The wayback landed me in 92...
Yep, 1992... Age 12 for the first half, 13 the next... This year will take me through the second half of 7th grade, through those weird days of early puberty where nothing was quite right, nor would it have been anyway, then still on to 8th grade for the second half.
As I write these, I come to realize that I don't think I had much of a childhood, what with having to take on more responsibilities than some of my peers, what with my parents' situation and changing schools and yaddayaddayadda... It actually serves to reason that I am so addicted to music now because it was a constant that I was not able to attain in home life.
Anyway, it is now 1992 and I am here to talk about this years hip hop releases...
January Lord Finesse came with "Return of the Funky Man," but not before DJ Quik very necessarily opened the year on New Years Day with "Way 2 Fonky."
February The Fu Schnickens gave us "FU Take it Personal," an album I WANT to like, what with production from A Tribe Called Quest and appearances from the likes of Dres of Black Sheep, alas it just wasn't that good, though. Boogie Down Productions released "Sex and Violence" as well...
Did y'all know that Sir Mix-A-Lot had gold AND platinum success before this month's "Mack Daddy"? Nope, I didn't either. Yeah, I got got too, because I bought the next album after this one too, which serves to explain why he HASN'T sold anything to a certification since.
March brought only Chi Ali's "The Fabulous Chi Ali," which might go down as the best kid-rapper album EVER. Ironically, also released this month was Kris Kross' "Totally Krossed Out," and no, I did NOT make that up for ironic humor. The shit is just funny. Ultramagnetic MC's made "Funk Your Head Up" too.
April shows us Das Efx with "Dead Serious," ironically named because they were quite cartoonish, and The Beastie Boys with "Check Your Head," an album both of you should own.
May brought Gangstarr's "Daily Operation" and some rain... I enjoyed the album, rain sucks.
Also, I swear to the fucking stars, if I have to name ONE MORE Spice 1 album, like his self-titled, in one of these lists, I will fucking scream! To ease my mind for the time being, I will mention that X-Clan released "Xodus," but offer that I remember NOTHING about the shit.
June came with some game-changing classic albums, Pete Rock & CL Smooth's "Mecca and the Soul Brother" and Eric B and Rakim's "Don't Sweat the Technique."
Now, I listened to Mecca and the Soul Brother the other day, and we have ALL heard "T.R.O.Y." a billion and two-thirds times, but if that Tom Scott sax sample from "Today" doesn't move you, then your name is Shang Tsung and you have no soul in your body...
Twista was cartoonish and not to be taken seriously with "Runnin' Off at the Mouth" this month, and I somehow remember a silly ass video with a tongue bouncing through it and shit, I just can't recall when this motherfucker MATTERED until Do or Die's "Po Pimp" from their 1996 album that will be changing my list on that post as soon as I am done with this sentence. Back from that edit, I mention that MC Breed made "20 Below" as well this month, as did Yo-Yo with "Black Pearl." Let the record show that as of last year before meeting the Katie, I would SERIOUSLY give Yo-Yo the BUSINESS now, at however old she is. She is that well-preserved.
Yeah, MC Ren released "Kizz My Black Azz" this month too, but no one cared because he wasn't with NWA.
July came with House of Pain's self-titled and Mary J Blige's "What's the 411?" which I am pretty sure is my favorite of her albums, as well as EPMD's "Business Never Personal," and Too $hort with "Shorty The Pimp."
August brings us MC Serch with "The Return of the Product," and I was not aware that 3rd Bass broke up THAT early.
September Redman came with "Whut? Thee Album" and Diamond D gave us "Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop," while Showbiz & AG came with "Runaway Slave," which I had honestly not heard of before just now... I will download it this weekend. Da Lench Mob dropped "Guerillas In Tha Mist," which is not about a movie they filmed in yo mama's shower by the way. Willie D also dropped "I'm Goin' Out Like a Soldier" as well as Bushwick Bill with an album not even his kids' mother cared about, "Little Big Man."
