On October 20, 1990, Luther Campbell picked up a huge win for hip hop. Actually, “huge” doesn’t even cut it. Had Campbell and his crew lost, the trajectory of the entire hip hop industry would have been very, very different. I’m not just talking about record sales, either; on a deeper level, Campbell’s team was […]
Before I knew of Run-DMC, I was only familiar with Run TMC. (Hey, I’m a hoops junkie from the Philippines. Can you blame me?) While the fast-paced style of the Hardaway-Richmond-Mullin trio certainly has a legacy on the hardcourt, I wouldn’t dare equate it to the revolutionary impact of three gentlemen from the Hollis neighborhood
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Name a hip hop hook that’s more iconic than “Cash rules everything around me/C.R.E.A.M., get the money/Dolla dolla bill, y’all.” Go ahead. I’ll wait. With all due respect to the hard-hitting imagery of Raekwon and Inspectah Deck, that hit song doesn’t work without Method Man. There’s something in Meth’s voice that takes you on a
Hip hop is all about the magic and music of words. So it’s only right that hip hop fans take a minute to brush up on the rich terminology of the genre. Think back to the earliest days of your fandom. Remember when your friends spoke animatedly about the latest rap album, and they started
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If I had to pick a song that concisely defines hip hop—like, the closest thing we have to a dictionary definition of this genre—I’d go with the 2007 track “Hip Hop Lives.” I can go on and on about the mind-blowing beat and the masterful production of DJ Marley Marl, but I’m especially fixated on
This is the honest-to-goodness truth: in late 2002, I could not walk one block without hearing the song “Dilemma.” Why exactly was this track so ubiquitous? While Kelly Rowland’s heavenly voice is a damn good reason, I’d ultimately point to the artist who’s telling the irresistible tale of forbidden love: Nelly. The song’s incessant AAHs
In the ultra-competitive world of hip hop, the goal is to be Batman, not Robin. But some emcees, whether they like it or not, are more Dick Grayson than Bruce Wayne. Big Boi will always be second fiddle to André 3000; Lauryn Hill clearly outshone Wyclef Jean and Pras, and Havoc was—you have to admit
I have never felt as conflicted about an emcee’s legacy as I have for one Lauryn Hill. There’s no way that I can dispute her place in hip-hop history. At a time when it was immensely difficult for female rappers to become household names, Ms. Hill defied the odds and ascended into stardom. Setting records
Remember what you felt the first time you heard “Moment 4 Life?” You may have bopped your head to the powerful beat crafted by star producer T-Minus. Or you could have marvelled at the braggadocious guest verse by pre-Take Care Drake. Or—and this is very likely—you became a huge fan of the Cinderella-esque music video helmed
Listening to 2011’s “I’m on One” puts me in a different place, and it’s not hard to see why. You have DJ Khaled’s exquisite production, Drake’s unapologetic confidence, and Lil Wayne‘s efficient punchlines. (Seriously, I’ve never heard a more tightly packed set of puns and humorous bars in my life.) And then, there’s Rick Ross.
