It’s My Turn / To The Max
17. LL Cool J - Big Ole Butt
18. Gang Starr - Words I Manifest (Remix)
19. Digital Underground - Doowutchalike
20. Chubb Rock feat Hitman Howie Tee - Ya Badd Chubbs
21. Positive K - A Good Combination
22. YZ & G Rock - In Control Of Things / Thinking Of A Master Plan
23. 3rd Bass - Steppin’ To The AM
24. Main Source - Think / Atom
25. Beastie Boys - Hey Ladies / Shake Your Rump
26. Nice & Smooth - Early to Rise / More and More Hits
27. MC Lyte - Cha Cha Cha
28. Chill Rob G - Court Is Now In Session
29. MC Sugar Ray & Stranger D - Knock Em Out Sugar Ray
30. Ice T - You Played Yourself
31. Stop The Violence Movement - Self Destruction
32. Boogie Down Productions - Why Is That?
33. Queen Latifah - Dance For Me / Inside Out
34. Low Profile - Pay Ya Dues
35. The Bizzie Boyz - Droppin’ It
36. Young MC - Bust A Move
37. Divine Styler feat The Scheme Team - Ain’t Sayin Nothin
38. Kwame The Boy Genius featuring A New Beginning - The Rhythm
39. Cool C - The Glamorous Life
40. Tone Loc - Wild Thing
1989 - MC Lyte Photo Print by Normski
Once again, we refer back to last summer’s product range which included a series of T-Shirts and limited edition photograph prints produced in collaboration with central London sneaker boutique Foot Patrol and renowned UK streetstyle photographer Normski. This shot of MC Lyte was taken following a performance at London’s Astoria club in 1989.
You can purchase this limited edition photo print embossed and signed by Normski in the Classic Material store here.
1989 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1989, we have another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here.
1989 - Rap History Mix by Daniel Drumz
Joining their Berlin counterparts, Rap History’s Warsaw chapter provide another 1989 mix, this one mixed by Daniel Drumz.
Listen to the mix / check out the tracklist on Mixcloud here.
1989 - Rap History Mix by DJ Crash
Moving on to 1989, we kick things off as ever with a mix from Berlin’s Rap History crew, this time a 75 minute mix from DJ Crash.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud and check out the tracklist here.
1988 - Classic Material Edition #2 Bonus Track!
So, it’s a taken a little more than a week to get to the second of our free bonus downloads, but here it is, an extract from ‘The Breaks of ‘88’ a mix of the tracks sampled in 1988’s best known hip hop tracks which originally appeared in its full length version as a bonus track on our Classic Material Edition #2 CD. The full length mix will be released online in due course as part of a forthcoming Classic Material breaks mix series.
Listen / Download here.
1988 - Diary Rap Megamix
Another nugget from the Classic Material vaults, our 4 minute megamix of 30 or so of 1988 best loved hip hop releases.
Listen / download via bandcamp here.
1988 - Classic Material Edition #2 Mixtape
As we approach the last of our entries for 1988, here’s a quick reminder of our 1988 Mixtape. 30 classic and lesser known cuts from 1988 in the mix!
Listen (and check out the tracklist) on Mixcloud here or grab a free download here.
1988 - Yo! MTV Raps Revolutionises Music Television
In August 1988, a new music television show went to air giving much needed exposure to hip hop music and culture in a move that would revolutionise music television for ever more. Although rap videos had made occasional appearances on the largely rock biased network in its early years, Yo! MTV Raps was the first show on US MTV to focus entirely on hip hop and its huge success paved the way for the integration of hip hop music videos into the station’s regular rotation, hip hop ultimately coming to dominate the mainstream video playlist in later years. Commissioned by Ted Demme and Pete Dougherty, the content of the show was based to some extent on the MTV Europe Europe show simply named ‘Yo!’ hosted by Sophie Bramley which went to air approximately one year prior.
Hosted by Ed Lover & Doctor Dre with outside reports from Fab 5 Freddy, the show’s mix of videos, interviews, scene reports and light hearted comedy presentation style was key to its success. The show ran until 1995 when it was rebranded simply as Yo! and continued to run under that name until 1999.
VH1 produced a great documentary on the show which tells its story and that of rap music’s development on music television including some interesting commentary on how rock-rap cross over from the likes of Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys was instrumental in allowing rap music to break through the rock dominated playlisting on the early ‘80s.
Watch the documentary here.
1988 - Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums
A snapshot of 1988’s best loved hip hop album releases, borrowing the top 25 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
2. NWA - Straight Outta Compton
3. Slick Rick - The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick
4. EPMD - STrictly Business
5. Boogie Down Productions - By All Means Necessary
6. Big Daddy Kane - Long Live The Kane
7. Ultramagnetic MCs - Critical Beatdown
8. Eric B. & Rakim - Follow The Leader
9. Biz Markie - Goin’ Off
10. Jungle Brothers - Straight Out The Jungle
11. Eazy-E - Eazy Duz It
12. Run-DMC - Tougher Than Leather
13. MC Lyte - Lyte As A Rock
14. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - He’s The Rapper, I’m The DJ
15. Marley Marl - In Control Volume 1
16. Salt N Pepa - A Salt With A Deadly Pepa
17. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Road To The Riches
18. Doug E Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew - The World’s Greatest Entertainer
19. Stetsasonic - In Full Gear
20. 2 Live Crew - Move Somethin’
21. Super Love Cee & Casanova Rud - Girls I Got ‘Em Locked
22. Too $hort - Life Is… Toos $hort
23. King Tee - Act A Fool
24. Kid ‘N Play - 2 Hype
25. Lakim Shabazz - Pure Righteousness
1988 - Big Daddy Kane Photo Print by Normski
Once again, we refer back to last summer’s product range which included a series of T-Shirts and limited edition photograph prints produced in collaboration with central London sneaker boutique Foot Patrol and renowned UK streetstyle photographer Normski. This shot of Big Daddy Kane was taken during the 1988 Cold Chillin’ UK Tour and shows Kane and tour crew late night shopping at 7-Eleven in West London.
You can purchase this limited edition photo print embossed and signed by Normski in the Classic Material store here.
1988 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1988’s best loved single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock - It Takes Two
2. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full (Seven Minutes of Madness Remix)
3. Big Daddy Kane - Ain’t No Half Steppin’
4. Boogie Down Productions - My Philosophy
5. Run-DMC - Run’s House / Beats To The Rhyme
6. Public Enemy - Don’t Believe The Hype
7. Marley Marl & The Juice Crew - The Symphony
8. De La Soul - Plug Tunin’
9. EPMD - You Gots To Chill
10. Biz Markie - Vapours
11. Doug E Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew - Keep Risin’ To The Top
12. J.V.C Force - Strong Island
13. Biz Markie - The Biz Is Goin’ Off
14. 45 King - The 900 Number
15. Boogie Down Productions - Jack of Spades / Still #1
16. Eric B. & Rakim - Microphone Fiends
17. MC Lyte - 10% Dis
18. Stetsasonic - Sally / DBC Let The Music Play
19. Jungle Brothers - Because I Got It Like That
20. De La Soul - Jenifa (Taught Me) / Potholes In My Lawn
21. Chubb Rock feat Hitman Howie Tee - Caught Up (Remix)
22. 2 Much - Wild Thang
23. Marley Marl featuring Craig G - Droppin’ Science
24. LL Cool J - Going Back to Cali / Jack The Ripper
25. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Road to the Riches
26. MC EZ & Troup - Get Retarded
27. Stetsasonic - Talkin’ All That Jazz
28. Queen Latifah - Wrath of My Madness / Princess Of The Posse
29. MC Lyte - Paper Thin
30. Positive K - Step Up Front
31. MC Shan - I Pioneered This
32. Chill Rob G - Dope Rhymes / Chillin / Wild Pitch
33. Kid N Play - Do This My Way
34. Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud - Super Casanova
35. Antoinette - Hit Em With This / Unfinished Business
36. King Tee - Bass
37. JJ Fad - Supersonic
38. Sir Mix-A-Lot - Posse On Broadway
39. Supreme Nyborn - Versatitlity
40. Kid N Play - Gittin Funky
1988 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1988, we have another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here.
1988 - Rap History Mix by Marc Hype
Moving on to 1988, we kick things off as ever with a mix from Berlin’s Rap History crew, this time a 75 minute mix from former ITF Camp Marc Hype.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud and check out the tracklist here.
1987 - Demon Boyz Photo Print by Normski
For the second of two photos from 1987 in our range of limited edition photograph prints produced in collaboration with central London sneaker boutique Foot Patrol and renowned UK streetstyle photographer Normski. This portrait shot of Music of Life recording artists Demon Boyz was taken on the rail tracks at the disused Primrose Hill overground station in North London.
You can purchase this limited edition photo print embossed and signed by Normski in the Classic Material store here.
Classic Material Edition #1 Bonus Track!
Those of you who have been following the blog and / or our CD series over the last couple of years will be aware that each of the Classic Material CDs contained a number of bonus tracks not available on the download version. With all the CDs having long since sold out from the online store and preparations underway for our season 3 range, we’ve decided to start a series of giveaways. Every week (or every couple of weeks depending on how quickly we can get the blog updated!), we’ll be giving away at least one of those bonus tracks as a free download. So, without further ado, here’s the first in our series of giveaways, the bonus track from Classic Material Edition #1:
Listen to / download the track from Bandcamp here.
1987 - Flavor Flav Photo Print by Normski
Referring back to last summer’s Classic Material product range which included a series of T-Shirts and limited edition photograph prints produced in collaboration with central London sneaker boutique Foot Patrol and renowned UK streetstyle photographer Normski, this shot of Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav was taken as Flavor made his way to shoot a cameo appearance in the video for UK DJ Simon Harris’ house hit ‘Bass, How Low Can You Go’, the title of which refers to a sample taken from Public Enemy’s ‘Bring The Noise’.
You can purchase this limited edition photo print embossed and signed by Normski in the Classic Material store here.
Classic Material 80s Electro Bonus Mix
Originally issued as a bonus feature on the Classic Material Edition #1 Part 2 CD and subsequently made available online in conjunction with the now defunct Spine Magazine some months later, now seems an appropriate time to post a little reminder of our 80s Electro Bonus Mix.
So, if you missed it first time round, you can listen to (and check out the tracklist of) this 40 minute journey through mid 80s Electro and Drum Machine Rap on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download from our mixes page.
Classic Material Edition #1 Mixtape Part 2 (1984-1987)
As we continue through our posts for 1987, it seems appropriate to post a little reminder of another of our Classic Material mixes. This mix is the second of our two part Edition #1, covering music from the year 1984-1987, with some bias toward the more sample based material from the later part of that period.
You can get yourself a listen (and check out the tracklist) on Mixcloud here or grab yourself a free download from our mixes page. Physical copies of this CD are now sold out but there are other Classic Material goodies available from our online store.
