6ix9ine Continues Throwing Shots at Fivio Foreign Over Album Sales and King of New York Debate
debut album
Today In Hip Hop History: West Coast Legend Spice 1 Dropped Self-Titled Debut LP 30 Years Ago
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.
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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Coi Leray Seemingly Responds to Reports of Debut Album Sales: ‘I Don’t Fold Under Pressure’
Today In Hip Hop History: Das EFX’s Debut Album ‘Dead Serious’ Turns 30 Years Old!
A couple of dreadheaded backpackers made stuttering rhymes chic when Krayz Drayz and Skoob came together and dropped their Dead Serious album April 7, 1992.
Released on the East/West imprint and recorded in both the famed Firehouse Studios in Brooklyn and North Shore Soundworks in Long Island, Dead Serious became a platinum selling album in just two years, revering it as one of the most influential LPs of the “Golden Era”.
The hit singles “They Want Efx” and “Mic Checka” were both forces to be reckoned with on the Billboard charts, while the virtually production of Chris Charity and Derek Lynch aka “Solid Scheme” ensured the consistent output of quality music for Das EFX until Charity’s untimely passing in 2000.
The Brooklyn, NY/Teaneck, NJ duo met in college at Virginia State University and became a part of EPMD‘s “Hit Squad” collective in just two years after their initial meeting with EPMD and never looked back. Salute to Drayz, Skoob, and the entire former Hit Squad family for bringing us such an historic classic.
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Coi Leray Unveils Features for Debut Album ‘Trendsetter’: Nicki Minaj, Lil Durk, Pooh Shiesty, Chief Keef, and More
Today In Hip Hop History: Onyx Dropped Their Debut Album ‘Bacdafucup’ 28 Years Ago
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: Busta Rhymes Dropped His Debut Album ‘The Coming’ 26 Years Ago
On this date in 1996, Busta Rhymes did the inevitable and released his highly anticipated solo album The Coming on Elektra Records.
Even though the Leaders Of The New School were a celebrated group within the culture, it was always suggested that Busta drop a solo project minus LONS. With production form the likes of Easy Mo Bee, DJ Scratch and even Busta Buss himself, The Coming served as a introductory project of what was to come from the one of the greatest lyricists in the game.Appearance from the likes of the late Notorious B.I.G., A Tribe Called Quest(who first introduced Busta on “Scenario”), Heave d and The Boyz and Mary J. Blige.
The 13 track full length studio album was chock full of hits including “Everything Remains Raw”, the Zhane-powered “It’s A Party” and the album’s lead single “Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check”. This album also introduces Busta’s own “Flipmode Squad” consisting of Lord Have Mercy, Rampage, Rah Digga and Spliff Star.
Salute to Busta on his premiere project; definitely an important piece of Hip Hop history!
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Koffee Releases Debut Album ‘Gifted’
Today In Hip Hop History: Arrested Development Dropped Their Debut Album ‘3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in The Life Of…’ 30 Years Ago
On this day in Hip Hop history, Dirty South-based group Arrested Development released their debut album 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in The Life Of…. Released during a time in Hip Hop where West Coast gangster rap reigned supreme, Arrested Development was able to grab hearts and minds around the globe with their smooth Hip-Hop sounds and Afrocentric themes. Much like the Afrocentric movement of New York Hip-Hop, Arrested Development strayed away from negativity to give their listeners a message they could walk away with after listening.
Along with having a largely positive critical reception, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of… was commercially successful. The album peaked at #3 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop chart, #3 on the UK Albums chart and #7 on the Billboard 200 chart. The project’s singles ” Everyday People,” “Tennessee” and “Mr. Wendal” were all top 10 hits in the United States.
“Everyday People” was a #1 Hot Rap Single and peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Mr. Wendal” claimed the #6 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. “Tennessee” peaked at #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart, but never made an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100. Although it wasn’t a mainstream chart-topper, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included it on their list of 500 songs that shaped rock n’ roll.
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Today in Hip-Hop History: De La Soul Dropped Their ‘3 Feet High And Rising’ LP 33 Years Ago
On this day in 1989, the iconic trio De La Soul released an album that would change the course of Hip Hop forever. Off Tommy Boy Records, De La Soul’s debut album, 3 Feet High And Rising set the standard for what rap should (and would) sound like.
Along with producer Prince Paul, the group crafted a sonic landscape of sampled songs, sounds, and snippets unheard of before in Hip Hop. Where most producers sampled either James Brown or P-Funk, De La and producer Paul were borrowing from recordings by an unlikely host of artists usually not affiliated with hip-hop sampling like Johnny Cash, Hall and Oates, Otis Redding, The Turtles, and a French-language instructional record.
3 Feet High And Rising also introduced the “skit” concept, which is now almost too prevalent on rap albums. 3 Feet High And Rising also spawned hits and raps classics like Me, Myself And I, Potholes In My Lawn, Plug Tunin’, Buddy, Say No Go, The Magic Number and Eye No.
The album’s funky and dreamy 1960’s and 1970’s inspired attitude, coupled with the group’s concept of “The D.A.I.S.Y. Age, an acronym for “Da Inner Sound Y’all” caused people to inaccurately refer to the group as “hippies”.
The album’s diverse subject matter, which tackled things like poverty, individualism, drug abuse, love, materialism, commercialism and Hip Hop cliches, as spoken about on the track Take It Off, cause many to label it rap’s first intellectual album.
3 Feet High And Rising would also feature other members of the musical collective the group was a part of called The Native Tongues with guest appearances by A Tribe Called Quest, The Jungle Brothers, and Monie Love.
3 Feet And Rising is one of the most influential Hip Hop albums in music history.
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