Support NeoGAF

[ThePrequelsSuck]

Based on these two videos, the poll choices are how I'd roughly break down the eras of hip-hop (mainstream at least). Keep in mind this is my own opinion, you may have different opinions on when the eras started/ended specifically.

So, which of these eras is your personal favorite? And I don't mean "best" necessarily (most would say golden age is best), I mean the one you're most PERSONALLY fond of.

 

[joedan]

Definitely the 90s.

 

[Rocket Number 22]

My brother went to see the cool-naughty-pain tour when they came to Australia....which one is that?

 

[Vicetrailia]

90s

 

[BANGS]

1800s

 

[ThePrequelsSuck]

Definitely the 90s.

90s

You have to choose either 1997-2006 or 1987-1997 on the poll, can't just say 90s.

 

[highrider]

Oldest of old school for me. Period between 79 and 85 was at such a formative time in my life growing in to a young man. In terms of quality overall it’s hard to beat the 90s but I’ll take some simple 808 and delay. If there was one group that personified what I love about that era it’s definitely Run Dmc. The verbal interplay, the simplicity of the approach, purely entertaining and dope. Beats to the Rhyme.

 

[Soleil rouge]

I'd extend the golden age a little bit (1986 - early 2000's). Love the 90s most of all. Modern hip hop is cool and all, but it's almost a different genre. The evolution of drum machines from the early to late 90s is fascinating. The sound really tightened up in the late 90s. Big budget albums felt epic.

 

[ThePrequelsSuck]

I'd extend the golden age a little bit (1986 - early 2000's). Love the 90s most of all. Modern hip hop is cool and all, but it's almost a different genre. The evolution of drum machines from the early to late 90s is fascinating. The sound really tightened up in the late 90s. Big budget albums felt epic.

Golden age ended for me in 1997 because Biggie died and artists like Master P and Puff Daddy took the genre in a more commercial direction.

The silver age is objectively lesser than the golden age, but it's still a favorite of mine through childhood nostalgia.

 

[DiscoJer]

I really liked the old school when it was still essentially dance music and tended to be upbeat

 

[Soleil rouge]

Golden age ended for me in 1997 because Biggie died and artists like Master P and Puff Daddy took the genre in a more commercial direction.

True, but a lot of the golden age rappers released good albums during that time span ('97 - '00's), so I personally still count it. Bad Boy Records was actually at the top of their game in that period. Ma$e may have brought on the "shiny suit era", but his first album had rock solid production. Not to mention that after an all-time classic, Life After Death, Puff Daddy and The L.O.X. both released some damn good albums in '97. They followed that up with Black Rob, Shyne and G-Dep. It wasn't until Puff Daddy partnered up with MTV that they became a true pop music label.

 

[OH-MyCar]

But seriously: I guess I kinda like 'em all.

 

[dyergram]

Early to mid nineties was the shit.

 

[Bolivar687]

I try to pay homage to all eras and I love the artists that debuted in that magic stretch from 93-95 and the classics they produced but the music I keep coming back to the most are from 98-2001. My favorite albums that I listen to the most are Pun's Capital Punishment, Mobb Deep's Murda Muzik and HNIC, AZ's Pieces of a Man, Nas' unreleased songs from that time, some of which later appeared on the Lost Tapes, Stillmatic, Kool G Rap's Roots of Evil, Cormega's The Realness and Operation Doomsday is my favorite MF Doom album. I notice that what all these albums have in common is that they're long productions with lots of features and diversity in different beats but unapologetically ruthless flows throughout. It was the moment when the audio of the music started becoming crystal clear but that hunger and NY mentality hadn't yet been lost.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Low key early 00s

 

[Dark Star]

90's was the best

cypress hill, nas, nwa, mobb deep, wu tang, triple six mafia, outkast, etc

i'm a big fan of the underground trap music from 2014 to present, a lot of it is really grungy and dark love it (big fan of hardcore and deathcore so there ya go). I think a lot of new age trap producers / rappers are under-appreciated by being lumped into the "mumble" category (suicideboys, pouya, ghostemane, etc) though i'm a big fan of artists like Travis Scott as well.

 

[AlphaDump]

what bums me out is all the ones I thought would carry the torch dropped off. Jurassic 5, Soul Position, Clipse, Styles of Beyond.. all amazing potential. then just kind of faded...

Outkast's first 3 albums are just nuts. the golden age it is.

 

[Snoopycat]

I'd say from 85 - 94. There were so many classics released during that period, Schoolly D's debut, Run DMC's Raising Hell, Beastie Boy's Paul's Boutique, De la Soul's 3 ft high, Jungle Brothers, Ice T's OG, NWA, Wu Tang's debut, Tribe's debut and of course Public Enemy, the greatest rap group of all time.

 

[Droxcy]

90s I'm a west coaster so of course I'd say that. There's so many great artists out there, I'm pretty much a fan of all of them.

 

[GotrekNoFelix]

Paleolithic stone bashing. Hip Hop's been in rapid decline since.

 

[TFGB]

Mid 80s - 90/91, when Britcore was in its prime and Hip Hop was positive and people were more interested in partying than glamourising violence. Gangster Rap killed the culture for me.

Caz sums up my sentiments quite well in this brief interview:

 

[doliver]

I regularly listened to hip-hop during the early 90's.

 

[brap]

2000s when we had the GOATS like Dem Franchize Boyz, D4L, Crime Mob, Soulja Boy etc.

Spoiler

But for real I'd say the golden age.

 

[Phoenix RISING]

Golden age ended for me in 1997 because Biggie died and artists like Master P and Puff Daddy took the genre in a more commercial direction.

The silver age is objectively lesser than the golden age, but it's still a favorite of mine through childhood nostalgia.

I feel that the Cash Money Millionaires commercialized Hip Hop in ways that Master P and Puff Daddy wish they could have. Lil Wayne looking like a troll is appropriate for the decline of the genre.

You couldn't listen to the radio for 10 minutes without a cash money song coming on for a good two to three years fan. That's insane!

I really liked the old school when it was still essentially dance music and tended to be upbeat

And family-friendly. Y'all remember when Will Smith used to rap? Lol

 

[ThePrequelsSuck]

2000s when we had the GOATS like Dem Franchize Boyz, D4L, Crime Mob, Soulja Boy etc.

Spoiler

But for real I'd say the golden age.

2000-2006 was good but 2006-2009 was lacking somewhat.

 

[small44]

This era but in underground.

 

[Blueingreen]

East Coast 1989-1996 underground Hip Hop is quite possibly the greatest stretch of quality music in history, the distinct drums and bass sounds, the jazzy soul samples the raw rhyming patterns and unique NYC accent it's just sheer perfection.

 

[DonJimbo]

The Golden Age

 

[Paps Guattro]

87/88/89

 

[MacP]

The Silver age Dr. Dre, Xzibit, Eminem need I say more?

 

[WorriedCitizen]

Not a huge hip hop aficionado but i always liked the oldschool electro/breakdance stuff ever since i was a kid in the 80's.