• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Hip hop was better in the 90s.

Soapbox Killer

Soapbox Killer

Grand Nagus
If I'm being honest, I don't really think "It's Dark..." is classic but I'm one of those dudes who thinks the word is overused in hip hop. That is probably because of The Source. 5 MICS used to mean a lot back in the day. Not like a 10 from IGN ,The Source could singlehandedly make an album with its score, it carried that much weight. Everybody wanted a classic, not the artist but the fans. Of course something's were overlooked and others not deserving of even 4 1/2 MICS (looking at you MADE MEN)

More so than when an album came out, I haven't like most mainstream rappers for a while now. I prefer unsigned hungry rappers who are writing for their life! From any era.

Bars come from need and alot of these new dudes dont need to be dope, they simply exist in a slipstream of formula, that's why for old men like me, its such a treat when one of these young buls write with a purpose and still have BARS!!!!
 
C

catashtrophe

Member
All these people talking about 90's hip hop and not once name Tha Alkaholiks, Ras Kass, Safir, Defari, Chino XL, Immortal Technique, TecN9ne etc is disgusting
 
P

ProtomanNeo

Member
It was. All artistic styles and genres go through this. They reach a zenith and while they live on afterwards, there is a pinnacle of their popularity and creativite output and diversity. Of course it’s difficult to lockdown when exactly that ten year window is. Some may say 89-99 or 92-2002 but the reality is unless it gets a renaissance hip hops height floats in and around the 90’s
 
I

inner-G

Banned
If anyone disagrees with the OP, smoke a blunt while listening to Aquemini from start to finish and then re-evaluate your opinion.
 
N

nel e nel

Member
Adam Sadler said:
I wish the people who loved 90s rap so much would talk about more than the same 20 albums all the time.

I would love to be introduced to some album from that time not a lot of people know about or slipped under the radar.

Have you ever listened to Organized Konfusion?
Click to expand...

Tell which 20 albums, and I'd be happy to tell you an alternate list of 20.

Here's a few off the head (I tried to list artists that haven't already been mentioned in this thread):

Downtown Science- self titled
Freestyle Fellowship - Innercity Griots
Lord Finesse - Return of the Funky Man
King Tee - Tha Triflin Album
Redman - Whut? Thee Album
Artifacts - Between A Rock And a Hard Place
Blackalicious - Melodica
The D.O.C. - No One Can Do It Better (1988, but fuck it, dude was incredible)
Ice-T - O.G. Original Gangster
Jungle Brothers - Done By The Forces of Nature
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Mecca & The Soul Brother
X-Clan - To The East, Blackwards (with a KEY! Sissseeeeeee)
Justin Warfield - My Field Trip To Planet 9
K.M.D. - Mr. Hood
3rd Bass - Derelicts of Dialect
Poor Righteous Teachers - Holy Intellect
U.M.C.'s - Fruits of Nature
Beatnuts - Intoxicated Demons
Yaggfu Front - Action Packed Adventure
DJ Krush - Meiso
Ultramagnetic MCs - The Four Horsemen
 
G

Gully State

Member
Dreams-Visions said:
Agreed.

Though I've really loved the 2000s works from OutKast, Kanye, Little Brother, Drake, Weezy, KDot and a few others (and this year has been better than a lot of recent years), the albums and hits that came out between 87-99 continue to stand the test of time 20+ years later.

I really do love all of those 2000s+ artists, but I'll take the following collection of artists and their works over the current pool of artists every day and twice on Sunday:

Tribe
Mobb Deep
Wu and all those legendary 90s group and solo albums
prime Snoop
prime Dre
hungry Jay-Z
prime The Roots
De La Soul
Big Pun
Nore
Jr. MAFIA
The Dog Pound
Too Short
The Fugees
prime OutKast (Aquemini, ATLiens, Southerncadillac)
Jeru Da Damaja
prime Busta
GangStarr
EPMD
Geto Boys
Naughty By Nature
The Pharcyde
prime UGK
Goodie Mob
Do Or Die
No Limit Records
Biggie and Pac
prime Cube and West Coast Connection
NWA
Hammer
Salt N Pepa
The Looniz
Onyx
Slum Village
prime Bone Thugs
Run DMC
Heavy D
LL

...and whoever else I may be missing. I mean look how long that fuckin list is. Look at it. Not to mention the fun hip-hop from artists like Sir Mix-A-Lot, Humpty, Skee-Lo, and others.


