On September 13, 1994, Notorious B.I.G., alongside producers Easy Mo Bee, DJ Premier, Poke of the Trackmasters, and none other than “Puffy” (as Diddy was called then) as the executive producer, released the Hip Hop masterpiece known as Ready To Die.
As Big’s debut album, this highly anticipated release shows the lyrical prowess of the Bed-Stuy big man, and besides Method Man’s assistance on the epic “The What?” track, Mr. Wallace made it happen all by himself. Other than Nas’ Illmatic, no other solo emcee accomplished that feat during that era on the East Coast. Recognized as “The King Of New York” and as seen on a vintage 1995 Source Magazine cover, Big’s legacy was etched in stone with this LP.
Timeless classics from that four and a half mic-er include the DJ Premier produced “Unbelievable,” the back and forth storytelling adventures of “Warning” and “Gimme The Loot,” and the eerie title track itself were just a few of the highlights of this legendary project. That’s not to forget the mainstream success of singles such as “One More Chance,” the Brooklynplayalistic sound of “Big Poppa,” and of course the hood inspirational, Mtume-based “Juicy.”
We only had the chance to get one more album(prophetically named Life After Death) out of one of the game’s greatest lyricists before he was prematurely killed in Los Angeles in 1997. Still, this album will always remind us that B.I.G. was “Ready to Die” because his talent was and will always be larger than life.
Salute to Big (RIP), Premier, Easy, Poke, Lord Finesse, Diddy, Lil’ Kim, and the entire Wallace family for this classic masterpiece!
Music lovers were disappointed when Drake failed to deliver For All The Dogs to us at midnight on Friday (August 25). Even with that letdown, the industry still turned out plenty of exciting new releases, including a debut LP from rising R&B sensation Fridayy. The singer shared 14 songs with us on his self-titled effort, including the previously released “Don’t Give It Away” with Chris Brown and “When It Comes To You.”
Besides the Breezy collaboration, Fridayy also linked up with a selection of other artists throughout his tracklist. He opens with “Came Too Far” featuring Maverick City Music and My Mom. That joint effort is immediately followed by Adekunle Gold’s appearance on “Done For Me.” The Philadelphia-born creative held his own on several other titles before teaming up with Fireboy DML on “You,” and Byron Messia on “Mercy.”
Fridayy’s Debut Album Accompanied By “Stand By Me” Visual
Along with the album’s arrival on DSPs, the “GOD DID” collaborator also shared a new visual for “Stand By Me,” the project’s third song. It finds him singing alongside striking employees and perfectly captures the energy fluctuating around the entertainment industry at this time. “If I say I’m standing for you / You know that I’m ‘a standing ten toes,” the 26-year-old sings of his own loyalty.
Check out Fridayy’s latest visual for “When It Comes To You” from his self-titled project above. If you’re a fan of R&B, check out the singer’s full debut LP on Spotify/Apple Music. For more HNHH release recommendations, click the link below to hear the latest from Victoria Monet on her JAGUAR II project.
Clipse’s major label debut Lord Willin’ has been celebrated as a classic amongst hip-hop fans. With production from fellow Virginia duo The Neptunes, the rap duo came into the game with a statement to make. Pharrell reinforces this, making multiple vocal contributions whether in the form of hooks, ad-libs or as a hype man.
This album has their most popular and universally acclaimed hit “Grindin’.’” The rap duo has done a string of live performances this year, convincing fans that a new album is coming very soon. Their last one dropped in 2009 but they most recently reunited for “Punch Bowl” off of I Know NIGO and Pusha T’s 2022 album, It’s Almost Dry. Lord Willin’ proudly displayed their hometown on the cover and continues to be celebrated and referenced to this day.
Lord Willin’ Is Not Their Debut Album
Clipse’s debut album is technically not Lord Willin’. Their true debut, titled Exclusive Audio Footage was shelved due to the poor commercial performance of its single “The Funeral.” They recorded and completed the album with a planned release in 1999. However, Elektra Records dropped them from the roster. At this point, Pusha T was actually using the stage name “Terrar” which still directly references his real name, Terrence.
