Table of Contents
I Miss 90s Hip-Hop Vol.2 <1990 (second half)
Late 1990 (July-December)
Veterans strike back
Following the shocking debut of A Tribe Called Quest in the first half of 1990, the second half of 1990 was a time when artists who had led the hip-hop scene in the 80s sensed the trends of the times and sought new styles.
L.L. Cool J made a spectacular debut with Def Jam in the mid-1980s and became a top star with hit after hit, but his fourth album, "Mama Said Knock You Out" (released on September 14), was the album of a lifetime for the artist who had been stagnant. L.L. Cool J produced most of the songs on the album. Marley Marl produced most of the songs on the album, especially the title track "Mama Said Knock You Out," which is a perfect combination of a fast-paced track and L.L. Cool J's powerful rap. The album also produced the singles "Around The Way Girl" and "The Boomin' System," and succeeded in presenting a new L.L. attitude different from that of the 1980s.
L.L. Cool J "Mama Said Knock You Out"
L.L. Cool J "Around The Way Girl"
L.L. Cool J also guested on EPMD's third album, "Business As Usual" (released on December 18), and while there were no major changes in sound as with L.L. Cool J, the band's sound was scaled up from their first and second albums. The band shows the dignity of veterans in this album.
EPMD "Rampage feat. L.L. Cool J
Boogie Down Productions' (BDP) fourth album "Edutainment" (released on July 17), led by KRS-One, is a work that further solidifies the message of BDP, which has always had strong political undertones. As the album title, which combines the words "education" and "entertainment," suggests, the album covers a wide range of topics, from the history of black people in the United States to human morality. KRS-One himself literally acts as a teacher to the audience, addressing a wide range of topics from the history of black people in America to human morality. The skit also includes a speech by Kwame Toure, an activist who was also a member of the Black Panthers, making it a highly accomplished concept album.
Boogie Down Productions "Love's Gonna Get'cha (Material Love)"
Incidentally, D-Nice, a member of BDP, also made his solo debut with the album "Call Me D-Nice" during this period, indicating the momentum of BDP at that time in the hip-hop scene.
D-Nice "Call Me D-Nice
Although not a sales success, veterans Run-D.M.C.'s fifth album, "Back From Hell" (released October 16), is not to be overlooked in the sense that they have explored their own style in a different way than in the 1980s. While there are songs like "The Ave" that are worth listening to, there are also a few glimpses of their wanderlust, such as their attempt at new jack swing on the single "Faces."
Run-D.M.C. "The Ave.
Run-D.M.C. "Faces
Juice Crew Second Golden Age
The Juice Crew, led by producer Marley Marl, who was instrumental in the revival of L.L. Cool J, also released a series of albums during this period.
The debut album "Intelligent Hoodlum" (released on July 10) by Intelligent Hoodlum, who still goes by the name of Tragedy Khadafi, features two tracks co-produced by Large Professor. Marley Marl's production is brilliant, especially on the single "Black". The single "Black And Proud" is a thrilling track that combines the straightforward message of Intelligent Hoodlum, who are also Black Muslims, with Marley Marl's track.
Intelligent Hoodlum "Black And Proud
From Masta Ace's first album "Take A Look Around" (released on July 24), which also attracted attention for his participation in the Juice Crew anthemic posse cut "The Symphony," Masta Ace's imitation of fellow Juice Crew member Biz The song "Me And The Biz," in which Masta Ace impersonates fellow Juice Crew member Biz Markie, was a hit. The song conveys Juice Crew's rich characterization and unique side in a good way.
Masta Ace "Me And The Biz"
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo's second album, "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (August 14), also a participant in "The Symphony," has a serious tone that is the complete opposite of Masta Ace's, covering a wide variety of themes from crime stories influenced by gangster movies to hard-hitting battle tunes. The album covers a wide range of themes, from crime stories influenced by gangster movies to hard-hitting battle tunes and even anti-racism.
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo "Streets Of New York
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo "Erase Racism feat. Big Daddy Kane & Biz Markie
Grand Daddy I.U.'s first album, "Smooth Assassin" (released October 16), was produced entirely by Biz Markie, not Marley Marl as in Juice Crew, and includes such tasty tracks as "Something New" and "Sugar Free and "Sugar Free".
