30th Anniversary

Today In Hip Hop History: Cypress Hill’s Second LP ‘Black Sunday’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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On this day in Hip Hop history, stoner trio Cypress Hill released their second and most popular album, Black Sunday. Selling 261,000 copies in its first week, Black Sunday was recorded as the highest Soundscan for a rap group at the time, peaking at #1 on both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop and Billboard 200 charts.

This album’s success came in large part from the project’s first single “Insane in the Brain,” which grew to be a crossover smash hit and a timeless relic of stoner culture. Thanks to Cypress Hill’s heavy metal aesthetic, the branding of this single appealed heavily to a fan base that wasn’t reached with their debut. The single’s crossover appeal led to promotion and praise of the album by both Hip Hop and Rock ‘n’ Roll publications.

Across the board, the album has been regarded by music critics and listeners. The album received outstanding reviews from all leading music publications and was even nominated for a Grammy. Singles from the project were used in popular films such as the cult classic How High, where Cypress had a cameo appearance. Commercially, the album is a classic, selling 3.4 million copies and being certified triple platinum by the RIAA.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Cypress Hill’s Second LP ‘Black Sunday’ Turns 30 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Notorious B.I.G.’s Debut Single ‘Party & Bulls**t’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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In the summer of 1993, a young record exec who was known as “Puff Daddy” started a label called Bad Boy Records which premiered two records to launch the label; the first being the premier track from the legendary Notorious B.I.G. called “Party & Bullshit”. The song appeared on the soundtrack of Who’s The Man, a movie with Hip Hop’s who’s who starring Yo! MTV Raps‘ Ed Lover & Dr. Dre.

Biggie Smalls became one of the most prolific MCs in the history of the culture and is arguably one of the best that the game has ever seen. Before B.I.G. became “Notorious”, Biggie and Junior Mafia were only about “Party & Bullshit”. Salute to B.I.G., Diddy, Bad Boy, and the whole Brooklyn.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Notorious B.I.G.’s Debut Single ‘Party & Bulls**t’ Turns 30 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: ‘Menace II Society’ Movie Soundtrack Turns 30 Years Old!

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On this date in 1993, Jive Records released the soundtrack to the blockbuster hood classic Menace II Society featuring various artists. The sixteen-track Hip Hop assortment peaked at the pole position on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop albums. Along with singles, music videos were produced for the songs: “Straight Up Menace” by MC Eiht, and “Trigga Gots No Heart” by Spice 1. It has been certified Platinum by the RIAA since October 11, 1994.

Classic tracks include Spice 1’s “Trigga Gots No Heart”, Too Short’s “Only The Strong Survive” as well as some East Coast flavor from Brand Nubian(“Lick Dem Muthafuckas”), Boogie Down Productions(“The P Is Still Free”) and Pete Rock and CL Smooth’s “Death Becomes You”.

Just as timeless as the movie during the era when soundtracks were everything, the MIIS soundtrack is sure to bring back that bi-coastal Hip Hop nostalgia.

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Dr. Dre Unveils “The Chronic” Collectibles For 30th Anniversary

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Even with his controversies in mind, Dr. Dre’s impact on hip-hop, from before N.W.A. all the way to today, continues to shake its foundation. Decades after its release, publications still call a song like “Still D.R.E.” the best rap beat of all time. Now, for the 30th anniversary of his classic album The Chronic, some rare collectibles will now be available for purchase to fans. Moreover, the first drop consists of session tape prints, the session boxes themselves with the master tapes, and four exclusive skate decks. According to a press release obtained by HipHopDX, these items will be available to the public for the first time in history. “The Chronic Masters” collection is a series of drops in collaboration with Interscope and Trophy,” the release reportedly read.

Furthermore, these drops will be up for sale on June 1, and Interscope shared a stylish teaser for them. “On May 20, 1993, @drdre’s single “Fuck wit Dre Day” began its explosion,” the record label captioned its Instagram post announcing the collectibles. “To celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Chronic album, we proudly present The Chronic Masters– a slow-burn series of limited edition releases honoring the timeless legacy of this classic.