1987 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1987’s best loved single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists:
1. Audio 2 - Top Billin’
2. Public Enemy - Rebel Without A Pause
3. Boogie Down Productions - The Bridge Is Over
4. EPMD - It’s My Thing / You’re A Customer
5. Big Daddy Kane - Raw
6. Public Enemy - Bring The Noise
7. Biz Markie - Nobody Beats The Biz
8. Eric B & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul
9. Public Enemy - Public Enemy No. 1 / Time Bomb
10. Big Daddy Kane feat. Biz Markie - Just Rhymin’ With Biz
11. Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud - Do The James
12. LL Cool J - I’m Bad
13. Ultramagnetic MCs - Funky
14. Eazy E - Boyz N The Hood
15. Divine Force - Holy War (Live)
16. Schooly D - Saturday Night
17. Eric B & Rakim - I Ain’t No Joke
18. MC Lyte - I Cram To Understand U
19. NWA - Dope Man
20. Just Ice - Going Way Back
21. Roxanne Shante - Have A Nice Day
22. Biz Markie - Pickin’ Boogers
23. Salt-N-Pepa - Tramp / Push It
24. Boogie Down Productions - Poetry
25. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Rikers Island / Rhyme Time
26. Jungle Brothers - Jim Browski
27. Dismasters - Small Time Hustler
28. Heavy D & The Boyz - The Overweight Lover’s In The House
29. Spoonie Gee - The Godfather
30. Alliance - Bustin Loose / Do It, Do It / Oreo Cookie
31. Antionette - I Got An Attitude
32. Spoonie Gee - Take It Off
33. Kid N Play - Last Night
34. Latee - This Cut’s Got Flavor / Puttin On The Hits
35. Steady B - Use Me (Before I Let Go)
36. Masters Of Ceremony - Sexy
37. Busy Bee - Suicide
38. Lord Shafiyq
39. Classical Two - New Generation
40. 2 Live Crew - We Want Some Pussy!!
1987 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1987, we have another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1987 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here.
1987 - Rap History Mix by DJ Dejoe
Moving on to 1987, we kick things off once again with a mix from Berlin’s Rap History crew, this time a 70 minute mix from DJ Dejoe.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud and check out the tracklist here.
1986 - Kool Moe Dee Photo Print by Normski
To round off our entries for 1986, we refer back to last summer’s product range which included a series of T-Shirts and limited edition photograph prints produced in collaboration with central London sneaker boutique Foot Patrol and renowned UK streetstyle photographer Normski. This shot of Jive recording artist Kool Moe Dee was taken at Battery Studios in Willesden, London in 1986 during Kool Moe Dee’s UK tour.
You can purchase this limited edition photo print embossed and signed by Normski in the Classic Material store here.
1986 - The Birth of the Bridge Wars
1986 marked the starting point of what might be described as the second of Hip Hop’s major battles to be played out on wax, the so-called ‘Bridge Wars’, a lyrical battle waged between the crews of New York’s South Bronx and Queensbridge projects (from which the battle takes its name). The battle centers around claims over hip hop’s origins in New York, crews from the New York boroughs of the Bronx and Queens each stepping to the mic in a series of releases to defend the honour of their neighbourhood.
In truth it was the release of Marley Marl & MC Shan‘s ‘The Bridge’ in 1985 that sparked the feud, but it was not until the South Bronx’s Boogie Down Productions (pictured above) launched an attack on the Queens duo with their retort entitled simply ‘South Bronx’ in 1986 that the battle was born. Accounts of the intent of these initial records vary but the salient facts are that the Bronx crew understood the lyrics contained in ‘The Bridge’ (”You love to hear the story, again and again, of how it all got started way back when, the monument is right in your face, sit and listen for a while to the name of the place, the Bridge, Queensbridge”) to be a claim that Hip-Hop had its origins in Queensbridge. MC Shan has since gone on record as saying that was not his intent and that the record was simply intended as a celebration of the early days of Hip-Hop in Queens. Whether the perceived attack was intentional or not, a battle had been born and with the release of BDP’s ‘South Bronx’ that battle took on a hostile tone as the lyrics demonstrate: “So you think that hip-hop had its start out in Queensbridge, if you popped that junk up in the Bronx you might not live.”
Whilst BDP’s response was viewed at the time as an attempt to defend the Bronx as rightful owner of it’s claim to be Hip Hop’s birthplace, subsequent interviews with BDP’s KRS-One suggest there was more to the feud than met the eye. Prior to the release of ‘The Bridge’, KRS-One had approached Queens’ Juice Crew affiliate Mr Magic, seeking interest in his group ‘12:41’ (an earlier incarnation of BDP of which Scott La Rock was also a member). Magic had rejected the track causing some resentment between the two camps. Although arguably the original source of the feud, the absence of Magic’s approval did not prevent the group from forging a career and in the same year they released the single ‘Succe$ i$ the Word’ on Fresh Records.
1987 saw the battle escalate with Shan and Marley Marl responding with the track ‘Kill That Noise’ appearing on Shan’s ‘Down By Law’ LP, but the track was soon eclipsed by BDP’s lyrically bold ‘The Bridge Is Over’. Although arguably the strongest lyrical blow in the series of releases, the battle continued with Juice Crew member Roxanne Shante (also centrally involved in the Roxanne Wars) taking a shot at KRS-One in her track ‘Have A Nice Day’, ghostwritten by fellow Juice Crew member Big Daddy Kane. Shan’s ‘Juice Crew Law’ contained similar sentiment.
As with the Roxanne Wars, the popularity of the battle records prompted a number of artists not directly involved to step up and give their take on events. Philadelphia’s Cool C weighed in with ‘Juice Crew Dis’ and Queens MC Butchy B responded in his track ‘Go Magic’ / ‘Beatin Down KRS’, the former a promo cut for Queensbridge DJ Mr Magic. Queens duo DJ Rockwell Noel and the Poet further contributed to the feud with “Taking U Out’. The heat of the battle had certainly subsided by 1988 but that didn’t prevent BDP’s KRS-One making reference to it in both 1988’s ‘My Philosophy’ and 1990’s ‘Blackman In Effect’. Into the ‘90s vague references were made by a number of artists but the battle was in essence over. Putting matters beyond doubt was the release of the 2007 collaboration album between KRS-One and former Juice Crew producer Marley Marl entitled ‘Hip-Hop Lives’, officially putting the feud to bed and celebrating the legacy of one of Hip-Hop’s most important battles played out on wax.
1986 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
1986 marked the starting point of what might be described as the second of Hip Hop’s major battles to be played out on wax, the so-called ‘Bridge Wars’, a lyrical battle waged between the crews of New York’s South Bronx and Queensbridge projects (from which the battle takes its name). The battle centers around claims over hip hop’s origins in New York, crews from the New York boroughs of the Bronx and Queens each stepping to the mic in a series of releases to defend the honour of their neighbourhood.
In truth it was the release of Marley Marl & MC Shan‘s ‘The Bridge’ in 1985 that sparked the feud, but it was not until the South Bronx’s Boogie Down Productions (pictured above) launched an attack on the Queens duo with their retort entitled simply ‘South Bronx’ in 1986 that the battle was born. Accounts of the intent of these initial records vary but the salient facts are that the Bronx crew understood the lyrics contained in ‘The Bridge’ (”You love to hear the story, again and again, of how it all got started way back when, the monument is right in your face, sit and listen for a while to the name of the place, the Bridge, Queensbridge”) to be a claim that Hip-Hop had its origins in Queensbridge. MC Shan has since gone on record as saying that was not his intent and that the record was simply intended as a celebration of the early days of Hip-Hop in Queens. Whether the perceived attack was intentional or not, a battle had been born and with the release of BDP’s ‘South Bronx’ that battle took on a hostile tone as the lyrics demonstrate: “So you think that hip-hop had its start out in Queensbridge, if you popped that junk up in the Bronx you might not live.”
Whilst BDP’s response was viewed at the time as an attempt to defend the Bronx as rightful owner of it’s claim to be Hip Hop’s birthplace, subsequent interviews with BDP’s KRS-One suggest there was more to the feud than met the eye. Prior to the release of ‘The Bridge’, KRS-One had approached Queens’ Juice Crew affiliate Mr Magic, seeking interest in his group ‘12:41’ (an earlier incarnation of BDP of which Scott La Rock was also a member). Magic had rejected the track causing some resentment between the two camps. Although arguably the original source of the feud, the absence of Magic’s approval did not prevent the group from forging a career and in the same year they released the single ‘Succe$ i$ the Word’ on Fresh Records.
1987 saw the battle escalate with Shan and Marley Marl responding with the track ‘Kill That Noise’ appearing on Shan’s ‘Down By Law’ LP, but the track was soon eclipsed by BDP’s lyrically bold ‘The Bridge Is Over’. Although arguably the strongest lyrical blow in the series of releases, the battle continued with Juice Crew member Roxanne Shante (also centrally involved in the Roxanne Wars) taking a shot at KRS-One in her track ‘Have A Nice Day’, ghostwritten by fellow Juice Crew member Big Daddy Kane. Shan’s ‘Juice Crew Law’ contained similar sentiment.
As with the Roxanne Wars, the popularity of the battle records prompted a number of artists not directly involved to step up and give their take on events. Philadelphia’s Cool C weighed in with ‘Juice Crew Dis’ and Queens MC Butchy B responded in his track ‘Go Magic’ / ‘Beatin Down KRS’, the former a promo cut for Queensbridge DJ Mr Magic. Queens duo DJ Rockwell Noel and the Poet further contributed to the feud with “Taking U Out’. The heat of the battle had certainly subsided by 1988 but that didn’t prevent BDP’s KRS-One making reference to it in both 1988’s ‘My Philosophy’ and 1990’s ‘Blackman In Effect’. Into the ‘90s vague references were made by a number of artists but the battle was in essence over. Putting matters beyond doubt was the release of the 2007 collaboration album between KRS-One and former Juice Crew producer Marley Marl entitled ‘Hip-Hop Lives’, officially putting the feud to bed and celebrating the legacy of one of Hip-Hop’s most important battles played out on wax.
1986 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1986, we have another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1986 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here.
1986 - Rap History Mix by Andre Langenfeld & DJ Scientist
Picking up where we left off before a brief hiatus for our latest product launch, we move on to the music of 1986. We kick off our 1986 coverage with a mix from Berlin’s Rap History crew, this time a one hour mix from Andre Langenfeld and DJ Scientist.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud and check out the tracklist here.
Classic Material x Normski x Foot Patrol launch party [Video]
A massive thank you to Jonny Griffiths for putting together this great VIDEO of the launch party we held last week for the Classic Material x Normski x Foot Patrol t-shirt collection. Thanks also to our DMC champ DJs Mr Thing and Matman for moving the crowd, our sponsor Red Stripe beer and everyone who came down, supported, bought t-shirts, partied and generally made it a night to remember!
The collection is available now exclusively from Foot Patrol.
Classic Material ‘Bonus Material’ CD teaser track
In advance of the Classic Material x Normski x Foot Patrol launch party tonight, we have added a little treat to Bandcamp, a teaser track (and instrumental) from the Classic Material ‘Bonus Material’ CD available exclusively from tonight’s launch party.
Listen and download from Bandcamp here.
Classic Material x Normski x Foot Patrol T-Shirt Collection 2012
We are pleased to release details of our latest project, a capsule range of 6 limited edition t-shirts in collaboration with UK streetstyle icon Normski and central London sneaker boutique Foot Patrol. Details on our launch event and availability coming later this week. Watch this space!
1984-1985 The Roxanne Wars
Released in 1984, UTFO’s ‘Roxanne Roxanne’, a song launching a verbal attack upon a fictional character who refused the advances of the group, was a surprise hit thanks largely to its frequent airplay on New York radio. In fact the b-side of UTFO’s single ‘Hanging Out’, the track triumphed over its a-side counterpart in popularity and unwittingly started one of hip hop’s first (and arguably most famous) battles to be played out on wax. Over the following year literally dozens of records would be released in what became known as the ‘Roxanne Wars’.
‘Roxanne Roxanne’ may have been limited to a hip hop footnote however were it not for Juice Crew affiliate Roxanne Shante (pictured) siezing the opportunity to capitalise on the popularity of UTFO’s original song with the Marley Marl produced ‘Roxanne’s Revenge’. Roxanne’s original profanity laden response was an instant hit. Rumoured to have sold of 250,000 copies in the New York area alone, the track used the instrumental version of UTFO’s original track as its backing. Following legal action from UTFO’s record label, the track was eventually re-released in early 1985 with a new Marley Marl produced instrumental replacing the original and profanities toned down.
