- BONUS EPISODE: September 29, 1998 (9-29-98). A Day To Go Down In History
In this bonus episode, B. Cox looks back at one of the greatest and consequential hip-hop release dates on the last 25 years: September 29, 1998. On this date, five highly anticipated hip-hop albums hit the stores: Jay-Z's Vol 2...Hard Knock Life, Outkast's Aquemini, A Tribe Called Quest's The Love Movement, Black Star's Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are... and Brand Nubian's comeback album Foundation. Each album had its reasons among fans to be highly anticipated. B. Cox looks into these reasons and what atmosphere was like trying acquire all of these releases despite them all being released the same day.
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Show Notes
OkayPlayer: September 29, 1998 Was Rap Music's Last Great Release Date
RockTheBells: RTB Rewind: The Greatest Release Day In Hip-Hop History
https://rockthebells.com/articles/sept-29-1998-greatest-release-day-in-hip-hop-history/
The Ringer: Was September 29, 1998, the Greatest Rap Album Release Day Ever?
https://www.theringer.com/music/2018/9/28/17911990/september-29-1998-greatest-rap-album-release-day
Level Man: Sept 29, 1998's Iconic Rap Albums, Ranked
Hip-Hop DX: Is September 29, 1998 Still Hip-Hop's Greatest Day?
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy22m | Sep 18, 2023 - Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998). Beyond Our Wildest Dreams
B Cox reviews Lauryn Hill's classic debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as turns 25. After a a breakout classic album The Score with The Fugees and a worldwide successful tour, the singer-emcee found herself at a crossroads as she found herself not only in a new relationship with Rohan Marley, but also pregnant. During pregnancy, she took a hiatus from touring and recording and spent time writing for what would be her debut album. After giving birth to her son Zion, she began the process of putting together her album with musicians, vocalists and producers at work to help craft her vision. The album was recored partially in New York, with the rest of the album being recorded in Kingston, Jamaica at Tuff Gong studios.
Utilizing all of her talents, Hill presented the world with her version of her vision, an hour plus opus that covered all of her talents and passions: emceeing, singing, writing and producing. The fusion of sounds of hip-hop, R&B, neo-soul and reggae made for a unicorn of an album. Her themes touched on love, heartbreak, disappointment, confusion and exultation around relationships. Joining her on this album would be the company of fellow legends: guitarist Carlos Santana, Mary J. Blige, D'Angelo as well as featured artists and musicians and producers such as Che "Che Guevera" Pope, James Poyser, "Commissioner" Gordon Williams and John Legend among others.
The album featured up to six singles which became staples of the album: "Lost Ones", "Ex-Factor", "Doo Wap (That Thing)", "Everything Is Everything", "Nothing Even Matters", "For Zion". The album was an immediate commercial and critical success, becoming multiple platinum by the end of the millennium and winning five Grammys at the 1999 Grammy Awards. It is now RIAA-certified diamond and has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. While it remains her only studio album, it continues to reverberate today with its legacy and it often sighted on many lists as one of the greatest music albums of all-time.
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Show Notes
Albumism: Lauryn Hill's debut album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
The Grio: The Gospel According To Lauryn Hill
The Root: The Evolution of Lauryn Hill
https://www.theroot.com/the-evolution-of-lauryn-hill-1850768001
EuroNews: How Lauryn Hill Revolutionized Hip-Hop 25 Years Ago
BET: 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" Turns 25
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy34m | Aug 28, 2023 - Tha Alkaholiks: 21 & Over (1993). "Likwit" Hip-Hop from L.A.
B. Cox reviews West Coast hip-hop trio Tha Alkaholiks debut album 21 & Over, as it turns 30. The trio, made up of emcees Tash, E-Swift and J-Ro, formed in the late 1980s and were mentored by legend King Tee. After signing to Loud/RCA, the group started recording their debut album. The album would be a compact, but power-packed 35 minute effort that introduced this eclectic, but a serious group of emcess to the hip-hop game.
The group's style, which was based around a fun-loving times filled with drinks, weed smoking and partying, was not of the slapstick or parody type of music that many thought it would be. Going more of the route of some of the West Coast contemporaries like Cypress Hill, Pharcyde and Souls of Mischief, the 'Liks' sound featured hard hitting and funky sample based beats with capable emceeing while maintaining a feel good vibe.
