35th Anniversary

Today In Hip Hop History: 3rd Bass’ Debut LP ‘The Cactus Album’ Turns 35 Years Old!

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Screenshot 2024 11 10 at 3.34.30 PM

On this date in 1989, Bed Stuy emcee Pete Nice joined forces with Far Rock mic ripper MC Serch and DJ RIchie Rich for the release of 3rd Bass’ debut LP The Cactus Album on the Def Jam/Columbia imprint. Produced primarily by Sam Sever alongside Pete and Serch, Prince Paul and the Bomb Squad, The Cactus Album contained more songs than any other album that dropped that same year and its kaleidoscopic production made it one of the most recognized LPs of the year. Not bad for a couple of white boys in Hip Hop’s “Golden Era”.

Standout tracks on that album include the lead single “Steppin’ to the A.M.”, “Brooklyn Queens” and “The Gas Face”, which was produced by Prince Paul and featured the late MF DOOM who was then known as Zev Love X of the group KMD(Kausin Much Damage). The album featured several skits which added to the album’s allure because outside of De La Soul’s 3 Ft. High and Rising, there weren’t any concept albums in Hip Hop during that time period.

Salute to Sam Sever, Prince Paul, The Bomb Squad, Pete, Serch and Rich for this important piece of Hip Hop history! What makes it even more exclusive is this year in New Jersey at the Prudential Center in Newark, Pete and Serch reunited for the first time in over two decades to launch a 25-city 3rd Bass tour.

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Today In Hip Hop History: MC Lyte’s Sophomore ‘Eyes On This’ LP Turns 35 Years Old!

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On this date in 1989, Brooklyn rapper Lana Moorer aka MC Lyte dropped her second full-length studio LP Eyes On This.

Released on her family’s First Priority imprint through the parent company Atlantic and produced by her brothers Audio Two, King of Chill, and Nat Robinson, Eyes On This was Lyte’s introduction into stardom, with the NYC skyline(including WTC) and two ’89 Porsche Carreras on the album’s cover as proof.

Some of the album’s standout tracks include “Cappucino,” “Cha Cha Cha,” and “Shut The Eff Up(Hoe)!,” which was the second installment in her battle with female rap phenom Antoinette.

The 13 track album made it to #86 on the Billboard 200 and is still recognized as a classic by real Hip Hop aficionados around the globe. Salute to Lyte, Milk, Giz, and the King of Chill for giving the people this dope album!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: MC Lyte’s Sophomore ‘Eyes On This’ LP Turns 35 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Young MC Released His Debut Album ‘Stone Cold Rhymin’ 35 Years Ago

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On this date over three decades ago, a blue-collar rapper from Queens named Young MC dropped his debut album Stone Cold Rhymin’, on the Delicious Vinyl imprint.

There wasn’t much fanfare to the album besides the rapper/actor’s legendary “Bust A Move” track, which received a platinum plaque about a year after its release, appeared in popular silver screen classics such as Dude, Where’s My Car, and the 2017 Stephen King horror flick It. The song continues to stand the test of time.

With musical genius Quincy Jones behind the boards for Mr. Marvin Young’s debut, the 13-track full-length studio album was a sure-shot hit for its time and has secured Young MC a place in Hip Hop history.

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Today in Hip Hop History: EPMD Dropped Their Sophomore LP ‘Unfinished Business’ 35 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip-Hop history, legendary New York duo EPMD released their second studio LP, Unfinished Business. Certified gold by the RIAA, this album was the critically acclaimed follow-up to the group’s debut Strictly Business.

Claiming the #1 spot on the Top R&B/Hip Hop charts, this project has proven its timelessness. EPMD’s style sets them and this album apart from what was currently popular in New York at the time. In ’89, New York Hip Hop was heavily saturated with conscious boom-bap, and the braggadocio lyricism of Erick Sermon and PMD brought something fresh to the rap game. EPMD’s rap style helped pave the way for the flashy New York rappers of the next generation, such as Jay-Z, The Diplomats, and A$AP Mob.

The single from this project, So What Cha Sayin’, peaked at #23 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart and #5 on the Top Rap chart.

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Today In Hip Hop History: LL Cool J Released Third LP ‘Walking With A Panther’ 35 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip Hop history, LL Cool J released his third studio LP Walking with a Panther on Def Jam Recordings in 1989.

Peaking at #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart and #6 on the Billboard 200, this album continued LL’s streak of commercially successful albums as well as served as one of Hip Hop’s early crossover projects.

During that era, Def Jam was working to bring Hip Hop to the forefront of the mainstream, and this album was geared to reinvent LL Cool J’s sound while retaining its Hip Hop integrity. Although it may have been publicly successful at achieving its goal, some critics have said this project may have brought LL’s street credibility into question.

Regardless of critical opinion, the appeal of this album outshines anything negative that could be said about it. The most impressive and respectable feat of this project is LL’s introduction as a self-produced MC. Throughout Walking with a Panther he proved that not only was he capable of knocking out hit after hit but was also a proficient beat maker. The original production team used to create the majority of LL’s better-known songs prior to this album, L.A. Posse, decided to part ways with Def Jam following a contractual disagreement. This altercation left only one member of the team, Dwanye Simon, left to work with LL Cool J in producing the entirety of the LP.

