Happy 20th: Extinction Level Event

What's good fam?! This next salute goes to one of hip-hop's most prolific artists.  This "dungeon dragon" is considered a rightful legend in the game and among the most influential to ever touch a mic.  His animated and original rah-rah style (though Redman would possibly take exception to that claim) has reached a couple of generations and his passion for hip-hop is unrelenting.  His third album came on the heels of two huge albums that made him a household name. It was this album, however, that made him worldwide.  A phenom is the only way to describe this emcee, and he wears that distinction with pride.  We salute the mighty infamous Busta Rhymes and his third album, Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front.

We had known about Trevor Smith since his days with Dinco D, Milo, and Charli Brown as Leaders Of the New School, who delivered cuts such as "Another Case of The P.T.A." and "What's Next".  It was his iconic and career-defining verse on A Tribe Called Quest's legendary cut "Scenario" that really made people pay attention to the Long Island native.  Before too long L.O.N.S. broke up due to internal beefing between he and Charli, but Busta's star was clearly about to shine, as he was doing multiple guests appearances with artists such as Craig Mack, Method Man, and even Boyz II Men.  When the announcement came that his debut was about to drop, the hype was highly apparent.  He finally dropped the anthemic "Woo Hah! Got You All In Check" in '96 to lead off his highly anticipated debut album, The Coming.  A gold album, Busta was officially in and more than just the rah-rah kid from L.O.N.S. that could own any cut he appeared on.  he showed he could more than hold his own with a super impressive debut.

He upped the ante with what many believe to be his crossover album, When Disaster Strikes, as this absolutely fantastic sophomore album   Led by the singles "Dangerous" and "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See", the album was overall a little darker than his debut but also this was more commercially accessible as well.  Selling platinum units, Busta was earning more and more of a following and becoming an icon in the making, clearly knowing the formula for what a hit record should like.  Mixing apocalyptic themes with wanting to party until the last days, Busta showed his star appeal was only rising.

Still possessing the hunger of that nineteen year-old from L.O.N.S., he wanted to continue the theme of the coming end of the world with Extinction Level Event.  Billed as the last of the apocalyptic trilogy, this album easily rivaled When Disaster Strikes on so many levels.  The album was primarily driven by his first single "Gimme Some More" and the sultry R&B-tinged duet with Janet Jackson "What's It Gonna Be".  Knowing the essential formula for mixing the streets with the clubs and even something for the ladies, Busta knew the importance of appealing to everyone, and did it in abundance with this release.  While cuts like the title track, "Everybody Rise", and "Against All Odds" were cuts mostly for the cats in their jeeps and "Do the Bus-A-Bus" and "Hot Shit Making You Bounce" were club heaters, perhaps the most talked about cut was the simply frenzied collab with then-No limit solider Mytiskal, "Iz They Wylin' With Us & Gettin' Rowdy With us", as these two are double and triple-timing their rhymes in break neck speed over an animated and hyperspeed track that  your average listener couldn't quite decipher in terms of lyrics.  The chemistry, however, was visible and was like a marriage in Twista heaven.

With E.L.E., Busta Rhymes earned more Grammy nominations and even more acclaim as an artist that the world was really starting to embrace more and more.  Busta became a star with When Disaster Strikes, but became even more so with this album.  With this being his second straight platinum album, Busta was one of the hottest acts in the world at this point.  While later albums such as Genesis, Anarchy, and The Big Bang further solidified Busta as a legend in hip-hop (we'll ignore hiccups like Back On My B.S.), E.L.E. was another platinum example of the staying power Bus-A-Bus had, and he is still to this day, that same dungeon dragon.  Happy twentieth anniversary to Extinction Level Event.

Happy 20th: Don Cartagena

What's happening folks?! This next twentieth anniversary salute goes to an album that helped define this Puerto Rockin's career. Going off the momentum of his best friend and labelmate's historic platinum run, this album helped him and his crew, Terror Squad, hit yet another new level.  Practically from top to bottom, this was a smash, and it was the official beginning of this plus-pound emcee's crossover success.  This is our salute to Fat Joe and his third album, Don Cartagena.

We first heard Fat Joe as Fat Joe Da Gangsta, part of the legendary D.I.T.C. ( Diggin' In The Crates crew for those not in the know).  His debut album, Represent, was almost solely produced by Diamond, with production appearances by Showbiz as well.  It was modestly received and acclaimed, even with the rugged cuts "Flow Joe" and "The Shit Is Real".  With a very in-your-face delivery and unfiltered, raw lyricism, Joe was on the radar of underground heads.  It was his next album, Jealous Ones Envy, that more people started to pay attention to him.  Eventually going gold, this album was a bit more polished around the edges, as evidenced by bangers like "Success", the Raekwon-assisted "Respect Mine", and the lead single "Envy", which was his attempt at a crossover hit.  Definitely a step up from his debut, you could tell there was a whole lot more promise in the Bronx native.