The album featured the likes of Field Trip, Threat, the duo Lootpack (a young MadLib and Wildchild) from Stones Throw Records, and King Tee himself. The group and King Tee produced the majority of the album with E-Swift taking charge of much of the production credits. While none of the albums three singles charted on the Hot 100, they did catch on on the Hot Rap and R&B Charts and the group would gained a cult following in the coming years among West Coast fans and eventually worldwide due to their fun-loving demeanor while displaying a high level of emceeing and beats that could get the parties rocking or heads nodding.
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Show Notes
Albumism: Tha Alkaholiks Debut Album '21 & Over' Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
Time Is Illmatic: Tha Alkaholiks: 21& Over
https://timeisillmatic.me/2017/06/02/tha-alkaholiks-21-over-august-24-1993/
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy20m | Aug 21, 2023 - BONUS EPISODE: Hip-Hop Celebrating 50 Years-A Perspectiv
B. Cox pays homage to hip-hop as it turns 50 years old. For much of the year, the recognized beginning of the genre, culture and societal phenomenon called hip-hop has been celebrated, lauded and congratulated worldwide for changing the world as we see it. He goes over a brief history of hip-hop's beginnings, the different periods we've experienced over 50 years and how the music, culture and trends have change with them.
He also goes over his favorite hip-hop album by decade with some honorable mentions and also outlines the most tragic losses and deaths that hip-hop has faced each decade.
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Show Notes
Yahoo: Hip-Hop Turns 50: How a musical genre became a cultural
Vanity Fair: Fifty Years of Hip-Hop In a World That Could Not Exist Without It
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2023/06/hip-hop-50-years
Economic Times: Hip-Hop Turns 50: From humble beginnings in the Bronx to global fame
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy33m | Aug 15, 2023 - Toni Braxton: Toni Braxton (1993). "There Can Only Be One..."
B. Cox and Domo fondly recollect on Toni Braxton's classic self-titled debut album as it turns 30. The Maryland native, who started in an R&B group with her now famous sisters, made her name first known after her standout performances on the wildly popular Boomerang Original Soundtrack the previous year with her debut on "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" and "Give U My Heart" featuring Babyface. Signed to LaFace Records, she began recording her debut album under the tutelage of Babyface and Antonio "LA" Reid as well as a group of dedicated writer and producers in what would be the young label's biggest project yet.
The anticipation over Braxton, her smooth contralto voice with dynamic range that brought her immediate comparisons to Anita Baker, her look and the anticipation over what her debut album was overwhelming. The album was released not long after her first single "Another Sad Love Song", which reached the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B and top 100 charts. The next single, the mega ballad, "Breathe Again" was an even bigger hit, charting in the top five of both charts as well. The next two years would see the R&B radio stations littered with her singles from this album as she became superstar within the genre.
The album garnered Braxton three Grammys for Best New Artists (1993) and back to back wins for Best R&B Vocal Performance (1994, 1995). She also won two American Music Awards in 1994 and another in 1995. The album has been RIAA certified 6 times platinum and has sold 10 million copies worldwide and is credited with making Braxton a choice solo act in the R&B genre for the rest of the decade.
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Show Notes
Albumism: Toni Braxton's Eponymous Debut Album 'Toni Braxton Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
https://albumism.com/features/toni-braxton-eponymous-debut-album-anniversary
BET: Five Reasons Why Toni Braxton's Debut Is Still A Classic 30 Years Later
Shondaland: Classic Rewind-30 Years of 'Toni Braxton'
https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/a44477970/classic-rewind-30-years-of-toni-braxton/
Toni Braxton's Debut Turns 25: Ranking All Of The Tracks
https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/toni-braxton-debut-ranking-tracks-8465382/
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy22m | Jul 24, 2023 - Maxwell: Embya (1998). "Drown Deep In Love..." (feat. Alise and JR of The R&B Reps)
B. Cox is joined once again by Alise and JR of the R&B Representers to reminisce on Maxwell's sophomore album Embrya as it turns 25. After amazing the music industry with his classic debut Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite just two years earlier, the prodigious soul singer linked back up with producer and musician Stuart Matthewman, just as he he had on Urban Hang Suite, looking to push the envelope stylistically than he had on his debut. In a departure of the more acoustically melody drive jazz sound of Urban Hang Suite, Embrya featured more thick bass heavy grooves with atmospheric tones and sounds to express themes of love from a spiritual perspective it. He also tapped into an "underwater" theme that inspired both the title and the sonic quality of the album.
Upon release, the album had mixed reviews with some critics praising Maxwell's artistic expression and lyrical expansion while many other critics slammed the album and questioned whether Maxwell was throwing away the recipe, style and quality which made him a star on Urban Hang Suite. Nonetheless, fans made it a commercial success as it was certified platinum, driven by the lead single "Luxury: Cococure" .
