1987-1992 probably. But there is a lot going on at the moment that may make me want to change my opinion about that. Though I'm a relative newcomer to hip hop, having only earnestly listened to it for roughly a year, I'm most taken with its early years and its current state. But there is much to discover. One of the first I came across that I enjoy an awful lot would be Schoolly D. Otherwise I haven't really heard much hip hop from 1986. Will do at some point though.
My choice, if pushed, would be from 88-92. Some stunning stuff was released during these 5 years. Just take a look: Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, Fear Of A Black Planet, Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Black NWA - Straight Outta Compton Ice T - Power Digital Underground - Sex Packets Paris - The Devil Made Me Do It De La Soul - 3ft High And Rising, De La Soul Is Dead Ice Cube - AmeKKKa's Most Wanted, Kill At Will EP, Death Certificate 3rd Bass - The Cactus Album Queen Latifah - All Hail The Queen Jungle Brothers - Straight Out The Jungle, Done By The Forces Of Nature Dr. Dre - The Chronic A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels, The Low End Theory That represents only a small portion of great stuff released. Being from England, I must, if I may, give a shout out to some great British stuff that came out around this time. Artists you may not be aware of, but may want to check out include: Silver Bullet: Bring Forth The Guillotine (The Ben Chapman Remix).mp4 Gunshot: Gunshot- Battle Creek Brawl with lyrics Gunshot - 25 Gun Salute Hijack: Hijack-Doomsday of Rap First Frontal Assault: First Frontal Assault - Hits from small Arms Fire Killa Instinct: Killa Instinct - Now The Boy Dies We also had our share of pop rap, don't laugh: Derek B (Aka EZQ) Derek B - We Got The Juice MC Tunes: Mc Tunes vs 808 State - The Only Rhyme That Bites And finally the very cute Miss Alison Clarkson, better known as Betty Boo: Betty Boo - Where Are You Baby (Official Video) Love that tune! Enjoy!
I'd love to hear your input on the years you're interested in. So much more great stuff, aside from gangsta rap, came out after 1988, and if you decide to stick around, perhaps you discover some things you like.
Just squeaking in at the tail end of 1986... The first vinyl and cassette pressings do not contain "Push It" at all, and I don't believe that pressing was issued on compact disc in the US. There is a UK CD with the original LP tracks and mixes. The original version of "Push It" was issued as a non-LP B-side of "Tramp." Shortly after its release, Cameron Paul remixed "Push It," and that's the hit version which ended up on future pressings of the LP, cassette, and CD. I don't actually own this album in any format, but I'm familiar with a handful of the tracks.
What are your top 3 favorite hip-hop recordings from 1986? Bonus question: What are your top 10 favorite hip-hop songs from 1979 to 1985? (Hopefully this will make a few people here happy!)
1. Pee Wee's Dance by Joeski Love 2. Peter Piper by Run-DMC 3. Walk This Way by Run-DMC 1. A Fly Girl by Boogie Boys 2. Hey DJ by World Famous Supreme Team 3. The Message by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five 4. Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel by Grandmaster Flash 5. Rockit by Herbie Hancock 6. La Di Da Di by Doug E Fresh & MC Ricky D 7. Planet Rock by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force 8. Here We Go (Live At The Funhouse) by Run-DMC 9. Sucker MC's by Run-DMC 10. Rapper's Delight by Sugarhill Gang
Spoonie Gee & the Treacherous 3 - The New Rap Language (80) Brother D with the Collective Effort - How We Gonna Make This Black Nation Rise (80) Treacherous 3 - Feel the Heartbeat (81) Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - The Message (82) Afrika Bambataa & the Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock (82) Run DMC - It's Like That (83) Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel - White Lines (83) Run DMC - Rock Box (84) Whodini - Friends (84) Doug E Fresh - The Show/La Di Da Di (85) Top 3 1986 Eric B & Rakim - Eric B Is President/My Melody Ultramagnetic MCs - Ego Trippin /Funky Potion Boogie Down Productions - South Bronx Favorite 5 Years - 1988 - 1992
I'm in until about 1990. Once the videos were all BMWs, gold bikinis, chains, and turf wars, I stopped listening. Hopefully you guys will catch us up on decent stuff we might have missed.