With the emergence and glass ceiling smashing of his homeboy Big Pun and his simply incredible debut album (read: classic), Capital Punishment, Joe wanted to keep that energy going with his own third album, Don Cartagena.  Definitely aiming to blend more radio and club bangers with the street appeal that had been garnering his steady following, this was his make or break album, and it worked and hit on all cylinders.  This was likely the album Joe was meant to make, as the debut title track single featured a shit-talking P-Diddy on the hook and showed that he was officially back and better than ever.  Once the album dropped, and the opening track "Crack Attack" hit, we knew this would be perhaps his best work yet.  The album literally got better the more tracks you heard.  Very much like his compadre Pun, he had cuts for the club ("Bet Ya Man Can't" featuring a slick Pun and an infectious verse from TS member Triple Seis, the Charli Baltimore-assisted "Walk On By") and the streets with venomous cuts like the dark "Hidden Hand", "Misery Needs Company", the sick "Find Out", and the Premo-powered "Dat Gangsta Shit".

This wasn't a flawless album, however, as "Walk On By" wasn't the hit it may have been aiming for and the Bone Thugs N Harmony-assisted "Good Times" was good-natured and definitely meant well, but with the hard, grimy face you tend to make listening to the majority of the album, it seemed out of place.  Overall, this album was Joe's most cohesive and complete piece of work and officially made him a mainstream star.  While other albums such as J.O.S.E. ( his first platinum album), All Or Nothing, The Darkside Vols. 1, 2 and 3, Loyalty, and Me, Myself, & I all cemented Joe's name into the commercially accessible area and brought him worldwide fans, Don Cartagena has to be considered his first official smash album that prompted his string of highly accessible efforts.  Not to mention, it can be very much argued that Don Cartagena may his best work overall ever.  We'll leave that up to you.  Happy twentieth anniversary to Joe's Don Cartagena.

Happy 20th: First Family 4 Life

What's the deal kind fam?! This salute goes to two no-nonsense Brownsville bullies that had been wylin' out for about four years at that time.  These fellas brought you their dose of rawness with "How About Some Hardcore" then became a Firing Squad.  Then came '98 when they were officially First Fam and this album was a scorcher that put them one step closer to more mainstream notoriety while being unapologetic and uncompromising with their sound.  These riot starters played no games with this album and delivered an effort more than worthy of a salute.  This is a salute to M.O.P. and their third full-length album, First Family 4 Life.

Dear God! Two Brooklynites named Billy Danz and Lil' Fame were loud, domineering, lyrically brutal, and gave a middle finger what you thought about them.  They delivered a sound that perfectly reflected the craziness and aggressiveness last heard from the likes of Black Moon with their eponymous debut album, Enta Da Stage.  We also got introduced to three rambunctious Queens stick-up kids named Onyx who had  also become the new faces of the loud, aggressive, Black mosh pit sound thanks to their debut album, Bacdafucup, and their worldwide smash single "Slam".  The duo known as the Mashed Out Posse, or M.O.P., were the Brooklyn version of them, but maybe a little more rugged.  Their debut album, To The Death, was a decent debut that was solely produced by DR period, the man behind the severely slept-on debut by Smoothe Da Hustler, Once Upon A Time In America, and even M.O.P.'s later huge smash "Ante Up".

These two young (at the time) Brownsvillains were on the radar of hardcore purists, but we were wondering what else was next for them and would it be the next level for them.  With their sophomore album, Firing Squad, this was more polished, but definitely still as gutter as one could imagine.  This time with more influence from DJ Premier, Jaz-O, and Laze, this album was simply bananas.  One of the most grittiest albums you would hear during this particular era, M.O.P. weren't the guys you would necessarily see on Billboard for any accessible-sounding radio cut whatsoever.  This was simply RAW.  With the only guest appearance going to the legendary Kool G. Rap on the blistering "Stick II Ya Gunz", this left room for Fame and Danz to show more of their own flexing and ability to make the listener bring out the inner stick-up goon in them.

However, in '98, they caught the attention of Jay-Z, thanks in part to Jaz-O working with them on the aforementioned Firing Squad and him turning Jay on to them.  Jay was on top of the world at this time with his unbelievable Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life album, and he ended blessing them with a verse on the lead single to their forthcoming album, First Family 4 Life, "4 Alarm Blaze", which conveniently sampled the old eighties hard rock anthem "Eye Of The Tiger".  This was just a small sampling of what to expect from this album.  With the emergence of Hov on their lead single, the obvious attempt was to reach them to a bigger audience without compromising their sound of ghetto thrash rap.  Although not quite the surreal, gutter soundtrack that Firing Squad was, don't get it twisted AT ALL. These two delivered a bomb of an album that was explosive from the jump with the Premo-laced "Breakin' The Rules", followed up by other crazy cuts such as "My Kinda Nigga Pt. 2" featuring Heather B, "Downtown Swinga '98", the riot-inducing "I Luv" with fellow fight-channeling emcee Bumpy Knuckles, and "Face Off".  If you were looking for filler on here, the only small inkling of one was the Fame interlude.  Folks, that's it.  None other.  This was an album that should've been packaged with shell casings and some Tylenol for your pounding head and neck.