In the following years, critics softened their stance on the albums production and themes, citing the album as a forward-thinking project that was initially misunderstood, but became a early adopter in sounds and moods of "alternative" R&B acts and styles that would emerge later in the new millennium would mirror closely. It is also mentioned as his most stylistically creative album and one of his most personal albums.
Catch Alise and JR of the R&B Representers!
Web: www.rnbreps.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rnbreps
IG: https://www.instagram.com/rnbreps
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RBRepresenters
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Show Notes
Albumism: Maxwell's 'Embrya' Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
https://albumism.com/features/maxwell-embrya-album-anniversary
TheGrio: The life aquatic, 25 Years of Maxwell's "Embrya"
https://thegrio.com/2023/06/30/the-life-aquatic-25-years-of-maxwells-embrya/
SoulInStereo: 1998 Rewind: Maxwell's 'Embrya'
https://www.soulinstereo.com/2023/06/1998-rewind-remembering-maxwells-embrya.html
Augusta Chronicle: Maxwell Stays Timeless with Tour, ;Embrya' Reissue
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy1h 10m | Jul 17, 2023 - Tony! Toni! Tone!: Sons Of Soul (1993). The Journey Takes You There...
B. Cox reviews Tony! Toni! Tone!'s classic third album Sons of Soul as it turns 30. After their mega hit sophomore album, 1990s The Revival, the group and this album continued on its predecessors success with experimentation on their sound. Seeking different sound without a change in musical philosophy, the album featured the group's signature soul roots from Oakland, but also interpolated hip-hop drums and elements into some tracks, utilizing the Akai MPC60 and E-mu SP-1200 to create drum loops. Their main objective for this album was to pay homage to the soul acts that inspired them in a new school way with new school flavor.
The other influence in this album is the Caribbean and West Indian musical and cultural roots. The group recorded and produced a large part of the album in the Caribbean island of Trinidad at the Caribbean Sound Basin recording complex. While in Trinidad, they were exposed to many aspects of island culture, including the reggae and soca party scenes and block parties with sound systems with thousands of locals. This influenced their music and sound on a few tracks and even featured local Trinidadian artist General Grant.
The album featured five singles including the standard "Anniversary", "If I Had No Loot", "Lay Your Head On My Pillow" and the island inspired "Slow Wine". The album charted for 43 weeks on the Billboard 100 and was certified double platinum. The work was a commercial and critical success and was noted for being a bridge between hip-hop and R&B in a manner that was equally respected by both genres.
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Show Notes
Albumism: Tony! Toni! Tone!'s 'Sons Of Soul' Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
https://albumism.com/features/tony-toni-tone-sons-of-soul-album-anniversary
San Antonio Observer: Tony! Toni! Tone! - Sons Of Soul Turns 30
https://saobserver.com/?p=20843
TheGrio: 93 'til Infinity: A very teenage story about Tony! Toni! Tone!'s 'Sons Of Soul' Album
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy23m | Jul 10, 2023 - (BONUS EPISODE) The Red-Hot Reggae Summer of '03 feat. Kahlil Wonda of Reggae Lover Podcast
In this bonus episode, B. Cox is joined by Kahlil Wonda (Reggae Lover Podcast & Highlanda Sound System) to discuss dancehall reggae in the summer of 2003 and how several hit songs and artists happened to cross over into the American and international market to huge success. It was a phenomenon that had been on the build for almost a decade culminating in a summer 20 years ago that was heavily influenced by dancehall on the radios and in the club scene. Reggae artists and acts like Sean Paul, Elephant Man, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Wayne Wonder, T.O.K. and other soca artists like Rupee and Kevin Lyttle were the all-star cast that lead the charge.
They both give personal and anecdotal reflections of that time period, the riddims that dominated the genre, the artists that benefitted the most from this explosion, how it helped and also helped the reggae music genre and ultimately what it meant for culture in the years and decades that followed after it.
