30th Anniversary

MF DOOM’s Metal Face Records Celebrates 30 Years Of KMD’s ‘Black Bastards’

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Today, Metalface Records and Rhymesayers Entertainment present KMD’s sophomore album, Black Bastards, reintroduced on red vinyl LP with expanded gatefold packaging in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the album’s initial recording. The album will be available in stores March 31. 

Following KMD’s debut, the early 90’s Hip-Hop group consisted of two partners – Subroc and his brother Zev Love X (better known today as MF DOOM). Recorded in 1993, their sophomore album Black Bastards was initially shelved before its release due to controversy around the album’s cover art, and the group was subsequently dropped from their label, Elektra Records. In the fallout, Zev Love X would disappear before re-emerging years later as the masked supervillain MF DOOM. Although he would eventually secure an official release for Black Bastards in 2000, Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists (1999) had already named it the most notable rap album of all time that was never commercially released. The album featured production from both members and included guest appearances from MF Grimm, Kurious, Lord Sear and more. With a sales history of over 75K+ units and over 40M+ streams, Black Bastards is a prominent and venerated project from DOOM’s discography.

Along with the red vinyl gatefold, Metalface Records and Rhymesayers are also redistributing Black Bastards on standard black vinyl, as well as MF DOOM’s debut, Operation: Doomsday, also hitting stores March 31. Both titles are indisputable classics that put Daniel Dumile on the path to becoming one of the greatest MC/producers of all time.

Additionally, the DOOM estate is offering exclusive KMD apparel to commemorate the anniversary. A limited release of beanies, hats, tee-shirts, long sleeve shirts, and hooded sweatshirts are available for pre-order at gasdrawls.com.  

Purchase KMD’s Black Bastards & MF DOOM’s Operation: Doomsday HERE.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Dr. Dre’s Debut Solo LP ‘The Chronic’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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On this date in 1992, Dr. Dre released his debut solo album The Chronic on his own Death Row Records imprint, which was distributed by Priority Records. This album introduced the world to the Death Row experience, G-Funk infused Hip Hop and the one and only Snoop Doggy Dogg.

Recorded in Death Row Studios in L.A., The Chronic album was created under the influence of some of the most powerful marijuana in the United States during that time, hence, the title. It was also fueled by Dre’s relentless passion to show his former crewmates from N.W.A. that he could make it on his own as well as prove to the world that he could do more than just make dope beats.

Timeless tracks where Dre shined on the lyrical side include “Let Me Ride”, “Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang” along with Snoop, and “The Day The Niggaz Took Over”, where Daz, Dre, and RBX went in about racial tensions during the 1992 L.A. riots.

Even with its conceptual perfection and trailblazing sound, which left an open market for artists like The Dogg Pound, 213, and Warren G., The Chronic is still Dre’s second best-selling album behind The Chronic: 2001, which went sextuple platinum.

Salute to everyone at Death Row Records who contributed to this gangsta rap classic! Cali love!!

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Today In Hip Hop History: Redman’s Debut ‘Whut? Thee Album’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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On this date in 1992, Brick City, NJ’s own Reggie “Redman” Noble dropped his debut solo release Whut? Thee Album on the Def Jam imprint.

Produced primarily by the legendary EPMD’s Erick Sermon, Whut? introduced the world to Redman; the newest recruit to the supergroup The Hit Squad. The fans wanted more from what they got from the Newark native on “Hardcore” from EPMD’s ‘Business Never Personal’ album, where Redman was first heard by Erick and Parrish fans, making them Redman fans by default.

Tracks the propelled the album’s success include singles such as the visual accompanying “Time 4 Sum Aksion”, “Tonight’s TDa Night”, the weed rolling anthem “How To Roll A Blunt” and the beginning of the ever-evolving saga of “The Sooper man Lover”. This four and a half mic album was certified gold by the RIAA in less than a year and certified official by the streets upon its release.

Big shouts to Redman and Erick Sermon for making the Funk Doctor Spock’s first project a certified Hip Hop classic!

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Today in Hip-Hop History: EPMD’s ‘Business Never Personal’ LP Turns 30 Years Old!

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Coming after what critics would call their worst album, Business Never Personal served as a proper revival and temporary farewell for one of Hip Hop’s greatest duos to touch the mic.

This album is considered EPMD’s third classic album, even though it was their fourth overall and second on the Def Jam label.. Although underground for the majority of their career, this album saw large commercial and mainstream success, peaking higher than any of its predecessors on the Billboard 200 chart at #14 and selling 500,000 copies in the first few months of its release. The popularity of this album came in large part from the breakthrough lead single, ironically titled “Crossover”. This single itself peaked at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Top Rap singles chart.