They then signed with Star Trak – a label founded by The Neptunes. With the success of The Neptunes being solidified and the rap duo getting a co-sign and production from them, listeners took a heavy interest in the album. They dropped Lord Willin’ in 2002, recording all new material for it.However, Exclusive Audio Footage was added to streaming services in 2022.
Clipse’s debut single “Grindin’” is an iconic part of rap history. People often share fond memories of recreating the beat on cafeteria tables in school. The beat, courtesy of The Neptunes, is yet another page in their storied history of unique production. The percussion truly carries the track with a minimal yet unique melody popping up throughout it. Pharrell opens the track with a declaration that foreshadows the Clipse’s commercial success. “The world is about to feel something that they’ve never felt before.” He makes another appearance on the song’s hook which is minimal yet direct. Both Push and Malice’s verses find them using creative imagery and punchlines to talk about their lives in the drug game. The song spawned two remixes, one of which featured Lil Wayne and Birdman. This is the song that became synonymous with the Clipse.
Clipse’s relationship with The Neptunes allowed the two to join forces for an epic partnership. Members Pharrell and Chad Hugo were both from Virginia Beach like Clipse. By 2002, The Neptunes had already produced songs for SWV, Jay-Z, Britney Spears, and more and were well on their way to becoming the super-producers. Lord Willin’ features several of their unique production techniques, from the unconventional melodies on “When Was The Last Time” and “Comedy Central” and the percussive shakers in “Ma, I Don’t Love Her.”
Clipse’s major label debut Lord Willin’ stands as a classic. However, the spontaneity and unconventional approach are what helped shape it as such. Neither Pusha T nor Malice dish out verses on “FamLay Freestyle,” although Pharrell provides the outro. It features fellow Virginia rapper and friend of the duo FamLay, who drops one verse. The single “Let’s Talk About It” alongside Jermaine Dupri initially appeared on the So So Def founder’s 2001 album, Instructions. Finally, the song “Cot Damn” went through three name changes. The original title was “God Damn” which of course would have to be censored. The name was changed to “Hot Damn” when the single was released but the album version titles the song “Cot Damn.” It retains the former title on the album The Neptunes Present…Clones.
Clipse’s major label debut began their legacy in rap history. Lord Willin’ debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 Chart and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. The album went gold in 2002 and has since sold over 900,000 copies according to Nielsen SoundScan. The duo’s ability to blend braggadocious and reflective bars and fuse them with coke references became biblical for hustlers and hip-hop fans alike. There were party tracks on the album that flowed perfectly into less conventional yet undeniably catchy ones. The bars from the duo paired well with Pharrell and Hugo’s contributions. Skateboard P even hopped into a slightly menacingly confident delivery at some moments. With the album’s 21st anniversary being this week, listeners are still spinning this classic project.
Teezo Touchdown’s had quite the ascent in the past few years but he’s only getting started. He earned critical praise through a string of features over the years alongside heavy hitters like Tyler, The Creator and Chance The Rapper. However, his latest appearance on Travis Scott’s Utopia appears to set the stage for his highly-anticipated debut album. Titled how do you sleep at night?, the project is officially due out on Sept. 8th and it seems like Drake got an exclusive sneak peak.
The Boy hit the ‘Gram to provide Teezo Touchdown with a massive co-sign after hearing his new album. Acknowledging the often cryptic captions that accompany his recent Instagram posts, Drake put the grim message aside to praise Teezo’s project. “Usually it’s a cut throat cryptic caption for the ones that turned on the gang members but tonight I just heard some of the best music ever so I am happy and I will spare you little birdies thanks to @teezotouchdown,” he wrote.
At this point, Teezo Touchdown hasn’t revealed a ton of information surrounding the project but considering the amount of hype surrounding his name in recent years, it seems likely that we might see a few high-profile names attached to the tracklist. Of course, it’s unclear if Drake will be among those who land on the project or if Teezo will appear on For All The Dogs but clearly, there is a mutual respect between the two artists.
