debut album

Today In Hip Hop History: Missy Elliott’s Debut LP ‘Supa Dupa Fly’ Turns 25 Years Old!

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On this day in Hip Hop history, rap queen Missy Elliott released her debut LP, Supa Dupa Fly.

Arguably the most influential release by a female rapper in history, this project birthed one of rap’s most important icons, male or female. The Hip Hop/R&B experimental masterpiece not only delivered a fresh sound to a period in between dominant trends, it also set the tone for what would be considered a radio hit at the turn of the millennium.

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The sound and success of this project are due in equal part to Missy and fellow Virginian super-producer Timbaland. In the new age, digital R&B style production pioneered a sound that became the standard of any Top 40 crossover hit of the era. His technical ability as a beatmaker personally complimented Missy’s unorthodox, almost broken-up, flow and smooth, soulful vocals. Missy’s ability as an innovative songwriter allowed for the mind-boggling production to not be wasted. The subjects that were touched on came with a new perspective and the way she rode each beat added such emphasis, giving the project a strong theatrical quality.

Commercially, it performed quite well peaking at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album claimed the #1 spot on the R&B/Hip Hop chart and made appearances on music charts in New Zealand and the Netherlands.  The album was certified platinum in the United States and silver in the United Kingdom, both in the year of its release. Critics across the board praised both Timbaland and Missy Elliot for their work on this album, calling it “a key prophecy of the dominant 21st-century Black pop” and “everything the Hip Hop doctor ordered; a woman who could flip between aggression and romance, sex and nonsense, materialism and imagination, without batting one outrageously spidery eyelash.”

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Missy Elliott’s Debut LP ‘Supa Dupa Fly’ Turns 25 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: Whodini Dropped Their Self Titled Debut Album 39 Years Ago

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On this date in 1983, pioneering rap trio Whodini, who then was sans DJ Grandmaster D, released their self-titled debut album Whodini on the Jive Records imprint.

Produced primarily by Grammy-nominated British producer and composer Thomas Dolby, Whodini’s first album never really saw any commercial success, however, the album’s “Magic Wand” track did climb to #11 on the Dance Club Songs and number 45 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs while the Willesden Dodges-produced track “The Haunted House of Rock” peaked at number 27 on the Dance Club Songs and number 55 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs.

The eight-track album’s duration is less than 45 minutes, something that was virtually a no-no in all genres of music during the early 80s, however, as one of Hip Hop’s first-ever full-length albums, the duration for each song is extensively longer than the average Hip Hop song today.

Salute to Jalil, Ecstacy(RIP) and Grandmaster D for their timeless contribution to Hip Hop history!

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Today In Hip Hop History: Noreaga Released His Debut Album ‘N.O.R.E.’ 24 Years Ago

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Today marks 24 years since Queens native Noreaga of famed duo Capone-N-Noreaga (CNN) released his debut solo studio album titled N.O.R.E. on Penalty Records and Tommy Boy Entertainment.

The certified gold, No.1 charting, 19-track album featured a star-studded array of feature artists on the mic including Nas, Busta Rhymes, the legendary Kool G Rap, Big Pun, Styles P, Cam’ron, Nature and Jadakiss all on the classic posse cut track “Banned From T.V.”. Not to be outdone, the executively produced by Capone album featured production from Marley Marl, Trackmasters, The Neptunes, Swizz Beatz and DJ Clue amongst others.

Singles that made this album a Hip Hop classic include the sentimental “I Love My Life” featuring Carl Thomas, the action-filled “Body In The Trunk” with Queensbridge cohort Nas and the Neptune-produced hit “Superthug”.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Noreaga Released His Debut Album ‘N.O.R.E.’ 24 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Eric B. and Rakim’s Debut Album ‘Paid In Full’ Turns 35 Years Old!

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Ever since the “Eric B. For President” single featuring a young Long Islander named Rakim Allah was released in the summer of ’86 (which was produced by Marley Marl), the fans were feigning for more of the God with the slow flow, so the two were scooped up by Russell Simmons and the genesis of Paid In Full began.

As the prototype album of Hip Hop’s “Golden Era”, everything from song arrangement, album artwork, and even their wardrobe on the album cover became iconic items of that time period. Manufactured and distributed by indie label Zakia/4th and Broadway Records, the album’s anticipation and response was so unprecedented, it earned the duo a new contract with Uni Records for the sophomore project.

A few of the ten-track classic’s stand-out songs include “Move The Crowd”, “I Ain’t No Joke”, “I Know You Got Soul” and the classic title track, “Paid In Full”.

Even though Eric B. and Rakim just reunited as a group in 2018, this album solidified them as one of the greatest Hip Hop duo’s in the culture’s history and we here at The Source salute them for that. Peace!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Eric B. and Rakim’s Debut Album ‘Paid In Full’ Turns 35 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: Big Pun Dropped His Debut Album ‘Capital Punishment’ 24 Years Ago

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24 years ago on this date, Christopher Rios aka Big Punisher put out his first LP, Capital Punishment, on Loud Records.

Released by Fat Joe and the Terror Squad on Loud Records, Pun’s highly anticipated album showcased Pun’s unequaled lyrical ability, comedic punchlines, and his ever-evolving style that his son Chris Rivers has inherited from his pops.

Album highlights include joints like “You Ain’t A Killer”, “Super Lyrical” featuring The Roots’ Black Thought, and the platinum-selling album that propelled the album to a million sales, “Still Not A Player”.

Salute to Fat Joe, the Rios family, the Terror Squad and the entire Loud staff for this classic!

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Outkast Dropped Their Debut Album ‘Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik’ 28 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip Hop history, OutKast, the duo that helped pioneer putting southern Hip Hop on the map, released their debut classic LP, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.

This Dungeon Family masterpiece recorded by Andre 3000 and Big Boi paved the way for Atlanta and the rest of the Dirty South to have their unique voice in Hip Hop. Before this album, there weren’t many hit records coming from anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line. Peaking at #20 on the Billboard 200 and being certified platinum less than a year after its release, this album’s achievements speak for themselves.

Produced completely by OutKast and Organized Noize, this project was like none before it. Its sound is perfectly described as southern rap. From the dialect to the instruments used to the references, everything about this album screams Atlanta. The smooth blues and marching band influenced beats blend with Big Boi and Andre 3000’s flows, creating something new that rippled the tide of an industry saturated with G-Funk or New York Hip Hop.

Both commercially and critically this album was immensely successful. It peaked at #20 in the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop charts. This album was also the reason OutKast received the Best Newcomer Award at the 1995 Source Awards, which as we all know was met with controversy to say the least. Regardless of the haters, this album came at the beginning of the career of two rappers who changed the game forever.

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Today In Hip Hop History: GangStarr Dropped Their Debut LP ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ 33 Years Ago

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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 had a heavy influence on 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.

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.

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