October gave us Buju Banton's "Stamina Daddy," what can I say? Even the greatest have to start somewhere, no? Insane Clown Posse released "Carnival of Terror" as well... I do not own the Buju album because I cannot find it, it is the only one. I do not own the ICP one because I am reasonably sane with decent taste, even if no couth. Common also released "Can I Borrow A Dollar," which I did not own until after his next two albums and I am not the least bit angered by this, as I can't stand to listen to it. It is owned for collection purposes only. One I apparently didn't know of the existence of was Grand Puba's "Reel to Reel," but I will blame that on it having come out while Brand Nubian was still hot.
November brings us Positive K -- who famously performed "Come to Butthead with Beavis and Butthead and got his ass kicked by P. Diddy -- with "The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills," a forgettable album that we can thank Ice Cube and The Pharcyde for "The Predator" and "Bizarre Ride II Da Pharcyde," respectively. Kool G Rap & Polo dropped "Live and Let Die" and UGK "Too Hard to Swallow" this month as well.
December all you NEED to know came out this month was Dr. Dre's "The Chronic," which I am THINKING was my first CD, as in ON CD... Before this, it was cassette tapes and a couple of wax albums before that. This album is on anyone who matters' top 10 list, and if it isn't, I am willing to bet that Hanson and the Jonas Brothers -- and perhaps Soulja Boy -- are.
Typing this, I realized that there was a very decent number of albums released this year, 41 to be exact... 23 are or have been in my possession. That is a pretty sad 56.09%...
The good is GREAT, looking at the Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, The Pharcyde, UGK, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Eric B & Rakim, Gang Starr and DJ Quik.
The bad, on the other hand, is somewhere near depressing, so much that I am not even going to get into it. The most memorable album of this year is obvious, fitting that it came out in the last month of the year, to help erase the memory of the shit that came before it.
Funny thing I am noticing about differences between then and now, the main of which being the amount of power a SINGLE had then... Stick with me, here. A single from one of these albums was often the best song on the album, and it was that because it HAD to be, as there would be no more off of the album, AND THE ALBUM STILL WENT PLATINUM... Now, you present the song that will get the most attention, which may or not be the best song on the album, but you're prepared with several others behind it that can go to radio just the same.
Know what?
I liked the former model of the industry, where intrigue-cum-genuine interest sold albums. The intrigue was built through good music. What a noble fucking concept...
See y'all when the wayback drops me off in 1994.
As I write these, I come to realize that I don't think I had much of a childhood, what with having to take on more responsibilities than some of my peers, what with my parents' situation and changing schools and yaddayaddayadda... It actually serves to reason that I am so addicted to music now because it was a constant that I was not able to attain in home life.
Anyway, it is now 1992 and I am here to talk about this years hip hop releases...
January Lord Finesse came with "Return of the Funky Man," but not before DJ Quik very necessarily opened the year on New Years Day with "Way 2 Fonky."
February The Fu Schnickens gave us "FU Take it Personal," an album I WANT to like, what with production from A Tribe Called Quest and appearances from the likes of Dres of Black Sheep, alas it just wasn't that good, though. Boogie Down Productions released "Sex and Violence" as well...
Did y'all know that Sir Mix-A-Lot had gold AND platinum success before this month's "Mack Daddy"? Nope, I didn't either. Yeah, I got got too, because I bought the next album after this one too, which serves to explain why he HASN'T sold anything to a certification since.
March brought only Chi Ali's "The Fabulous Chi Ali," which might go down as the best kid-rapper album EVER. Ironically, also released this month was Kris Kross' "Totally Krossed Out," and no, I did NOT make that up for ironic humor. The shit is just funny. Ultramagnetic MC's made "Funk Your Head Up" too.
April shows us Das Efx with "Dead Serious," ironically named because they were quite cartoonish, and The Beastie Boys with "Check Your Head," an album both of you should own.
May brought Gangstarr's "Daily Operation" and some rain... I enjoyed the album, rain sucks.
Also, I swear to the fucking stars, if I have to name ONE MORE Spice 1 album, like his self-titled, in one of these lists, I will fucking scream! To ease my mind for the time being, I will mention that X-Clan released "Xodus," but offer that I remember NOTHING about the shit.
June came with some game-changing classic albums, Pete Rock & CL Smooth's "Mecca and the Soul Brother" and Eric B and Rakim's "Don't Sweat the Technique."