Not prepared to let Shante have the last word on the matter, a third record in the series, UTFO and Full Force’s ‘The Real Roxanne’ was released later that year in response to Shante’s track. The role of the ‘Real Roxanne’ on the record was played by relative unknown Elease Jack although female rapper Adelaia Martinez later took on the moniker and enjoyed a successful recording career using the name including, most notably, the 1986 Howie Tee produced hit ‘Bang Zoom Let’s Go’.
What happened next, however could not have been predicted. Estimates vary, but over the following year anywhere between 30 and 100 follow up records were released by artists in most cases unconnected with the original call and response giving their stance on the Roxanne story or alternative fictional tales of Roxanne’s exploits. Some of the more notable releases are listed below:
Sparky D - Sparky’s Turn (Roxanne, You’re Through)
Dr Freshh - Roxanne’s Doctor The Real Man
Dr Rocx & Co - Do the Roxanne
Gigolo Tony & Lacey Lace - The Parents of Roxanne
Tanganyika - I’m Lil Roxanne
Crush Groove - Yo, My Little Sister (Roxanne’s Brothers)
DW and the Party Crew featuring Roxy - Rappin’ Roxy: Roxanne’s Sister
Ralph Rolle - Roxanne’s a Man (The Untold Story—Final Chapter)
The East Coast Crew - The Final Word: No More Roxanne (Please)
UTFO - Roxanne, Roxanne, Pt. 2: Calling Her a Crab
Roxanne Shanté - Queen of Rox
Roxanne Shanté and Sparky D - Round 1: Roxanne Shanté Vs. Sparky Dee
1985 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
Replacing our usual ‘notable releases’ section which appeared in the earlier sections of the blog, we give you a snapshot of 1985’s best loved single releases by borrowing a top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip’s book of Rap Lists:
1. Doug E Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew - The Show / La Di Da Di
2. Schoolly D - PSK / Gucci Time
3. LL Cool J - Rock The Bells
4. Run DMC - King of Rock
5. Marley Marl featuring MC Shan
6. LL Cool J - I Can’t Live Without My Radio
7. Mantronix featuring MC Tee - Fresh Is The Word
8. Whistle - (Nothing Serious) Just Buggin’
9. Cutmaster DC - Brooklyn’s In The House
10. Stetsasonic - Just Say Stet
11. Roxanne Shante - Bite This
12. Grandmaster Flash - Larry’s Dance Theme
13. The B Boys - Girls
14. The B Boys - Girls pt. 2
15. Roxanne Shante - Queen of Rox
16. Word of Mouth featuring Dj Cheese - King Kut
17. Boogie Boys - A Fly Girl
18. Toddy Tee - Batterram
19. Too Short - Girl
20. Kurtis Blow - If I Ruled The World
21. Run DMC - Together Forever (Krush Groove 4)
22. Bad Boys featuring K Love - Bad Boys
23. Hollis Crew - It’s The Beat
24. Beastie Boys - Rock Hard
25. Bad Boys featuring K Love - Veronica
26. Rockmaster Scott & The Dynamic Three - The Roof Is On Fire
27. DJ Hollywood - Hollywood’s World
28. Jazzy Jay - Def Jam / Cold Chillin
29. Super Nature - The Show Stoppa
30. Sparky D - Sparky’s Turn (Roxanne You’re Through)
31. Super Kids - The Tragedy (Don’t Do It)
32. Steady B featuring Roxanne Shante - Just Call Us Def / Fly Shante
33. LL Cool J - I Want You / Dangerous
34. Mantronix - Needle To The Groove
35. Craig G - Shout (Rap Version)
36. Force MDs - Itchin For A Scratch
37. Beastie Boys - She’s On It
38. Tricky Tee - Johnny The Fox
39. DJ Born Supreme Allah - 2, 3 Break (Part II - The Sequel)
40. Masterdon Committee - Funkbox 2
1985 - West Coast Electro Mix by DJ Friction
Following on from 1984 Electro mix that was posted a week or so back, we have another great mix of West Coast Electro from Germany’s DJ Friction, this time covering music from the year 1985.
Listen to the mix and check out the tracklist on Mixcloud here.
1985 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1985, we have another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1985 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here.
1985 - Rap History 1985 Mix by DJ Haitian Star
Moving on to 1985, we kick things off once again with a mix from Berlin’s Rap History crew, this time a one hour mix from Germany’s DJ Haitian Star.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud and check out the tracklist here.
1984 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
So far in the our chronology, we’ve posted a list of ‘Notable Releases’ for each year from 1979 through to 1983, which has been as complete a record of the releases for that year as we have been able to compile. As we hit the mid 80s the number of hip hop releases in any given year has grown to a size that makes that impractical so we’re going slim the annual list down to a “best of” and borrow from a reliable source, Ego Trip’s good old Book of Rap Lists. Here’s their top 40 rap singles of 1984:
1. T La Rock & Jazzy Jay - It’s Yours
2. LL Cool J - I Need A Beat
3. Run DMC - Rock Box
4. UTFO - Rock Box
5. Whodini - Friends / Five Minutes Of Funk
6. Roxanne Shante - Roxanne’s Revenge
7. Kurtis Blow - 8 Million Stories / AJ Skratch
8. Davy DMX - One For The Treble (Fresh)
9. Cold Crush Brothers - Fresh, Fly, Wild & Bold
10. The World Famous Supreme Team - Hey DJ
11. Whodini - Freaks Come Out At Night
12. Disco 3 - Fat Boys / Human Beat Box
13. Divine Sounds - What People Do For Money
14. Afrika Bambaataa & James Brown - Unity
15. Freddy B & The Mighty Mic Masters - The Main Event
16. Fat Boys - Jailhouse Rap
17. Newcleus - Jam On It
18. Grandmaster Melle Mel - Beat Street Breakdown
19. The Furious Five feat Cowboy, Grandmaster Melle Mel & Scorpio - Step Off
20. Kurtis Blow - Basketball
21. Grandmixer DST - Megamix II (Why Is It Fresh?)
22. Chuck Chillout - Hip Hop On Wax Volume 1
23. Kool DJ Red Alert - Hip Hop On Wax Volume 2
24. Fat Boys - Can You Feel It?
25. Donald D - Don’s Groove
26. Pumpkin & The Profile All-Stars - Here Comes The Beat!
27. Doug E Fresh featuring DJs Chill Will & Barry Bee - Just Having Fun
28. Doug E Fresh - Original Human Beat Box
29. Trecherous Three - Turning You On
30. Master OC & Krazy Eddie featuring Peso & Tito of the Fearless Four & Main Attraction - Masters of the Scratch
31. Dr Jeckyll & Mr Hyde - Fast Life / A.M P.M
32. Cutmaster DC - That’s Life
33. Captain Rock - Cosmic Blast
34. DJ Hollywood - Hollywood’s Message
35. Lovebug Starski - Starski Live at the Fever Pt II
36. Ultimate 3 MCs - What Are We Gonna Do?
37. Awesome Foursome - Funky Breakdown
38. Just Four - Games Of Life
39. Frederick “MC Count” Linton - I’m Somebody Else’s Guy
40. Masterdon Committee - Paid The Cost To Be The Boss
1984 - A Year in Rap
Produced with some assistance from Mr Wiggles of the Rock Steady Crew’s ‘Hip Hop Timeline’, here is a round up of some of the significant hip hop related events of 1984:- Classic Hip Hop movie ‘Beat Street’ is released, featuring appearances from legendary acts including Kool Herc, Treacherous 3, Doug E Fresh, Rock Steady Crew and New York City Breakers.
- Released in the same year was the more commercially orientated ‘Breakin’ (re-titled ‘Breakdance the Movie’ in the UK), a more Hollywood take on the breakdance phenomenon featuring an all West Coast line up which included breakers such as Boogaloo Shrimp and Poppin’ Pete plus a young Ice T who appears performing in the night club scene alongside West Coast Electro DJ Chris ‘The Glove’ Taylor. (Screenshot from the movie above)
- Both ‘Beat Street’ and ‘Breakin’ prompted world tours featuring the cast and dancers from the films, culminating in a breakdance battle featuring members of both tours at a Paris nightclub.
- DJ Cheese wins the New Music Seminar DJ battle in Philadelphia
- Photographers Henry Chalfant and Martha Cooper compile the seminal New York graffiti photo anthology “Subway Art”
- Although Chalfant and Cooper’s book is often credited as the first book to investigate the phenomenon of New York subway graffiti, earlier the same year Craig Castleman’s book “Getting Up” documented the inside story of the lives and activities of New York’s graffiti artists through a series of candid interviews.
- Run DMC release their self titled debut LP on the Profile label ushering in a new harder edged sound in contrast to the disco rap sound popularised by artists such as Kurtis Blow who released his ‘Ego Trip’ LP the same year.
- UTFO released the controversial single ‘Roxanne, Roxanne’ prompting a response from Juice Crew affiliate Roxanne Shante in the form of her 1984 single ‘Roxanne’s Revenge’.
- Dancers Boogaloo Shrimp, Shabadoo and Pop ‘n’ Taco appeared in the video for Chaka Khan’s hit single “I Feel For You”.
1984 - West Coast Electro Mix by DJ Friction
Whilst seeking out the 1984 mix from the Rap History series, I stumbled on this great mix of West Coast Electro / Electro Rap from the year 1984 put together a year or so ago by Stuttgart’s DJ Friction. It’s a very nicely executed mix that covers a side of the music from that year not really tocuhed on by the Rap History or Rub mixes.
You can listen to Friction’s 1984 Electro mix on Mixcloud here.
And to do a little catch up, Friction has another mix of similar West Coast material covering the years 1980-1983 which you can also listen to on Mixcloud here.
1984 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1984, we have another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1984 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here.
1984 - Rap History Mix by Dejoe
Moving on to 1984, we kick things off once again with a mix from Berlin’s Rap History crew, this time a one hour mix from Rap History resident Dejoe.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud, read what the compiler has to say about the mix and check out the tracklist here.
Classic Material Edition #1 Mixtape Part 1 (1979-1983)
So, as we complete the entries for 1983, it’s only right that we give you a quick reminder of the first of our Classic Material mixtapes before moving on to the events of 1984. With a cover graphic inspired by arguably the most influential label of hip hop’s disco era, Sugarhill Records, the mix covers a selection of disco rap’s better known cuts plus a few of the lesser heard for good measure.
Listen or download here.
1983 - Notable Releases
The most notable rap single releases of 1983 (alphabetical by name of artist):
10-Speed - Tour De France
4 Killer M.C.‘s - Killer Rap
Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force - Looking For The Perfect Beat
Airplay - Troy The Wonder Boy And Duck
All Ages - Ages Rap
B Beat Girls - Jungle Swing
B.E.B. - Hotdog
B+ - B-Beat Classic
B-Boys, The – Two, Three, Break
Bobby Stringer - The Sarge
Boo-Dah Bliss Crew - Pass The Boo-Dah
Break Machine - Street Dance
C.O.D. - In The Bottle
Canute - Amazing Mind
Captain Jones - Space Dawg
Captain Rapp - Bad Times (I Can’t Stand It)
Captain Rock - The Return Of Capt. Rock
CD III - Get Tough
Chapter Three - Smurf Trek
Chilltown - Rock The Beat
City Rappers Band - Sundden Move Syndrome
Clair - Ya Dog
Cosmic Touch - Nothing Ever Changes
Crash Crew - On The Radio
Crash Crew - We Are Known As Emcees (We Turn Party’s Out)
Cutmaster D.C. - That’s Life
Cybotron - Clear
Dark Star - Sexy Baby
Debbie Deb - When I Hear Music
Dimples D. - Sucker DJ’s (I Will Survive)
Disco 3 - Reality
Disco Daddy - Zodiac Rhymes
Disco Four - Throwdown
DJ Divine - Get Into The Mix
Donald Banks - Status Quo
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde - Gettin’ Money
Dynamite Two - Can’t Stop (Till I Reach The Top)
Fantasy Three - Biters In The City
Fantasy Three - It’s Your Rock
Farrari - Simon Says Dance
Felix & Jarvis - Jam The House
Freestyle - Summer Delight
Freestyle Express - Freestyle
Fresh 3 MC’s - Fresh
Funky Four - Feel It (The Mexican)
G.L.O.B.E. & Whiz Kid - Play That Beat Mr. D.J.