Grand Daddy I.U. "Something New
Grand Daddy I.U. "Sugar Free
The third album "Taste Of Chocolate" (released on October 30) by Big Daddy Kane, the star of the Juice Crew as well as Biz Markie, is the last album of the Juice Crew, but unfortunately this album is not so well received, partly because the first and second albums were too great. Perhaps the fact that Marley Marl is not involved as a producer is one of the reasons, but listening to the album again, you can feel a different charm from when it was released.
Big Daddy Kane "Taste Of Chocolate
N.W.A. vs Ice Cube
We mentioned in Vol. 1 that Ice Cube left N.W.A. and made his solo debut with the album "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted," but about three months later, the release of N.W.A.'s EP "100 Miles And Runnin'" (released on August 14), a new beef broke out. On the title track, Dr. Dre mentions Ice Cube's departure in a lyric, and then MC Ren and Dr. Dre diss Ice Cube in the song "Real Niggaz". Ice Cube responded with "I Gotta Say What Up! and the battle between the two continued into the following year.
N.W.A "100 Miles And Runnin'"
Ice Cube "Jackin' For Beats
On the West Coast scene, Compton native King Tee released his sophomore album "At Your Own Risk" (October 2) during this period, and his combination with veteran producer DJ Pooh has made many hip-hop fans groan. DJ Pooh and Ice Cube also guested on "Short Dog's In The House" (released September 11), the sixth album from Oakland, Northern California-based Too $hort. The song "The Ghetto," a song about ghetto life, is known as one of Too $hort's best-known songs from the early days of the band.
King Tee "Ruff Rhyme (Back Again)"
Too $hort "The Ghetto
Brand Nubian is here!
Although we have introduced only veterans so far, except for the Juice Crew, we would like to introduce some albums by newcomers who represented the second half of the 1990s. First of all, we have Brand Nubian's debut album "One For All" (released on December 4), which is highly acclaimed as one of the most representative albums of 1990. While the conscious viewpoint based on the philosophy of the Five Percent Nation is the foundation of the album, the originality of Grand Puba and Sadat X's humorous and light-hearted rapping is exquisitely intertwined with tracks with an excellent sense of sampling. The raps are exquisitely intertwined with classic tunes such as "Slow Down", "Wake Up", and "All For One".
Brand Nubian "Slow Down
Brand Nubian "Wake Up
Brand Nubian "All For One
The other is "Down To Earth," the debut album (released October 30) by Monie Love, a London native who made her name as a member of Native Tongues on De La Soul's "Buddy" and other songs. Her positive, straightforward message is evident in the album's signature song, "It's A Shame (My Sister)," which was a hit in the U.S., her home country of the U.K., and several European countries.
Monie Love "It's A Shame
Other releases include The Afros' debut album "Kickin' Afrolistics " (released August 14), released on JMJ, a label run by Jam Master Jay of Run-D.M.C. (DJ Hurricane of the Beastie Boys was also a member of the label). (released on August 14) and "The Devil Made Me Do It" (released on October 9), the debut album by Paris, a radical conscious rapper strongly influenced by Black Panther, were also released in the late 1990s.
The Afros "Feel It
PARIS "The Devil Made Me Do It"
Hip-hop popping
The pop-ization of hip-hop became an even bigger wave in the latter half of the 1990s, not unrelated to MC Hammer's big hit as mentioned in Vol. 1. The popization of hip-hop became even more significant in the late 1990s, with the release of Candyman's "Ain't No Shame In My Game" (October 2), which featured the hit "Knockin' Boots," as well as Father MC's "Father 's Day" (released on October 15), which is disregarded by core hip-hop fans to varying degrees, the deciding factor was white rapper Vanilla Ice's major debut album, "Ice To The Extreme" (released on September 4). The single cut from the album, "Ice Ice Baby," reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 overall singles chart, and the album sold over 10 million copies. However, the hip-hop scene's rejection of his style, which exploits only the superficial aspects of black culture, has been tremendous, and fellow white rapper 3rd Bass has released a song called "Pop Goes the Weasel" that is a strong critique of pop hip-hop, led by Vanilla Ice. Vanilla Ice. Later, it was discovered that Vanilla Ice's record company had misrepresented his background in his profile, and his popularity declined, but the pop-ization of hip-hop did not stop.
Candyman "Knockin' Boots"
Father MC "I'll Do 4 U"
Vanilla Ice "Ice Ice Baby
3rd Bass "Pop Goes The Weasel
He started his career as a music writer in 1996, writing mainly for hip-hop magazines such as "blast" and others. In 2015, he returned to Japan and continues to write for various magazines and web media, focusing on hip-hop.