I mean, we're to the point where we get 1 really good new album per season. If we're lucky. Even then you may not be playing it 6 months later because it didn't have the kind of staying power that will last you a decade. In the 90s, classic releases used to come out monthly and sometimes more frequently than that.
Click to expand...

Im quoting this list because it's the truth right here... just a few corrections.. the luniz and it's not humpty...it's digital underground.. humpty hump is Shock G's alter ego.
 
J

JeremyEtcetera

Unconfirmed Member
Compbros said:
Man people are downplaying the 2000s heavily to an almost unbelievable degree.
Click to expand...

Or maybe they consider 2000-2008 to be part of the 90s. I usually lump those years in when thinking of good 90s rap. 2008 is when the turn happened.
 
N

nel e nel

Member
ElBoxyBrown said:
Biggie? Tupac? What do you mean?
Click to expand...

Both good choices but I'd argue that part of the reason they get held up so high is because they both died so young and tragically, and the controversies around their deaths elevated their status. They never reached their full potentials.

People forget that Craig Mack and Biggie's album both dropped at the same time and a lot of heads thought Craig's was more "real" and Biggie using more pop samples was more jiggy and radio friendly.

The point being is that it's more common in hip hop for fans to forget the pioneers and dismiss them as old school and irrelevant whereas Paul McCartney, the Stones and Tom Petty are still selling out stadiums.
 
N

Numb

Member
Indeed
But with most things from the past it's the good stuff that is remembered and the weak shit is easily forgot unless it was extra bad
 
J

JeremyEtcetera

Unconfirmed Member
Gully State said:
2000's gave us the Ying yang twins and lil Jon...Thats why it's not lumped with the 90's
Click to expand...

It also gave us Kanye, Ludacris, Eminem, Andre 3000, Big Boi and more. I know how this game works. The more bad examples you give the more good I can give.
 
T

the210

Member
The fact that one of the GOATs in the game Scarface is barely mentioned is shameful. Dude is still spitting fire to this day.
8ball & MJG
Ice Cube
LL was still doing his thing
Paris
PE
Geto Boys
DJ Quick
E40
Mix A lot was on point
UGK
 
J

JeremyEtcetera

Unconfirmed Member
Gully State said:
Speakerboxx/love below and stankonia aren't better than aquemini.. ATLiens is a classic too
Click to expand...


I've heard a lot of things in life but I've never heard this said before. Your words have me stunned. I guess we will agree to disagree.
 
E

ElBoxyBrown

Banned
A rapper that started in the 90s but didn't reach their peak until the 2000s doesn't really count as a 90s rapper, imo. El-P started in the 90s with Company Flow but his career didn't really start until 2002.
 
Z

Zekes!

Member
MrRemyJe said:
I've heard a lot of things in life but I've never heard this said before. Your words have me stunned. I guess we will agree to disagree.
Click to expand...

Aquemini and ATLiens are definitely better than Stankonia and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, not to say those albums are bad or anything

Honestly, I'd probably say the 2000's for me personally is the era of hip-hop I listen to the least. I was in middle school/high school then and was super into 90's/early 2000's rap at the latest and hated most contemporary hip-hop at the time outside of Lupe Fiasco and Kanye. Nowadays I'm much more open to listening to new shit, so a lot of my listening consists of 90's shit and 2010's shit.
 
G

Gully State

Member
MrRemyJe said:
I've heard a lot of things in life but I've never heard this said before. Your words have me stunned. I guess we will agree to disagree.
Click to expand...