Garrett’s Crew - Nasty Rock
Gary Byrd & The G.B. Experience - The Crown
George Clinton - Nubian Nut
George Nooks & The Electrons - Computer Reggae
G-Five - Keep It On
G-Force Featuring Ronnie Gee & Captain Cee - Feel The Force
Glen Adams and D.J. Freeze - Chicken ScratchGrandmaster Caz & Chris Stein - Wild Style Theme
Grandmixer D. ST. - Crazy Cuts
Hashim - Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)
Herbie Hancock - Rockit
Home Boy And The C.O.L. - Money’s Funny Change Is Strange
Hurt ‘Em Bad And The SC Band - The Boxing Game
Ice “T” - The Coldest Rap
Interface - Robot Love
Jazzy Dee - Put It To The Test
Jenny Burton - Remember What You Like
Jimmy Spicer - Money (Dollar Bill Y’all)
Jonny Bankcheck - The Runaway
Ken ‘C’ - Get Outta My Face
Kevie Kev (Waterbed Kev) - All Night Long (Waterbed)
Kevin Fleetwood And The Cadillacs Of Sound - Sweat It Off
Kilowatt - Kil-O-Watt
Kinetic Force - Wait Take A Minute
Krome - Get On Up
Lambchops - Bus Stop
Lemon Lime - The Hollyweird Game
Leon Kittrell And Formula V - Killer Groove
Little Toni Marsh - Video Burnout
Magic Mike Crew - Magic Mike Theme
Maniacs - Sweet Ladies
Maurice Starr - Electric Funky Drummer
Maxine Dee & Dr. Jyve - Don’t Do That Rap
MC Connection - Burnin’ For Another Shot
Men At Play - Dr. Jam (In The Slam)
Monzie-D & Too Quick - Intelligence
Newcleus - Jam On Revenge
NJ 4 - How Many Girls You Got
Osé - Computer Funk
Otis Clay - Love Bandit
P.C. Crew - Get Fresh - Get Fresh (Break Dance)
Project Future - Ray-Gun-Omics
Rammellzee vs. K-Rob - Beat Bop
Rhythm Makers Ltd. - Party Rap
Rich Cason And The Galatic Orchestra - Year 2001 Boogie
Rickey G & The Everloving Five - To The Max
Robert Schröder - Space Detective
Rock Master Scott & The Dynamic 3 - It’s Life
Royal Cash - Radio Activity
Run-D.M.C. - Hard Time
Run-D.M.C. - It’s Like That / Sucker M.C.‘s
Shango - Shango Message
Sine - Rotation
Slingshot - You Shook Me All Night Long
Solo Sound - Chilly
South Bronx Movement - You’ve Got The Power To Get High On Yourself
Spoonie Gee - The Big Beat
Spyder C - Unity (In The Place To Be)
Starr’s Computer Band - Computer Rock Control
Steve Green - Video Reaction
Stockingcap - Wave Craze
Sugarhill Gang - The Word Is Out
Supa-Rap - Bills
Sweet G - Games People Play
Synergy - Project 5
Terry Lewis And Wildflower - The Peoples Message Take Two
The “P” Crew - Busy Body
The Art Of Noise - Into Battle
The B-Boys - Rock The House
The Beat Boys - Be Bop Rock
The Caution Crew - Rhythm Rock
The Caution Crew - Westside Storie
The Cold Crush Brothers - Punk Rock Rap
The Computer People Communicator - Talking And Scratching (For The People)
The Extra T’s - I Like It (Corn Flakes)
The Increadible T. H. Scratchers - Hip-Hop-Bommi-Bop
The Jazzie Ladies - Blowin’ Your Mind
The Jonzun Crew - Pack Jam (Look Out For The OVC)
The Micronawts - (I Can Do It…You Can Do It) Letzmurph Acrossdasurf
The Motor City Crew - Let’s Break
The Plainwrap Band - The Ghetto Bird
The Public - Win Jesse Win
The Radio Crew - Breakig And Entering
The Rake - Street Justice
The Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew
The Russell Brothers - The Party Scene
Tilt - Arkade Funk
Tim Greene & The Philly Four MC’s - Let’s Get Exotic
Time Zone - The Wildstyle
Tony Davis - Bootie Whip
Tranquilizing Preview / Tranquilizing 3 - Vote Like You Party / A Fact Of Life
Trans-Lux - Big Apple Noise
T-Ski Valley - Cut It Up
T-Ski Valley - The U.S.A. Is The Best
T-Ski Valley & Grand Groove Bunch - Never Let Go
Twilight 22 - Electric Kingdom
Twilight 22 - In The Spirit
Valerie Oliver - (GTM) Get The Money
Vericheri - Ultra-Sonic Breakdance
Verycheri - 69 Cancer Sign
Warp 9 - Beat Wave
West Street Mob - Break Dancin’ - Electric Boogie
Whodini - Rap Machine
Whodini - The Haunted House Of Rock
Wuf Ticket - The Key
Xena - On The Upside
X-Visitors - Hokey Pokey
X-Visitors - The Planet Doesn’t Mind
List produced with the assistance of Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists and Spitfire’s Hip Hop On Wax database.
For a comprehensive list of Rap and related releases from the year with label and release info, Rap History has a helpful database.
Diggers With Gratitude - Old School Rap (1979-1983)
This great poster has just been released by Diggers With Gratitude. Limited to just 100 copies and perfectly in keeping with our recent activities, it’s a must have item for anybody with a penchant for clean design and old school rap nerdery. More information from www.diggerswithgratitude.com
1983 - Club Flyers
Selection of club flyers from 1983 designed by Buddy Esquire, “King of the Flyer”. I particularly like the Pac Jam Record Co flyer “celebrating 10 years of hip hop”, which gives some indication of just how long New York had a coherent hip hop scene before the first hip hop records were released in 1979.
1983 - A Year in Rap
Produced with some assistance from Mr Wiggles of the Rock Steady Crew’s ‘Hip Hop Timeline’, here is a round up of some of the significant hip hop related events of 1983:- Revered jazz musician Herbie Hancock (pictured above) drafts in the DJ skills of Grandmixer DST to perform scratches on his hit single ‘Rockit’ taken from the album ‘Future Shock’.
- DJ Afirka Islam, son of hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa starts his own hip hop radio show on New York’s WHBI. The same year Afrika Islam wins the New Music Seminar DJ battle in Los Angeles.
- Hip Hop documentary Style Wars is aired on PBS in the USA. The film featured appearances from genuine figures from graffiti underground of the day including Mare 149, Skeme and Seen.
- Hip Hop spreads its influence further on the international stage with the ‘Wild Style’ tour taking the Cold Crush Four and Rock Steady Crew to Japan.
- Rock Steady Crew appear in the hit movie Flash Dance.
- Rock Steady Crew also appear in the video for Malcolm Mclaren’s Buffalo Gals single taken from the 1983 album ‘Duck Rock’.
- B-Boy crews also appeared in music videos for artists outside the hip hop fraterntity. The New York City Breakers appeared in the video for Gladys Knight and the Pips’ ‘Save the Overtime for Me’
- New York punk band the Beastie Boys release the first of their records to experiment with new recording technology and the hip hop sound. The A-side ‘Cookie Puss’ placed scratching and recorded phone calls over drum machine programming.
- Rammelzee & K Rob release the leftfield classic ‘Beat Bop’ produced by renowned New York artist Jean Michel Basquiat.
1983 - Rap History Mix by Roscow (Jazzanova) & DJ Runex
Yes, that’s right, another 1983 Rap History mixtape. This time, we have a great mix put together by Jazzanova’s Roscow and DJ Runex, tocuhing on boogie rap classics and a few related 80s soul joints from the likes of Mtume. Tastefully mixed in a style which, in their own words, pays tribute to the Latin Rascals.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud here.
1983 - The Rub History of Hip Hop Mix
Continuing with another mix documenting the music of 1983, we have another offering from New York’s Rub DJs.
Listen to their 1983 mix on Mixcloud here or download from the Rub blog here.
1983 - Rap History Mix by DJ Scientist
Moving on to 1983, we kick things off once again with a mix from Berlin’s Rap History crew, this time a half hour mix from DJ Scientist which he describes as “28 minutes about money and hard times”.
Listen to the mix on Mixcloud, read what the compiler has to say about the mix and check out the tracklist here.
1982 - Notable Releases
The most notable rap single releases of 1982 (alphabetical by name of artist):
Afrika Bambaataa & The Jazzy 5 - Jazzy Sensation (Remix)
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock
Ah-Boo - Jungle Pack Man
Aural Exciters - Chinese Rap
Azymuth - May I Have This Dance
Began Began - Computer Wars
Began Began - Stay In Touch
Blaze - We Come To Jam
Blowfly - Business Deal
Bon Rock & Cotton Candy - Junior Wants To Play
Bunny Wailer - Back To School
Busy Bee - Making Cash Money
Captain Rock - Cosmic Glide
Carver Area High School Seniors - Get Live ‘83
Cat Claw - Out In The Streets
Chris Thomas - Celebrity Funk
Cold Crush Brothers - Weekend
Connie Case - Get Down
Count Coolout - Touch The Rock (Rhythm Rap Rock Revival)
Cybotron - Cosmic Cars
D.J. Magic Ray And The Undefeated Three - Unity Rap
Disco Four - Country Rock And Rap
Disco Four - We’re At The Party
Disco Four - Whip Rap
Dizzy Heights - Christmas Rapping
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde - Jeckyll And Hyde Dance
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde - The Challenge
Drum Machine - Drum Machine
Dwayne Omarr - This Party’s Jam Packed
Edwin Birdsong - She’s Wrapped Too Tight (She’s A Button Buster)
Electrik Funk - On A Journey
Extra T’s - E.T. Boogie
Extrol (E.S.P.) - E.S.P.
Eye Beta Rock - Super Rock Body Shock
Fab 5 Freddy - Change The Beat
Falco - Der Kommissar (Rap’ That)
Felix & Jarvis - Flamethrower Rap
Funkmaster General - L.A L.A
Funky Four - Do You Want To Rock
Futura 2000 - The Escapades Of Futura 2000
G. & G. Rhytmn Section - Funkadelic Funk
G. & G. Rhytmn Section - Hankie Pankie Funk
Galaxxy - We Like To Party
Grand Master Flash - Flash To The Beat
Grand Wizard Theodore & The Fantastic Romatic Five - Can I Get A Soul Clapp
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message
Hurt ‘em Bad - N.B.A. Rap
Hurt ‘em Bad And The SC Band - Monday Night Football
Infinity And Grandmixer D.ST. - Grandmixer Cuts It Up!
Interboro Rhythm Team - Watch The Closing Doors
J. Griffin - Rock Attack
Jahneen - Gigolette
Jalil - Smirfathon U.S.A.
Jimmy Spicer - The Bubble Bunch
Just Four - Games Of Life
Just Four - Girls Of The World
Just Four - Jam To Remember
Kasso - Key West
Ken Lewis - Cosmic Cars
King Josey - Keep On Dancin’ (Rap All Night)
Kool D.J. A.J. - Ah, That’s The Joint
Kool Kyle - Getting Over
Kurtis Blow - Tough
Lavaba & E. Mallison - A Game Of Life
Lazerock - The Ballad Of Mr. T.
