What's the haps folks?! This city we're highlighting with this piece is, in all actuality, the birthplace of hip-hop. Thanks to the original godfather of the culture, Kool Herc, hip-hop was started in the Bronx in 1974. While many claim that hip-hop started there, dead all that. They know what time it is. Since then, many culture-shifting artists have emerged from this historic city in music. Everything we hold dear about the fundamentals of hip-hop started here, and with that, some amazing projects have come from here. So with that being said, let's get started with the best albums to ever come from the birthplace of hip-hop.
20. Terror Squad- Terror Squad: The Album
Fat Joe and his collective Terror Squad had been bubbling since appearing on Joe's second album, Jealous One's Envy. Plus with the breakout emergence of their lyrical, and literal, heavyweight Big Pun, the boys of Cuban Link, Triple Seis, Prospect, and Armageddon were ready to deliver their debut self-titled album. The result was an excellent debut filled with gutter rhymes and overall crazy production from the likes of The Beatnuts, Buckwild, The Alchemist, and once hot production team Infinite Archetechz. Although they dropped their second album, True Story (which included new member at the time Remy Ma), this was the better album, as all brought their best skills to the table and put more light on the other members, which turned out to be fairly successful.
19. Lord Finesse- Return of the Funky Man
Famed D.I.T.C. member Lord Finesse had presented a profound debut with former partner DJ Mike Smooth, Funky Technician, in '90. He delivered his follow-up two years later with Return of the Funky Man, and was almost just as acclaimed. We really started to see the production talents of Finesse on this release, and he would later end up becoming one of the most legendary producers in the game. Along with fellow D.I.T.C. producers Diamond D and Showbiz, this album was more of a production favorite more than anything, but don't ever sleep on Finesse's mic game as well.
18. Fat Joe- Jealous One's Envy
Wanting to capitalize off the decent buzz from his debut album Represent, Fat Joe (formerly Fat Joe Da Gangsta) presented his sophomore effort, Jealous One's Envy, and became a surprising hit. More focused of a project than his debut, Joe aimed to reach a slightly broader audience while still keeping it gutter. With cuts like the menacing-sounding collab with Raekwon "Respect Mine", the debut of Pun on "Watch Out", and the stinging cut with KRS-One "Bronx Tale", this album started some very positive momentum with Joe, and became an underground treasure.
17. Show & AG- Goodfellas
After dropping the exceptional Runaway Slave album, Bronx natives and D.I.T.C. members Show & AG delivered their sophomore effort, Goodfellas, and truthfully and wasn't too far removed from their epic debut. Although harder in production and lyrics, this album had the same spirit of dope rhymes over dope beats, plain and simple. Most known for the cut "Next Level" (both the original and especially the DJ Premier-crafted remix which has been touted as one of the most celebrated beats in all of hip-hop as it was highly featured in the movie 8 Mile), this is an underrated prize that should be mentioned highly within the ranks of D.I.T.C.
16. Boogie Down Productions- Sex & Violence
This is the first of KRS and BDP on this list, but don't get it twisted, this album is far from a dud within his collection. With Sex & Violence, this became the final album recorded under Boogie Down Productions, and also became among the most controversial efforts due to the backstory, filled with beefs mostly with P.M. Dawn, Das EFX, and X-Clan. Still as hardcore as ever, KRS made sure the BDP name was still relevant and was still as impactful as ever with this release. He totally and completely succeeded.
15. Fat Joe- Don Cartagena
In the beginning of the self-titled cut for his third effort, Don Cartagena, Joe states: "Nobody said it would be easy", and in his case, hitting platinum didn't, but it was so worth it. This album became his best album critically, and brought him his first platinum plaque. Way more accessible to radio and mainstream airplay than his previous two efforts, Represent and Jealous One's Envy, the album serves as his most cohesive to this very day. After the monster acclaim and figures from protege Big Pun, he attempted to have just as much of a hit on his hands, and besides the fact that Pun was a lyrical arsonist, Joe overall succeeded, as this album was a banger throughout.
14. Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth- Funky Technician
In '90, we saw the debut of Bronx emcee Lord Finesse. He, along with DJ Mike Smooth, dropped the debut, Funky Technician, and folks, this debut was official. Produced primarily by DJ Premier, Diamond D, and Showbiz, this album was sorely slept-on during this time period, as albums such as Business As Usual, Peoples Instinctive Travels In The Paths Of Rhythm, One For All, and Fear Of A Black Planet were completely obliterating everything in the game. Regardless, over two decades later, this album has slowly but surely become a backpacker's delight and a delightful piece of hip-hop.