Read More: The Best Dr. Dre Beats He’s Produced

Dr. Dre’s The Chronic Celebrated With Rare Collectibles For Its 30th

“Kicking off on June 1, 2023, at 12pm PST and 3pm EST, The Chronic Masters will feature exclusive drops throughout the year that pay homage to the legendary work of Dr. Dre,” the post’s caption continued. “Fans and collectors alike are invited to join us on this journey as we revisit one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time. Stay tuned for all the latest updates and don’t miss your chance to own a piece of music history.”

Of course, all this acclaim and celebration around The Chronic is unsurprising. After all, Rolling Stone recently named one of its standout tracks, “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang” featuring Snoop Dogg, as the best West Coast hip-hop song of all time. Sure, lists alone aren’t the only valid criteria for acclaim, but the fact that his work remains revered for such a long time by fans old and new is impressive. Still, what’s your favorite song off The Chronic? Let us know in the comments and return to HNHH for the latest news and updates on Dr. Dre.

Read More: Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” Isn’t A Classic, According To DJ Clark Kent

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Today In Hip Hop History: Wu-Tang Clan’s Debut Single “Protect Ya Neck” Turns 30 Years Old!

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On this day in 1993, the legendary Wu-Tang Clan began their reign as one of the most powerful and influential rap groups in history by releasing their debut single, “Protect Ya Neck.” With this track, Wu-Tang took the rap game by storm with a style unheard and an attitude unseen. “Protect Ya Neck” set a tone in Hip Hop that shifted the genre toward a more hardcore, rugged sound.

Originally recorded in a different order with a completely different beat, group member RZA took the liberty to reconstruct the song in post-production to the goliath that we all know and love. According to him, all he needed was the vocals of the group. The original beat used was just a placeholder used to get the verses. RZA’s unique style also incorporated the kung-fu film dialogue and fought scenes throughout the track. This unique style of production became a trend for Wu-Tang Clan.

To clarify any confusion about who is who on the song, the order of verses is as follows: Inspectah Deck, Raekwon, Method Man, U-God, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Ghostface Killah, RZA, & GZA. The single was first released independently through Wu-Tang Records and had “After the Laughter Comes Tears” as the B-side. Loud Records later re-released it with “Method Man” as the B-side. It sold 10,000 copies.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Wu-Tang Clan’s Debut Single “Protect Ya Neck” Turns 30 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Mobb Deep’s Debut Album ‘Juvenile Hell’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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Juvenile Hell was the first album by duo Mobb Deep that paved the path for many other East Coast rappers of their genre, which only a few know preceded their most revered LP, The Infamous.

Dubbed as one of the most acclaimed East Coast rap duos of all time, MCs Havoc and Prodigy came together to release their first album, Juvenile Hell on this day, April 13, 1993. Hailing from Queensbridge Housing projects in New York City, Mobb Deep was rather young when they released their first album, at the early age of 19.

At the time of its’ release, Juvenile Hell wasn’t received on groundbreaking levels. The new sound of the duo was too hardcore for some, very street-oriented, and the album provided one major single entitled “Hit it from the Back”; which peaked at 18 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart that same year. It wouldn’t be until later that Mobb Deep would become a Hip Hop classic and household name. In time they have gained longevity with their sound inspiring practically all other east coast rappers of their caliber. Had it not been for their first album, and their street poetry over tracks produced by the likes of DJ Premier and Large Professor, the map would never have been drawn for much of the major East Coast sound.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Onyx’s Debut Album ‘Bacdafucup’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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On March 30, 1993, cousins Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz and their partners Sonny Seeza and Big DS put out their debut album, Bacdafucup, on the newly created Rush Associated Labels.

