Sometimes being from the East coast i tend to be bias when talking about the best classic hip hop artists or albums, and it comes from staying close to what i already know, but i want to point out there were many classic hip hop albums that were poppin' in the rest of Amerikkka. take a look at some of these that i found from blogger Tish the Scorpion and let me know what you think :
Ice-T
O.G. Original Gangster (1991)
The album that solidified ice-t in the mainstream, ice-t's music had perceptive of social analysis, chilling violence, psychological storytelling, hair-trigger rage, pleas for solutions to ghetto misery, cautionary morality tales, and cheerfully crude humor. the song "New Jack Hustler" is also a perceptive linkage between the United States' capitalist, materialist values and the drug-pushing, murder, and gang warfare that runs rampant in its inner cities..even though the song dwells heavily on the power, money, and women that come with a gangster lifestyle, it's anything but an unrepentant celebration. Instead, Ice-T uses them to illustrate the view of crime as the easiest, most effective, and perhaps even only way for many poor urban blacks to get those things.
N.W.A
Efil4zaggin (1991)
Ice cube was the social consciousness of this group, but once he left the "street knowledge left with him. all that remained was nightmarish gangsta rap on Niggaz4life.
Ice Cube
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990)
Ice cube at his blistering finest, Much like Ice T', Ice Cube's 1990 debut album "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted" sent waves of fear into the mainstream of White America.
Geto Boys
We Can't Be Stopped (1991)
Great album,and great psychological nightmarish rap song. geto boys broke out with this album and could be considered the first major down south album ever released. essentially more or less the NWA of the south. The Geto Boys earned notoriety for its hardcore lyrics which included horror movie styled violence, psychotic experiences, necrophilia, and misogyny. Despite the explicit content of their songs, critic Alex Henderson argues that the group "comes across as much more heartfelt than the numerous gangsta rap...wannabes who jumped on the gangsta bandwagon in the early ’90s". this is most likely due to the fact that the sociopolitical commentary that was hidden underneath all of the carnage and rampage made the group seem more than just a violent rap group. The album cover is a graphic picture of member Bushwick Bill in the hospital after he shot himself in the eye after his girlfriend refused to shoot him. The event is unfolded in detail in the song "Ever So Clear" from Bushwick's 1992 solo debut Little Big Man. but the stand out tracks for this album are : Mind Playing Tricks on Me, which is about the paranoia of street life. and just ghetto life, Ain't With Being Broke, and We Can't Be Stopped.
Ice Cube
Death Certificate (1991)
Ice Cube was always at his best when describing the social/urban conditions existing in America with controversial rap songs like black Korea. he also gives a scathing indictment of the black upper middle class in the still relevant and powerful track "true to the game". the track talks about how SOME affluent blacks try extremely hard to be accepted in the white upper crust, only for them to get dismissed.. it is highlighted in this verse "you wanna be like jack, but jack is calling you a nigger behind your back".....damn lol
Yo-Yo
Make Way for the Motherlode (1991)
You can't play with my yo-yo was the female anthem of 91 (well at least one of them). either way great debut album. look out for the great guest appearance by her protege' ice cube.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
E. 1999 Eternal (1995)
This is probably one of the most underrated rap albums in hip hop history like most of their albums during the 90's) . think of it as a rap version of pink floyds dark side of the moon album. this album doesn't sound dated at all,it still sounds fresh even to this day. with its contradictory subject matter of the occult,and god. and its contradictory mix of harmony, dark horror-esque gangsta rap, sing song doo-wop hybrid, and high speed rhymes that shoot out like a 50 cal machine gun.
the album starts off with its trade mark introduction of a menacing and ominous disembodied voice introducing the five rappers,over the backdrop of a old bone song playing backwards which adds to the dreaded hauntingly beautiful atmosphere of the album. then the rest of the album follows.The song "Mr Ouija" has the group chanting a nursery rhyme like tune asking the Ouija board to tell them their future, and asking it will they die of murder,a bloody murder. all the while distorted demonic vocal are heard in the background foretelling their doom.
it has this dark Gothic melodic,consistent atmosphere for the whole album,each song flowing into the next like water.the album is like one very dark long song. with a hauntingly beautiful song tha crossroads (both versions are nice). this album sky rocketed to the top of the charts.but even to this day its sill a underrated classic. along with its predecessor these 2 cd's stylistically and delivery wise blew all other gangsta rap albums out of the water in the 90's....i stopped listening to doggystyle,the chronic,me against the world and all eyez on me because of those cd's. Eternal specifically sounds good today as it did in 95.