13. Diamond D- Stunts, Blunts, and Hip-Hop
As you can see, D.I.T.C. was very influential within the rankings of hip-hop. Another important fixture of the crew was producer/emcee Diamond D. Released in '92, this album had some of the same problems the aforementioned Funky Technician album had with so many other groundbreaking albums dropping that year, but trust and believe, Diamond had an album every bit as vital to the development of the sound of hip-hop with his amazing debut, Stunts, Blunts, and Hip-Hop. With laid-back and overall jazzy instrumentals mixed with some boom bap, this was a very pleasant listen and stands as his most celebrated piece of work.
12. Boogie Down Productions- Edutainment
Another noteworthy BDP album was album number four. Edutainment. Filled with most of the same social commentary and afro-politcal insight as we had come to expect, this album was deep with meaning and lessons that could easily rival their highly acclaimed second album, By All Means Necessary. The album furthered the legacy of BDP and continued to show KRS as indeed "The Teacher", as was evidenced by cuts like "Love's Gonna Get Cha" and "The Racist". Class was in session.
11. Kool Keith as Dr. Octagon- Dr. Octagonecologyst
Talk about a landmark release. We often mention stunning underground classics such as Madvillainy, Funcrusher Plus, Fantastic Damage, The Cold Vein, and Deltron 3000. Another album that should easily be on that list, and in many circles is, would be the album by Dr. Octagon (one of Kool Keith's many different incarnations), Dr. Octagonecologyst. The tales of a sordid and perverse extraterrestrial surgeon would become one of the most legendary albums to ever emerge from the subterrain. It's weird, yet fascinating. Bugged-out yet brilliant, and is arguably the best character Kool Keith ever invented. It has stood the test of time and remains the best album Kool Keith has done as a solo act. When hip-hop science fiction meets horrorcore, Dr. Octagon is around, and best believe, he's accepting new patients.
10. Big Pun- Capital Punishment
All it took were guests spots on Fat Joe's Jealous One's Envy, The Beatnuts' Stone Crazy album, and his own cut on the stellar Soul In The Hole soundtrack for the anticipation to grow for Terror Squad's microphone mauler, Big Pun. Once we heard "I Ain't A Player" and the subsequent breakout remix with R&B singer Joe "Still Not A Player", we knew we were in for a fantastic listen for his debut, Capital Punishment. However, from the time you push the play button, and the track "Beware" hits, we knew we were in for something special, and we ended up getting exposed to one of the strongest debut albums of the late nineties, and perhaps ever heard. This was a near perfect album that catered to everyone: the gangstas, the hustlas, the playas, and the backpackers. This also marked the first time a Latin emcee went platinum. A legend had been made. Once called "The Latino Biggie Smalls", this was a valid argument.
9. KRS-One- KRS-One
After releasing his official debut juggernaut, Return of the Boom Bap, the pressure was on for him to continue that momentum, and he absolutely succeeded with his sincere sophomore self-titled album. Bangers all over the place, just like Boom Bap, this was a hip-hop lovers delight and was a knockout with cuts like "Rappers R. N. Danja" and "MCs Act Like They Don't Know." Where as Boom Bap had a ton of ol' school, BDP influence, the follow-up had some of that plus some of the sounds that were going on at that time while staying as true to possible to the gritty sounds provided by Premier, Diamond, and Showbiz. A definite top notch effort by "The Blastmaster".
8. Nice & Smooth- Ain't A Damn Thing Changed
Uptown emcees Greg Nice and Smooth B together were Nice & Smooth, and were a very decent up-and-coming duo who were first featured on Big Daddy Kane's It's A Big Daddy Thang. While they had an okay self-titled debut album, it was their second effort, Ain't A Damn Thing Changed, that propelled them into the official mainstream, especially with the cuts "Hip-Hop Junkies" and the classic "Sometimes I Rhyme Slow". A playthrough from beginning to end, Nice & Smooth had officially arrived and this album was quite a notable release at a time where it had to compete with De La Soul Is Dead and The Low End Theory. Picture that one please.
7. Boogie Down Productions- Ghetto Music: The Blueprint Of Hip-Hop
With their third album, Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip-Hop, KRS remained the same hardcore activist and socio-political emcee that served as another voice of the ghetto in much the same aspect as Chuck D. This album was heavy and thick with afro-centricity, as their prior album By All Means Necessary completely was, and with cuts like "Jack Of Spades" and "Who's Gonna Protect Us From You" , this album serves as a standard bearer in the career of KRS and served the memory of Scott La Rock well. This was without question an album for, of, and about the people of the ghetto.
6. Showbiz & AG- Runaway Slave
For years, KRS-One considered this album his favorite hip-hop album ever, and after one listens to it, he or she could undeniably see where he was coming from. Two Bronx natives repping D.I.T.C. known as Showbiz (producer/occasional emcee) and AG (emcee) were first heard spitting on Finesse's aforementioned Funky Technician album. From there, they put out the Soul Clap EP and then their debut full-length album, Runaway Slave, was released. This album was just pure unadulterated hip-hop at its fundamental finest. There was no blemish on this highly effective and cohesive album. Show would later produce some major hip-hop cuts for members of D.I.T.C. and for KRS-One and his powerful anthem "Sound Of Da Police", whereas AG would be considered one of the most underrated emcees around. This was the start of both of their respective careers.
