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10 of My Favorite Late 80’s/Early 90’s Hip-Hop Tracks
I first got into music early in my grade school years when I started falling asleep every night listening to the oldies radio station. The 50’s and 60’s rock, pop, soul, motown, etc. that they played were what turned me onto music in the first place. But that was my parents’ music. And the reason that I knew about that music was because of my parents. The first music that I fell in love with that I discovered on my own was hip-hop. And I fell hard. I know that this isn’t the type of music that usually graces the pages of this magazine or this blog, but it was an integral part of my musical journey. I believe that unlike most of today’s hip-hop, a lot of the stuff that was coming out in the early 90’s was, and still is, incredible music. You’ll notice that these songs are largely free of the more negative strains that were emerging at the same time in the form of gangsta rap. None of the degrading talk about women, the heavy overuse of curse words, the glorification of violence, etc. Many of these songs contain positive social messages as well, but without the level of preachiness that comes with so much of what has been termed “conscious rap” since then. I personally believe that 5 or 6 of these tracks are as punk as any punk rock band ever was, in attitude if not sound. So, here are 10 late 80’s/early 90’s hip-hop tracks that I listened to then, and still listen to and enjoy to this day. Do any of you like hip-hop? What are your favorites?
A Tribe Called Quest – “Check The Rhime”
from The Low End Theory.
Eric B. & Rakim – “I Ain’t No Joke”
from Paid In Full.
Public Enemy – “Black Steel In the Hour of Chaos”
from It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back.
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”
from Mecca and the Soul Brother.
EPMD – “Crossover”
from Business Never Personal.
Brand Nubian – “Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down”
from In God We Trust.
Gang Starr – “Manifest”
from No More Mr. Nice Guy.
Nice & Smooth – “Sometime I Rhyme Slow”
from Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed.
KRS-One – “Sound of Da Police”
from Return of the Boom Bap.
The Pharcyde – “Passin’ Me By”
from Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde.