Les Love & The Love Kids - Let’s Get It On
Malcolm McLaren - Double Dutch
Malcolm McLaren And The World’s Famous Supreme Team - Buffalo Gals
Man Parrish - Hip Hop Be Bop (Remix)
Man Parrish - Hip Hop, Be Bop (Don’t Stop)
Man Parrish - Man Made
Masterdon Committee - Gonna’ Get You Hot
Maximus III - Rock It Out
MC Chocolate Star / The Professor - The Pop / Space Walking & Slow Walking
MC Romeo - Give A Little Bit To Ethiopia
MC Sweet - Jesus Christ
Melle Mel & Duke Bootee - Message II (Survival)
Mr. JC - School Days
Mr. Magic - 2001 Kazoo’s
Mr. Sweety G - We Want To Get Down
Nairobi - Funky Soul Makossa
Orbit - The Beat Goes On
P.L. - I Don’t Know What It Is
Phase 2 - The Roxy
Phoenix - Be Happy (Live, Love, Laugh)
Pieces Of A Dream - Mt. Airy Groove
Planet Patrol - Play At Your Own Risk
P-Man - Rock It Baby
Portable Patrol - Cop Bop
Pressure Drop - Rock The House (You’ll Never Be)
Q - The Voice Of “Q”
Quadrant Six - Body Mechanic
Radiänce - This Is A Party
Ramsey 2C-3D - Fly Guy And The Unemployed
Rappers Rapp Group - Rappers Rapp Theme
Reggie Griffin & Technofunk - Mirda Rock
Rich Little - President’s Rap
Ricky Clark - Flam
Ron Hunt – Spider
Ronnie Hudson & The Street People - West Coast Poplock
Ronnie Jones - Don’t Turn Around (The Kommissar)
Sandy Kerr - Thug Rock
Shock - Electrophonic Phunk
Silver Star - Eei Eei O
Soul-Sonic Force - Planet Rock (Adams Family Mix)
South Bronx - The Bottom Line
Spyder-D - Smerphies Dance
Sugarhill Gang - The Lover In You
Sunburst Band - Easton Assassin
Super 3 - When You’re Standing On The Top
The Computer People Communicators - Hey Party People
The Crash Crew - Breaking Bells (Take Me To The Mardi Gras)
The Evasions - Jocks Rap (The Passage)
The Fearless Four - It’s Magic
The Fearless Four - Rockin’ It
The Jonzun Crew - Pak Man (Look Out For The OVC)
The Masterdon Committee - Funkbox Party
The Murphys - Murphy’s Jive Law
The Packman - I’m The Packman (Eat Everything I Can)
The Sequence - Simon Says
The Smurfs - Smurf For What It’s Worth
The World Of Mazehe - Everybody What’s The Word
Tony Cook & The Party People - Do What You Wanna Do
Treacherous Three - Whip It
Tribe 2 - What I Like
Trigger Finger And The Space Cadets - Video Freak (Defent It)
T-Ski Valley - Big Stuff
T-Ski Valley - Catch The Beat
T-Ski Valley - Sexual Rapping
T-Ski Valley - The Jam Is On
Tyrone (Tystick) Brunson - Sticky Situation
Tyrone Brunson - The Smurf
Verticle Lines - Beach Boys
Warp 9 – Nunk
West Street Mob - Ooh Baby
Wham! - Wham Rap (Enjoy What You Do)
Whodini - Magic’s Wand
Wuf Ticket - Ya Mama
X-25 Band - Black Hole Bop
List produced with the assistance of Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists and Spitfire’s Hip Hop On Wax database.
For a comprehensive list of Rap and related releases from the year with label and release info, Rap History has a very comprehensive database.
Classic Material store offers!
Well, the Classic Material sale is now over and we are in full swing preparing for our new range in collaboration with Foot Patrol to be released this summer. In the meantime, however, we’re pleased to offer the last few tees in two of our most popular designs at the reduced price of £15. Limited sizes remain in very limited quantities so don’t sleep!
Grab an Edition #5 or Edition #6 t-shirt for just £15 plus postage from the online store here.
Final week of the Classic Material 25% online sale
Just a quick reminder that there is just one week left of our 25% Spring Sale. All items except photography prints are reduced by 25% until the end of February. That brings box sets down to £24, t-shirts to £18 and CDs to just £5. Take advantage while the deals remain by visiting www.classicmaterial.co.uk/shop (online store tab above).
Final week of the Classic Material exhibition
All good things must come to an end and the Classic Material exhibition at City Arts and Music Project is no exception. This week will be the final week that the exhibition is on display, so if you’ve not yet had a chance to check it out, take yourself along to the City Arts and Music Project for a look while you still have the chance. The work will be taken down on 28th of February so we’re extending an open invite to friends and anyone else who would like to come along to pop in for a beer or two on the evening of Monday 27th to say goodbye to the exhibit and also offer a few bargains on Classic Material products as a thanks for everyone’s support. Hope to see you there…
Classic Material’s Chris Read interviewed by Oliver Wang for Soul Sides
A week or so ago Classic Material’s Chris Read was fortunate enough to have been interviewed by renowned hip hop / funk / soul journalist and author Oliver Wang for his excellent Soul Sides website. If the name Oliver Wang is not familiar to you, then get familiar: he counts amongst his achievements material written for almost every major stateside hip hop publication (amongst them The Source, XXL, Vibe, Scratch and so on), is author of the aptly titled ‘Classic Material’ hip hop album guide and oversees the Soul Sides compilation series (cover art above). Oliver currently writes for publications including the LA Times and Wax Poetics not to mention being a doctor of ethnic studies and assistant professor of sociology at California State University.
Recent guests also to appear on Oliver’s ‘Side Bar’ podcast series include heavyweights such as PUTS’ Thes One, Quantic and soul legend Mike James Kirkland so we are pleased for Chris to be in such great company.
Listen to the interview here.
Classic Material Spring Sale - 25% off Boxsets, T-Shirts and CDs
We are pleased to announce our Spring Sale is now on, offering 25% off all boxsets, t-shirts and CDs. Visit the online store to take advantage of our generosity!
Classic Material Exhibition update: Normski prints for sale
First up we’re pleased to announce that the Classic Material exhibition at the City Arts and Music Project has been extended into February so if you’ve not been down to check out the work yet, there’s still plenty of time.We’re also very pleased to let you know that more of the work is now available to purchase online. Five prints by legendary UK street style photographer Normski are now available to purchase from the Classic Material online store. There are five prints in total, each printed on 200gsm matt stock, signed by the artist and embossed. Prints are priced at £50 each.
More about Normski:
Normski exploded onto the public stage in the early 90s as presenter of BBC2’s groundbreaking Def 2 and Dance Energy shows, broadcasting the under-represented elements of the UK’s dance music culture and black music as whole to a new audience.
For many years prior Normski had been documenting the rise of hip hop culture in the UK and UK club culture through photography. As a key figure on the UK’s early hip hop scene, Normski enjoyed unparalled access to rising stars of the home grown scene and touring acts from the US who appear in his own particular brand of portrait photography. Well known subjects appearing in Normski’s work include the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie and Public Enemy. In recent years, Normski’s photographic works have experienced a renaissance with high profile exhibitions at venues across the UK.
(Image: Big Daddy Kane, copyright Normski photography)
Classic Material Exhibition update: Mr Krum prints for sale
With about three weeks of the Classic Material exhibition left to run, it’s about time we let those of you unable to attend how you can get your hands on the work on show. One of our three exhibitors, Mr Krum, has set up an online store ‘Cold Rock Stuff’ where you can purchase each of the 4 prints on display in the show for the very reasonable price of £45, or a set of five (which includes a bonus print unavailable elsewhere) for the all in price of £150.
Visit the Cold Rock Stuff store.
More about Mr Krum:
Vinyl Veteran Mr Krum combines an in depth knowledge of music history with a passion for vinyl and the skills of seasoned designer to produce original works which draw influence from a variety of sources. Having recently applied his skills to record sleeve cover art for artists including DJ Format, The Simonsound and Soundsci, his work is currently in demand: Forthcoming releases for which Mr Krum has been enlisted to provide artwork include numerous members of New York’s hip hop underground royalty, amongst them the likes of Grap Luva, DJ Spinna feat Oxygen and Lord Finesse.
Mr Krum is exhibiting a collection of four 12″ x 12″ prints which combine a vinyl cover art aesthetic, obscure musical references and an irreverent sense of humour.
Visit Mr Krum’s blog.
Classic Material Exhibition at City Arts and Music Project (December 2011 - January 2012)
We interupt our somewhat eratic series of chronological blog posts to give you some information on the exhibition we currently have in residence at the City Arts and Music Project (70-74 City Road, London). Marking the end of our 14 month series of club night events, the exhibition curated by Chris Read and Nick Armitage displays the work of Classic Material designer John Brotherhood alongside a collection of 80s and 90s hip hop photography from UK street style icon Normski and the irreverant hip hop inspired design work of Mr Krum.
All work on display is for sale and priced at between £20 and £100 including limited edition prints and one offs. More information on the artists:
NORMSKI:
Normski exploded onto the public stage in the early 90s as presenter of BBC2’s groundbreaking Def 2 and Dance Energy shows, broadcasting the under-represented elements of the UK’s dance music culture and black music as whole to a new audience.
For many years prior Normski had been documenting the rise of hip hop culture in the UK and UK club culture through photography. As a key figure on the UK’s early hip hop scene, Normski enjoyed unparalled access to rising stars of the home grown scene and touring acts from the US who appear in his own particular brand of portrait photography. Well known subjects appearing in Normski’s work include the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie and Public Enemy. In recent years, Normski’s photographic works have experienced a renaissance with high profile exhibitions at venues across the UK.
Normski will be exhibiting a selection of his photographs dating from the late 80s and early 90s displayed on a variety of media alongside a collection of 5 limited edition prints.
JOHN BROTHERHOOD:
As a member of the WeLikeOurJob team, John Brotherhood is the man behind the majority of design work for Chris Read’s Music of Substance club night, website and mixtapes. With a shared passion for the design elements of hip hop’s history, John was a natural choice as Classic Material’s in house designer. Currently responsible for the runnings of London’s Foot Patrol sneaker emporium, John continues to be active as a deisgner.
John will be exhibiting a collection of 14 designs produced for the Classic Material series, each comprising a logo associated with a popular underground record label active during a year or era covered by one of the Classic Material events.
MR KRUM:
Vinyl Veteran Mr Krum combines an in depth knowledge of music history with a passion for vinyl and the skills of seasoned designer to produce original works which draw influence from a variety of sources. Having recently applied his skills to record sleeve cover art for artists including DJ Format, The Simonsound and Soundsci, his work is currently in demand: Forthcoming releases for which Mr Krum has been enlisted to provide artwork include numerous members of New York’s hip hop underground royalty, amongst them the likes of Grap Luva, DJ Spinna feat Oxygen and Lord Finesse.
Mr Krum will exhibiting a collection of four 12″ x 12″ prints which combine a vinyl cover art aesthetic, obscure musical references and an irreverent sense of humour.
The Rub - History of Hip Hop Mixes 1979 to 1982
So, a few years into documenting hip hop’s early years here on the Classic Material blog, it came to my attention that New York’s Rub DJs have just uploaded their Hip Hop History series onto Brooklyn Radio’s Mixcloud page so we thought we would do a little catch up and bring ourselves up to date with the first four editions. Links for each appear below and further editions in the chronology will appear as we progress through the years (although if you want to go off and do a bit of exploring yourself the later editions are not hard to find).