With First Family 4 Life, they stepped their overall sound up without sacrificing who they were and the spirit that got them their ever growing fan base.  Radio was cool, but not if it was worth selling their souls or their art.  This was a ride, and a hell of a hard one at that.  This one was for the mean muggers and those looking to start some shit.  While their next album, Warriorz, put them right at that level of notoriety thanks to "Ante Up" and gave them their highest selling album to date, First Family...was an album that continued to show that this Mashed Out Posse wasn't going anywhere but higher and higher.  happy twentieth salute to First Family 4 Life.

Happy 20th: Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life

What's going on family?! This salute goes to an artist that has transcended hip-hop and has become one of the world's most financially lucrative acts around.  With his net worth alone at close to a billion dollars, this man was already going in that direction to take over the world once this album hit.  He had previously had lots of acclaim with his legendary debut, Reasonable Doubt, and then followed it up with a highly commercially sounding, In My Lifetime Vol. 1.  He was clearly one of the best in the business, but he was aiming for the title as World Champion.  With this album, he inched one step closer to that title and distinction.  Backed with one of the dopest singles ever heard in rap, period, this album would go on to sell nearly five million units, and solidify him as an official worldwide star.  This is our salute to Jay-Z and his third album, Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life.

Jay was already a rapidly rising star in hip-hop, with his platinum albums of Reasonable Doubt, In My Lifetime Vol. 1, and the gold success of the Streets Is Watching soundtrack.  Jay had been on the cusp of worldwide stardom going into '98, and all he needed was that one grand slam hit and knock it out the park.  Enter the AMAZING cut "Hard Knock Life", an ode to growing up in the streets of Marcy Projects, Brooklyn over a highly infectious Annie-sample thanks to producer 45 King (same guy responsible for Eminem's legendary single "Stan").  Once we peeped this fire, we had a feeling his forthcoming album, Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life, would be a burner, and boy was it ever.

Every cut was a bonafide smash and had something for literally everybody.  From the double-time frenzied reunion with his one time mentor/friend Jaz-O "Nigga What, Nigga Who" to the speaker blazing collab with DMX "Money, Cash, Hoes" and the classic bouncing battle-of-the-sexes "Can I Get A..." with (at the time) new artists, Ja-Rule and Amil, virtually every cut could knock on hip-hop radio.  Still keeping a street element with cuts like the posse-induced "Resevoir Dogs" and "If I Should Die", we saw the transition of Jay-Z to Jigga in full form.  He was brash, cocky, the epitome of swag, but still hood to his heart, and it showed all over this tremendous release.

This album ended up becoming his biggest selling and most commercially successful album, selling in excess of five and a half million units.  With those figures, Shawn Carter had officially arrived.  At a time where artists such as Lauryn Hill, Outkast, DMX, and even rival Nas were completely running things, Jay emphatically etched his name among the giants of hip-hop, and never looked back since.  Subsequent albums such as Vol. 3...Life & Times of S. Carter, The Black Album, American Gangster, his most recent monumental release 4:44. and the classic Blueprint all demonstrated his ability to get on top, and for the most part, stayed on top.  While there are those that will argue about his one dimensional content (that was completely erased on 4:44), one can never argue that Jay isn't among the greatest to ever touch the mic, commercially and critically.  With Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life, Jay showed that not only did he belong at the big boy's table, he was gonna get the big piece of chicken.  With that, happy twentieth anniversary to this breakout album.

Happy 20th: Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1

What's the deal folks?! This is a twentieth anniversary salute to a very important album within the confines of the underground.  This album was launched by famed subterranean label Rawkus Records and was a major factor into the indie movement in the mid to late nineties.  Artists such as Company Flow, Medina Green, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, and others came up through arenas and doors such as this particular journey and created a fresh genre for backpackers.  This album was a double disc that centered around lyrics and beats. Period. No gimmicks, just something for all heads that like their hip-hop simplistic and with talent.  This was one of the best and earliest examples of the underground renaissance during this time period.  This is the twentieth anniversary salute to Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1.

In the mid-nineties, there was a fledgling label trying to rise to becoming a household name called Rawkus Records.  The first major release from the label was the highly influential and genre breakout album, Funcrusher Plus, by Company Flow.  Next came the first Soundbombing series, which was highly underrated as an album.  However, it was the next release that was a true backpackers dream.  Rawkus decided to present an album dedicated to the emcee showcase Lyricist Lounge out of New York.  The Lyricist Lounge hosted many emcees that would end up becoming well known starts such as Mos Def, Foxy Brown, Punch & Words, Rah Digga, and Shabaam Sahdeeq (we need a new one from u man!)  Thus, wanting to stay true to the movement and keep it very grassroots, Rawkus delivered a two disc album with disc one "hosted" by De La Soul and disc two "hosted" by Kool Keith.This going to be a special effort, and from the jump on disc one, we knew we were in for some straight lyricism.