Arrested Development
3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life of... (1992)
No matter what region your from this southern album felt like home with its soothing blend of soul and alt hip-hop.... with beautiful tracks like Tennessee that spoke of reclaiming Southern black traditions from the racism that sullied their memory (which has a hauntingly beautiful vocal solo by Dionne Farris). people everyday is a great feel good track that talks about well.......everyday people, and black pride anthem and intelligent protest against violence.. Fishin' 4 Religion is a scathing critical look at black organized religion.also "Mr. Wendal" is a very touching commentary on homelessness, the album concludes on a high note with the spiritual poem Washed Away. What a great album, so original in sound and uplifting in spirit! It encompasses a stunning variety of styles.
UGK
Too Hard to Swallow (1992)
When people hear the outstanding "pocket full of stones", people was wondering who was that west coast rap group.shockingly these guys are from Texas. the legendary duo consists of the late pimp-c,and bun-b. the album is layered with live wah wah guitar instruments in addition to samples. the album also produced the single "Something Good."
Above the Law
Livin' Like Hustlers (1990)
Before the legendary bone thugs-n-harmony ruthless records had Above the law. The debut album of Cold 187um aka Big Hutch, KMG, Total Kaos, and Go Mack is a true gangsta rap classic in the same vein as Straight Outta Compton, Rhyme Pays, and It's a Compton Thang. stand out track is the song "murda rap" which has a sick as hell beat.
Dr. Dre
The Chronic (1992)
Dr. Dre was disenfranchised with eazy-e and ruthless records,and went to form his own label with suge knight called death row records and dropped this beast of a album. and you wasn't shit if you didn't have this album. every body here on the west coast and presumably the rest of the western world was bumping this out of their tricked out lowriders. its laid back smooth g-funk production just melted out of your speakers. not to mention let me ride is probably the best cruisin song ever recorded!!
Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
(1992)
Alternative rap just didn't come from the east it also came from the
south and even the west coast..pharcyde's debut showed the diversity among west
coast rap music. the song "Passin' Me By" which is an ode to hopeless
crushes on unattainable women became another hip-hop classic.
paris was like chuck d fused with pre-death row 2pac and early 90's ice cube. Paris is one of the many hip-hip artist from the early 1990's that didn't get alot of airplay, and mainly sold records on word of mouth. the reality of it is this....the album is straight realness. not since immortal technique have the world seen a rapper of this caliber. the devil made me do it is arguably his best material.
The outstanding debut record from ATL natives Outkast. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was one of the best southern rap records released at the time. the album's multi syllable title sums up the vibe and experience of this whole album. production here is solely done by Organized noize. with their earthy soulful funky and sonic productions they crafted a masterpiece (one of many to come). The funky Player's ball just flows out of your speaker, then theres the thought provoking "Git Up, Git Out" with it's very deep soul searching lyrics.
The best and most popular French rapper, MC Solaar found success in America among fans of acid jazz and jazz-rap (if not the larger hip-hop community). The debut disc from MC Solaar is a clear signal that quality hip-hop can exist outside the U.S. and the English language barriers. Most of his lyrics read as "I'm the man" MC boasts and shout-outs to the Paris hip-hop crew, but the French rapper has superb flow and a masterful producer in Jimmy Jay, an absolute natural when it comes to creating sonic pastiches/collages to fit the lyrics. It's French hip-hop and therefore a softer, gentler sound with the music more on the acid jazz tip to match the rhythm and flavor of Solaar's native tongue. Translate his lyrics and be prepared to be blown away. Notable tracks are: Caroline, Bouge de là and Victime de la mode.
For awhile the south was over looked when it came to substantive hip-hop. But that all started to change with the emergence of rappers like Arrested Development, Outkast and Scarface's solo work. Before then it was mostly Miami bass, of course UGK, Geto Boys and 8Ball & MJG was out there too. Atlanta established itself as the home of intelligent, progressive Southern hip-hop. Despite some excellent predecessors, Goodie Mob's debut album, Soul Food, is arguably the city's first true classic, building on the social conscience of Arrested Development and the street smarts and distinctive production of OutKast. Notable tracks are: "Cell Therapy", "Guess Who", "Soul Food" (my fav song).
DJ Qbert is an Filipino-American Turntablist and composer. He is often referred to as the Jimi Hendrix of the turntables, known to make them sing in complex and subtle ways. He invented the first musical annotation system for scratching, battling and composing on vinyl. This is basically an album where all he does is scratch the hell out of records.
Besides UGK's "hard to swallow" this
album was THE best southern rap cd at the time. the album has a very strong
down south west coast g-funk fusion sound. which is because the suave house
producers are originally from the west coast. this album is probably better
known for the track "Mr. Big"
93 'Til Infinity (1993)
Like pharcyde, this is a west coast rap group that showed the media theres more
to west coast hip-hop than gangsta rap. and they succeeded with 93 'til
Infinity.
