So, erm... tell me about Hip-Hop (maybe)

In the 90s I had no interest whatsoever in Hip-Hop. Same could be said for much of this century, but for whatever reason over the last few years, I've found myself enjoying certain tracks that I had heard many years ago. Absolutely, could simply be down to nostalgia or something of a similar nature, but I genuinely seem to have found a certain kind of affection for the music I am hearing.

I know very little in the way of the music, but have seen, and enjoyed, Straight Outta Compton and remember big tracks from the early to mid 90s. Much of what I'm liking now might not even be classed as Hip Hop - as you can tell, I'm new to this. So, what I'm after is some guidance - a where-to-start point, and some suggestions on what next.

I think there are two main reasons I'm growing to like the music; the familiarity of some of the samples used (hearing a lot of 70s soul for example) and the storytelling in the lyrics being more understandable to me now (couldn't tell you why). I'll give you a couple of examples of tracks that I've enjoyed and hopefully that should enable people with far greater knowledge than me the ability to pinpoint the where next....

Tupac - California Love, Changes
Ice Cube - Today Was A Good Day
Warren G - Regulate

They are the main tracks I remember from my teens so ideally I'm looking for anything with similar traits to these tracks if anyone is able to help me out! For example, in the SOC movie Dr Dre is seen playing a lot of soul music and uses that as a base for his records, but where do I start?

I appreciate Hip Hop isn't for everyone, and it hasn't been for me before, but I'd like to try it out further to see if there's more that I like.

Thanks!

 

i'll bet @JohnnyQuest or @Gaslight can help you

 

Def Jam 10th Year Anniversary- 4CD set is terrific
www.discogs.com/Various-Def-Jam-Music-Group-10th-Year-Anniversary/release/2359726

I'd shop around for a good price though. I think I paid about £15, and I've seen it for as little as £10

 

How about Ice-T? "New Jack Hustler" (1991, from the movie New Jack City) could be a track you'd like... and you can listen out for the Sly Stone and James Brown samples.

 

Also: who doesn't love "The Humpty Dance" by Digital Underground? Or "Doowutchyalike" (also from the 1990 Sex Packets album, which has a ton of P-Funk samples). And one more: the 1991 Arrested Development hit "Tennessee" is a totally different sort of 90s hip hop from the West Coast/gangsta stuff, but it's extremely easy for a non-hip hop fan to like. Very cruisy.

 

You simply can't go wrong with anything by A Tribe Called Quest. This is IMO the perfect gateway into Hip-Hop.
I honestly can't pick a single album to recommend. They're all stellar. Here's a song from each masterpiece.

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

 

The Low End Theory

 

Midnight Marauders

 

Beats, Rhymes and Life

 

The Love Movement

 

Yeah, if we're not just looking at West Coast artists, then ATCQ, De La Soul, Gang Starr, Digable Planets etc all deserve a mention. I'd also recommend them as the perfect gateway to hip hop for the non-believers.

 

I agree with each one of the groups listed above. Especially ATCQ and Gang Starr. That's Hip-Hop in it's purest form. Well, not technically, but you get the point.

 

... Just randomly listing awesome early 90s hip hop tracks:

"Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" by Digable Planets (1993)
"Me Myself And I" by De La Soul (1989)
"A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" by De La Soul (1991)
"Around The Way Girl" by LL Cool J (1991)
"Nuthin' But A G Thang" by Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg (1992)

 

For the OP: Gang Starr's Step In The Arena has a lot of 70s soul/funk samples, and is a brilliant album. I don't know which track I'd recommend most. Perhaps "Just To Get A Rep"? I also love "Jazz Thing", off the soundtrack to the Spike Lee film Mo' Better Blues. It was a landmark track in assimilating hip hop and jazz.

 

Gang Starr from 1992 onwards is all home runs, no bunts.

My Top 3 Gang Starr songs: @autumn daze

 

Ohhhh, I know...

"Eye Know" - De La Soul (although I prefer the "The Know It All Mix").

 

i'm also a hip-hop ignoramus who likes a few tracks along the way, but i've always thought that mixing up otis readding and steely dan for this track was pure genius.

cheers,
rob

 

Fun samples, but a great example of how far MCs have developed in the past 25 years.

I think I have this album on cassette somewhere....

 

If Sex Packets doesn't have you groovin' you should see your doctor immediately.

 

I also know very little about Hip Hop though am a big fan of:

• Tribe Called Quest
• Wu-Tang Clang
• De La Soul
• NWA
• Public Enemy
• Beastie Boys.

Past those artists I'm at a bit of a loss and admit most modern Hip Hop all sounds the same to me. People like Drake and Lil Wayne who I think are terrible (Drake is Hip Hop right?) and Snoop Dogg and even Kayne do very little for me - sorry for my ignorance, I know I have to sit down and have some exploring to do. Eminem was probably the last great hip-hop star I really liked (mostly).

I do like, however, DJ Yoda.

 

I'd never claim to be an expert, or fully immersed, but there's plenty to love about hip-hop. But it's worth stating the following:

The most popular misconception about hip-hop (certainly among folk of a certain age or musical bent) is that it's made by and for inner-city wannabe gangsters who live in the ghetto. Aside from being a) racist and b) wrong, it also suggests that no-one else can listen to it, or wil come off as being foolish if they try to engage with the genre. Basically, that's the equivalent of saying that heavy metal is only listened to by Satan worshippers, or that only drug addicts listen to The Grateful Dead.

Likewise, there's the horrid misconception that it's all based on samples and therefore not original and no one writes anything, which is again ludicrous, especially while the view is held that there's seemingly no harm in a band doing a cover version.

For me, although I've grown up with rock music, hip-hop is one of the most inventive and exciting genres. Sure, there's rubbish hip-hop, and it's popular, but that's the same as any genre. No one would argue that the rock music you hear on the radio can be equated with the finest examples of historical rock excellence, or even where the modern innovation is. Same applies to hip-hop.

With that in mind, there's the landmark albums which everyone can tell you (and yes, that includes gangsta rap like NWA, and they're not all terrible though I won't profess to enjoying or relating to any of that), but there's a bunch of other sub-genres that are well crafted, accessible and innovative. YMMV, but the sample-based stuff is a good gateway - used in a way that is interesting, samples are a great foundation. Check out Paul's Boutique by Beastie Boys (produced by The Dust Brothers), or Endtroducing by DJ Shadow (which is primarily instrumental, but sounds amazing) for sample-based entry points. After that, try some less-heavy but still powerful stuff, like the first Jurassic 5 album, or something a bit more rude like Kool Keith's first Dr Octagon album.

Another thing, is that hip-hop can also be really funny. Lyrically it's a very wide net, so there's always something to keep your ears interested.

 

You are correct sir; the samples used on this track are pure genius.

 

My 'hip-hop' hero:
PRINCE PAUL!
From Stetsasonic, producer of De La's "3 Ft. High & Rising", Gravediggaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and his latest, BROOKZILL!
He's an artist who goes ANYWHERE, adds a certain joy and humor to his work that I rarely 'feel' in others in hip-hop!
Prince Paul (producer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
He may not get the 'god-like' respect that others do.... but, THAT makes me like him even MORE!