Drake’s currently on the It’s All A Blur tour alongside 21 Savage, which recently closed out its second out of four nights at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. It’s been a star-studded event so far with a number of celebrities, such as Bad Bunny and Kim Kardashian, showing out. We’ll keep you posted on more information on Teezo Touchdown’s upcoming album. For now, check out Drake’s post above and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Do you think Drake will appear on Teezo Touchdown’s upcoming album?
Last year, GloRilla has a bit of a breakout moment. Her song “F.N.F (Let’s Go)” became a breakout hit that powered her debut EP Anyways, Life’s Great... late in the year. She also adored a pretty substantial co-sign from Cardi B. The pair worked together on the song “Tomorrow 2” which also landed on her EP. Though her big 2022 netter her two Grammy nominations, she still hasn’t released a full-length project. Now, she became the most recent rapper to appear on Good Morning America in celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and while there she had some thoughts on her upcoming debut album.
While the clip is light on details, GloRilla does at least explain what she wants to see in a debut album. “I’m excited about it. I plan on going number one. I gotta make another song that’s gonna have all the girls screaming — and another anthem,” she said. Going number one would be a pretty major milestone, especially for Glo’s first studio album. It took until the second half of 2023 for any rap album to his number one on the Billboard 200 when Lil Uzi’s Pink Tape did so. Earlier this week Travis Scott’s UTOPIA became the second rap album to hit number one this year and it could even spend a second week at the top spot.
She is among the most accomplished and well-known of anybody in this year’s field though she did upset some fans by choosing to skip out on both the freestyle and cypher parts of the feature. Regardless she’s setting herself up for a major breakthrough on that inevitable debut album. What do you think of GloRilla’s ambitions for her debut album? Let us know in the comment section below.
On this date in 1994, WTC affiliates Gravediggaz dropped the crew’s groundbreaking debut album 6 Feet Deep. The group, composed of Prince Paul, Frukwan of Stetsasonic, RNS, Grym Reaper, Mr. Sime, and The Abbott himself aka the Rzarector, released this classic piece on Gee Street Records. The original title, Niggamortis, was changed in order to appeal to mainstream audiences.
The album ended up being a trailblazing prototype for what is now recognized as the “horrorcore Hip Hop” genre. It’s grizzly references to death, graves, and other snuff scenarios carved a lane for Gravediggaz all of their own.
Tracks like “Diary Of A Madman” and “Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide” led the album’s momentum as strong singles, but hidden gems like “Bang Your Head” and “Here Comes The Gravediggaz” were favorites of backpacking rap enthusiasts everywhere.
Salute to the Gravediggaz for this solid album! Peace!
On this date in Hip Hop history, Jason Phillips aka Jadakiss released his first full-length studio album Kiss Tha Game Goodbye on the Ruff Ryders/Interscope imprint.
Regarded as one of the most anticipated releases within the month of the 9/11 tragedy(which also includes Jay-Z’s Blueprint and Fabolous’ debut Ghetto Fabolous), Jadakiss’ premiere project Kiss Tha Game Goodbye provides a peek into the L.O.X.’s star emcee and the album succession that has led him all the way to the offices of Roc Nation, where he is now on the roster. It was also proof that an emcee whose career began on a mixtape could actually morph into a full music career.
Singles from Jada’s certified gold debut include the album’s lead single “Knock Yourself Out”, the anthemic “We Gonna Make It” featuring L.O.X./D-Block cohort Styles P and other appearances including labelmate DMX, Snoop Dogg, the late Nate Dogg, and even Swizz Beatz ex-wife Mashonda.
Salute to Jada, Swizz, The L.O.X., Pharrell, DJ Premier, Just Blaze and everyone else who took part in making this album a part of Hip Hop history!
Following the success of his single, “Special K,” BLP Kosher made a strong debut with the release of his new project, Bars Mitzvah. The 19-song project sees the Florida native’s outlandish wordplay and impeccable ear for production take center stage with minimal assistance. Bars Mitzvah boasts few appearances across its tracklist; Luh Tyler and Trapland Pat assist on “Quite Frankly,” while the latter makes a second appearance on “J’z & Z’s.” Meanwhile, the legendary DJ Premier extends his co-sign to BLP Kosher on “Endless.”