5. KRS-One- Return of the Boom Bap
After the final BDP album, Sex & Violence, it was time for KRS to start releasing albums under his own name, and the debut solo effort was one of legend. His debut, Return of the Boom Bap, was a the ultimate purist hip-hop album. Thunderous production provided by Premo, Showbiz, as well as himself, KRS brought the hardcore that made him among hip-hop's elite, but was less about the social-political aspect. It was just a raw hip-hop album with him spitting with some of the most fiery delivery we had heard in a few years. Of course, we would be remissed without mentioning the ageless "Sound Of Da Police", the just as powerful "Black Cop", and the just plain crazy "Mad Crew". This album remains KRS' magnum opus without the BDP name, and is considered one of the true blueprints of fundamental, yet tried and true, hip-hop.
4. Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown
Some albums are just so ahead of their time, it took years for people to catch up, much less fully absorb its importance. We had seen that with De La Soul Is Dead, Madvillainy, and Aquemini. Before any of these, there was Ultramagnetic MCs' Critical Beatdown. Released during the burgeoning "golden era" of hip-hop, this album incorporated a more advanced, new school mind state and did things with sampling that had never quite been done before at that time. A genius recording, the guys of Ced Gee, Kool Keith, Moe Love, and TR Love delivered an album that was at its innovative best and forced talk of creativity in hip-hop, thus paving the way for groups like De La Soul and EPMD. Nothing short of a masterwork that deserves more iconic status than it is given.
3. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary
After establishing themselves with the seminal Criminal Minded, KRS decided to move in a much different direction after the tragic murder of partner Scott La Rock some months prior to the release of BDP's second album, By All Means Necessary. This album was decidedly more about social commentary, anti-establishment, and unnecessary violence within hip-hop. KRS was clearly impacted by the death of his close friend and BDP co-creator, but as a result, By All Means Necessary stands to this day as one of the all-time greatest achievements of hip-hop during the "golden era" and is an album that crosses generations, just in terms of the messages presented within this effort.
2. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
What else can be said about this treasure? One of the most masterful hip-hop recordings to ever exist, Slick Rick presented an all-time standout with The Great Adventures of Slick Rick. A highly influential album, the British-born emcee presented a collection of songs highlighting his ability to tell stories and having a style about him that really couldn't be easily duplicated by anyone. We all know the classics of "Children's Story", as well as "Hey Young World" and "Teenage Love", but others like "Treat Em Like a Prostitute" and "Lick The Balls" were just as timeless, albeit crass as well. This was an album that defined the eighties much like Paid In Full, It Takes A Nation Of Millions..., and Run-DMC's debut self-titled album, and even in this current time frame refuses to get labeled as old or irrelevant, as much as it's labeled a masterpiece.
1. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded
Who would've ever considered "The Blastmaster" or "The Teacher" as a violent lyricist? Well in '87, he was, along with partner Scott La Rock as Boogie Down Productions. Verbally crushing MC Shan and The Juice Crew with the anthems "South Bronx" and "The Bridge Is Over", they released the quite brutal debut album, Criminal Minded, and is considered one of the first true gangsta rap albums to emerge during this time. Complete with hardcore, street-themed rhymes and knocking production, this has stood the test of time thirty years after its release as the most heralded BDP/KRS album to exist. While very tragic events would change Kris Parker's whole aspect on life and his career months later, at this time KRS and Scott officially put Bronx on the map, with much respect to Afrika Bambaataa and everyone else that came before him. This was a raw, gripping look at drugs, violence and prostitution way before N.W.A. and Ice-T would blow it up more commercially. An all-time classic.
Honorable Mentions
Fat Joe Da Gangsta- Represent
Fat Joe- J.O.S.E.
Cuban Link- 24K
Big Pun- Yeeeah Baby!
Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz- Make It Reign
Slick Rick- The Ruler's Back
Slick Rick- The Art Of Storytelling
Diamond- Hatred, Passions, & Infidelity
Remy Ma- There's Something About Remy
Terror Squad- True Story
KRS-One- Sneak Attack
KRS-One- I Got Next
KRS-One- Maximum Strength
KRS-One- Kristyles
Nice & Smooth- Jewel Of The Nile
Just-Ice- Back To the Old School
D-Nice- Call Me D-Nice
Ultramagnetic MCs- The Four Horsemen
There's no denying the impeccable place in hip-hop The Bronx deserves and has earned. Yes, it's the birthplace of hip-hop, but there were other pioneers and trailblazers that helped get The Bronx to such acclaimed heights, and one would suggest that there are more diamonds in the rough that have yet to be discovered. Stay tuned, The BX isn't done yet. Until next time!
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