On November 9th, 1993 rap music was changed forever. 9 Gods from the slums of Shaolin, who together form the Wu Tang Clan, released their first studio LP entitled Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). This album was recorded from 1992 to 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City. The album was recorded on Loud Records and distributed by RCA Records. It cost a total of $36,000 to complete.
The album’s concept was inspired heavily by the group’s love for Kung Fu flicks, particularly the 1978 Liu Chia-Liang film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, a story about a man who set out to become the master of all 36 chambers of kung fu and reach a form of enlightenment. In the movie, the 36th chamber of kung fu is to bring the knowledge and wisdom of kung fu to the people of the entire world. For Wu-Tang Clan, that was the goal with this album.
The project was entitrely produced by the group’s leader, RZA, through the art of sampling. The beats consisted of a lot of soul And martial art samples along with sounds from early hip hop synthesizers. Lyrically, this album was nothing like anything that came before it or would come after it. I was a change from the afrocentric “boom-bap” that was prevalent in New York. It was edgy and street while remaining intellectual in content. The Wu-Tang Clan was able to synchronize their hustler mentality with the wisdom of an ancient martial arts master. Well known singles from this album include, but are not limited to, “Protect Ya Neck”, “Method Man”, and “C.R.E.A.M.”
Upon its release, in an article for The Source, The Ghetto Communicator wrote “This record is harsh, but so is the world that we live in. For B-boys n’girls who come from the core of the hard, this is the hip-hop album you’ve been waiting for”. The rest is history.
On this day in Hip Hop history, the Jungle Brothers released their debut LP Straight Out the Jungle. As the first project of the illustrious Native Tongues collective, other members include De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep, this album opened the door for a new type of conscious rap. With their Afrocentric influence and sample-heavy production, the Jungle Brothers were able to create a unique sound in a saturated New York Hip Hop scene.
Coming at the end of the gold roped, tracksuited and Kangol Golden Age of Hip Hop this album ushered in a new era. Through a new style of sampling and almost no regard to the flamboyancy of mid-80’s rap, this album became a true trailblazer. The trio’s adventurous take on Hip Hop led to them exploring otherwise uncharted waters. Their jazz and house influence created a new lane for Hip Hop crossovers left behind by Def Jam’s obsession with rap-rock. The group’s lyrics were also a healthy and needed change to the genre. Prior to its release, rap was mostly dominated by MC’s rapping about how much better they could rap than everyone else. The Jungle Brothers came with bars to enrich the mind and soul of their listeners rather than stroke their own ego. Songs like “Straight Out of The Jungle” and “Black is Back” were some of the first rap songs with an overtly pro-Black message.
Commercially, the album was a quiet success, peaking at only #39 on the Billboard 200. Critically, however, this album was highly regarded as a new beginning for Hip Hop. Publications across the board hailed this album as a fresh take on rap as a whole. This album kicked off a new counter-culture in Hip Hop. Fans began to leave behind their flashy get-ups for dashikis and leather African pendents fueled by a new sense of blackness and cultural pride. Thanks to the Jungle Brothers and their debut, the early ’90s became the Hip Hop equivalent to the late ’60s of rock ‘n’ roll.
On this day in Hip Hop history one of Atlanta’s oldest collectives, Goodie Mob, stepped on the scene with their hit debut Soul Food. As the second release by Georgia’s own Dungeon Family collective, Soul Food confirmed that the south truly had something to say.
In the early 90’s, southern Hip Hop’s appeal was purely commercial. Club anthems and summertime jams monopolized the southern air waves, not allowing any room for the conscious to make much headway between the NoLa bounce, Miami bass, and Houston’s Chopped and Screwed sub-genres. What made Goodie Mob stand out was their ability to build on the style created by close co-conspirators, OutKast. That innovation coupled with the collaboration with LaFace‘s own production powerhouse Organized Noize, Goodie Mob was able to create one of Atlanta’s first hit albums.
Soul Food was the world’s introduction to the ‘dirty south’, with the household term being first coined on this album. Musically, Goodie Mob was a synthesis of southern gospel, jazz, blues, with a touch of Atlanta’s signature marching band sound. As lyricists, the crew had a righteous gangster appeal with very by-any-means-necessary undertones. Their poetic and harmonic style allowed them to play as a voice of the south sonically and through their subject matter.