The Rub History of Hip Hop - 1979
Listen to 1979 mix on Mixcloud / Download 1979 mix from the Rub blog
The Rub History of Hip Hop - 1980
Listen to 1980 mix on Mixcloud / Download 1980 mix from the Rub blog
The Rub History of Hip Hop - 1981
Listen to 1981 mix on Mixcloud / Download 1981 mix from the Rub blog
The Rub History of Hip Hop - 1982
Listen to 1982 mix on Mixcloud / Download 1982 mix from the Rub blog
Enjoy…
1982 - Club Flyers
Selection of club flyers from 1982 designed by Buddy Esquire, “King of the Flyer”.
1982 - A Year In Rap
I have to confess that, despite best intentions to keep the blog part of this site up to date with events we’ve been promoting, it’s been a struggle to find the time. But, with an exhibition on the horizon (more details coming soon) and projects for next year looming I’m going to do my best to pu that right. So, I’m picking things up where I left off some months back and moving on to the events of 1982. Produced with some assistance from Mr Wiggles of the Rock Steady Crew’s ‘Hip Hop Timeline’, here is a round up of some of the significant hip hop related events of 1982:- US Television network ABC’s ‘20/20’ show produces an episode that investigates the new cultural phenomenon becoming known as ‘hip hop’ featuring Afrika Bambaataa (pictured above)
- Charlie Ahearn’s seminal movie ‘Wild Style’ is filmed and is heralded as a true and accurate representation of hip hop culture featuring key figures from the scene including Rock Steady Crew, Electric Force, Loose Bruce, Paulie Gee, Double Trouble, Cold Crush 4, Fantastic 5, Buzy Bee Starski, Lee, Pink, Daze, Crash and Zephyr.
- New York’s ‘Roxy Roller Rink’ on 18th Street becomes known as one of the greatest hip hop clubs of all time under the management of Kool Lady Blue, providing a place where the downtown club crowds mix with local punk scene.
- Hip hop spreads its wings with US acts touring overseas. The “New York City Rap Tour” featuring Afrika Bambaataa, Rock Steady Crew, Phase 2, Double Dutch Girls, Grand Mixer DST, Infinity Rappers, Fab 5 Freddy, Ramellzee, Futura 2000 and Dondi travels to Europe showcasing New York’s hip hop movement in all its forms.
- European hip hop movie ‘Breakout’ is filmed and features The Electric Company, Electric Force, Crash Crew, Debbie D, Wanda D, Grand Mixer DST and The Infinity Rappers.
- Kool Moe Dee triumphs over Buzy Bee in what goes down in hsitory as one of the most famous MC battles of all time.
- Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force record the Electro Funk classic ‘Planet Rock’ borrowing liberally from experimental European electronica artists Kraftwerk.
- Grand Mixer DST wins the New Music Seminar DJ battle.
- The first overseas issue of Print Magazine features New York graffiti artist Lee on its front cover and a includes a spread containing the photographs of Henry Chalfant of Subway Art fame showcasing the art of Dondi, Duro, Shy 147, Daze, Zephyr and Haze.
- Rock Steady Crew performs at the famous ‘Studio 54’ night club for the famed artist ‘Antonio Lopez’.
- Rock Steady Crew’s Poppin Squad ‘The Electric Company’ battles Double Trouble’s ‘Electric Force’ at Club Negril.
- Rock Steady Crew splits into two groups. One half goes on to film the famous scenes in the Movie Flash Dance. The other half film scenes for a movie ‘Portfolio’ which is ultimately shelved.
1982 - Rap History Mix by Marc Hype, DJ Scientist & Dejoe
Moving on to 1982, we kick things off again with a mix from Berlin’s Rap History crew. This installment has been put together by the club’s resident DJs, Marc Hype, Scientist and Dejoe. Check out the mix on Mixcloud.
1981 - Notable Releases
The most notable rap single releases of 1981 (alphabetical by artist name):Afrika Bambaataa & The Jazzy 5 - Jazzy Sensation
Black Super Man - Premium Black Super Man
Blondie - Rapture
Bo Kool - (Money) No Love
Bobby Deemo - Party Rap
Bobby Demo - More Ounce (Rap)
Bohannon - Let’s Start II Dance Again
Bon-Rock & The Rythem Rebellion - Searching Rap
Brothers Unique - School Daze
Bumble Bee Unltd. - The Bumble Bee Rap
Busy Bee - School Days
Capt. Crunch & The Funky Bunch - The Gigolo Groove
Captain Chameleon - Grab Them Cakes
Captain Sky - Station Brake
CatClaw & The Better Love Crew - The Golden Rule
Chatsworth & Burt - Preppy Rap (Do The Alligator)
Cholly Rock & Avenue B Boogie Band - Cash Money
Cotton Candy - Having Fun
Count Coolout - Rhythm Rap Rock
Debbie Harry - Backfired
Dennis Franks & The Liberty Bells - Eagles Battle Cry
Disco Daddy & Capt. Rapp - The Gigolo Rapp
Doctor Ice - Calling Doctor Ice
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde - Genius Rap
Eddie D - Adlib
Europ Express - Rapp Call You
Five Points - Equality
Flakes - Take It To The Max
Flame & The Dynamite Three - Work Your Body
Fly Guy - Fly Guy Rap
Funkapolitan - As The Time Goes By
Glory - Let’s Get Nice
Grand Master Chilly-T & Stevie G - Rock The Message Rap
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - It’s Nasty (Genius Of Love)
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Birthday Party
Junie - Rappin About Rappin
Juny Boom - Rules Of The Game
Kool Kyle (The Starchild) - It’s Rockin Time
Kurtis Blow - It’s Gettin’ Hot
Kurtis Blow - Starlife
Liaisons Dangerous - Los Ninos De Parque
Little Starsky - Dancin’ Party People
Lonnie Love - Young Ladies
Lovebug Starski & Harlem World Crew - Positive Life
Mike T - Do It Any Way You Wanna
Missy Dee & The Melody Crew - Missy Missy Dee
Mistafide - Equidity Funk
Motorcycle Mike - Super Rat
Mr. Sweety G - At The Place To Be
Pee Wee Mel And Barry B. - Life On The Planet Earth
Pookey Blow - Get Up (And Go To School)
Russ Mason - Prep Rap
Sangria - To The Beat Y’all
Sinister Two - Rock It, Don’t Stop It
Smash - Blue Jeans
Solo Sound - Get The Party Jumpin
South Bronx - The Big Throwdown
Spanish Fly & The Terrible Two - Spanglish
Spoonie Gee - Spoonie Is Back
Star Quality & Class - Betcha Got A Dude On The Side
Sugar Daddy - One More Time
Sugarhill Gang - Apache
Sweet G - A Heartbeat Rap
T.J. Swan - And You Know That
T.J. Swann & Peewee Mel & Barry B - Are You Ready
T.J. Swann & Peewee Mel And Swann Controllers - Maximus Party
T.J. Swann And Company - Get Fly
The Afternoon Delights - General Hospi-Tale
The Boogie Boys - Rappin’ Aint No Thing
The Crash Crew - We Want To Rock
The Disco Four - Do It, Do It
The Evasions - Wikka Wrap
The Furious Five Meets Sugarhill Gang - Showdown
The Master Rappers - Poverty
The Mean Machine - Disco Dream
The Reen-Machine - Rap-A-Reenie
The Sequence - Funky Sound (Tear The Roof Off)
The Treacherous Three - Put The Boogie In Your Body
Times Square - You’re Hot
Tom Tom Club - Wordy Rappinghood
Toney Rome - On The Radio
Treacherous Three - Feel The Heartbeat
Trouble Funk - Holly Rock
Universal Two - Dancing Heart
Vaughan Mason & Krush - Breakers Anthem
Vin Zee - Funky Bebop
Wayne & Charlie (The Rapping Dummy) - Check It Out
West Street Mob - Let’s Dance
Yella - Yella!!
List produced with the assistance of Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists and Spitfire’s Hip Hop On Wax database.
For a comprehensive list of Rap and related releases from the year with label and release info, Rap History has a very comprehensive 1981 database.
1981 - Club Flyers
Selection of club flyers from 1981 designed by Buddy Esquire, “King of the Flyer”.
Enjoy Records (1979 - 1981)
Whilst looking for something else the other day, I stumbled on an excellent article written by Kirk Degiorgio on the hip hop output of Bobby Robinson’s Enjoy Records label from 1979 to 1981. The article, which gives an overview of each of the labels 12 inch releases during those years is reproduced in its entirety below, but if you would like to read it from Kirk’s blog complete with label scans for each release, you can do so here.FUNKY FOUR PLUS ONE MORE - RAPPIN AND ROCKING THE HOUSE
Enjoy #6000 featured the North Bronx rap crew Funky Four Plus One More (Keith Keith, KK Rockwell, Lil’ Rodney C, Jazzy Jeff and female rapper Sha-Rock). The crew were also known as Bros. Disco - running a well-respected sound system named the Mighty Mighty Sasquatch fronted by DJ Breakout and DJ Baron. It’s a well known fact that the Sugar Hill Gang were hastily put together specifically by Sylvia Robinson to record “Rapper’s Delight” - they were not an established rap crew. “Rappin’ and Rocking The House” along with The Younger Generation’s “We Rap More Mellow” is therefore one of rap’s first authentic releases by a rap crew out in the field - running through routines they had performed on the Bronx block party scene. Drummer Erol “Pumpkin” Bedward (pictured above) and friends provided a typically funky backing track that ran for more than 16 minutes on the A-side.
GRANDMASTER FLASH AND THE FURIOUS FIVE - SUPERAPPIN’
Enjoy #6001 saw the second appearance of The Younger Generation on vinyl - this time under their regular name Furious Five, alongside their legendary Bronx DJ Grandmaster Flash. The uncredited Enjoy house band lay down another lengthy backing track - with the rhythm guitar playing the bass-lick from B-Boy classic “Seven Minutes Of Funk” - no doubt a Grandmaster Flash favourite. The Furious Five - Cowboy, Mr. Ness, Rahiem, Kid Creole and Melle Mel - go through their quick-fire routines and make this one of early rap’s most solid releases.
SPOONIE GEE AND THE TREACHEROUS THREE - LOVE RAP
Enjoy ER-6002 was the label’s first release of 1980. A double-A sided release “New Rap Language” b/w “Love Rap”, it featured both early rap pioneer Spoonie Gee - nephew of label owner Bobby Robinson - and the rap crew Treacherous Three (Special K, LA Sunshine and Kool Moe Dee). Again, this release has gone down as one of early rap’s most solid examples - especially the “speed-rapping” style displayed on “New Rap Language” which took rap skills to a new level and elevated the importance of “flow”. Pumpkin & Friends are once again credited, along with conga player Pooche Costello. The Spoonie Gee showcase “Love Rap” backed primarily by drums and percussion alone.
KOOL KYLE THE STARCHILD AND THE DISCO DOLLS - DO YOU LIKE THAT FUNKY BEAT
There is a gap in the catalog until Enjoy ER-6006, “Do You Like That Funky Beat”, by Kool Kyle The Starchild. Also credited are female backing vocalists the Disco Dolls and Ronnie Ron & Crew - presumably the backing musicians. This release has a significantly bigger, more sophisticated production sound - less ‘raw’ than the previous Enjoy releases, including the female sung chorus chant and disco syn-drums. The rapper Kool Kyle Brinson was originally part of an expanded Furious Seven with Grandmaster Flash and later released tracks on Frills and Profile Records.
THE TRACHEROUS THREE - THE BODY ROCK
Enjoy ER-6007 saw the return of The Treacherous Three with another purist rap track - this time Pumpkin credited alongside Damond and Jeff, laying down a slower slice of funk for their tight routines.