Mr. Scarface Is Back is the solo debut from Geto
Boys member Scarface. This album, along with the Geto Boys We Can't Be Stopped,
is credited with playing a major part in popularizing Southern Hip Hop music in
the 1990's. The album featured popular songs like "Mr. Scarface",
"Born Killer", "Diary Of A Madman" and "A Minute To
Pray & A Second To Die". the comedian Chris rock can sum this cd up
better than i can as he said:
"Everything Biggie did, everything 'Pac did, everything Jay-Z does was originally done on the first Scarface album. Biggie kills himself at the end of his first record; well, Scarface did it three years earlier. He was the first guy to do his rhymes in the first person about robbing people and drug dealing; he was the first guy to really talk about being depressed and being institutionalized, and how his mama is scared of him. He is the most underrated rapper of all time and absolutely in the top three. You cannot get to four without mentioning Scarface. Any rapper knows that."
CMW came in on the tail of NWA, another CPT
based group. but make no mistake CMW's "It's A Compton Thang" has its
own signature style which is somewhat gloomier,and slower production wise then
"Straight outta Compton" is. NWA, was more g-funk driven. CMW was
more soul sample driven.and mc eiht's delivery just blends with the
dreary smoothed out soul samples.
CMW came in on the tail of NWA, another CPT based group. but make no mistake CMW's "It's A Compton Thang" has its own signature style which is somewhat gloomier,and slower production wise then "Straight outta Compton" is. NWA, was more g-funk driven. CMW was more soul sample driven.and mc eiht's delivery just blends with the dreary smoothed out soul samples.
Resurrection (1994)
the album that started many of discussions and
beef by proxy, or maybe it was just a precursor of the hip-hop division to
come?. particularly the very opinion driven track "I Used to Love
H.E.R.". buuuut whatever your hip-hop preference this was a good solid
album despite the divisive nature of the classic track thats on the album.
the album that started many of discussions and beef by proxy, or maybe it was just a precursor of the hip-hop division to come?. particularly the very opinion driven track "I Used to Love H.E.R.". buuuut whatever your hip-hop preference this was a good solid album despite the divisive nature of the classic track thats on the album.
paris was like chuck d fused with pre-death row 2pac and early 90's ice cube. Paris is one of the many hip-hip artist from the early 1990's that didn't get alot of airplay, and mainly sold records on word of mouth. the reality of it is this....the album is straight realness. not since immortal technique have the world seen a rapper of this caliber. the devil made me do it is arguably his best material.
The outstanding debut record from ATL natives Outkast. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was one of the best southern rap records released at the time. the album's multi syllable title sums up the vibe and experience of this whole album. production here is solely done by Organized noize. with their earthy soulful funky and sonic productions they crafted a masterpiece (one of many to come). The funky Player's ball just flows out of your speaker, then theres the thought provoking "Git Up, Git Out" with it's very deep soul searching lyrics.
The best and most popular French rapper, MC Solaar found success in America among fans of acid jazz and jazz-rap (if not the larger hip-hop community). The debut disc from MC Solaar is a clear signal that quality hip-hop can exist outside the U.S. and the English language barriers. Most of his lyrics read as "I'm the man" MC boasts and shout-outs to the Paris hip-hop crew, but the French rapper has superb flow and a masterful producer in Jimmy Jay, an absolute natural when it comes to creating sonic pastiches/collages to fit the lyrics. It's French hip-hop and therefore a softer, gentler sound with the music more on the acid jazz tip to match the rhythm and flavor of Solaar's native tongue. Translate his lyrics and be prepared to be blown away. Notable tracks are: Caroline, Bouge de là and Victime de la mode.
Soul Food (1995)
For awhile the south was over looked when it came to substantive hip-hop. But that all started to change with the emergence of rappers like Arrested Development, Outkast and Scarface's solo work. Before then it was mostly Miami bass, of course UGK, Geto Boys and 8Ball & MJG was out there too. Atlanta established itself as the home of intelligent, progressive Southern hip-hop. Despite some excellent predecessors, Goodie Mob's debut album, Soul Food, is arguably the city's first true classic, building on the social conscience of Arrested Development and the street smarts and distinctive production of OutKast. Notable tracks are: "Cell Therapy", "Guess Who", "Soul Food" (my fav song).
DJ Qbert is an Filipino-American Turntablist and composer. He is often referred to as the Jimi Hendrix of the turntables, known to make them sing in complex and subtle ways. He invented the first musical annotation system for scratching, battling and composing on vinyl. This is basically an album where all he does is scratch the hell out of records.