Follow Kahlil Wonda, RLP and HSS
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Show Notes
Reggae Lover Podcast: Best Big Dancehall Riddims of the 2000s. From March 6, 2022.
https://redcircle.com/shows/reggae-lover/ep/bb43a2a8-b11a-4e1a-b04c-47ae6248601b
Billboard: The Diwali Riddim: Creator Steven "Lenky" Marsden Explains How a Beat Nobody Wanted Became the Sound of 20033
LA Times: Riding the reggae wave. From May 22, 2003
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-may-22-wk-pop22-story.html
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy1h 0m | Jun 19, 2023 - Brandy: Never Say Never (1998). The Next Level
B. Cox and Domo review Brandy's classic sophomore album Never Say Never as it turns 25. After her smash eponymous debut album helped make her a household name among R&B fans, Brandy began to diversify her portfolio as an entertainer, starring her own sitcom Moesha, the Cinderella remake and I (Still) Know What You Did Last Summer. In late 1997, she began recording her second album now linked with an upcoming producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins. Jerkins along with his production and writing team of his brother Fred, Harvey Mason, Jr, Lashawn Daniels as well other writers and producers David Foster, Marc Nelson and Diane Warren among others, set to craft a new sound for the maturing Brandy.
Jerkins and his versatile production style proved to be a match for Brandy and her now mature and powerful voice and his production and writing team helped build an album that reflected Brandy's life, struggles and innermost thoughts. He also encouraged her to co-write a few of the songs, which made the project that much more candid and well rounded. The final product was something far beyond what fans or critics could dream of.
The album featured up to seven singles, most notably two #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits "The Boy Is Mine: featuring fellow R&B singer Monica and "Have You Ever?" and the top 20 hits "Angel In Disguise" and "Almost Doesn't Count". The album has been certified 4x platinum and has sold 16 million copies worldwide. It is Brandy's best-selling album to date and is recognized as her best and most influential work.
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Show Notes
Albumism: Brandy's 'Never Say Never' Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
https://albumism.com/features/brandy-never-say-never-album-anniversary
Vibe: Alex Vaughn Remakes "Almost Doesn't Count" for 'Never Say Never' 25th Anniversary
https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/alex-vaughn-pays-tribute-to-brandy-never-say-never-1234764027/
BET: Brandy's "Never Say Never" Was A Semi-Confessional Executed To Perfection
https://www.bet.com/article/y4e2n0/brandy-never-say-never-retrospective-25th-anniversary
The Urban Journal: Essential Albums: Brandy's "Never Say Never" At 25
https://urbjournal.com/brandy-never-say-never/
OkayPlayer: Brandy Talks 20 Years of "Never Say Never"
https://www.okayplayer.com/originals/brandy-interview-never-say-never-20-years-later-okayplayer.html
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy28m | Jun 12, 2023 - Pop Culture Corner! Menace II Society...30 Years Later
In a bonus segment of "Pop Culture Corner", B. Cox & J. Owe look back at Menace II Society as it turns 30.
The film starred Tyrin Turner, Larenz Tate, Jada Pinkett Smith, Charles S. Dutton and rapper MC Eiht among others, It was directed by brothers Allen and Albert Hughes. The cult classic, whose story about young black men struggling to overcome their environment, became an instant hit within the young black, urban and hip-hop communities. Featuring a raw, violent and gripping tale of hood life in Watts, the movie is referenced alongside Boyz N The Hood some of the best movies in black cinema in the 90s.
The soundtrack, featuring many artists such Ant Banks, UGK, Brand Nubian, DJ., Quik, Pete Rock & CL Smooth Spice 1 and Too $hort, featured the Billboard Top 100 singles "Trigga Gots No Heart" (Spice 1) and "Streiht Up Menace" by movie co-star MC Eiht. The soundtrack was certified platinum and is recognized as one of the best hip-hop based soundtracks of the decade.
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Show Notes
Yahoo: "Menace II Society" At 30: The racial reason the street drama was modeled after Goodfellas.
RockTheBells: Menace II Society Turns 30-6 Dope Songs From The Soundtrack
https://rockthebells.com/articles/rtb-rewind-menace-ii-society-turns-30/
'Menace II Society': The Relevance of The Gangsta Movie 30 Years Later
https://fanfare.pub/menace-ii-society-and-the-gangsta-film-30-years-later-b2c84c9d21ae
MXDWN: Life In The Hood. Looking Back at 'Menace II Society'
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy36m | May 29, 2023 - DMX: It's Dark And Hell Is Hot (1998). The Dark Man Cometh
B. Cox and J. Owe review DMX's classic debut album It's Dark And Hell It's Hot as it turns 25. After spending years in the underground and paying his dues on the scene, the late Yonkers emcee burst onto the public scene in 1997 with a string of high profile and powerful feature verses for the likes of LL Cool J, the LOX and Ma$e. Signed to Def Jam as a part of their "revival", he sought to bring a street edge back to hip-hop, which was trending fully into the commercial and corporate era.