Disc one was more lyrically heavy.  The first single from the project was "Body Rock" featuring Mos Def, Q-Tip, and Tash of Tha Alkaholiks.  A dope little number that set it off, but cuts like the sick O.C./Ras Kass collab "Action Guaranteed", "Famous Last Words" by Word A' Mouth, and the freestyle ciphers of "Bathroom Cipher" and the Stretch Armstrong Show freestyle with Pharoahe Monch, Common, Black Thought, and Absolute were so ridiculous, they can't even be described.  Just UNFAIR lyricism.  Disc two was more production consistent than disc one, but lyrics were still mostly on point and sharp.  Although cuts like "Lyrics" by A.L., the collab with Bahamadia and Rah Digga "Be OK", and "Outside The Lounge" by Shabaam Sahdeeq, Talib Kweli, Lil' Sci, Mr. Metaphor, and Wiseguy were just straight rhymefeasts, other cuts like "Mayday" by Natural Elements, "The Manifesto" by Reflection Eternal, and "Weight" by Company Flow and Juggaknots were impressive enough to be considered strong cuts that provided substance as well as a bit of freshness and vigor to the project overall.  However, it was the cut "C.I.A." that took the nod on this disc, and arguably the most talked about cut on the effort as a whole.  Performed by KRS-One, Zach de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine, and Philly upstart (at that time) Last Emperor, this song details the injustices provided by our government and could still hold court with the shenanigans of today as well, if not more so.

This Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1 compilation had such a vanguard feel to it and was completely to the left of that era's commercialism and the south's emergence of the No Limit/Cash Money sound.  This was raw.  This album fully exhibited the pure blue collar ethic of the underground.  This project instilled images of seeing graffiti artists going through tunnels and displaying their art. The backpacker movement wasn't meant to be for fame or fortune, but rather as a way of life for those hip-hop fans that didn't care of gimmicks or false glorification of things that didn't matter.  This album was that and more.  Basically put, Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1 is for the purists.  There's not one thing wrong with that.  Happy twentieth to LLV1.

Happy 20th: 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz

What's good everyone? This twentieth anniversary salute goes to an album that must be considered among the most underrated and underappreciated hip-hop releases ever released from the west coast.  The young Cali native responsible for this effort already had a following with his debut, At the Speed of Life, and being down with The Likwit Crew, alongside Tha Alkaholiks, Defari, and Compton legend King Tee. As strong as that debut was, it was this sophomore effort that really started catching the attention of more heavyweights later on, and produced one of the most incredible looking videos ever seen in the game.  This album would set the official pace to this man becoming a star.  We salute Xzibit and his second album, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz.

When we first heard the hypnotic chords of "Paparazzi", we said Los Angeles emcee Xzibit had a lot going for him.  First heard on Tha Alkaholiks "Hit & Run" from their DOPE Coast II Coast album, X had a delivery and an in-your-face rhyme style that was straight to the point.  His aforementioned debut was quite a dope debut, with other heaters like "Bird's Eye View", "Carry The Weight", and "Eyes May Shine" (the Havoc-produced remix with Mobb Deep was just CRIMINAL).  However, it was his touching ode to his then-toddler son "Foundation" that took the award for best song and over some hypnotic production by DJ Muggs, this showed Xzibit's ability to not be afraid to be transparent and go into stuff and subjects that meant a lot to him.  This album was a very good debut, but in '98, two years later, he returned with one of his biggest hits and CRAZY matching video "What U See Is What U Get".  This was the lead-off single for his sophomore effort, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz, and this album was not only as good as his debut, this was a notch higher and better.

While we miss not having a sentimental jewel like "Foundation", we still have plenty of flaming cuts to bob your head to relentlessly.  Was this a perfect album? No, as cuts like "Shroomz" and "Pussy Pop" could've gotten left off, but these were the only bumps in this road.  Cuts like "Focus", "Deeper", and "Inside Job" sprinkled of west coast influence while still keeping it knocking for east coast lovers, while "Los Angeles Times" is definitely a banger that has him detailing all the good and bad of his city over a nuts Mel-Man beat (this was also featured as part of the exceptional Soul In The Hole soundtrack).  With other cuts like his collab with Saafir and Ras Kass, "3 Card Molly", the dark "Chamber Music", and the sick "Recycled Assassins", Xzibit brought and presented his entire ass on this effort.

This album should've been his official blast into commercial stardom just by the excellence of this album alone, but with little to no marketing and promotion from Loud Records at this time, this album somewhat went under the radar, although loyal X fans still declare to this day this is his best album and rightfully so.  Sounding even more confident and his pen doing better for him than last effort, Xzibit had a critical darling on his hands, and is just now over the last several years is getting the proper respect its due.  There was no commercialism.  No corny buffoonery here.  No watered down hip-hop whatsoever.  This was uncompromising, and shoved away any thoughts of a sophomore jinx.  Later efforts like his crossover breakout next effort Restless, as well as Man vs. Machine, Weapon Of Mass Destruction, and Full Circle would all excellently show off his talent and lyrics to the result of gold and platinum plaques, as well as movie/television roles, rubbing elbows with Dre, Em, and Snoop, and getting his own television show in Pimp My Ride.  However, it was this album that made him walk that line between underground west coast champion to mainstream burgeoning star.  This was a knockout hit and although he sold more with the Dre-executive produced Restless, it was 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz that got us the most open.  With that, let's lift our glass and wish Xzibit a happy twentieth anniversary to his best album, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz.