Commercially, the album was a success from the otherwise unknown group. Within the first few months of its release, the album had both been certified as gold by the RIAC and sold over 500,000 copies in the United States. The album’s singles, “Cell Therapy”, “Soul Food”, and “Dirty South” all became southern classic making The Top 10 Rap Singles chart. The album itself peaked at #43 on the Billboard 200 chart and #8 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.
On this date twenty four years ago, Dwayne Carter Jr. set out on his solo musical journey and dropped his first album The Block Is Hot on the Cash Money/Universal imprint. With in-house production exclusively from the one and only Mannie Fresh and executive production from Baby and Slim, Wayne’s debut set him out towards having legendarily anticipated debuts like The Carter series being possibly the best rapper of this generation.
Lead singles such as ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot”, which features Mannie Fresh and B.G., and the album’s title track introduced Wayne as Cash Money’s young gunner, who was already recording his major-label solo debut at the tender age of 16. The entire 17 track gem was certified platinum by the RIAA in less than two months of its release and is now a certified platinum album worldwide.
Salute to Mr. Carter, Baby, Slim, Fresh, B.G., Turk, Juvy, and the rest of the CMB for making this album a piece of Hip Hop history!
For some reason unbeknownst to her, Sexyy Red’s Twitter replies have become the perfect place for anyone tired of their usual spank bank material to find new content. Earlier this fall, the Hood Hottest Princess expressed discomfort at the constant flow of NSFW videos and photos that are left under her posts about everyday topics. “Why me?” she asked them during an interview. We may never get answers, but on Sunday (October 22), Red found the perfect person to push her overly horny followers onto. After noticing an explicit confession posted on Lola Brooke’s profile this past weekend, she promptly directed them her way.
“Hi! My name is Lola and Twitter porn got me in a chokehold,” the 29-year-old wrote. When the “Pound Town” hitmaker saw the tweet yesterday afternoon, she quoted it on her page, adding, “Y’all go give ha a show real quick .” As per Red’s orders, a few people did oblige in sharing their homemade content, or personal favourite watches with the black-haired beauty.
Outside of catching up on the latest X-rated content to hit social media, Brooke has also been busy preparing the world for her next big move. In a recent Instagram post, she shared that her debut album, Dennis Daughter is coming to streamers next month. As AllHipHop notes, plenty of features appear on the project from names like Latto, Yung Miami, Bryson Tiller, and French Montana.
“FUN FACT: I had this diary since I was 8 [years old] lol,” the East Coast starlet wrote in the caption while sharing her announcement on IG. Which guest appearance on Lola Brooke’s debut album, Dennis Daughter, are you most looking forward to hearing when the LP drops on November 10th? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
In 2006, rap was on a roll, as prominent names T.I., Lil Wayne, Nas, Rick Ross, and many more released impressive albums. However, an undeniable standout was the debut album of Lupe Fiasco, titled Food & Liquor. With his solo debut album, the Chicago native showcased an alternative style of storytelling that made him instantly memorable. While his peers focused primarily on street culture, affluence, drugs, and women, Lupe Fiasco went a different route.
Even though he initially veered away from Hip Hop growing up, his love for poetry eventually led him on the rap route. On Food & Liquor, he rapped about a plethora of topics, including Islam, skateboarding, love, and singlehood. Even though the album hit the airwaves in 2006, he had worked hard on the project for three years. After gaining favor with The Neptunes, Kanye West, and Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco was in more than capable hands. Now, 17 years later, the album remains relevant and timeless, proving why Lupe Fiasco is one of the best storytellers ever to grace the scene.
Birthing A Classic (Inspirations & Motivations)
Food & Liquor was released when Lupe Fiasco was 24 years old. However, he had been trying to get his foot in the industry for much longer. He initially signed deals with Epic and Arista, but both ultimately fell through. He later gained major attention when he appeared on Kanye West’s “Touch the Sky” in January 2006. Soon after, he caught the attention of Jay-Z, and the rest was history. Hov offered to executive produce his solo debut, which would eventually appear eight months later under Atlantic Records.
Lupe was born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco to a Muslim family. He credited his parents for awarding him a healthy childhood full of varying experiences. According to Atlantic Records, the rapper enjoyed diverse environmental exposure, influencing him as an artist. “My father was a real prolific African drummer and can play anything from the Djiembe’s to the bagpipes,” he said. “My mom is a gourmet chef that has traveled the world.”
