Tag Archives: rap

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: No One Can Do It Better, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

10 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

The D.O.C, No One Can Do It Better (1989)– This sounds to me like an encapsulation of 80s hip hop- it’s replete with the breaks, turntabilism, and hard rock samples of the new school, and the soul and funk samples and swing of new jack. It also exemplifies the hard-hitting gangsta rap sound of the eighties as it was turning to the G-funk gangster sound of the nineties, but with a substantive heft more reminiscent of Public Enemy. My initial impression on this is backed up by subsequent research- Tracy Lynn Curry, a.k.a. The DOC, came out of Houston’s Southern hip-hop scene, but became a collaborator with N.W.A. and even contributed lyrics to their debut album. They returned the favor here, Dr. Dre producing this album, multiple N.W.A. members contributing to various tracks, and Eazy-E putting it out on his fledgling record label. For good measure, one of the closing tracks of the album, “The Formula” is even credited as being the first G-funk single. Shortly after release, The D.O.C. would join Dre in becoming one of the co-founders of Death Row Records. All in all, a solid album that feels like the eighties turning into the nineties.

Ice Cube, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted (1990)- I think it’s no accident that this installment of the blog is feeling all kinds of liminal. With this album, we have a double milestone- it’s our 34th review, meaning we’ve now made it past one third through, and it’s the first album on the list from the nineties. After Ice Cube split from N.W.A. and their record label amidst various financial disputes, he worked with lyrics from Dr. Dre’s cousin Sir Jinx and production from Public Enemy’s Bomb Squad to make this solo debut. The album feels like it puts together the best of all these worlds- Ice Cube’s hard-hitting delivery, the humor of Southern California gangsta rap, the densely layered production of Public Enemy, and both N.W.A.’s and Public Enemy’s versions of social and political commentary. It also brings along Ice Cube’s considerable misogyny and revelry in scenes of violence. But it sounds consistently powerful and high quality, and dives full-force into its mission of rubbing America’s face in everything about rap in general and Ice Cube in particular that made it uncomfortable. That’s not a bad way for the genre to kick off the nineties!

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
  13. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)/Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown (1988)
  14. Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique (1989)/Big Daddy Kane- It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)
  15. De La Soul- 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)/EPMD- Unfinished Business (1989)
  16. Geto Boys- Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)/Kool G Rap & DJ Polo- Road To The Riches (1989)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: Grip It! On That Other Level, Road To The Riches

11 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

Geto Boys, Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)– My initial impression is that this album sounds like somebody put N.W.A., Public Enemy, and the 2 Live Crew in a blender. And I don’t mean that in a bad way! The best of all those groups is here- the driving force, g-funk groove, uncompromising politics, street narratives, and over the top raunchy sexuality. Another thing that’s notable is that this Houston group is the first Southern hip hop to make our list, and indeed one can already hear the distinctive dirty beats of the region. The sampling is varied and great as well, with soul, funk and 70s rock all being well-represented. One does get the sense that the different approaches here are fronted by different members though, and there’s a kind of incoherence of the sound as a result. On further research, this impression turns out to be correct- the CEO of Rap-a-Lot records was disappointed with the group’s debut album, and dismissed several members, while adding two local artists with solo aspirations (Scarface and Willie D) to the roster for their second album. I also found the extreme misogyny and graphic violence of some of the songs really hard to stomach. Sometimes it’s clearly tongue in cheek, but sometimes not so much. Nevertheless, the album/group influenced many future hip hop artists, and is often credited as the origin of the horrorcore sub-genre.

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, Road To The Riches (1989)- This Queens duo got their start as part of Marley Marl’s Juice Crew, and he produced this debut album by them as well. The opening track already features several of the notable features of this album- peak eighties heavy beats and scratching, swinging background samples, and rapid-fire delivery of its tales of crime and big success. While still feeling very much of the eighties, the album seems to anticipate the directions, musically and lyrically, that rap would take in the nineties. And indeed that is the reputation that landed it on this list. The opening track “Road to the Riches” is considered an influence on nineties gangster rap while another track “Men At Work” has been cited by the Roots as the track that got them started, and the album’s track “Poison” even got sampled by Bel Biv Devoe, which gives you some idea of the range on influence. I found it to be a solid listen that still holds up as a signpost of one era about to turn to another.