Happy 20th: Moment Of Truth

What's the haps, folks!  This twentieth anniversary salute goes to a duo that have been considered among the greatest DJ/MC combos ever seen.  Their influence spreads all across hip-hop and they delivered some of the best pure hip-hop releases around.  For their fifth album, these two brought a more mature, socially conscious, and emotive release than we had been used to hearing.  Don't get it wrong, this was still street, just a little more grown up, especially more than their previous effort, the mean-mugging Hard To Earn.  The DJ half is revered as arguably the greatest producer in hip-hop ever, while the emcee of the half was considered one of the most distinguishable and influential voices in the game.  This album brought them to even higher levels than Hard To Earn, and is widely noted as being their best work ever.  This is Gangstarr and this is our anniversary salute to Moment Of Truth.

The legendary Gangstarr consisted of the mighty DJ Premier and the famed monotone of Guru.  Blending bits of jazz samplings with boom-bap early on was their claim to fame, delivering standout cuts like "Just To Get A Rep". "Words I Manifest", and "Who's Gonna Take The Weight" to much acclaim.  Their debut album, No More Mr. Nice Guy, was a solid introduction to what we would expect from Premo and Mr. Gifted Unparalleled Rhymes Universal.  Their sophomore follow-up was even better, Step In The Arena.  Considered their breakout album, Step In The Arena was filled a lot of the same elements that caught they attention of fans in the first place, only stepped up a lot.  Next came Daily Operation, which more or less doubled down on the successful formulas of the prior two efforts and included the hits "Ex Girl To The Next girl", "Take It Personal", and (my personal fave) "Take 2 and Pass".  Then we got our hands on Hard To Earn, which earned them their highest charting album thanks to cuts like their big smash "Mass Appeal" and the follow-up with Mice & Smooth "DWYCK".  Darker and harder than previous works, this put Premo and Guru on a higher level.  As consistent as they had been, we knew a classic was coming at some point.  Enter, Moment Of Truth.

This album was just a monster.  Some of Premo's best production ever on a Gangstarr project, Guru complimented his scorching production with notable and impactful rhymes.  Obtaining their first Gold plaque, the album was supported by cuts like "You Know My Steez", the rather smooth yet unmistakably street "Royalty" with K-ci & Jojo, and the posse cut "The Militia".  Other standouts included "The Rep Grows Bigga", the Inspectah Deck- assisted "Above The Clouds", the Scarface-featured "Betrayal", and the ridiculous "Make' Em Pay", which featured Krumbsnatcha spitting the verse of his life on his one.  The amazing chemistry between Guru and Premo continued to show its brilliance with Moment Of Truth, and there wasn't a blemish virtually anywhere on this album.

While their next and final album, The Ownerz, was still very dope and worthy of heavy rotation, it was considered a tad step down from the momentous occasion Moment Of Truth was.  Guru and Premo hit their apex with this indestructible album.  Unfortunately, Guru would die just over a decade after their final album due to a heart attack that left him comatose and he never woke up from it.  As tragic as that was, the legacy of Gangstarr is one of being one of the single most influential duos in hip-hop's history, and with Moment Of Truth, it showed Gangstarr was indeed "One of the best yet".  Happy twentieth to Moment Of Truth.

Happy 20th: Still Standing

What is the deal kind people? This salute goes to a very influential group that helped bring the south to a prominence in the late nineties.  Delivering of the game's best offerings of the decade with Soul Food, they not only wanted to keep providing what brought them to the dance to begin with, they wanted to expand their sound to show that you can't really contain them in one box.  These Dungeon Family members are considered innovators of the soulful sound of southern hip-hop, and with this album, they solidify their stance as legends.  This was their second straight Gold plaque and they more than earned it with this exemplary effort.  This is our salute to Goodie Mob's second album, Still Standing.

It was very hard to deny the impact Outkast was having in hip-hop in the mid-nineties.  With their eponymous debut, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, breaking through glass ceilings, and their follow-up, ATLiens, reaching even more heights, their Dungeon Family counterparts were four Atlanta boys that were more your face than Big Boi and Dre.  The guys of T-Mo, Khujo, Big Gipp, and Cee-Lo represented well on Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, but now the eyes were on them to deliver an effort, and what an effort it was.  Their '95 debut, Soul Food, was amazing.  One of the best debuts of the decade and helped to further redefine southern hip-hop left off by the likes of UGK, Eightball & MJG, Geto Boys, and Three 6 Mafia.  With the lead-off single, the cautious "Cell Therapy", this was an ominous introduction to these cats that showed they more than blunts, seeking phat asses, and hustling.  They were street reporters and hood prophets.  Guys that were bringing social commentary and soulful lyrics that made you really feel them.  What resulted was Soul Food, an unforgettable album that many have said is even better than Southernplayalistic...  While that's up for debate, what isn't is the influence and impact that album had upon their careers and the game in general.  The question was soon asked, "How do you follow-up an epic release like this?"  They answered that question three years later.

