So. Much. Music. There has never been more music available and being created than there is in 2016. And with so much good, new material to sift through, one can sometimes neglect the better songs from the "good ol' days." Whether it's that Cru album you haven't throw on in a minute or the '90s Canadian hip-hop mixtape collecting dust under your bed, there is no better time than the present to revisit some of the best hip-hop music from back in the day.
Rascalz, “Really Livin” (1993)
Album: Really Livin'
Producer: DJ Kemo & Roger Swan
Label: Calabash Records
If you count Drake, then Canadian hip-hop is having a great 2016. But there was a time in the early '90s when Canadian rappers were putting out some incredible material—it just wasn’t necessarily resonating with those South of the border. One of those groups was Vancouver's Rascalz whose 1992 single “Really Livin'” was a mainstay on Canadian rap video shows. The song, produced by DJ Kemo and Roger Swan, features a tinny, raw beat that provided the MCs with a canvas to spit their true school flows in the early '90s. Red-1 and Misfit were on par with many of their U.S. counterparts and it's likely rap fans heard this one on mix shows/mixtapes back in the day without being fully aware they were listening to two cats from Vancouver, CA.
Anotha Level, “What's That Cha Say” (1994)
Album: On Another Level
Producer: Laylaw, D-Maq
Label: Priority
Anotha Level were an under the radar group coming out of the '90s West Coast hip-hop scene, but their track “What's That Cha Say” made some noise, thanks to its infectious hook: “What's that cha say about the West Coast huh? You got flava (Yeah)/Anotha level (Right).” Considered a classic in many circles, the video for “What's That Cha Say” features appearances from Pharcyde and Ice Cube (a big supporter of the group). Anotha Level released only one album before disbanding. Sadly, group member Stix passed away in July 2015.
Shyne f/ Barrington Levy "Bonnie & Shyne" (2000)
Leaders of the New School, “Classic Material” (1993)
Album: T.I.M.E
Producer: The Vibe Chemist, Backspin
Label: Elektra
A good argument could be made that Leaders of the New School are the anong the most under-appreciated groups from hip-hop's golden era. That's probably because they only released two albums. Their second, 1993's T.I.M.E., featured highlights like “The Daily Reminder,” “What's Next,” and “Classic Material.” It's “Classic Material” that truly is, as its title suggests, “classic.” The song was the last single released from the T.I.M.E. album and captures the youthful flows of Milo, Dinco D, Charlie Brown and a pre-super stardom Busta Rhymes.
Busta Rhymes, “Extinction Level Event (Song of Salvation)” (1998)
Album: E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front
Producer: Nottz
Label: Flipmode, Elektra
Apocalyptic. Tension building. Horrific. End of days. All ways one could describe the title track off Busta Rhymes 1998 album E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event). What begins with a chorus like chant of “la la, la-la-la” leads into a charged-up Busta Rhymes launching himself into the track: “Holy amazing grace about face/Total erase you niggas off the face of the place.” Many kudos go to Nottz whose complex track is a cinematic landscape perfect for Busta to rap about blowtorches, chainsaws and the general end of the world as we know it.
Ice Cube f/ Mr. Short Khop, “Pushin' Weight” (1998)
Album: War & Peace Vol. 1
Producer: N.O. Joe
Label: Priority
Forgot about this one? Ice Cube's “Pushin' Weight” was a No. 1 rap single back in 1998. The certified Gold single was produced by N.O. Joe and Ice Cube and introduced the masses to a rapper named Mr. Short Khop. Khop's show stealing verse on “Pushin' Weight” was the highlight of a career that seemed, at one point, destined for greatness. Khop's nasally flow seemed effortless as he dropped bars like: “I keeps a firm grip on my shit when I'm in transit/Unhanded, it's the young bandit.” You know how the rest of this story ends—Ice Cube has gone on to massive success throughout entertainment while a promising Short Khop has faded into obscurity.
Souls of Mischief, "'93 Til' Infinity" (1993)
Album: '93 Til Infinity
Producer: A-Plus
Label: Jive/BMG Records
"'93 'Til Infinity" is a rare desert island song. The kind of thing you can listen to, over and over again, for the rest of your life, without losing your mind. Which is probably why it's one of the few songs in the world that includes a year in its title without ever sounding dated. Souls of Mischief—an offshoot of Oakland's Hieroglyphics crew—put together a one-time classic album, with its title track serving as its distillation; a hooky, warm, laid back cypher that had confidence in relaxed Bay Area vibe, letting the song unspool into a something that became canon. "This is how we chill, from '93 'til," seems like a prophetic boast, now. Over 23 years later, this is still how we chill.