THE TREACHEROUS THREE - AT THE PARTY
Enjoy ER-6008, possibly cut at the same session as ER-6007 features an identical line up - this time augmented by female party effects and a lead synth line hinting at the opening melody of B-Boy classic “Daisy Lady” by 7th Wonder.
THE DISCO FOUR - MOVE TO THE GROOVE
ER-6009 and ER-6011 were 7 inch and 12 inch alternative edits of the Furious Five’s “Superrappin’”, possibly released after the outfit had moved to Sylvia Robinson’s Sugar Hill label. Sandwiched in between was ER-6010 “Move To The Groove” by The Disco Four - Mr Troy, Country, Kool Gee and Ronnie D plus Harmony - another solid group rap backed with a funky rhythm track and party effects.
DOCTOR ICE - CALLING DOCTOR ICE
ER-6012 was Enjoy’s first release of 1981 - a decent release with an original backing track, licensed by Virgin for the UK Rap Tracks compilation.
THE TRACHEROUS THREE - FEEL THE HEARTBEAT
ER-6013 was a rap version of the Taana Gardner hit on West End Records “Heartbeat” - which used a cover version with party effects as its backing track. “Heartbeat” is acknowledged in the intro and Kenton Nix - it’s original writer - is label credited.
KOOL KYLE - IT’S ROCKIN TIME
ER-6014 was Kool Kyle’s follow-up to “Do You Like That Funky Beat”. Pumpkin & Friends cook-up a backing groove based loosely on “Is It In” by Jimmy Bo Horne.
THE DISCO FOUR - DO IT DO IT / THE TREACHEROUS THREE - PUT THE BOOGIE IN YOUR BODY
ER-6015 & 6016 were 7 edits of earlier releases. ER-6017 and ER-6018 were both licensed by Virgin UK for the Rap Tracks compilation - solid releases by Disco Four and The Treacherous Three. “Do It, Do It” featured great brass hooks and quick-fire rap routines. “Put Your Boogie In Your Body” is a rap over a fierce slice of boogie with a keyboard bass-line and horn line echoing Parliament’s P. Funk classic “Flash Light”. These were the final rap releases of 1981 from the Enjoy label before they expanded into more R&B material and entered the electro era.
1981 - A Year In Rap
So, we move on to the events of 1981, produced with some assistance from Mr Wiggles of the Rock Steady Crew’s ‘Hip Hop Timeline’, here is a round up of some of the significant hip hop related events of 1981:- Punk / Rock group Blondie release “Rapture”, a track on which singer Debbie Harry raps, name-checking members of the New York hip hop community Fab 5 Freddy and Grand Master Flash (pictured above). Grandmaster Flash goes on to sample the record in his “Adventures of Flash on the Wheels of Steel”.
- Later the same year Grand Master Flash releases the seminal “Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel”, the first DJ led record of its kind.
- Funky Four plus One make their first national TV appearance on NBC’s Saturday Night Live
- DJ Whiz Kid wins the New Music Seminar DJ battle.
- Cold Crush 4 battle the Fantastic 5 at the Harlem World club. Fantastic 5 win the closely contested and controversial battle.
- On March 6th, “Flash vs Crash” takes place at the Audobon Ballroom, featuring the huge line up of DJ AJ, Afrika Bambaataa, Soul Sonic Force, Cosmic Force and Fantastic 5.
- NOC paints the famous “Style Wars” top to bottom whole car.
- The Fashion Moda gallery on 3rd Avenue in the Bronx runs exhibitions featuring the likes of Crash, Lee, Daze, Kel Shy 147 and others.
- Rock Steady Crew battle Dynamic Rockers at the Lincoln Center. The dance clash is covered by National Geographic.
- Locker / Popper “Cool Pockets” from the dance group Chain Reaction appears in the video for Rod Stewart’s “Young Turks” single.
1981 - Rap History Mix by Florian Keller
Sometimes, one year specific mix just isn’t enough, and that’s why Rap History Berlin’s counterparts in Munich have added to the Rap History series with their own selection of mixtapes. Rap History Munich’s Florian Keller has put together a solid selection 1981 disco rap, which you can check out on Mixcloud.
1981 - Rap History Mix by Scientist & Dejoe
So, we move on to the goings on of 1981. This time round we kick things off with Rap History Berlin’s latest mix, a rundown of rap and related funk from 1981. This edition is mixed by the Rap History residents, Scientist and Dejoe. Check out the mix on Mixcloud.
1980 - Notable Releases
The most notable rap single releases of 1980 (alphabetical by artist name):Afrika Bambaataa & The Cosmic Force / Harlem Underground Band - Zulu Nation Throw Down
Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force - Zulu Nation Throw Down Volume #2
Barry & Demo - Another One Bites Rap
Barry & Demo - Your Magic Rap
Black Bird & Kevski - On The Go
Blowfly - Blowfly’s Christmas Party / Blowfly’s New Year’s Party
Blowfly - Rapp Dirty
Blowfly - The Incredible Fulk
Bo Kool - (Money) No Love
Bobby & Demo - Do It Right (Rap)
Bobby / Demo - More Ounce Rap
Bobby Mann - Body Rockin’ Rap
Brother D with Collective Effort - Dib-Be-Dib-Be-Dize / How We Gonna Make The Black Nation Rise?
Casper - Groovy Ghost Show
CC Crew - CC Crew Rap
Community People - Education Wrap
Count Coolout - Rhythm Rap Rock
Danny Renee & The Charisma Crew - Space Rap
Denyce Flip Isaac - Be For Real
Disco Dave & The Force Of The 5 MC’s - High Power Rap
DJ Hollywood - Hollywood’s Message
DJ Hollywood - Shock, Shock The House
Don Covay - Badd Boy
Don Juan & K. Dog - Jammin’ On The One
Dr. Love & Sister Love - Doctor Love & Sister Love Rap
Dr. York - Roll-A-Rock
Family Four - Rap Attack
Frankie Smith - Double Dutch Bus
Frederick Davies & Lewis Anton - Astrology Rap
Funky Four Plus One More - That’s The Joint
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Freedom
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Super Rappin’ No.2
Harlem World Crew - Let’s Rock
Harlem World Crew - Rapper’s Convention
Ikim & Bacardi - Funk Rap
Jackie “Small” Cochran - Summer Fun
Jimmy Spicer - Adventures Of Super Rhyme (Rap)
Johnnie & Michael Hill - Party Night
King Monkey - Badd Mann Dann Rapp
King Tim III - Charley Says! (Roller Boogie Baby)
Kool Kyle The Starchild & The Disco Dolls - Do You Like That Funky Beat (Ahh Beat Beat)
Kurtis Blow - The Breaks
Land Of Hits Orchestra / Little Starsky - Gangster Rock
Lonnie Love - Young Ladies
M. Brathwaite & W. Carter - Father Goose
Margo’s Kool Out Crew - Death Rap
Master Jay - We Are People Too
Master Jay & Michael Dee - T.S.O.B.
Max ‘N Specs - Don’t Come Stoned And Don’t Tell Trude
MC Rock Lovely - One Time Two Time Blow Your Mind
Mr. B - Rapper - Dapper - B
Mr. Fox - Smooth Talk
Mr. Magic - Potential 1980
Mr. Magic - Rappin’ With Mr. Magic
Mr. Q - Coming Home
Naomi Peterson - Sweet Naomi Rap
Nice & Nasty 3 - The Ultimate Rap
Nuri - Let’s Vote
Otis Williams - I Love The Way You Love Me
Outlaw Four - Million Dollar Legs
Phil-Marilyn & Marilyn - Buggs-B-Skate
Prince Blackman - Rockers Delight
Rappermatical 5 - Party People
Rappermatical 5 - Party People (Remix)
Rickie Clark - Ladies Rights
Ronnie Gee - Raptivity
Ronnie Jones & Disco Circus - Let’s Do It Again / Cosmo Rap
Sharod - School’n (Put Your Mind To The Message)
She / Clappers Revue - Ms. DJ Rap It Up! / Rap It Up Dubwise
Sound On Sound - The Incredible Hump
Sound On Sound Productions - Season’s Greetings
Sound On Sound Productions - Tribute To The Greatness
South Bronx - The Big Throwdown
Spoonie Gee & The Treacherous Three - The New Rap Language / Love Rap
Spoonie Gee Meets The Sequence - Monster Jam
Spyder-D - Big Apple Rappin’ (National Rappin’ Anthem)
Spyder-D - Rollerskaterap / Spinnin’ Webs & Rappin’ Rhymes
Sugar Daddy - Another One Bites The Dust
Sugarhill Gang - 8th Wonder
Sugarhill Gang - Hot Hot Summer Day
Sula - Jungle Rap
Super 3 - Philosophy Rappin’ Spree
Super Wolf - Super Wolf Can Do It
Super-Jay - Santa’s Rap Party
Sweet G - Boogie Feelin’ Rap
Tanya Winley - Vicious Rap
Teen-Machine - Teen-Machine Rap
The Big Mouth Band - The Box
The Chill Factor - Keep On Trying
The Disco Four - Move To The Groove
The Jackson Two - Oh Yeah
The Jazzy Three - The Rappin’ Spree
The Love Rapper - The Lover’s Rapp
The Marvelous Three & The Younger Generation - Rappin’ All Over
The Sequence - And You Know That
The Unknown Rapper - Election 80 Rapp
Treacherous Three - At The Party
Treacherous Three - The Body Rock
Trickeration - Rap, Bounce, Rockskate / Western Gangster Town
Xanadu / Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - Sure Shot / Do The Dance
Zoot II - Dr. Ice Rap
(links are to official videos or live performances of the named tracks)
List produced with the assistance of Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists and Spitfire’s Hip Hop On Wax database.
For a comprehensive list of Rap and related releases from the year with label and release info, Rap History has a very comprehensive 1980 database.
1980 - Rap History Mix by Marc Hype
Another edition of Rap History Berlin’s mixtape series, this time focussing on the output of 1980 and mixed by former ITF champion Marc Hype and Andre Langenfeld. The mix takes in disco flavoured rap cuts from the likes of The Sequence, Super 3, Tanya Winley, Jazzy Three and many more - well worth an hour of your time! Check out the mix on Mixcloud.
1980 - Club Flyers
Selection of club flyers from 1980 for events at the legendary T Connection and the Ecstasy Garage Disco clubs in the Bronx designed by Buddy Esquire, “King of the Flyer”.
1980 - A Year In Rap
So, moving on to the events of 1980, produced with some assistance from Mr Wiggles of the Rock Steady Crew’s ‘Hip Hop Timeline’, here is a round up of some of the significant hip hop related events of 1980:- The number of commercially released rap records explodes with release statistics dwarfing those of 1979.
- The phenomenon of the rap album starts to take hold with long players from Blowfly, The Sequence and Kurtis Blow (pictured above) hitting the stores. (The Sugarhill Gang’s ‘Sugarhill’ was the only rap long player of 1979).
- Seen paints the famous “Hand of Doom” top to bottom whole car and Dondi paints “The Children of the Grave” top to bottom whole car, both later featured in the centre spread section of Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant’s seminal “Subway Art”, the first commercially available book to document graffiti art and culture. Dondi died of an AIDS related illness in 1998. The Dondi White Foundation, founded after his death, uses contributions made in Dondi’s memory to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.
- Fab 5 Freddy paints the pop-art influenced “Campbell’s Soup Cans” (as featured heavily in the work of Andy Warhol) top to bottom on the IRT line.
- Zapp releases the West Coast funk classic “More Bounce to the Ounce”, accepted by the West Coast poppers as a dance anthem and later heavily sampled in late 80s / early 90s hip hop.