Clearly, Outkast was KILLING the game for the south, and when they released their awe-inspiring third album, Aquemini, once again eyes were fixed upon the quartet to bring their own version of southern soul during that time for a follow up to Soul Food.  When we heard, "They Don't Dance No Mo", an ode to how much society had changed from having fun to people or kids taking themselves so seriously, we knew they were back and ready to go.  What followed was Gipp's solo cut with Big Boi, "Black Ice", and we knew Still Standing was going to be another masterful gem from these four.  What we didn't expect is how much they slightly altered their sound.  using more live instrumentation for a few tracks and incorporating more elements, especially on "Just About Over", some tracks had to grow on people, but their message of straightening up the hood and keeping Black folk "woke" if you will, this album still stood firm in substance.

Once again, Cee-Lo was the clear star of this group, stealing the show on cuts like "Just About Over", "Gutta Butta", "The Experience", and the title track, but that takes not one thing away from T-Mo, Gipp, and Khujo, as they all hold their own throughout the album as well.  Perhaps the most standout cut was the wonderful ode to the Black woman, "Beautiful Skin".  The guys were basically saying for Black women to love themselves and respect themselves for they were queens, and it resonated very well to the ladies.  This song, more than any other cut here, is infused with love and admiration, which based upon those times ladies were reduced to video vixens and strippers appearing on music videos.  One could say this was their version on this album of Soul Food's highly touching ode to their mothers "Guess Who".

Soaked in Blues, Soul, Rock, and definitely Gospel roots, Still Standing is an affirmation to the importance of this group.  They were a group with the foresight of legends like Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes and Marvin Gaye, only as four young southern emcees trying to educate and make a difference.  If Outkast was like Tribe, this act was definitely De La Soul, and their approach was considered substance in a game of style.  While the group disbanded shortly after their highly disappointing follow-up World Party, Cee-Lo became big and became a multi-platinum artist (both solo and with Danger Mouse as Gnarls Barkley), thus the remaining members put out One Monkey Don't Stop No Show and, although promising, clearly missed the dazzle of Cee-Lo Green.  They reunited in '16 for Age Against the Machine and it showed glimpses of Goodie Mo-B of old, but it still was missing the unadulterated soul of their first two superb efforts.

Goodie Mob showed with Still Standing that, even with switching up some of their sound, their message remained true and unrelenting.  This was a damn impressive follow-up to what Soul Food left behind, and it completely denounced any sophomore slump talks.  To the Goodie Mo, we salute Still Standing for twenty years of excellence to this day and time.

Happy 20th: Capital Punishment

What's happening cats!  This is yet another twentieth anniversary salute to a very riveting album in the history of hip-hop.  Latino emcees are well known throughout the game and well respected.  Acts like Termanology, Joell Ortiz, and Immortal Technique are some of the most incredibly talented emcees walking the earth.  However, there was one portly microphone powerhouse that was setting a new standard and raising a new bar for Latinos in the game.  From the moment we heart this guy, we knew this was legend shit in the making. Once his debut album hit, there was absolutely no doubt about the fact that he was a bonafide star and would be among the legends of hip-hop eventually.  Unfortunately, he never lived long enough to enjoy the fruits of his labor with the enormous impact of his influential debut.  We salute the late, great Big Pun and his classic debut, Capital Punishment.

First heard on mentor and great friend, Fat Joe's, impressive sophomore album, Jealous Ones Envy, the young man known as Big Punisher almost single-handedly stole the show on the cut "Watch Out".  From there, he made more noise on the vicious Soul In The Hole soundtrack for the track "You Ain't A Killa" and appeared on The Beatnuts' "Off The Books" alongside fellow close friend Cuban Link.  It wasn't long before we all wanted to know more about this super impressive lyrical destroyer.  Once we got a taste of his first single, the O-Jays sampled "I'm Not A Playa", we knew we were in for it, as this was an instant club smash.  He raised the stakes even more with the highly successful and classic remix to it featuring Grammy Award nominee, R&B singer Joe (which became renamed "Still Not A Playa").  From there, the anticipation was through the roof and he finally dropped his much awaited debut album, Capital Punishment.

In short folks, this album literally had it all.  Aside from his lyrical marvels, the production on the album was knocking and infectious all throughout the album.  It followed the formula of success which was a healthy balance of rugged, street tracks for the fellas ("Triboro Trilogy", "Beware", the title track") and something for the ladies (the aforementioned "I'm Not A Playa", "Still Not A Playa", "Punish Me"), as well as just straight club-nourishing hits ("You Came Up", "Caribbean Connection").  This had something for everyone, and it one thousand percent worked.  However, it was on the track "Twinz (Deep Cover '98)" with Fat Joe that we really caught the insanity of his lyrical talents with his now iconic bar "Dead in the middle Italy/little did we know we were riddles to middle men who didn't do diddly". JE-SUS!!!!  You really could've stopped the track right there, as this was among the rewound lines ever.  The rest of the cut was very dope and hopefully made the founders of that cut, Dre & Snoop, very proud (must have because Snoop, himself, made a brief cameo in the video).