Primarily produced by the group’s founder Jam Master Jay, other production credits include The Afros’ Kool Tee, Chryskillz, and a then young producer named Jeff Harris; Bacdafucup was by far Onyx’s best studio LP, becoming certified platinum by the RIAA in just a little over seven months after its debut.

The album’s sure shot singles include the riot-causing “Throw Ya Gunz,” the horn propelled “Shiftee,” and of course, the mainstream favorite of all, “Slam.”

Onyx made their claim to fame with their trademark “mad face,” bald heads, and all black everything. Many copycats came after these guys, but their mark on the game is definitely unparalleled. Salute to Fredro, Sticky, Seez, and a big RIP to DS.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Cult Classic Flick ‘CB4’ Opened In Theaters 30 Years Ago

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On this date 29 years ago, Gusto and the gang shows us what gangsta Hip-Hop is all about.

In 1993, Chris Rock, Allen Payne and Charlie Murphy gave their own take of how things go down behind the scenes with gangsta rappers vs. real-life gangsters in the comedy flick CB4. Directed by and starring Rock, CB4 was a parody that pokes fun at “the world’s most dangerous group” N.W.A. and features several Hip Hop notables including Ice-T, Ice Cube, Flavor Flav and the late Eazy-E.

Murphy, who played the role of “Gusto”, is a certified “G’ who is “three generations deep in gangsterdom.” Rock, who plays up and coming rapper Albert Brown from “LoCash” California, jack Gusto’s gangster look, background and persona, becoming MC Gusto after the “gangsta” Gusto went to prison. The group that Rock’s character formed, who were called CB4, which stood for gangsta Gusto’s prison location ‘Cell Block 4″, took the rap world by storm until reality hit; Gusto gets out of jail.

Salute to Rock, Charlie Murphy (RIP), Allen Payne and even Daddy-O of Stetsasonic, who was the rapper for CB4’s hits “Straight Outta LoCash” and “Sweat From My Balls.” CB4 is definitely a comedic learning tool and will forever be a piece of Hip-Hop history!

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Today In Hip-Hop History: Tupac Shakur’s ‘Strictly For My N.I.G.G.A.Z…’ LP Turns 30 Years Old!

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On this date in 1993, Tupac Shakur released his second full-length studio album, Strictly For My N.I.G.G.A.Z… on Jive Records and T.N.T. Recordings. With the ‘N-word always having a negative connotation, ‘Pac flipped it to an acronym, meaning  Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished, with the “Z” in the title making it plural.

This album continued on the same wavelength as his debut, with his sociopolitical viewpoint as the basis of the album’s overall subject matter. The most recognizable singles from the album are “I Get Around,” “Holler If Ya Hear Me,” and the inspirational “Keep Ya Head Up,” which helped to propel the album to platinum status.

The post Today In Hip-Hop History: Tupac Shakur’s ‘Strictly For My N.I.G.G.A.Z…’ LP Turns 30 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: Digable Planets’ Debut Album ‘Reachin’ (A New Refutation Of Time And Space)’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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Jazz has again begun to find its way into mainstream Hip-Hop. With the success of Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, more artists have started to incorporate the classic brass and string jazz sound. On this day in Hip Hop history, one of the first jazz-fusion Hip-Hop albums, Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) was released by Brooklyn-based trio Digable Planets in 1993.

Peaking at #81 on the Billboard 200, this successful debut introduced a fresh new element to the boom-bap scene in New York. With members hailing from all corners of the country (Butterfly from Seattle, Ladybug Mecca from Washington D.C., and Doodlebug from Philadelphia), Digable Planets was able to bring a unique flair to the conscious rap game. Although not as overtly political as the group follow up album, this project does touch on some controversial subjects such as abortion rights and artistic drug abuse. The album’s hit single “The Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” has become a Hip Hop classic. By peaking at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100, selling 500,000 copies in a year, and winning the Grammy for Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group, this single cemented its place in music history. The song is still used to this day in various advertisements, TV shows, and movies.

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