I dunno what to say then if you think my statement is some crazy contrarian double down. Sure you can prefer their 2000's albums (some great singles) but Aquemini and ATLiens are classics in their own right from top to bottom.
 
D

Dynomutt

Member
MrRemyJe said:
I've heard a lot of things in life but I've never heard this said before. Your words have me stunned. I guess we will agree to disagree.
Click to expand...

Speakerboxx/The Love Below were popular due to crossover success. White folks in specific soccer moms discovered Andre 3000 and played "Hey Ya' in their mini-vans after picking up Brecken, Kale and Apple (The Twins) from soccer practice while sipping on a triple-shot grande caramel macchiato from Starbucks.

Prototype is my jam though.
 
C

cbrun44

Member
Agreed. The 90's was the best decade for hip-hop. Far and away. Not sure that can even be argued. I remember going out every Tuesday and picking up that week's releases. Like a personal classic a week minimum for close to a decade. Guilty pleasure note: The No Limit late 90's years got so damn expensive. Every release... Fiend, Kane and Abel, Young Bleed, Soulja Slim... all of them. And shout out to Rap City... taught me everthing I know...

The 00's for the most part was forgettable (with exceptions of course... i.e. Kanye, Lil Wayne Mixtapes). As an Born and raised Atlantan... Decatur (smoke some dank)... I will say Outkast's 00's output pales to the 90's. Southernplayalistic, Atliens, Aquemini >>>>>>>>>>>>> anything... Also... Goodie Mob's Soul Food also significantly better than Outkast' 00 output.

10's have been way better than the 00's. Rappers are doing interesting stuff and trying new things. (Brockhampton, Young Thug, etc.)
 
N

Net_Wrecker

Member
MrRemyJe said:
I've heard a lot of things in life but I've never heard this said before. Your words have me stunned. I guess we will agree to disagree.
Click to expand...

lol wut

ATLiens and Aquemini are where Outkast got their prestige. Stankonia and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below are the mainstream breakout albums- great in their own right, but not peak Outkast.
 
I

inner-G

Banned
Dynomutt said:
Baby's gotta eat...

That beat is super funky and awesome for testing subs. That song slaps hard.
Click to expand...
Plus that crooked cop rock think we blow slanging


Remember when Cool Breeze Calhoun did a solo album? https://youtu.be/poGBJr7h1sc

MrRemyJe said:
I've heard a lot of things in life but I've never heard this said before. Your words have me stunned. I guess we will agree to disagree.
Click to expand...
My mind warps and bends floats the wind count to ten
Meet the twin Andre Ben. welcome to the lion's den
Original skin many men comprehend
I extend myself so you go out and tell a friend
Sin all depends on what you believing in
Faith is what you make it that's the hardest shit since MC Ren
Alien can blend right on in wit' yo' kin
Look again 'cause I swear I spot one every now and then
It's happenin' again wish I could tell you when
Andre this is Andre y'all just gon' have to make amends
 
AppleBlade

AppleBlade

Member
I fully acknowledge that I might just be too old (I'm 34) to appreciate today's hip hop but I just can't find myself to care about any of this stuff. I hear 90's Nas, Biggie, Wu-Tang, Big Pun, Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Mobb Deep and even lesser known guys like AZ, Canibus and Nature and it stirs this good old day's nostalgia that I just don't feel anymore. It's like thinking back to the NES and remember playing Contra and Ninja Gaiden with my cousins late into the night.
 
L

LocknessMobster

Member
____ said:
I think the landscape has obviously shifted dramatically but I don’t find today’s hip-hop any less ‘entertaining’ than older eras. It’s just...different.

It was definitely more real back then, though. Lots more manufacturered artists these days creating a lot of copy-a-hit songs that aren’t original. There are a lot of artists that are still keeping shit fresh regardless. Just have to reach below the surface (radio pop shit).

GAF hates him but Kendrick
Ab-Soul
Isaiah Rashad
ScHoolboy Q
Denzel Curry
Freddie Gibbs
Childish Gambino
T.I. somehow is still doing his thing
Smoke DZA
Chance The Rapper
Kanye
Joey Bada$$
Vince Staples
Run The Jewels
Danny Brown
Lute
Click to expand...