Following this project, the duo disbanded only to join forces once again on a fifth LP, Back in Business. The group continued to bounce back and forth between activity and retirement until the release of their final album, We Mean Business in 2008.

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House Of Pain Release 30th Anniversary Edition Of ‘House Of Pain (Fine Malt Lyrics)’

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Tommy Boy Records celebrates the 30th Anniversary of House of Pain’s debut album House of Pain (Fine Malt Lyrics) with a deluxe digital edition, deluxe double LP limited edition on 180 gram white & orange opaque vinyl, with a free ‘Jump Around Rope’, and a limited deluxe edition cassette, all featuring newly imagined artwork from Tristan Eaton. Deluxe editions contain 5 Bonus Tracks available only at independent record stores. A standard edition vinyl LP, Compact Disc and Cassette also available. For all exclusive 30th anniversary release merchandise items, visit: https://houseofpain-store.com
 
Reflecting on what by now can be considered a cultural touchstone, the trio’s centerpiece Everlast, aka Erik Francis Schrody observed, “To be a part of something that has impacted the culture as much as House of Pain and ‘Jump Around’ did is beyond an honor and a blessing. As a kid with rap dreams, I never could have imagined 30 years later that our work is still being listened to and played in the biggest venues in the world.”
 
Everlast, DJ Lethal and Danny Boy formed House of Pain while attending high school and were signed to Tommy Boy Records after fashioning themselves as rowdy Irish-American hooligans, hitting the local rap & alternative music scene. Their debut album House of Pain (Fine Malt Lyrics) was released in 1992 and went multi-platinum, thanks to the smash hit single “Jump Around” which was produced by Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs. The song hit #3 on the Billboard Top 100 Chart in the US and charted Top 10 globally, including in the UK and Canada.
 
“Jump Around” has been named one of the best songs in Hip-Hop (NME, VH1, Q Magazine, The Source) and continues to remain not only a club classic, but also one of most recognizable sports anthems, energizing crowds at stadiums, arenas and ballparks throughout the world, with one of the most recognizable beats in hip-hop history.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Too $hort’s Fourth LP ‘Shorty The Pimp’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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On this day in Hip-Hop history, Oakland rapper Too $hort released his fourth studio LP, Shorty The Pimp. 

Inspired by a 1973 blaxploitation film of the same name, the album’s sexually braggadocio lyrics and funk-inspired production held true to the style Too $hort had established for himself over his past six projects. And although Too $hort rarely strayed away from his proven formula, his progression as an artist is evident on this project.

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Commercially, this album had great national reception and was Too $hort’s most popular album to date selling 82,000 copies in its first week. The project debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart, where it peaked, and #11 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart.

Although Too $hort was never hailed as the greatest lyricist of his era, the production and instrumentation of his projects brought him such acclaim. On this project particularly, the instrumentation and composition from Shorty B alongside production from Ant Banks and Too $hort himself is strong enough to stand solo and still be considered a satisfying pseudo-funk album. Check out “In The Trunk” as an exemplary track from the album below.

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Eric B. and Rakim’s Final Album ‘Don’t Sweat The Technique’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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The Microphone Fiend and his silent cohort drop their fourth and final album together on this date.

On this hot summer day in 1992, Rakim, who is widely recognized by some as the greatest MC of all time, released his fourth studio LP with William “Eric B.” Barrier entitled Don’t Sweat The Technique. This was the long-awaited follow-up to Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em, which was a critically acclaimed album, but that was not reflective in record sales.

This album was also the last LP that Eric B. & Rakim recorded together as a duo. Produced by Eric B. with some production assistance from an up-and-coming producer by the name of Large Professor, Don’t Sweat The Technique solidified Rakim as THE best lyricist in Hip Hop.

Tracks such as “What’s On Your Mind”, which appeared on the House Party II soundtrack, “Know The Ledge”(theme from Juice), and the title track are eternal lyrical masterpieces that are unparalleled to this day. Even songs like “Casualties Of War” depicting the mentality of a conscious Black male during the era of Operation Desert Storm and the war in Iraq were instructive as well as entertaining, while virtually predicting the 9/11 tragedy almost a decade before it happened.

Salute to Rakim Allah and Eric B. for this classic album!

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Today In Hip Hop History: Gang Starr’s Third LP ‘Daily Operation’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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Nothing beats a classic rap record and a few MCs were dropping them on the regular quite like legendary ’90s rap duo Gang Starr. The group, consisting of Guru holding things down on the mic and DJ Premier handling the head-bumping production, dropped six albums in their career before calling it quits in 2003.