Produced mostly by Dame Grease, but assited by the likes of Irv Gotti, PK, Swizz Beatz and Waah, the album featured dark and menacing production that was also featured anthem worthy music. Lyrically, DMX provided us a glimpse into his soul; crafting a perfect kaleidoscope of his world: street and hardcore songs, party anthems, dark and menacing tracks, candid and introspective moments as well as the occasional dose of spirituality-which would be his hallmark. While not described as lyrically adept, this combination as well his superior flow, voice and command of his audience's emotions is what made him an instant success. It featured the likes of his Yonkers compatriots The LOX, Kasino, Ma$e, Faith Evans and Ruff Ryders emcee Drag-On.
The album feature four singles: "Get At Me Dog","Stop Being Greedy", "Ruff Ryders Anthem" and "How It's Going Down" with all of them having the rare distinction of charting in the Billboard Top 100. The album was certified four times platinum and began an 18-month period where he stood on top of hip-hop as the biggest and most successful star in the game.
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Show Notes
Albumism: DMX's Debut Album "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot" Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
https://albumism.com/features/dmx-debut-album-its-dark-and-hell-is-hot-album-anniversary
Time: How DMX's "It's Dark And Hell Is Hot" Changed The Course of Hip-Hop Forever
https://time.com/5952926/dmx-legacy-hip-hop/
HotNewHipHop: DMX's "Its Dark and Hell Is Hot" Turns 25
https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/675227-dmx-its-dark-and-hell-is-hot
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy32m | May 16, 2023 - BONUS EPISODE: "Cards, Dominoes, Drinks & Smoke" Albums That Defined A Generation
In a bonus episode of "Cards, Dominoes, Drinks & Smoke", B. Cox muses on the albums from 1993, 1998 and 2003 that could qualify as albums that "defined a generation". On the heels of the announcement of WMX's inaugural season of the visual podcast "Iconic Records: Albums That Defined A Generation" covering the Notorious B.I.G's classic album Life After Death, he wonders if there were albums in the aforementioned year that would be deserving of it's own series chronicling how it shifted the culture for a generation.
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AllHipHop: 1993 Hip-Hop: The 10 Best Hip-Hop Albums from 20 Years Ago
https://allhiphop.com/features/1993-hip-hop-the-10-best-rap-albums-from-20-years-ago/
Complex: September 1998: Celebrating Hip-Hop's Real Golden Era
https://www.complex.com/music/2013/09/celebrating-hip-hops-real-golden-era
DefineARevolution: The Year In Hip-Hop: 2003
http://www.definearevolution.com/2016/03/the-year-in-hip-hop-2003.html
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy27m | May 1, 2023 - Big Pun: Capital Punishment (1998). Big Dreams To Big Things
The crew talks the late Big Pun's debut classic Capital Punishment as it turns 25. After making waves in the underground and on the Beatnuts "Off the Books" the previous year, the Bronx-bred Puerto Rican emcee lead off with this massive debut. Touting a ferocious multisyllabic rhyme still dressed with punchlines, humor and swagger, he sought to achieve a first: become the first Latino rapper with an album sporting a platinum plaque.
The album was produced by a capable committee producers including JuJu and V.I.C from the Beatnuts, Young Lord, Frank Nitty, Rocwilder, dead prez, RZA, Showbiz and others. The album had a healthy feature lineup including the likes of Black Thought, Prodigy, Inspectah Deck, R&B singers Miss Jones and Joe, Busta Rhymes, Noreaga and fellow Terror Squad members Fat Joe, Cuban Linx, Triple Seis and Armageddon.
Powered by the three singles, including the crossover smash hit "Still Not A Player" featuring Joe, the album was certified platinum. It is often credited as the best hip-hop album produced by a Latino rapper and also noted as one of the best lyrical performances by an emcee on an album of the 1990s.
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Show Notes
Albumism: Big Pun's Debut Album 'Capital Punishment Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective
TheBoomBox: How Big Pun's 'Capital Punishment' Established Him As A Cultural Icon
https://theboombox.com/big-pun-capital-punishment-established-cultural-icon/
RockTheBells-Classic Albums: Big Pun "Capital Punishment"
https://rockthebells.com/articles/classic-albums-capital-punishment-big-pun/
Define A Revolution: Retrospective: Big Pun's "Capital Punishment"
http://www.definearevolution.com/2016/04/retrospective-big-puns-capital.html
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy30m | Apr 24, 2023 - Onyx: Bacdafucup (1993). Hoodies, Timbs and Bald Heads
B. Cox reviews Onyx's classic debut album Bacdafucup as it turns 30. After linking up with the late Jam Master Jay of Run DMC fame, the Queens group signed to his label JMJ Records. Under his watchful eye and tutelage, they recorded their debut album. The then-quartet made up of Fredro Starr, the late Big DS, Sonsee (aka Sonny Seeza or Suave) and Sticky Fingaz sought to bring their style of rugged hardcore hip-hop to the forefront. Punctuated by a high energy, rambunctious and in your face style with aesthetics marked by their trademark street look: hoodies, fatigues, Timberland boots and bald heads, they ushered in a musical and fashion style that gave them their unique selling proposition.