This was undoubtedly Pun's time to shine.  His star power was immensely growing and, with the backing of a power-punching album, he was destined for the gold medal.  Tragically, Pun was also dealing with morbid obesity, with his weight totaling in at reportedly over six hundred pounds.  He passed as a result of a heart attack due to his weight issues at not even the age of thirty, and we lost one of hip-hop most incredible rising talents.

Compared to Biggie Smalls in many ways, Pun was easily among the most legit emcees we had heard for that generation.  Alongside the rest of the Terror Squad (Cuban Link, Fat Joe, Armageddon, Shorty Prospect, Triple Seis, and Tony Sunshine), Pun was always getting represented correctly.  This album showed that Latinos in hip-hop could do damage, as Capital Punishment made history becoming the first hip-hop album to go Platinum by a Latino artist.  This was a huge album from an equally huge man and his talents were bigger than his entire body.  He left behind, musically, another album's worth of material in the form of his posthumous second effort, Yeeeah Baby!  Very good attempt at recreating the magic of his stellar debut, but without Pun around to promote it, although acclaimed, it lost its sizzle a little.  His later efforts of his Endangered Species compilation album and his appearances on Terror Squad's blazing debut self titled album solidified how much of a force Pun was bound to become.

With Capital Punishment, Chris Rios proved that his superstar appeal was rolling and rolling hard.  He inspired all future Latino emcees including his son, the equally incredible Chris Rivers, to show their asses on the mic.  Pun was nobody to play with, both on and off the mic.  His controversial lifestyle reflected his aura at times reportedly, but regardless of how he was away from the booth, Pun was a machine in it.  This effort was practically flawless and we were honored to get introduced to someone who so forcefully impacted hip-hop in such a short time.  Although we can't really put him as an all-time great based upon a couple of studio albums, had he been alive and put out more material, the argument is astoundingly clear that he would've been on his way.  Rest in peace Pun, as we salute Capital Punishment!

Happy 20th: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

What's happening peoples!  This anniversary salute goes to an album that transcended hip-hop and became one of the most heralded pieces of music of all-time.  A laid-back, yet passionate, Jersey girl that had all the talent one could ask for emerged from one of the most successful hip-hop acts to exist to becoming a cultural music icon.  She delivered a project that was dripping with pain, pride, freedom, and transparency all in one and became one of hip-hop's most critically and commercially successful albums ever.  Ladies and gentlemen, this is Lauryn Hill's debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

Already tasting success globally from her work with The Fugees, Hill was the clear and apparent star of the trio that consisted of her, Wyclef Jean and Pras.  Their debut album, Blunted On Reality, was decent but not enough to where it would make a viable impact up[on listeners ears (although the "Nappy Heads" remix is just flames).  However, in '97, the game was flipped, turned upside down when they released their epic sophomore album, The Score.  A breathtaking release, this album sold over eleven million units and made them official household names, largely based off "Fu-Gee-La" and the solo cut by Ms. Hill, a reworking of the Roberta Flack classic "Killing Me Softly".  Many have stated that it was in fact that single alone that made the album soar as high as it did, which is a strong argument.  Don't get it twisted kiddies, The Score was, and still is, an amazing piece of work that still stands the test of time.  However, it was Lauryn's chilled-out, b-girl persona that made the  ladies relate to her as their sister, and brothas wanna to get with her and wife her.  Equally talented in singing and emceeing, Lauryn was becoming THE star.

Anticipation was mounting like never before for a female hip-hop artist for her debut album.  When the announcement was made that her solo debut would be dropping, the world was ready, and we haven't fully recovered since.  In '98, she dropped The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and it was simply awe-inspiring.  Driven by the single "Doo Wop (That Thing)" as well as the subliminal rumored Wyclef-diss "Lost Ones", The Miseducation...started off blazing.  Constant radio airplay was an everyday occurrence with these cuts, however then came the painful ballad "Ex-Factor", in which she pours her heart out over a slow reworking of Wu-Tang's "Can It Be All So Simple"..  From there, she dropped other singles such as "Everything Is Everything", "I Used To Love Him" with Mary J. Blige, the sultry duet with D'Angelo "Nothing Even Matters", and the touching ode to her then-newborn son "To Zion", featuring excellent acoustics by legendary, Grammy Award-winning guitarist Carlos Santana. 

Considered the ultimate woman's album filled with love, anger, and emotion, Lauryn showed it all to the world in a way very much resembling other amazing soul-bearing albums such as Marvin Gaye's Here My Dear.  Recorded and written while pregnant, regardless if this was done hormonally or not, this was an album that was special.  Special as in a genre-bending bar-setting piece of work that is both jarring and exuberant, heartbreaking and victorious, political and homegrown.  Other cuts such as "Superstar", "Tell Him", and the cautionary "Final Hour" are so effortlessly poetic and vivid that they really embody the term "soul music".  Taking her direction, narrative, and guidance from God, Lauryn sometimes comes off prophesying and commanding the listener to heed her cautions, while embracing her truths at the same time. 