While a reunion album was reportedly planned, unfortunately, Guru passed away on April 19, 2010, before the project could be completed or properly executed overall. While the Hip-Hop community definitely took a blow due to the loss, the work they did create while recording together influenced the genre in ways that we’re still seeing today. One LP that specifically represents Gang Starr’s influential legacy is their third album Daily Operation, which celebrates its 30th anniversary today.

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Comprised of jazz-tinged samples and lyrics that illustrated life in the streets of New York City during the early ’90s, Daily Operation saw Gang Starr striding smoothly towards the legendary status that we now place the group in today. The project is East Coast-inspired through and through, from recording the LP entirely at the dearly missed D&D Studios on West 37th Street in Midtown Manhattan all the way to lamenting about Brooklyn on the opening track “The Place We Dwell.” Other standout cuts include “I’m The Man,” featuring the solely credited cameos by Group Home member Lil Dap and Jeru the Damaja, “B.Y.S.” — cleverly abbreviated for “Bust Yo’ Shit” — and the lead single “Ex Girl to Next Girl” that gave us one of the most 90s-looking music videos ever created.

The key to Gang Starr is that, while none of their albums ever crossed Top 5 status on the Billboard 200 — their highest placement happened in 1998 when Moment of Truth hit #6 — sales were never the thing that represented their effect on the game; the music always came first and foremost. Daily Operation received all sorts of critical acclaim nonetheless, and we even included it on our “100 Best Rap Albums” list for The Source’s 100th issue (January 1998). So, while it only reached #65 on the Billboard 200 and faired slightly better on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at #14, those numbers mean nothing when compared to the slick verses, smooth-yet-rugged instrumentals, and thought-provoking bars that still makes this album a certified classic almost three decades after its original release.

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Today In Hip Hop History: The Beastie Boys’ Third LP ‘Check Your Head’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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Three decades ago today, Beastie Boys released their third studio album entitled Check Your Head released on Capitol Records.

This was a return to their punk rock roots after the few releases they had prior to this LP. They were back to playing their own instruments on this particular project, which gave it that organic feel they wanted. This was the album that made sure they would stick around and help them become a household name.

It was also the album that returned them Billboard’s Top 10 album chart, and most importantly it introduced them to a demographic that critics claimed was not listening to their sound anymore. “Check Your Head” only further cemented the Beastie Boys name in Hip Hop history!

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Today In Hip Hop History: West Coast Legend Spice 1 Dropped Self-Titled Debut LP 30 Years Ago

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Whether you’re hanging in Coachella Valley or simply mourning the loss of Crenshaw’s fallen hero Nipsey Hussle like the rest of us, West Coast Rap is definitely being bumped at high volumes this weekend. That’s why we had to show some love to the Hayward homie Spice 1 on this lovely Sunday, which happens to fall on the 27th anniversary of his debut self-titled album.

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Two years before appearing alongside MC Eiht and Scarface on our June ’94 cover (Issue #57), the rapper born Robert Lee Green Jr. delivered this banger for the Bay Area, which went on to reach way beyond his hood. The album was a big label follow-up to his well-received street EP Let It Be Known, which sold almost 100K in pure sales as an independent release. Once Jive came into the picture, the seven-song project was re-released and retitled as Spice 1, including five songs from the original project in addition to nine new ones. The switch up paid off, with the revamped version giving us the classic cut “Welcome to the Ghetto” and going on to sell almost half a million records.

The tracks on Spice 1 sound like quintessential G-Funk, translated through singles like “187 Proof” and the reggae-tinged “East Bay Gangster,” all the way to deep cuts like “Peace to My Nine” and the low-rider classic “City Streets.” It’s clear to see his style & delivery is inspired by the rap icon that discovered him — Spice 1 hails from Oakland’s The Dangerous Crew created by Too $hort — but the connection is less “flow biting” and more “of the same kin.” At the end of the day, it all just sounds like good gangsta rap.

The initial success of the album helped it rank in the top 20 of Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at #14, later achieving gold certification by RIAA. “Welcome to the Ghetto” proved to be a hit as well, rising to #39 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks chart and also appearing on the Hot Rap Singles where it faired the best at #5. It ultimately marked a good start to a career that would go on to produce 12 studio albums and more than a handful of compilation LPs and collab albums, the latest being as recent as 2015 with his Bossolo-assisted project Thug Therapy.

We crowned him as one of the 115 greatest MCs from 1988 to 2003 for our 15th anniversary (Issue #167), and we stand by that sentiment as he rings in 27 years of his debut project. The Bay Area is home to an important sound and time in Hip-Hop, and Spice 1 helped cultivate that. Salute, king!

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