Produced mostly by Queens producer Chyskillz and his converted jazz notes to rugged out to meet the group's style, the album featured two hit singles: the hardcore anthem "Throw Your Guns" and the crossover classic "Slam" an high energy anthem that reached No. 4 on the Billboard 100 and has become a staple in popular culture, advertisements and campaigns in the 30 years since its release.
The album was certified platinum and is recognized as one of the best albums of 1993 and an album that is known for popularizing a particular style of rapping and performing as well as rugged street fashion.
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Show Notes
Albumism: Onyx's Debut Album 'Bacdafucup' turns 30
https://albumism.com/features/onyx-debut-album-bacdafucup-album-anniversary
EverythingIsNoise: A Scene In Retrospect: Onyx - Bacdafucup
https://everythingisnoise.net/features/a-scene-in-retrospect-onyx-bacdafucup/
Rock The Bells: Bacdafucup: Onyx, Jam Master Jay and the Bald Head Invasion
https://rockthebells.com/articles/onyx-jam-master-jay-and-the-bald-head-invasion/
HipHopDX: Onyx Announce 'Bacdafucup' 30th Anniversary Tour with R.A. The Rugged Man
https://hiphopdx.com/news/onyx-bacdafucup-anniversary-tour-ra-rugged-man-tickets
Rock The Bells: Onyx Talks 30 Years of 'Slam': 1993 Was Definitely The Best Year For Hip-Hop
https://rockthebells.com/articles/onyx-slam-30-year-anniversary-interview/
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy17m | Apr 17, 2023 - Goodie Mob: Still Standing (1998). Born and True to Atlanta
B. Cox and J. Owe take a look back at Goodie Mob's sophomore album Still Standing as it turns 25. Three years after their landmark classic debut album Soul Food, the Atlanta quartet of Big Gipp, Khujo, T-Mo and CeeLo Green was still on a mission to let the world know about life in the "Dirty South". Despite releasing their album in a southern hip-hop arena that was dominated at the time by their New Orleans counterparts from No Limit, the Mob was ready to show the world that they were a testament to their album title.
The album was again produced by the production trio and their Dungeon Family mentors Organized Noize, with CeeLo and T-Mo providing produciton assistance as well of the likes of Mr. DJ, DJ Muggs, Craig Love and Dave Whild. The album also featured fellow Dungeon family members and affliates in Withdoctor, Lil Will, Chiefton and Backbone.
The album spawned two singles: "They Don't Dance No Mo" and "Black Ice" featuring OutKast. Despite the decreased attention and hoopla as compared to their debut, the album was fairly successful being certified gold and stands as one of hip-hop's strongest sophomore albums following a classic debut.
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Show Notes
Albumism: Goodie Mob's 'Still Standing' Turns 25 | Annivesary Retrospective
https://albumism.com/features/goodie-mob-still-standing-album-anniversary
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy24m | Apr 10, 2023 - Gang Starr: Moment of Truth (1998). Holding The Torch High
B. Cox reviews hip-hop duo Gang Starr's fifth album Moment of Truth as it turns 25. After a four year hiatus from their acclaimed 4th album 1994's Hard To Earn, Guru and DJ Premier returned to to the lab to craft their latest album among a changing landscape. Hip-hop, once thought to be a fringe fad when they debuted and when they first left, was now starting to explode commercially and was being sought after beyond the urban communities and into corporate America. In between albums, the two had their share of work and turmoil. Guru recorded another installment of his famed Jazzmatazz series and also faced two different pending legal charges and battled some personal demons, while Premier became a recognized as one of the top producers in the game by producing for multiple acts during the break, but suffered some losses of loved ones during this time as well.
The break and the adversity both men during it faced fueled their latest effort; crafting a well balanced and rounded out piece that reflected everything which made Gang Starr one of the best groups of their time. Guru's lyrics and emceeing rose to yet another level with his wisdom and experiences of the past few years driving his narrative to sights not seen before with Premier's beats meeting his mate's effort to a cinematic, with a Premier-type grit that served the soundtrack well. They were joined by a wide variety of featured guests such Inspectah Deck, M.O.P, Scarface, Freddie Fox, Big Shug, Shiggy Sha, a young G-Dep and singers K-Ci and JoJo. The combination led to arguably the group's most candid and complete work to date.