Now, I listened to Mecca and the Soul Brother the other day, and we have ALL heard "T.R.O.Y." a billion and two-thirds times, but if that Tom Scott sax sample from "Today" doesn't move you, then your name is Shang Tsung and you have no soul in your body...
Twista was cartoonish and not to be taken seriously with "Runnin' Off at the Mouth" this month, and I somehow remember a silly ass video with a tongue bouncing through it and shit, I just can't recall when this motherfucker MATTERED until Do or Die's "Po Pimp" from their 1996 album that will be changing my list on that post as soon as I am done with this sentence. Back from that edit, I mention that MC Breed made "20 Below" as well this month, as did Yo-Yo with "Black Pearl." Let the record show that as of last year before meeting the Katie, I would SERIOUSLY give Yo-Yo the BUSINESS now, at however old she is. She is that well-preserved.
Yeah, MC Ren released "Kizz My Black Azz" this month too, but no one cared because he wasn't with NWA.
July came with House of Pain's self-titled and Mary J Blige's "What's the 411?" which I am pretty sure is my favorite of her albums, as well as EPMD's "Business Never Personal," and Too $hort with "Shorty The Pimp."
August brings us MC Serch with "The Return of the Product," and I was not aware that 3rd Bass broke up THAT early.
September Redman came with "Whut? Thee Album" and Diamond D gave us "Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop," while Showbiz & AG came with "Runaway Slave," which I had honestly not heard of before just now... I will download it this weekend. Da Lench Mob dropped "Guerillas In Tha Mist," which is not about a movie they filmed in yo mama's shower by the way. Willie D also dropped "I'm Goin' Out Like a Soldier" as well as Bushwick Bill with an album not even his kids' mother cared about, "Little Big Man."
October gave us Buju Banton's "Stamina Daddy," what can I say? Even the greatest have to start somewhere, no? Insane Clown Posse released "Carnival of Terror" as well... I do not own the Buju album because I cannot find it, it is the only one. I do not own the ICP one because I am reasonably sane with decent taste, even if no couth. Common also released "Can I Borrow A Dollar," which I did not own until after his next two albums and I am not the least bit angered by this, as I can't stand to listen to it. It is owned for collection purposes only. One I apparently didn't know of the existence of was Grand Puba's "Reel to Reel," but I will blame that on it having come out while Brand Nubian was still hot.
November brings us Positive K -- who famously performed "Come to Butthead with Beavis and Butthead and got his ass kicked by P. Diddy -- with "The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills," a forgettable album that we can thank Ice Cube and The Pharcyde for "The Predator" and "Bizarre Ride II Da Pharcyde," respectively. Kool G Rap & Polo dropped "Live and Let Die" and UGK "Too Hard to Swallow" this month as well.
December all you NEED to know came out this month was Dr. Dre's "The Chronic," which I am THINKING was my first CD, as in ON CD... Before this, it was cassette tapes and a couple of wax albums before that. This album is on anyone who matters' top 10 list, and if it isn't, I am willing to bet that Hanson and the Jonas Brothers -- and perhaps Soulja Boy -- are.
Typing this, I realized that there was a very decent number of albums released this year, 41 to be exact... 23 are or have been in my possession. That is a pretty sad 56.09%...
The good is GREAT, looking at the Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, The Pharcyde, UGK, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Eric B & Rakim, Gang Starr and DJ Quik.
The bad, on the other hand, is somewhere near depressing, so much that I am not even going to get into it. The most memorable album of this year is obvious, fitting that it came out in the last month of the year, to help erase the memory of the shit that came before it.
Funny thing I am noticing about differences between then and now, the main of which being the amount of power a SINGLE had then... Stick with me, here. A single from one of these albums was often the best song on the album, and it was that because it HAD to be, as there would be no more off of the album, AND THE ALBUM STILL WENT PLATINUM... Now, you present the song that will get the most attention, which may or not be the best song on the album, but you're prepared with several others behind it that can go to radio just the same.
Know what?
I liked the former model of the industry, where intrigue-cum-genuine interest sold albums. The intrigue was built through good music. What a noble fucking concept...
See y'all when the wayback drops me off in 1994.
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