Choclair f/ Saukrates, “Rubbin'” (1999)
Album: Ice Cold
Producer: Saukrates
Label: Virgin Music Canada
Had Choclair received the support that he so desperately needed from Priority Records, “Rubbin'” could have easily ruled hip-hop when it dropped in '99. The song appeared on the Toronto MC's debut major label album, Ice Cold. The song featured Choclair's “Circle” compadre Saukrates, who handled hook duties on this sexually charged single: “You frontin' like I ain't bout to knock it/I got a rocket in my pocket/Two tickets to your ecstacy/And one for this chick standing next to me.” Choclair's rich flows, thumping Saukrates production, and a catchy hook make this one as fresh in 2016 as it was in 1999.
Saukrates, “Money or Love” (1999)
Album: The Underground Tapes
Producer: Saukrates
Label: Serious Entertainment
One of Canada's most promising hip-hop talents, Saukrates was heralded as northern rap's savior from the mid-'90s to early 2000s. It was tracks like "Money or Love” that fostered that reputation, the kind of track that seemed like it could be a genuine, if unlikely, breakthrough. The irresistible, head-nod-inducing production provides a soundscape for Sauks to bounce across effortlessly, flowing into a chorus that showed off his better-than-average singing skills: “The worst will bet ya, is this money or love/Wild bout will get ya, is this money or love.” Turns out rappers were singing in Toronto long before it was known as the “6ix.”
50 Cent, "What Up Gangsta?" (2003)
Kasino and the Lox, “Men of Respect” (1999)
Album: The Corruptor: The Soundtrack
Producer: Dame Grease
Label: Jive
Found on the soundtrack to the Mark Wahlberg-starring movie The Corruptor, “Men of Respect” is a proving ground for Kasino and the Lox in their prime. Sheek Louch didn't receive as much shine as Jadakiss at the height of the Lox career but he's easily the standout performance on this one: “Yo I don't toss it when I pop, I just run up in the spot/Pour acid on my glock and start burying the pot." And while the lyrical performances are something special here, the production brings in an synth-filled '80s feel courtesy of producer Dame Grease. This is one of those posse cuts that is easy to forget but instantly familiar when you hear it again.
Masta Ace, “Music Man” (1990)
Album: Take a Look Around
Producer: Marley Marl, Mister Cee
Label: Cold Chillin' Records
The legendary Marley Marl produced track No. 1 on Masta Ace's Take A Look Around. An electric guitar drives the track into Ace's flows, which tell the story of the “music man” who delivers his rhymes to the masses: “Yell it from a wall, the Music Man will never fall/Or fail, raps tip the scale to get you hot…” Ace shines here but the real gem is Marley Marl's undeniable production, a natural hip-hop/rock fusion beat that stands the test of time.
A Tribe Called Quest f/ N.O.R.E., “Give Me” (1998)
Album: The Love Movement
Producer: The Ummah
Label: Jive
In what appeared to be an awkward collaboration on paper, A Tribe Called Quest's “Give Me” paired the group with N.O.R.E. in a clever collision of Tip and Phife's smoothed out vocals with N.O.R.E.'s flow: “Yo in Iraq, all my niggas love Abstract/Yo from Far Rock to Flushing, concussion.” The song's tongue-in-cheek hook rides over production reminiscent of Tribe's “Award Tour,” making this song, and The Love Movement as a whole, one of Tribe's more underrated hip-hop moments.
Cru, “Bubblin'” (1997)
Album: Da Dirty 30
Producer: Yogi
Label: Violator
It's safe to say that no rap group in history released a debut album as good as Cru's Da Dirty 30, only to never be heard from again. The album was exclusively produced by group member Yogi and its second single—“Bubblin'”—was the highest charting track from the project, peaking at No. 23 on the rap singles chart. “Bubblin'” is a great example of the playful, back and forth flows that Chadio and Yogi showcase throughout Da Dirty 30—a simplistic, old school throwback. Do yourself a favor and revisit.
Big Daddy Kane, “It's A Big Daddy Thing” (1989)
Album: It's a Big Daddy Thing
Producer: Prince Paul
Label: Cold Chillin' Records
A jazzy backdrop, courtesy of Prince Paul, is the anchor of the title track from Big Daddy Kane's 1989 album, It's A Big Daddy Thing. The track introduces the album and does what every good opening track is supposed to do—set the stage and provide an opportunity for Big Daddy Kane to simply spit over a perfect beat: “To press up and get broken like a Lee nail/So let me school ya plus scoop your female.”
Notorious B.I.G. f/ Diana King, “Respect” (1994)
Album: Ready to Die
Producer: Poke of Trackmasters, Puff Daddy
Label: Bad Boy
The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album Ready To Die is a certified hip-hop classic. And while plenty of the tracks on that album still get play every weekend in clubs around the globe, “Respect,” featuring Diana King, is one track off the album that needs a friendly reminder every once in a while of just how dope it is. Produced by Poke (of Trackmasters) and Puff Daddy, “Respect” is a reggae-tinged, thumping street cut in which Biggie spits vivid street tales: “Now I'm 13, smoking blunts, making cream/On the drug scene, fuck a football team/Risking ruptured spleens by the age of sixteen/Hearing the coach scream ain't my lifetime dream.”