The album featured three singles: "You Know My Steez" "Royalty" and "The Militia". Despite with no major charting singles, the album was certified gold and stands as a contender for the crown jewel of the legendary duo's catalog.
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Show Notes
Albumism: Gang Starr's 'Moment of Truth' Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
https://albumism.com/features/gang-starr-moment-of-truth-album-anniversary
RockTheBells: Gang Starr's 'Moment of Truth' at 25
https://rockthebells.com/articles/gang-starr-moment-of-truth-turns-25/
Glide Magazine: 25 Years Later: Revisiting Gang Starr's Locked In "Moment of Truth"
https://glidemagazine.com/289978/25-years-later-revisiting-gang-starrs-locked-in-moment-of-truth/
Ambrosia For Heads: DJ Premier speaks About How Real Moment of Truth was Hip-Hop and Gang Starr
https://ambrosiaforheads.com/2018/04/gang-starr-moment-of-truth-making-of-interview-video/
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy27m | Apr 3, 2023 - BONUS EPISODE!!! Favorite 90's Hip-Hop Posse Cuts
In a bonus episode, B. Cox sorts through some of his favorite and memorable hip-hop posse cuts of the 1990s.
*We did not include Wu-Tang Clan and its individual members' albums that could have memorable posse cuts as we determined that they could warrant a standalone bonus episode in the future. Stay tuned!*
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Show Notes
High Snobiety: The 25 Best Rap Posse Cuts of All-Time https://www.highsnobiety.com › 25-best-rap-posse-cuts
Pitchfork: The History of Posse Cuts in 5 Songs https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1302-the-history-of-the-posse-cut-in-5-songs/
Trapital: Why Rappers Stopped Making Remixes and Posse Cuts https://trapital.co/2019/05/03/why-rappers-stopped-making-remixes-and-posse-cuts/
RockTheBells: A History Of The Posse Cut https://rockthebells.com/articles/best-posse-cuts/
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy23m | Mar 13, 2023 - Little Brother: The Listening (2003). They Called Next... (feat. Chris "Kinetik" Mitchell)
B. Cox is joined by Chris Mitchell (Kinetik) of the Breaking Atoms Podcast to review Little Brother's classic debut studio album The Listening as it turns 20. The group, which was formerly made up of the trio of emcees Phonte and Big Pooh and producer 9th Wonder, met as students on the campus of North Carolina Central University. They bonded over their shared love and passion of hip-hop and formed a collective with other North Carolina college students who were hip-hop artists and producers which would become known as the Justus League.
Pooling together their resources and creativity, the trio started recording their debut album. After working their local hip-hop scene and the college radio circle in their home state of North Carolina, the group signed its record deal with ABB Records and gained a sizable fanbase, following and a community online though forums such as their own Justus League The LAWN, OkayPlayer and other hip-hop sites. Boosting the groups popularity was the skills and creativity Phonte and Pooh and the soulful sample based production of 9th Wonder that drew comparisons in tenor and tone to predecessors such as groups from the collectives the Native Tongues and Soulquarians. Over 65 minutes and utilizing a concept used frequently in hip-hop, the album is presented through the lens of a radio station broadcast schedule, WJLR, presenting all of the tropes of terrestrial radio complete with skits and fictional disc jockeys which accompanied the album's tracks.
While the album had no major singles or sales numbers to report, its legend has been boosted by their niche, but loyal fanbase that has followed them since the beginning. The album has been deemed an underground and indie hip-hop classic and the launching pad of a group that has had a successful, yet complicated two decades in the industry.
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Show Notes
Passion Weiss: The Oral History of The Lawn (by Chris "Kinetik" Mitchell)
https://www.passionweiss.com/2022/03/24/the-oral-history-of-the-lawn/
Albumism: Little Brother's Debut Album "The Listening" Turns 20 | Album Anniversary
https://albumism.com/features/little-brother-debut-album-the-listening-album-anniversary
Pitchfork: Little Brother "The Listening" Review
https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/little-brother-the-listening/
GQ: Little Brother Looks Back On 20 Years Of "The Listening"
https://www.gq.com/story/little-brother-the-listening-album-20-years
HipHopDX: Little Brother on 'The Listening' at 20 & Marauding For Ears
https://hiphopdx.com/news/little-brother-the-listening-20-year-intervew
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy1h 2m | Feb 27, 2023 - Digable Planets: Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) (1993). Slick Reborn...