While many today like to rap then sing and vice versa all over their projects, Lauryn could do it and could master it seamlessly.  Although it was practically more R&B and Soul than hip-hop, the hip-hop isn't far on several tracks, thus making it appealing to the cats on the corner as well.  Much like icons such as Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, and India.Arie, fellas could gravitate towards her for her sense of being that down to earth, mellowed-out young woman, but the ladies saw themselves in her in some capacity, thus relating to everyone. 

The legacy of this album is one of folk hero status.  Lauryn's album is considered a benchmark for artists in general who aren't afraid to present and speak their truth as means of therapy.  Lauryn's debut made her a hero.  A figure that exhibited her as one of the most important figures in all of music.  Not only did 9th Wonder induct the album into the Harvard Library, but it was also included into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.  You must know the highly important significance of this, as albums and recordings such as "My Girl" by The Temptations, "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green, and Michael Jackson's Thriller all reside as being of historic cultural impact. 

It doesn't get much more timeless than The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.  Lauryn Hill gave us a treasure that will still be reveled and uplifted twenty more years from now.  While her follow-up MTV Unplugged album was met with controversy in terms of quality, and her seemingly wanting to leave the spotlight alone, Lauryn will always be remembered for one of music's greatest masterworks and gave us a reluctant, albeit very much gifted, star.  Salute to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

Happy 20th: Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star

What's happening folks?! It's time for another twentieth anniversary salute, and this time we focus on a hip-hop album that solidifies and personifies the soul of what hip-hop represents: education, love of culture, way above average talent lyricism, and the influence of ol' school wrapped up in one monumental project.  A collaboration between two of NY's most esteemed and revered artists, their debut album was unapologetically hip-hop, and the moment you heard the first single from the album, you knew you were in for a ride filled with late nineties relevance with early eighties heart.  The result was one of the true classic albums in all of hip-hop.  This is Talib Kweli and Mos Def as Black Star and their self titled debut album.

In the mid to late nineties, the underground was a lot more respected and hit a new level.  Brooklynites Mos Def and Talib Kweli came together as Black Star.  Platforms such as the Lyrcist Lounge was something up and coming emcees could exhibit their talents in hopes to get a deal.  The label that fully allowed burgeoning artists to express themselves in the underground was Rawkus Records.  Incredible projects such as Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1, Soundbombing, and the simply amazing Funcrusher Plus album from Company Flow were seen as pillars of the label. However, it was when two of the labels most superb talents came together when the label started to take off, and this was all the way promising.  Frequently collaborating with each other, Kweli and Mos presented a debut album to be remembered as a certified hip-hop classic.

From the jump, the first single "Definition" had the feel of the old school with its sampling of Boogie Down Productions' "The P Is Free" and a tag-out/tag-in chemistry similar to EPMD.  This was an instant favorite of the backpackers and those that just love no gimmicks hip-hop.  They followed that up with the Common-assisted "respiration", which was every bit as dope and contained some of the best bars from brother Lonnie Lynn that you'll hear to this very day (the remix to this with Black Thought was just plain MEAN).  The rest of the album fared out to be a remarkable piece of hip-hop.  Cuts like the mellow, love-of-Black-women ode "Brown Skin Lady", the unforgettable barfest "Twice Inna Lifetime" with Jane Doe (where you at Jane?) and Punch & Words, the impactful "Thieves In The Night", and the jazzy-stylings of "K.O.S." were so richly absorbed by the fortunate listener that thought that all hip-hop was about at that time was materialism, guns, and mysogany.

While production from the likes of Hi-Tek, 88-Keys, Shawn J. Period, and J. Rawls of Lone Catalysts (that "Yo Yeah" interlude is just...WOW! This should've been an entire song instead of an interlude) were clear selling points, as this was among the most impeccably produced albums to exist at that time, the album centered on lyrics.  Aside from just being a spitter's handbook, this was an album filled with intelligence, social commentary, and the uplifting of Black kings and queens.  This was an album that relied on the golden era of rap and hip-hop culture, while translating it into that era's time period.  Influences like the aforementioned BDP, Public Enemy, Slick Rick (Mos Def's version of Rick's "Children's Story" is just brilliant), Tribe Called Quest, and Brand Nubian are heard and felt all over this album and was considered a breath of fresh air in hip-hop.

This album took both of these superbly talented emcees to new levels, as this album was the catalyst to Mos' unforgettable debut, Black On Both Sides, and Kweli's collaborative album with Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal, Train Of Thought, which is also one of the most amazing pieces of hip-hop you'll ever hear.  While we heavily anticipate a new album from them (hopefully), we can always put this album in our decks or download it onto our mp3s or phones, and listen to a highly underrated  classic, and with Black Star's debut album, this was exemplified the core essence of hip-hop: genuineness, authenticity, and education.  What more can you ask for?  Until next time!