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
  13. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)/Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown (1988)
  14. Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique (1989)/Big Daddy Kane- It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)
  15. De La Soul- 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)/EPMD- Unfinished Business (1989)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: 3 Feet High and Rising, Unfinished Business

12 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)– Boogie Down Productions and Jungle Brothers may have gotten there first, but this album is the beginning of conscious hip hop as a recognized genre. It sounded different from everything else out there at the time, and it still does today with it’s sunny and widely varied samples, psychedelic production effects, relaxed beats and flow, and overflowing themes of whimsy, anti-materialism, and counter-cultural self expression. It even has a classic psychedelic concept album wrap around theme with the game show skit structure (and began the trend of comedic skits between tracks in hip hop). It would be enough if this Long Island group and producer Prince Paul had “merely” produced a ground-breaking album regarded as hip-hop’s psychedelic masterpiece. But even better, it remains a thoroughly joyous, rewarding, and in a way timeless, listen today.

EPMD, Unfinished Business (1989)- The follow-up to the Long Island duo’s 1988 Strictly Business reminds me of their earlier album with its funk and rock samples, driving flow, and spare metallic sound. The stripped down feel is likely no accident- whereas their debut album was produced by electro-funk driving-force Kurtis Mantronik, the group self-produced this second album. If this makes it a little rougher and more slap-dash feeling than their last album, I think I actually like it better for that!

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
  13. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)/Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown (1988)
  14. Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique (1989)/Big Daddy Kane- It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: Paul’s Boutique, It’s a Big Daddy Thing

13 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

Beastie Boys, Paul’s Boutique (1989)– There were two obvious paths open to the Beastie Boys for their sophomore album- make essentially the same kind of album as Licensed to Ill (safe and commercial goldmine) or revert to their roots and record something in a more punk vein (a departure, but one in their comfort zone). They picked a third option. Their desire to do something more serious and complex to shake their reputation as a joke act, joined with the densely layered sampling techniques of producers the Chemical Bros, resulted in a dizzying kaleidoscope of an album. Over 100 songs were sampled, with sources as diverse as the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, jazz, soul, and funk. The Boys added to this dynamic mix their signature three-part flow, and lyrics that augmented the beer-soaked braggadocio of their debut with more fantastical and surreal stories. It all adds up to a kind of hip hop psychedelic masterpiece. On a purely personal level, I recall being dismayed by this album as a teen, and not getting it. The commercial reaction of the time agreed with me, but the album’s critical reception and regard in the hip hop community were high at the time and have loomed larger over time. Which an older and perhaps wiser me agrees with!

Big Daddy Kane, It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)- For his sophomore album (apparently our theme for this post) Big Daddy Kane stepped in and joined his original producer Marley Marl to do much of the production himself. The product is bright and smooth, and I can certainly understand why it was popular. While I appreciate the positivity of the album, it feels rather pop bland to me. I had a similarly lukewarm response to his first album Long Live the Kane a few reviews back, so maybe Big Daddy Kane just isn’t my cup of tea. Sorry Kane!

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
  13. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)/Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown (1988)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, Critical Beatdown

14 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

Slick Rick, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)– The influence of Slick Rick in general, and this particular album, are undeniable. Born in the U.K. and raised in the Bronx, Slick Rick rose to fame for his work with Doug E. Fresh before going solo as the third artist signed to Def Jam. He’s renowned for his story-telling chops, which are on display here, and for his unique voice (which carries the UK influence). Somewhere between these factors he’s been sampled well over a thousand times by other hip hop artists, and artists as diverse from each other as Busta Rhymes, Kool Moe Dee, and Nas have cited this album as a favorite. Listening to it, I can get on board with that- it is vintage hip hop in the Def Jam style of the era, and swings with the swagger and ego of the best MCs while also deflating the tropes of the scene with Slick Rick’s humor.