Snoop Dogg f/ MC Ren, the Lady of Rage, Ice Cube, Nate Dogg, & Kurupt "Set It Off" (2000)
Domino, “Getto Jam” (1993)
Album: Domino
Producer: DJ Battlecat, Domino
Label: Outburst, Def Jam
“The getto jam is about to slam/With some notes from the diggady d-de." Call him a one-hit wonder, but Domino's “Getto Jam” was a No. 1 rap single in 1994, and the video was in a constant loop on rap video shows. The heavy melodic elements of “Getto Jam” were, in retrospect, an early precursor to the sing-songy rap hits of 2016. You probably forgot about this one but, luckily, there is still plenty of time to load this one onto your Spotify playlists.
Talib Kweli, “Ms. Hill” (2005)
Album: Right About Now
Producer: 88-Keys, Raids Beats
Label: Koch Entertainment
Talib Kweli's ode to Lauryn Hill is one of the truest, most passionate and emotional moments ever put to wax. “Ms. Hill” sees Talib throwing out a lifeline to Lauryn during a time of intense struggle in the mid-2000s: “I wish I could talk to Lauryn/I mean excuse me, Ms. Hill/and let her know much we love her is real/the industry was beatin' her up/then them demons started eating her up”
Through thw song, Talib was speaking for the broader hip-hop culture and music fans who truly love Lauryn but were concerned, not only about her erratic behavior, but how differently the media had treated her during her time of turmoil. The driver of the song is a masterfully incorporated sample of Ben Kweller's “In Other Words” that aids in pulling out the raw emotion from Talib's words.
The Roots f/ Bahamadia, “Push Up Ya Lighter” (1996)
Album: Illadelph Halflife
Producer: The Grand Negaz, Questlove, Kelo, Scott Storch
Label: DGC, Geffen
“Push Up Ya Lighter” appears on the Roots' classic Illadelph Halflife. The murky, jazzy backdrop provides a soundscape for Black Thought, Malik B and one of Philly's most underrated, Bahamadia, to wax poetic over. The hook's refrain of “Up ya lighter, up ya lighter, up ya lighter” anchors one of the best examples ever of hip-hop/jazz fusion.
Frankie Cutlass f/ Doo Wop, Rampage & Heltah Skeltah, “Feel The Vibe” (1996)
Album: Politics and Bullshit
Producer: Frankie Cutlass
Label: Relativity Records
This banger off Frankie Cutlass' lone major label album, Politics & Bullshit, brings together a ferocious team of MCs—Doo Wop, Rampage, Heltah Skeltah, and Cutlass himself. The “Brooklyn bomber that can't rest” leads the song off while Doo Wop brings that quality '90s NY rap: “Wop rock the Ecko/Unlimited gear with the FUBU/Catch me politickin' with Premiere and the Guru.” This is a classic '90s posse cut that sounds like everything that was right about hip-hop in the mid-'90s. A must-revisit.
Silkk the Shocker f/ Jay Z & Master P "You Know What We Bout" (1999)
Blahzay Blahzay, “Pain I Feel” (1996)
Album: Blah Blah Blah
Producer: PF Cuttin
Label: Fader Records
Blahzay Blahzay are best known for their hit “Danger,” off their one and only major label album, Blah Blah Blah. But it's “Pain I Feel," the album's second single, that's most worth revisiting. Produced by PF Cuttin', the track samples Gwen McRae's “It Keeps On Raining” to create a soulful bounce then, on top of that, samples from Main Source's “Looking At The Front Door” and Channel Live's “Mad Izm,” to create a perfect beat.
The song's chorus speaks to how a lot of people feel about modern day hip-hop: “You don't know the pain I feel/cause it's only weak rappers steady makin' hits, fuck that!” “Pain I Feel” showcases how dope of an MC Outloud was as he pounds through vicious verses.
Cool Breeze, “Butta” (1999)
Album: East Point's Greatest Hit
Producer: Organized Noize
Label: A&M Records
Talk about floatin' on a beat. Cool Breeze, one of the most underrated rappers ever out of the South, rides over Organized Noize production on “Butta," a gem from his album East Point's Greatest Hit. Breeze's “Butta” is an extremely Atlanta cut, with references throughout the track to OutKast, Greenbriar Mall, and Old National Highway. Despite being released in '99, the airy, laid back feel of “Butta” still rings off in 2016.
Canibus f/ Panama P.I., “How We Roll” (1998)
Album: Can-I-Bus
Producer: Clark Kent
Label: Universal Records
“I never freestyle for free without chargin' n****s a fee/it'll cost you a brain cell just to cypher with me”
Those bars opened one of the standout tracks from Canibus' debut album Can-I-Bus. The song, produced by Clark Kent, sees Canibus doing what Canibus does—spitting dazzling, complex bars over a truly head-nodding backdrop. In some ways, “How We Roll” was everything that made Canibus great, but it was also a perfect example of how his complex flows and lyrics could go over the masses' heads.