“We were always around different cultures. It is because of these artistic experiences [that] there are no limitations to what I talk about on my record.” On the reason for the album’s title, which understandably raised eyebrows due to his religion, he pointed to his native Chicago’s corner stores. Likening “food” to positivity and “liquor” to negativity, he explained that the album features “both parts” of him. In summary, the album served to highlight the juxtaposition of his life up to that point.
A Unification of Diverse Production
Multiple names were behind the scenes with Lupe Fiasco on Food & Liquor. As mentioned, Jay-Z served as the album’s executive producer but wasn’t alone. Both Lupe and his manager, Charles Patton, also executive produced the project. Other producers included The Neptunes, Kanye West, Prolific, and B. Howard, among others. This eclectic blend of diverse artists breathed a unique life into the album.
The alternative edge on the album also led to its originality and, eventually, success. Lupe dabbled in pretty much every facet of his life, as well as his surroundings, to create a masterclass in effective and emotive storytelling. Over the years, Food & Liquor is best remembered for its lead single, “Kick, Push,” which earned two Grammy nods. The song was produced by the Grammy-nominated Soundtrakk, who, alongside Prolyfic, handled the bulk of the album’s production.
“I Gotcha,” the second single released, was produced by The Neptunes, and their signature is evident on the track. Ye handled the appreciated deep cut “The Cool,” while Craig Kallman produced the Grammy-winning single “Daydreamin’,” which featured Jill Scott. Altogether, Food & Liquor is a significant body of work that can hardly be put into one singular box. This is primarily thanks to Lupe’s lyricism and the various producers present on the project.
Lupe Fiasco Stands Out
When Lupe Fiasco released Food & Liquor in late 2006, the Hip Hop community went berserk. After much of the “same” within the genre, Lupe Fiasco was seen as a breath of fresh air. By treating the project like a grand case of poetry, he could divert from what was considered the norm at the time. His music was neither vulgar nor misogynist, and he wasn’t afraid to venture into other genres rarely tapped into. Food & Liquor featured fantasy, readings from the Qur’an, and impressive wit, garnering significant acclaim for its encyclopedic tendencies. The album has since been certified Platinum and peaked at the eighth spot on the Billboard 200.
On this date in 1990, Long Island rap juggernaut Grand Daddy I.U. released his debut album Smooth Assassin under the Cold Chillin’ Records umbrella. With production from the late Biz Markie and his DJ Cool V, Smooth Assassin was a street-wise, conceptual album with I.U. manifesting a flow that many almost immediately compared to Rakim.
The 16-track album featured a couple of radio friendly tracks; “Something New”, which features singers Desiree Price, Raezia Rolle and Toni Rolle. “Sugar Free” features singer Mary Brown respectively. He also kept it gully for the streets with songs like “Nobody Move”, “Girl In The Mall” and “Behind Bars”.
The Hip Hop community lost another chapter to its 50 year history when Ayub “I.U.” Bey passed away last December at 54 years old. Smooth Assassin was I.U.’s only full length studio release that received a push from a major label. Salute to I.U., Biz, Cool V, DJ Kay Cee and everyone who played a part in making this album a success and a part of Hip Hip history!
On this date in 1995, Antonio Cruz aka AZ from Nas’ “Life’s A Bitch” fame, released his debut album Doe Or Die on EMI Records.
Produced by legendary producers Pete Rock, DITC’s Buckwild, LES, D.R. Period as well as AZ himself, AZ was able to land the deal for this album strictly off of the classic verse he spits on the third track on the iconic Illmatic album.
Tracks sucks as the Pete Rock propelled “Rather Unique”, the dreamy “Sugar Hill”, which features then-unknown songbird Miss Jones and the street fueled “Mo Money, Mo Murder, Mo Homocide” gave this album a verbal variety that was rarely heard, especially from an emcee who was only known at the time for a guest appearance.
A special salute to AZ for holding it down for dolo for an entire quarter of a century, even managing to orchestrate a 15 year anniversary of the album in 2010 on his own Quiet Money imprint, featuring production from the likes of Statik Selektah and Fame of M.O.P.
This year marks the 14th anniversary of Kid Cudi’s debut studio album, Man On The Moon: The End Of Day. Following his 2008 mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, the Cleveland artist was making major waves in hip hop. He already appeared on albums by JAY-Z and Kanye West, and the momentum and efforts subsequently landed him a coveted spot in the 2009 XXL Freshman Class. A highly anticipated debut, Man on the Moon: The End of Day took over the Internet upon its release.