Ultramagnetic MCs, Critical Beatdown (1988)- You may have noticed that this album is our ninth entry in the series from 1988. That’s no accident, that was a peak year in innovation from hip hop’s golden age, and many of the albums issued that year have influenced everything that came after. Critical Beatdown is no exception. The production work of member Ced-Gee, already a great under-recognized contributor to the sounds of Boogie Down Productions and Eric B. & Rakim, included an unusual range of samples and innovative sampling re-arrangement techniques that immediately influenced Public Enemy and gangsta rap, and have continued to echo down since then. Beyond the sonic joy, the rapid flow of the vocals and sometimes surreal lyrics really caught my attention as well. I can see why this got on so many lists!

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: Straight Outta Compton, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

15 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded songs not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

N.W.A, Straight Outta Compton (1988)– With this installment, we’re a quarter of the way through with the review, and both entries here are all kind of momentous. Though there were earlier examples (like Boogie Down Productions first album) this album is without a doubt the cornerstone of gangsta rap, and the beginnings of real influence for the L.A. rap scene. It’s also a new high point for furiously political hip hop. And a messy contradiction- the album criticizes the system, but also revels in the violence on the street, is full of messages of uplifiting pride, and also truly awful misogyny. But the mess is never inauthentic, backing up the group’s contention that they were doing “reality rap”. Other things that stand out to me listening to it now are the often surprising lightness and humor of the mix and lyrics, the early rumblings of the g-funk style of Dr. Dre, and also an appreciation for how great a producer Eazy-E was despite Dre’s subsequent ascendance. Every which way, the influence of this album looms large, even more remarkably given that it was recorded in six weeks for just $12 thousand.

Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)- If Straight Outta Compton was noteworthy for its explicitly political stance, this album, and indeed the entire career of Public Enemy, is what really makes it clear that hip hop had matured into a fearsome engine of social criticism by 1988. And musically, lyrically, and vocally “fearsome” remains a good description. The density of the mix, heavy metallic drive of the musical and vocal flow, and the clarity of intelligent fury in the lyrics all work perfectly together. All of this is no accident- the group specifically set out to make a hip hop equivalent to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, they were looking for a higher tempo that would better suit their live shows than their debut album, and producer Hank Shocklee developed a sample-dense “wall of noise” production style. In many ways, this album and N.W.A’s were, and remain, more rock than any rock of the era was. One other thing these two albums have in common is that they went platinum and rose in the charts with almost no radio airplay. Explicit lyrics? Or explicit challenge to America’s systemic racism?

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: Follow the Leader, Straight Out the Jungle

16 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded songs not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a two month hiatus on blogging. It’s probably now unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

Eric B. & Rakim, Follow the Leader (1988)– Oh I like this! It feels like it combines both the heavy beats and aggressive scratching of the hardcore rap style of the mid-80s and the funk and soul samples, relaxed delivery, and more complex mixing of the new jack style of the late 80s. The duo produced and arranged it themselves, with live instruments from Rakim’s brother and some ghost production by Queen Latifah collaborator the 45 King. It was widely lauded at the time and is still well-regarded today. Which I think it richly deserves!

Jungle Brothers, Straight Out the Jungle (1988)- This is the first album in this review where I hear the specifically Afrocentric themes (and samples!) that would become emblematic of conscious hip hop in the 90s. It’s beautifully conversant with past music on the political wavelength, from Marvin Gaye to Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message”, full of positive lyrics on racial uplift, and has a lively mix that is almost psychedelic in its variety. That was my initial take, and indeed it turns out this New York trio (also known for bringing in jazz and house music influences) were the founders of the Native Tongues collective, which later featured such artists as De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, and Black Sheep. So this album genuinely is foundational to conscious hip hop, and given how much I loved that sub-genre in the 90s, it’s no surprise that I love this!

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. 8th Wonder (1981)/The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. King of Rock (1985)/Radio (1985)
  7. Licensed to Ill (1986)/Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Criminal Minded (1987)/Paid in Full (1987)
  9. Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. By All Means Necessary (1988)/Strictly Business (1988)

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: By All Means Necessary, Strictly Business

17 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded songs not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a two month hiatus on blogging. It’s probably now unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

Boogie Down Productions, By All Means Necessary (1988)– While their previous album, Criminal Minded, is widely seen as the birth of gangster rap, this album is often seen as the birth of politically conscious rap. This is no accident, or a mere marketing stance. Following the violent death of his Boogie Down Productions partner Scott La Rock in 1987, KRS-One radically changed his approach, developing the identity of “The Teacher” and calling out the ills that beset Black America while urging for their transformation. From the opening statement “My Philosophy”, to the bruising Deep Purple sample on the second track, to the urgent call to “Stop the Violence” on the third track, the meaning and power don’t let up. Along the way, the mix is stripped down and hard-hitting, the flow both furious and full of humorous charisma, and the lyrical content sharp. I’m fully on board with this album’s reputation as a classic!