This here is a great list actually,I'd add Kevin Gates,dude is fire.
 
Dice//

Dice//

Banned
steveovig said:
I tend to agree but the 90's and early 2000's also had a fair share of garbage rappers in the mainstream. Look at Cash Money, No Limit, DMX, and Nelly just to name a few.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Totally this. It's easy to look back on the hits and forget the rest but you can do that now too.
There's great music on any decade.
 
S

spock

Member
Adding more 90's truth to the mix for heads still suckling at the teat... (dusty heads rising, lol)

Trying to add peeps others haven't mentioned yet. But maybe dupes. As for Emcees today, there are most def a few solid cats out there. But on the whole, cant fuck with em. Also I think RTJ counts more for the 90's than it does today sound. :p

Kool G (Muthafuckin) Rap - https://youtu.be/oxysgIzX3Ps

Bootcamp click, OGC, Blackmoon, Smf n Wesson,etc.
Group home
Gang starr/guru
DITC, Big L, Lord Fineese, etc.
Masta ace
KRS One
Non Phixion
Arsonists
Redman
EPMD
Brand Nubian
OC
Rakim
Del
Jurassic 5
Cyprus Hill
NWA
Naughty by Nature
Busta Rhymes, leaders of the new school, etc.
De La Soul.
Fugees
Beatnuts, Likwid crew in general.
Mobb Deep
Das Efx
MOP
Dilated peoples
Slick rick
Run DMC (still bumping in the 90's)

Still plenty to add...I don't know how a true head could not see how strong the 90's was. Its pretty damn insane.

Love to the rest of the fam who would stay up late for some stretch and bob on WKCR 89.1 - Also had the underground railroad, think that was 89.9. Think there was another station rocking on 91.5, but cant remember.
 
E

ElBoxyBrown

Banned
spock said:
Adding more 90's truth to the mix for heads still suckling at the teat... (dusty heads rising, lol)

Trying to add peeps others haven't mentioned yet. But maybe dupes. As for Emcees today, there are most def a few solid cats out there. But on the whole, cant fuck with em. Also I think RTJ counts more for the 90's than it does today sound. :p

Kool G (Muthafuckin) Rap - https://youtu.be/oxysgIzX3Ps

Bootcamp click, OGC, Blackmoon, Smf n Wesson,etc.
Group home
Gang starr/guru
DITC, Big L, Lord Fineese, etc.
Masta ace
KRS One
Non Phixion
Arsonists
Redman
EPMD
Brand Nubian
OC
Rakim
Del
Jurassic 5
Cyprus Hill
NWA
Naughty by Nature
Busta Rhymes, leaders of the new school, etc.
De La Soul.
Fugees
Beatnuts, Likwid crew in general.
Mobb Deep
Das Efx
MOP
Dilated peoples
Slick rick
Run DMC (still bumping in the 90's)

Still plenty to add...I don't know how a true head could not see how strong the 90's was. Its pretty damn insane.

Love to the rest of the fam who would stay up late for some stretch and bob on WKCR 89.1 - Also had the underground railroad, think that was 89.9. Think there was another station rocking on 91.5, but cant remember.
Click to expand...
I used to be like you with the "I'm too good to listen to you" attitude. That ain't healthy. Every generation has to discover the current greatness. The will always be the past. Hip Hop is always the future.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Does Mystary of Da Chessboxin have the best lyrics of any rap song?
46
2K
Vlaphor replied
I think there's a reason (other than nostalgia) that 80s and 90s games are "better"
33
3K
Freedom Gate Co. replied
Discover Classic Samples used on Hip Hop albums
2
64
10K
gingerbeardman replied
Anonymous Twitter Poster Detailing 90s Hip Hop/Street History
2 3
130
17K
yencid replied
Who's your top 5 GOAT hip hop producers
2
93
5K
Man with Knife replied
Top Bottom