The album boasted a wide range of producers who helped craft Kid Cudi’s intergalactic sound. Haynie, Plain Pat, Free School, Dot Da Genius, Ratatat, Kanye West, and Kid Cudi all handled production on the project. Meanwhile, an eclectic group of collaborators, including Chip Tha Ripper, Ratatat, MGMT, Billy Cravens, and West, aided in Kid Cudi’s debut album, while Common both rapped on and narrated Man On The Moon. Upon its release, Kid Cudi’s debut peaked at. No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and was a top ten album on the R&B/Hip Hop albums chart. The 4x platinum album was nominated for three Grammys and is widely regarded as an influential release that altered the trajectory of hip hop. Today, we are revisiting Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon: The End of Day for its 14th anniversary.
Kid Cudi’s debut album is known for its futuristic production and space-influenced aesthetic. A natural progression of his work on A Kid Named Cudi and his contributions to 808s & Heartbreak, his unique approach to hip-hop redefined the boundaries that many artists were confined to. He incorporated elements of indie pop, electronica, and rock across the album’s tracklist, split into five different acts. Over the course of 15 songs, Cudi’s signature croons and hums complimented the album’s overall mood and accentuated his lyrics. However, underneath the colorful, psychedelic production, Cudi confronted depression, loneliness, anxiety, and addiction.
The album’s lead singles highlighted the contrast between the production and subject matter. For example, the catchy “Day N Nite” copes with loss while “Pursuit Of Happiness” deals with the dark side of fame and addiction. Man On The Moon’s deep cuts reveal Kid Cudi at his most vulnerable on songs like “Soundtrack 2 My Life” and “Solo Dolo.” While he would evolve artistically, the mental health struggles displayed on Kid Cudi’s debut carried onto Man on the Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager and his later works.
Man on the Moon: The End of Day was truly groundbreaking at the time of its release. Stylistically, the album influenced modern hip-hop production with its spacey instrumentation and melodic approach to rapping. It also created a space for rappers to be vulnerable when discussing topics of depression and loneliness in their music. An influential album for hip hop’s next generation, many artists refer to Kid Cudi as an inspiration, directly citing the impact that Man on the Moon had on their sound.
Artists like Travis Scott, Logic, Isaiah Rashad, ScHoolboy Q, and A$AP Rocky have also taken inspiration from Man on the Moon. Many of these names discussed the album’s impact in Cudi’s A Man Named Scott documentary. Pete Davidson even referred to the album as “the best album of all time” and that it saved his life. Looking back, Man on the Moon: The End of Day was a cutting-edge release that defined its era, and paved the way for hip hop’s future. Over a decade later, it has proven to be influential with a legacy of its own.
The wildly entertaining and up-and-coming rapper, 2Rare has just put out his debut album. The Philly native has not been in the game for that long, as he began his career right around 2020. His dreams and aspirations to make it to the NFL changed once he moved across the country to Los Angeles, things changed for him. He began to pursue music and dancing and since then, 2Rare has taken off from that point on. He is already getting massive co-signs from other artists too.
In an interview with XXL, he mentioned some wise advice from longtime Chicago rapper Lil Durk. 2Rare told XXL, “Lil Durk always reminds me, ‘Bro, you got the world, you got the youth, you got the kids, you got the influence.’ So, no matter what you do that’s different from everybody else, keep doing it.” The youngster is also on the 2023 XXL Freshman list.
Durk is featured on the project with him being placed on “Q-Pid.” 2Rare released a ton of lead singles for his debut. “Rare Steppa,” “Rare’s Room,” “Toxic Ish,” “One of One,” “Don’t Run,” and “Rare Story Pt. 2,” all make it on the final product. Unfortunately, it does drop the hype of the listen because half of the album was already out. However, it is the first project of many for the young artist. You will find tons of infectious flows and energy all across the board. Other features include Sha EK and SleazyWorld Go.
What are your initial thoughts on 2Rare’s debut album, Truth or Rare? Which songs are you enjoying the most so far? Is he one of the most entertaining rappers in the game right now? We want to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the hottest album releases, as well as all of the latest breaking news around the music world.
.” As per Red’s orders, a few people did oblige in sharing their homemade content, or personal favourite watches with the black-haired beauty.
718 Princess (@lola.brooke)