This project also toted some of LL Cool J’s biggest hit singles including: “Going Back to Cali” and “Jingling Baby.” Both of these singles are hallmarks of LL Cool J’s career and in their own way describe his career as a whole. LL’s appeal was from the beginning catered toward the female demographic while still retaining his “cool guy” demeanor in a way that it wasn’t awkward for males to also be in huge support of his music and style. Much like a proto-Drake, LL Cool J through this album was able to deliver enough to keep the streets happy all while maintaining the attention of his female fan base.

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Today In Hip Hop History: GangStarr’s Debut LP ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ Turns 35 Years Old!

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On this date in 1989, Boston native Keith Elam and Houston native Christopher Martin, better known as Guru and DJ Premier, came together to continue the legacy of Gangstarr and released the group’s first full studio album entitled No More Mr. Nice Guy.

Released by overseas label Chrysalis Records, Gangstarr, and their debut release ironically heavily influenced the NYC Hip Hop sound, even though neither artists were native New Yorkers. Tracks such as “Positivity,” “Conscious Be Free,” and the album’s lead single, “Manifest,” exposed Guru’s unparalleled slow flow, while instrumentals like “DJ Premier In Deep Concentration” just set the pace for who Hip Hop would later recognize as one of the greatest producers in the game.

A supreme salute goes out to DJ Premier, Guru(RIP), the Elam family, the Gangstarr Foundation, and the entire East New York for creating a pivotal moment in Hip Hop history.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: GangStarr’s Debut LP ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ Turns 35 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Too $hort Dropped His Fifth LP ‘Life Is …Too $hort’ 35 Years Ago

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On this day in 1989, Bay Area rap legend Too $hort released his second album Life Is …Too $hort on the legendary, but now defunct Jive/RCA imprint.

Not long after $hort retired from selling thousands of units from the trunk of his car, his fifth full-length studio release became his top-selling album to date. Even after dropping over twenty albums, Too $hort’s most successful LP was this ten-track gem laced with creative arrangements of curse words and a crash course on the pimp game. Tracks like “Pimp the Ho” and “Don’t Fight The Feelin’” were instructional tracks to those outside of Oakland unfamiliar with $hort, while songs like “Cusswords” and the title track gave off an “American hood” appeal that many around the country during the crack era could relate to.

Thanks to the Bay Area vet who put it down of Northern California when there wasn’t many well known rappers outside of New York to begin with. Salute for this piece of Hip Hop history!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Too $hort Dropped His Fifth LP ‘Life Is …Too $hort’ 35 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Too $hort Dropped His Fifth LP ‘Life Is …Too $hort’ 35 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Tone Loc Dropped His Debut ‘Loc-ed After Dark’ LP 35 Years Ago

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On this date in 1989, West Coast rap giant Tone Loc released his debut album Loc-ed After Dark on Delicious Vinyl Records. It was a huge success, making it to #1 on the Billboard 200 the week of April 15 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop album charts. It featured three hit singles — “Wild Thing,” “Funky Cold Medina,” and “I Got It Goin’ On” — and was certified Double Platinum by the RIAA.

Lōc-ed After Dark’s album cover is based on Donald Byrd’s 1963 record, A New Perspective.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Rob Base And DJ EZ Rock Dropped Their Premiere Single “It Takes Two” 35 Years Ago

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On this date in the summer of 1988, Harlem natives Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock released their monumental single “It Takes Two” on the Profile imprint. Produced by another Harlem native, Teddy Riley, who in unison with the Hip Hop duo created what is arguably the best Hip Hop song ever recorded.

Driven by the Lyn Collins “Think” sample, It Takes Two has appeared in several television shows and movies including Love And Basketball, Iron Man 2, The Proposal and Grand Theft Auto: SanAndreas video game just to name a few.

It Takes Two became a certified platinum hit from Rob Base and EZ Rock’s debut album of the same name which dropped about a week after the single. The video, set on Harlem’s 125th Street, features appearances from the legendary DJ Red Alert and the late Biz Markie.

Salute to Rob Base and EZ Rock(RIP) for this piece of Hip Hop history!

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Today in Hip-Hop History: 2 Live Crew’s Debut Album ‘2 Live Crew Is What We Are’ Turns 35 Years Old!

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On this date in 1986, 305-based Hip Hop trio 2 Live Crew released their debut album 2 Live Crew Is What We Are on their independent imprint Luke Skyywalker Records.

This album serves as the main precursor to the legendary Miami bass sound as well as predicates almost all other modern, R-rated and X-rated Hip Hop music. Featuring lead MC Luther Campbell aka Luke Skyywalker, Brother Marquis and the late Fresh Kid Ice, the debut album from the nastiest group in the game had titles that made radio DJs cringe such as “Throw That D**k”, We Want Some P***y”, which both became popular anthems of Miami Hip Hop.

Salute to the iconic 2 Live Crew for their unprecedented contribution to Hip Hop music on this album and all those that followed. RIP to Chris Wong Won aka Fresh Kid Ice, who passed away earlier this month at age 53. The Crew is forever etched in their place in Hip-Hop history!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: 2 Live Crew’s Debut Album ‘2 Live Crew Is What We Are’ Turns 35 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

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