B. Cox looks back at hip-hop trio Digable Planet's debut album Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) as it turns 30. The Brooklyn-based group made up of emcees Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler, Mariana "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira and Craig "Doodlebug" Irving met through what seemed to be fate in the late 80s. After signing to Pendulum Records in 1992, they began crafting their debut album under the production supervision of Butterfly and the likes of Shane "The Doctor" Faber and Mike "Lanching An Attack" Mangini.
Using the resources available to them in two makeshift studios in apartments, Butterfly and his cohorts utilized samples from jazz records exclusively, gleaning from Butler's father's collection of jazz records. What followed suit was a project filled with lively jazz notes and deep bass complimented by crisp drum patterns and percussion. This provided the landscape for the three emcees to spit lyrics based around politics, freedom, explorations of expression, black culture and fringe philosophical views with dexterity.
Over 57 smooth, yet captivating minutes, the trio developed a unique sound in a hip-hop year full of groundbreaking material. The album's lead single "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" became a top 15 Billboard Hot 100 hit and is the group's signature song. It garnered the group a Grammy in 1994 for Best Rap Performance by A Duo or Group. The album was certified gold and served as the introduction to this unique trio that would have a successful, yet brief time in the spotlight.
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Show Notes
Albumism: Digable Planets Reachin' ( A New Refutation of Time and Space) Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
Pitchfork: Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)
https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/digable-planets-reachin-a-new-refutation-of-time-and-space/
ClassicAlbumSundays: Forgetting Classic: Digable Planets (A New Refutation of Time and Space).
RiotFest: Cool Like Dat? Check Out Where the Digable Planets Samples Came From
https://riotfest.org/2018/08/17/digable-planets-reachin-samples/
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy32m | Feb 20, 2023 - 50 Cent: Get Rich Or Die Tryin'. Hip-Hop's Lazarus Comes Forth...
B. Cox & J. Owe review 50 Cent's explosive debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin' as it turns 20. After a successful run as a protege of Run DMC's Jam Master Jay, the Queens youth turned drug dealer turned emcee was set to make his mark after series of setbacks including being shot multiple times, being dropped by his label while having his debut album scrapped and being blacklisted from the industry. After getting back on his feet and releasing several independent mixtapes, his free agency prompted one of the rap game's most competitive bidding wars. Dr. Dre and Eminem emerged victorious, signing him to a $1 million deal to Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment and prepared to record his debut album.
Working under the masterful guidance and tutelage of Dre and Eminem, the album was also boosted by production from the likes of several standout producers such as Sha Money XL, J-Praize, Rockwilder, Megahertz, Dirty Swift, Mike Elizondo, Darrell "Digga" Branch and others. The multi-layered, multi faceted production approach was the perfect soundtrack behind 50s trademark voice that laced the tracks with a mix of wittty bars and gritty street tales. He was also assisted with features from the likes of Eminem, Nate Dogg and his fellow G-Unit comrades Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and Tony Yayo.
The debut week was massive, selling over 870,000 copies, becoming at the time the biggest debut for a hip-hop album ever. the album was boosted by many singles, including the Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles "In the Club" and "21 Questions" along with the Top 10 hit "P.I.M.P". "In the Club" became one of the most successful hip-hop and crossover singles in the 2000s. The album would also become RIAA-certified 9x platinum. It has led to 50 Cent being one of the most successful hip-hop artists of all time and led to his additional successes in branding, entertainment and liquor manufacturing among many other ventures.
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Show Notes
Crack Magazine: The undeniable impact of 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin'" https://crackmagazine.net/article/long-reads/retrospective-get-rich-die-tryin/
OkayPlayer: The secret history of 50 Cent's "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'" https://www.okayplayer.com/originals/secret-history-50-cent-get-rich-or-die-tryin-lp.html
PassionWeiss: The Diamond In The Dirt-50 Cent's 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin' Turns 20 https://www.passionweiss.com/2023/01/31/the-diamond-in-the-dirt-50-cents-get-rich-or-dyin-turns-20/
HipHopXXIV: 50 Cent Responds to Jay-Z's 20 Year Old Warning https://hiphopxxiv.com/50-cent-responds-to-jay-zs-20-year-old-warning/
Rock The Bells: Classic Albums: 50 Cent 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin'' https://rockthebells.com/articles/classic-albums-get-rich-or-die-tryin-by-50-cent/
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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy35m | Feb 6, 2023