- The New York Post reports the arrest of the High Times crew for B Boying in Washington Heights train station.
- Poppin Pete appears in the first music video to feature a break style dancer, Talking Heads’ ‘Crosseyed and Painless’.
- The popularity of hip hop events in commercial clubs rises. On Saturday November 15th, a jam takes place at New York’s Ecstasy Garage featuring one of hip hop’s biggest line ups; GW the Adore, Fantastic 5, Kool DJ AJ, Buzy Bee, Starski, Mean Gene, Gregski Mercedes Ladies, Fantasy 4, Erotic Disco Brothers and more.
- Another legendary jam takes place a month later: On December 19th, “A Slam Dunk Disco” features Sha Rock (of the Funky 4) vs Lil Bit (of Mean Machine) and Grandmaster Caz (of Cold Crush) vs Chief Rocker Starski and more.
1979 – The Birth Of Commercial Hip Hop?
It’s not unusual for someone to say to me in conversation “yeah, a lot of old hip hop was great, but it’s all so commercial these days”. It’s an understandable thing to say, but the truth is I’d rather tell the person why I think they’re wrong than politely nod and agree (which, being the easy option, I tend to do). I say that not so much because there is a wealth of creative and forward thinking hip hop still being released (although that is true), but more importantly because commercialism has been a fairly major aspect of hip hop more or less since the genre’s birth.
It’s not insignificant that hip hop’s first major hit, 1979’s “Rapper’s Delight” was performed by a group that was not, as some may have assumed at the time, a fixture of New York’s hip hop underground, but a group brought together by Sugarhill Records mastermind, Sylvia Robinson.
Sylvia Robinson (pictured above alongside Mickey Baker performing as 50s / 60s RnB duo “Mickey and Sylvia”), had experienced some success as a recording artist releasing the Bo Diddley penned hit “Love Is Strange” in 1957. Sylvia made her first moves into the publishing side of music in the late 60s, forming “All Platinum Records” with husband Joe Robinson in 1968.
Sylvia went on to have further success as a solo artist into the 70s, releasing the 1973 proto-disco cut “Pillow Talk”, a track originally written for but rejected by Al Green. With experience as both artist and publisher and a feel for what constituted a commercially viable club record, Sylvia was well placed to cash in on hip hop’s growing popularity and form the group that would have hip hop’s first hit, The Sugarhill Gang.
The rap phenomenon was quick to be adopted by mainstream culture with successful pop acts such as Blondie incorporating rap into their music as early as 1981. Throughout the 80s respected underground acts flirted with the more commercially accessible aspects of hip hop; LL Cool J attracted criticism from many of his peers following the release of his 1987 ‘love-rap’ hit ‘I Need Love’ although many artists included similarly styled tracks on their albums in subsequent years. Other artists looked to the club for commercial success with the hip hop / house music hybrid of ‘hip house’ starting to make an appearance on albums from credible artists including EPMDand Craig G in the late 80s.
Over the years that followed, commercialism in hip hop has taken on a number of different guises. In the late 80s and early 90s ‘pop rap’ acts such as Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer would appear in stark contrast to the genre’s more hardcore proponents, who largely dismissed their output as not truly constituting hip hop at all. It would be easy to assume that commercial hip hop of the late 80s and early 90s was limited to that with a pop gloss, but there was another side to the coin. Revered underground acts of the era including NWA and Ice T clearly saw that the controversy caused by subversive political opinions and explicit depictions of violence in their lyrics could be exploited commercially. Ice-T’s “Cop Killer” is arguably the most overt example of use of negative press to raise profile and ultimately sell records that the genre has ever seen. Miami’s 2 Live Crew used graphic sexual imagery to similar effect. Ironically, the ‘Parental Advisory’ stickers introduced by the U.S. in an attempt to partially censor such content became worn on album sleeves almost as badges of honour and authenticity, and arguably helped boost sales of those releases for which the censors deemed the sticker necessary.
In the mid to late 90s, commercial hip hop took on a new face when a host of artists saw the potential for mainstream success with a hybrid of hip hop and the emerging RnB sound of the day. Building on the foundations laid by the ‘New Jack Swing’ sound of the early 90s, pioneered by producer Teddy Riley, Bad Boy Records producer Sean Puffy Combs played no small part in shaping the RnB hip hop crossover sound of the mid to late 90s. It’s not without irony that some of this emerging cross over style’s most important records were recorded by one of ‘real’ hip hop’s most revered stars, Notorious B.I.G.
Beyond the year 2000, hip hop has become well and truly established in the mainstream with a very obvious divide between musical stylings of the multi-platinum selling mainstream artists and the independent underground. Many would say that the commercial material of this era is characterised by the focus of the lyrics on wealth and success, but this is nothing new: the pursuit of wealth, cars and of course ostentatious gold jewellery were all prominent themes in many classics from the 80s underground. The defining characteristic of commercial hip hop from the last decade has been, perhaps more than anything else, the production style, with a well produced studio sound and glossy finish being the staple of many mainstream hits that might otherwise have been relatively underground records, artists such as 50 Cent and Dr Dre being obvious examples.
As we enter a new decade, hip hop continues to splinter in countless directions with new sub-genres of both commercial and undergound sounds emerging all the time. Many artists have enjoyed commercial success with uncompromising albums, Common and Cee-Lo being good examples. Many artists pursuing a traditionally commercial sound remain unsigned. One thing is certain though; commercialism remains somewhere in the mix.
If there were ever a time when it could be said that hip hop was created entirely without commercial concern, then those days were before the release of the first rap record in 1979, but that’s not something to lament. Were it not for Sylvia’s eye for a commercial opportunity, hip hop (commercial or otherwise) might never have lived beyond the streets of New York.
1979 - Rap History Mix by DJ Scientist & Dejoe
In much the same style as our Classic Material events in London, Berlin’s Rap History crew have been running a monthly party documenting rap’s history year by year over the last couple of years. Sharing our passion for the classic moments in rap’s history we’ve exchanged opinions, mixes and DJ appearances over recent years. Here’s a mix put together by Rap History residents DJ Scientist and Dj Dejoe for their 1979 party, which takes in notable rap, funk and disco tracks from 1979 in a pretty raw, vinyl only cut up sort of style: Listen to the mix via Mixcloud.
And for those of you who would like to dig deeper still, more impressive is former ITF Champion, Marc Hype‘s Rap History ‘Prequel Mix’, a deftly executed cut up of well known pre-rap breakbeats which formed the backbone of early rap jams and were later popularised by compilation series such as Ultimate Breaks and Beats.
1979 - Notable Releases
The most notable rap single releases of 1979 (alphabetical by artist name):Bramsam - Move Your Body
David Lampell - I Ran Iran
Dr. Superman & Lady Sweet - Can You Do It (Superman)
Eddie Cheba - Lookin’ Good (Shake Your Body)
Family - Family Rap
Fatback - King Tim III (Personality Jock)
First Class - Rappin’ It Up
Funky Constellation - Street Talk (Madame Rapper)
Funky Four Plus One More - Rappin’ And Rocking The House
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Superappin’
Jazzy 4 MC’s - MC Rock
Jocko - Rhythm Talk
Joe Bataan - Rap-O Clap-O
Kurtis Blow - Christmas Rappin’
Lady B - To The Beat Y’All
Lady D / MC Tee - Lady D / Nu Sounds
Mr. Q - D.J. Style
Mr. Q - Ladies Delight
Mr. Q - Love & Time
Neil B / Brooklyn Express - Body Rock / Body Rock
P.J. LaBoy - Baya Latinos
Paulette Winley & Tanya Winley - Rhymin’ & Rappin’
Ron Hunt / Ronnie G & The SM Crew - Spiderap / A Corona Jam
Scoopy - Scoopy Rap
Sicle Cell & Rhapazooty - Rhapazooty In Blue
Solid C, Bobby D & Kool Drop - Wack Rap
Spoonin Gee - Spoonin Rap
Steve Gordon & The Kosher Five - Take My Rap…Please
Sugarhill Gang - Rapper’s Delight
The Sequence - Funk You Up
Troy Rainey - Tricky Tee Rap
Uno - Boogie Beat
Willie Wood & Willie Wood Crew - Willie Rap
Xanadu & Sweet Lady - Rapper’s Delight / Rocker’s Choice
Younger Generation - We Rap More Mellow
(links are to official videos or live performances of the named tracks)
List produced with the assistance of Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists and Spitfire’s Hip Hop On Wax database.
For a comprehensive list of Rap and related releases from the year with label and release info, Rap History has a very comprehensive 1979 database.
1979 - A Year In Rap
So, here we are entering the fourth month of the Classic Material series and things are in full swing. Of the three events we’ve held to date, all have been enormously fun, musically inspiring and each has been busier and more vibrant than the last. Our product range has been a great success with all 4 CDs now sold out and early box set editions now close to sold out. One place we’re yet to really get our game on though is the blog section of this site, but all that is about to change.We had hoped to use this space not only to post updates on our own activities but also to share other bits and pieces of interest relevant to the eras celebrated at our events. To date we’ve not done much of that so there’s a bit of catching up to do. So we’re starting in the obvious place - 1979, hip hop’s birth on wax. Produced with some assistance from Mr Wiggles of the Rock Steady Crew’s ‘Hip Hop Timeline’, here is a round up of some of the hip hop related events that made 1979 a landmark year in rap history:
- Grand Master Flash forms what is to become known as one of the greatest MC crews of all time, “Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five MCs” (pictured), consisting of Grand Master Flash (Joseph Saddler), Melle Mel (Melvin Glover), Kid Creole (Nathaniel Glover), Cowboy (Keith Wiggins), Raheim (Guy Williams) and Mr Ness AKA Scorpio (Eddie Morris).
- Label mastermind Sylvia Robinson forms Sugarhill Records and selects the line up for the label’s flagship rap act, The Sugrahill Gang. The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” becomes the first hit rap record, although there is later controversy over the source of the some of the lyrics in the song. Casanova Fly AKA Grand Master Caz (Curtis Fisher) of the legendary Cold Crush Brothers (who formed in 1978) lays claim to writing a portion of the lyrics in the song. He is generally accepted to be correct in his assertion although it has never been tested in the courts. Later the same year, The Sugarhill Gang release rap’s first full length album, the self titled ‘Sugarhill Gang’.
- Another of the Sugarhill label’s popular groups, “Funky Four Plus One More” is formed, consisting of KK Rockwell (Kevin Smith), Keith Keith (Keith Caesar), Lil Rodney Cee (Rodney Stone), Jazzy Jeff (Jeffrey Myree) and Sha Rock (Sharon Green). They later release the classic “That’s The Joint”. KK Rockwell and Rodney Cee go on to form “Double Trouble” who appear in the classic hip hop movie “Wildstyle”. Sha Rock also goes on to form a new act joining two other female rappers in the group “Us Girls” who appear in the movie “Beat Street”. Jazzy Jeff later has a legal battle with Jive Records over the use of his stage name following Jive’s signing of Philadelphia duo “Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince”.
- The Fatback Band’s “King Tim III (Personality Jock)” is the first record recorded by a non-rap group to feature a rap verse.
- Mr Magic’s “Disco Showcase” on New York’s WHBI station becomes the first radio show to showcase rap music, although his “Rap Attack” show (launched in 1981) is generally credited with being the first radio show to play exclusively rap. Mr Magic died in 2009, aged 53.
- The 15 year old Mark Bode, son of revered artist Vaughn Bode, starts work at a heavy metal magazine and continues his father’s work, a huge influence to many in the early graffiti scene.
- A young Crazy Legs (Robert Colon) and cousin Lenny Len battle Jimmy Dee and Jimmy Lee of the Rock Steady Crew (formed in 1977) for a chance to become members of the crew. They lose but are accepted into the crew nonetheless.