The self-proclaimed Dreidel Man’s personality shines across the body of work. He highlights his Jewish faith through hilarious punchlines and pulls from his Broward County roots through regional lingo (i.e. “In Coral Springs, masked up, I’m lookin’ like I rob banks/ And I’m forever smokin’ Nazis, I’ma pass the blunt to Anne Frank” from “Special K”), as well as his penchant for utilizing a jaw-clenching flow to get his point across. However, the production draws influence from across the board – Miami, Atlanta, New York, and Detroit, specifically. However, even with the melting pot of sounds at his disposal, none of Bars Mitzvah sounds forced. As a result, BLP Kosher crafts a debut album that is unique to his upbringing in Florida while lending his flow and nasally delivery to the array of production across the album.
The number of stars who’ve catapulted to fame through meme culture is astonishing. However, it truly takes talent to manage to eclipse the momentary fame of virality for a fruitful career. BLP Kosher has undoubtedly propelled to the limelight through his jarring image – a Jewish kid with two single wicks sticking out the sides of his head and a pair of gold fronts that gleam every time he smiles. However, his sheer skillset has helped develop a strong fanbase. The recent string of singles he’s released, like “Mazel Tron” ft. BabyTron and “Jew On The Canoe” have set the tone for his successful year thus far.
With a bit of encouragement from his friend Jew Shiesty, BLP Kosher began rapping during the pandemic. From there, he began gaining a bit more notoriety online, largely due to the number of memes that spawned surrounding his image. However, it’s his skillset that set him apart from his peers. The rapper cites local legends like Kodak Black and XXXTENTACION as influences, along with superstar veterans like Lil Wayne and Eminem. With the release of Bars Mitzvah, BLP Kosher’s shaping into one of the most exciting new voices in hip-hop right now with a hell of a trajectory ahead of him.
On this date in 1993, legendary DITC delegate Fat Joe dropped his debut full-length studio album Represent on the Relativity/Violator imprint.
In 2020, Fat Joe is recognized as one of the icons of NYC Hip Hop, however, back in 1993, Joe was knee-deep in the streets and having only appeared on Diggin’ In The Crates founder Diamond D’s Stunts, Blunts And Hip Hop album was fairly a newcomer to the rap game. With assistance from his DITC crew members Diamond, Lord Finesse, and Showbiz behind the boars, Joe formulated one of the most integral audible time capsules of the era. Tracks like the Beatnuts-powered “Shit Iz Real”, “You Must Be Out Of You Fuckin’ Mind” featuring the late Apache of the Flavor Unit and Kool G Rap and the premiere single “Flow Joe” were all foundational examples of the “Fat Joe Da Gangsta” persona that is now respected and celebrated in 2020.
Salute to the late Chris Lighty, Fat Joe, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Showbiz, and the entire DITC for this timeless piece of Hip Hop history!
Way back in 1992, a Hip Hop revolution was occurring and there were only certain critical albums that were a part of that musical metamorphosis. House Of Pain’s Fine Malt Lyrics is one of those albums released during the peak of Hip Hop’s diversified authentic artists. This album came out during the same era as the premier of emcees like B-Real & Cypress Hill, The Beatnuts, and of course, the apex of 3rd Bass.
Fine Malt Lyrics, which was produced by the legendary DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill and DJ Lethal, churned out the all-time classic smash “Jump Around”. The song is considered one of the greatest of all time, making at least ten silver screen theme music appearances and even more in football and baseball entrances.
Other dope tracks include “Put Your Head Out” featuring B-Real, House And The Rising Son” featuring Funkdoobiest, and of course, the “Jump Around remix by Pete Rock.
We salute Everlast, DJ Muggs, and DJ Lethal for this 3.5 Micer and because of you guys, we will forever lose it when we hear Jump Around!