EPMD, Strictly Business (1988)- Not having been very familiar with EPMD previously, I’m immediately struck by the smooth flow, and the inventiveness of the musical mix, which makes excellent use of funk samples (and even Eric Clapton and Steve Miller!). This definitely feels like peak 80s golden age. It may not have the kind of substance and heft of Boogie Down Production’s album, but it’s definitely still a solid and fun listen.

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. 8th Wonder (1981)/The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. King of Rock (1985)/Radio (1985)
  7. Licensed to Ill (1986)/Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Criminal Minded (1987)/Paid in Full (1987)
  9. Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Long Live the Kane (1988)

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: Bigger and Deffer, Long Live the Kane

18 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded songs not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a two month hiatus on blogging. It’s probably now unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

LL Cool J, Bigger and Deffer (1987)– Let me give credit where credit is due: LL Cool J’s second album is harder, more rocking, has more inventive mixes, and more complex lyrics that his first. In other words, it’s the sound of an artist reaching for something beyond their debut on their sophomore album, and succeeding. The album did well by him too- it remains well-regarded to this day, and in its own day was the fourth rap album ever to go platinum. For me personally, it doesn’t have the charm or originality of Radio, but then again that remains one of my favorite albums ever. I think Bigger and Deffer has done well enough that he’ll forgive me for the review.

Big Daddy Kane, Long Live the Kane (1988)- This is kind of peak 80s on pop radio friendly hip hop. It’s got the braggadocio and attitude, but pitched at PG for mass consumption. Which isn’t to say there are traces of conscious and political themes, but even they are streamlined and neutered. The mix too is very consciously compatible with 80s R&B. If it sounds like I’m damning with faint praise, well it’s true the sound isn’t a lot to my taste. That, ironically, may have to do with it’s success though- with producer Marley Marl, Kane put out a sound that featured classic soul samples in a way that presaged the 90s, his fast vocal flow was very influential, and even the very songs from this album have been extensively sampled by others. So if I feel like maybe I’ve heard this before, I heard it from things that came out after, and because of, this album.

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. 8th Wonder (1981)/The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. King of Rock (1985)/Radio (1985)
  7. Licensed to Ill (1986)/Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Criminal Minded (1987)/Paid in Full (1987)

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: Criminal Minded, Paid in Full

19 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded songs not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a two month hiatus on blogging. It’s probably now unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

Boogie Down Productions, Criminal Minded (1987)– One common take on this album is that it’s the first “gangster rap” album, i.e. something steeped in the more violent side of inner city reality (the South Bronx in their case). The other common take is that after the untimely death of group member Scott La Rock while trying to defuse a violent situation, KRS One took the group in a more conscious direction in his identity as “The Teacher”. That may be, but there’s plenty of social consciousness, and crackling furious teaching going on here. The other thing that stands out for me on the mix side is how solid a “hardcore rap” vintage mid-80s sound it is, and how it’s one of the first albums we’ve come across to mix in the “ragamuffin” reggae style as well, which became a staple for many acts later in the 80s. All in all, a sterling outing.

Eric B. & Rakim Paid in Full (1987)- If the previous album was perhaps the birth of Gangster Rap, this one is an early exemplar of the swinging and relaxed “New Jack” style. When DJ Eric B. put out an ad looking for “New York’s top MC” and was answered by Long Island native Rakim, it was a serendipitous pairing. Rakim brought a lyrical complexity, relaxed vocal flow and complex rhyming schemes unlike the hard hitting rhymes that were in style, influence of jazz, and the empowering message of the Five Percent movement. Even more impressive given that it was recorded in a week, Paid in Full was an influential album for several generations of hip-hop to follow. Listening to it now, I can see why!

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. 8th Wonder (1981)/The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. King of Rock (1985)/Radio (1985)
  7. Licensed to Ill (1986)/Raising Hell (1986)