I'm with ya on 89-93, definitely my favorite years, although, I do like stuff previous to 86 and after 93. Everybody has their own views on what the golden era is, mine is 86-94, so many different styles and artists having so much freedom to express themselves. I will certainly be following this thread and chiming in!
Hmmm. Top three Hip Hop songs from 86: 1. Fastest Man Alive - Grandmaster Flash 2. Bassline (Stretched) - Mantronix 3. No Sleep Til Brooklyn - Beastie Boys Ten favourite hip hop songs from 79-85, in no particular order: 1. Planet Rock - Afika Bambaataa And The Soul Sonic Force 2. The Message - Grandmaster Flash And The Furios Five 3. Needle To The Groove - Mantronix 4. Fat Boys Are Back - Fat Boys 5. Captain Rock To The Future Shock - Captain Rock 6. Renegades Of Funk - Afrika Bambaataa And The Soul Sonic Force 7. Reckless - Chris 'The Glove' Taylor Ft. Ice T 8. Beat Street Breakdown - Grandmaster Melle Mel And The Furious Five 9. Boogie Down (Bronx) - Man Parrish 10. She's On It - Beastie Boys Bubbling under 11. Play That Beat Mr. DJ - G.L.O.B.E And Whiz Kid 12. Juice - The World Class Wrecking Krew 13. The Show - Doug E. Fresh And The Get Fresh Crew 14. The Crown - Gary Byrd And The GB Experience 15. White Lines (Don't Don't Do It) (US Street Mix) - Melle Mel And Duke Bootee
Sorry for the typos. I was in a hurry to get to work, and didn't want the thread to move on to 1987 without my input.
It did indeed! Aerosmith was still feuding and battling drug addiction at the time. Run DMC was the catalyst for getting the band back together for their biggest and best run in their history. They owe a lot to Rick Rubin. I didn't know the history behind the song's remake. Interesting. I know that a lot of rappers loved it, and many rockers hated it. It even got racial. I know this because I was sometimes on the receiving end of it by those rockers. Also, what happened makes the disenchantment in the video seem that much more realistic, because it was!
Oh yeah! There was a LOT of rap going on before 1986! I was sitting there trying not to be late for work and trying to think of classic rap tracks. You helped fill in a lot of what I couldn't remember.
I can't do that! For me, there's rap music from 1979 all the way up to today that I like. I say that rap took off immediately after "Rapper's Delight" came out. Maybe it depended on where you lived. Like I always say, I grew up in a military community and was exposed to people from all over, and the majority of those people were warm to hip-hop and R&B. I remember when you couldn't start a thread about rap on this forum without massive hostility. They would all get locked as a result.
Since I didn't really hear much rap in 1986, I could only list two: Roaches - Bobby Jimmy and the Critters Walk This Way - Run DMC Bonus question: What are your top 10 favorite hip-hop songs from 1979 to 1985? (Hopefully this will make a few people here happy!)[/QUOTE] (You mean me?) Rapper's Delight - Sugarhill Gang The Breaks - Kurtis Blow It's Nasty - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five Apache - Sugarhill Gang The Message - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five King Of Rock - Run DMC Roxanne Roxanne - UTFO The Real Roxanne - Roxanne Shante featuring UTFO I Had To Say It - Millie Jackson The Lover In You - Sugarhill Gang
I've got to go 91-95. Plenty of great records came before and after, but when I really think about my absolute all-time favorites, tons of them fall into that window. Just so many classics in the early 90s, one after the other. 36 Chambers The Chronic Illmatic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Midnight Marauders Ready To Die Liquid Swords Doggystyle Tical Check Your Head ATLiens The Diary OK, I'll stop now before I really get carried away, but I could go on. It was just an amazing time to be a hip-hop fan.
True. What I meant by "took off" was that rap albums and songs were now hitting the top 10 on the pop charts. And to be honest, I was very unsure if this thread would draw much participation. I'm pleasantly surprised by all the replies we've had here so far.
