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Today In Hip Hop History: Big Daddy Kane Dropped ‘It’s A Big Daddy Thing’ LP 34 Years Ago

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On this day in 1989, Big Daddy Kane released his sophomore album It’s a Big Daddy Thing on the Warner Bros./Cold Chillin label. Along with being a successful follow up to Kane’s classic debut, this album was the first to suggest Big Daddy Kane be Hip Hop’s sex symbol.

With a wider appeal than Long Live the Kane and a new and improved sound coming from an all-star production team (featuring Marley Marl, Prince Paul, Easy Mo Bee, Teddy Riley,

To date, It’s a Big Daddy Thing is Kane’s most successful project with over 500,000 copies in the United States. The album has been regarded by many major publications as a Golden Era classic. Album single “Warm It Up, Kane” even appeared on Playback FM in the 2004 cult classic video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Big Daddy Kane Dropped ‘It’s A Big Daddy Thing’ LP 34 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Big Daddy Kane Dropped ‘It’s A Big Daddy Thing’ LP 34 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Big Daddy Kane’s Debut Album ‘Long Live The Kane’ Turns 35 Years Old!

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On this day in Hip Hop history, Big Daddy Kane released his debut LP Long Live The Kane. Released by Cold Chillin’ Records and produced by Marley Marl, this album is one of Hip Hop’s earliest successes. Through this project, Big Daddy Kane was able to craft one of the most desirable brand in Hip Hop of the time. His ability to touch on a plethora of subjects ranging from sex to Afrocentrism made him universally appealing and easily marketable.

This album can be credited as one of the most influential LPs of the golden age of Hip Hop. Nas, Pete Rock, AZ, Gang Starr, RZA, Biggie Smalls and MF DOOM are among some of the acclaimed artists who have made directed references to either this album or Big Daddy Kane in general throughout their music. In 1998, The Source Magazine ranked this project as one of the 1000 Greatest Albums in Hip Hop. The album was certified gold in the year of its release and serves as one of the two projects from Big Daddy Kane that has sold over 500,000 copies.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Big Daddy Kane’s Debut Album ‘Long Live The Kane’ Turns 35 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Big Daddy Kane Dropped ‘It’s A Big Daddy Thing’ LP 33 Years Ago

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On this day in 1989, Big Daddy Kane released his sophomore album It’s a Big Daddy Thing on the Warner Bros./Cold Chillin label. Along with being a successful follow up to Kane’s classic debut, this album was the first to suggest Big Daddy Kane be Hip Hop’s sex symbol.

With a wider appeal than Long Live the Kane and a new and improved sound coming from an all-star production team (featuring Marley Marl, Prince Paul, Easy Mo Bee, Teddy Riley,

To date, It’s a Big Daddy Thing is Kane’s most successful project with over 500,000 copies in the United States. The album has been regarded by many major publications as a Golden Era classic. Album single “Warm It Up, Kane” even appeared on Playback FM in the 2004 cult classic video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Big Daddy Kane Dropped ‘It’s A Big Daddy Thing’ LP 33 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Big L’s Second And Final Album ‘The Big Picture’ Dropped 22 Years Ago

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On this date in 2000, Big L’s posthumous album The Big Picture was released on Rawkus Records. The LP was originally slated as the late Lamont Coleman’s debut album, but L was tragically murdered in Harlem while the album was in production.

The album was produced by DJ Premier, Ron Browz, Ron G, Lord Finesse, Pete Rock, Shomari, Mike Heron, Ysae, and Showbiz and features appearances from Fat Joe, Guru, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane and the late Tupac Shakur.

Big L is regarded as one of the games best emcees that never got their chance in the spotlight, however, because of his ability to foresee great talent, he was the one who introduced Jay-Z as a force in 90s era crime rhyme, which dominated NYC Hip Hop via the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show in 89.9 FM in 1995.

Big up to the Rawkus team, the entire DITC and Big L himself for this eternal Hip Hop classic!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Big L’s Second And Final Album ‘The Big Picture’ Dropped 22 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Fat Joe Released His Debut Album ‘Represent’ 29 Years Ago

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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!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Fat Joe Released His Debut Album ‘Represent’ 29 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: Main Source Dropped Their Debut Album ‘Breaking Atoms’ 31 Years Ago

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On this date in Hip Hop history, Main Source, which included DJs Sir Scratch, K-Cut, and rhyming extraordinaire and production master Large Professor, dropped their debut album Breaking Atoms in 1991 on Wild Pitch Records. It was also the final album of the original trio with the two Toronto DJs and the Corona. Queens emcee.

Breaking Atoms was also the first project where then Queensbridge Projects lyrical prodigy Nasir Jones aka Nas, who appeared on the ever-classic “Live At The BBQ”. Other classic cuts from that album include the break-up story “Looking At The Front Door”, the never-ending issue of police brutality on “Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball” and the visually-driven “Just Hangin’ Out”. Originally given a four and a half mic rating, Breaking Atoms received the coveted Five Mics in The Source Magazine‘s commemorative 150th issue.

Salute to Extra P, Pete Rock, K-Cut and Sir Scratch for making this album an undisputed Hip Hop classic!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Main Source Dropped Their Debut Album ‘Breaking Atoms’ 31 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Wu Tang Clan’s Epic ‘Wu Tang Forever’ Double CD LP Turns 25 Years Old!

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On June 3, 1997, the Witty Unpredictable Talent And Natural Game gave the world a double dose of their killer bee stings when they dropped the Wu Tang Forever double CD LP.

The album was executively produced by the Abbott himself, RZA, along with assistance from 4th Disciple, Inspectah Deck and True Master. Released to the public under the Loud/RCA imprint with direction from the illustrious Steve Rifkind, this album was certified gold in its first week and was certified 4X platinum by the RIAA within four months of its release.

Some of the hits include the album’s lead, “Triumph”, “Older Gods”, “Duck Season” and the prophetic title of their current album, A Better Tomorrow. The Clan just celebrated 20 years together in 2013 looking back on two decades of music. The Clan is also currently working on an album with Ghostface Killah running the show.

Peace to the entire Clan for giving us such a monumental project without the assistance of radio/video play, which is the mark of true artistry. Salute to RZA, Divine, Power, Steve Rifkind and everyone who helped make this album a timeless classic!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Wu Tang Clan’s Epic ‘Wu Tang Forever’ Double CD LP Turns 25 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records’ ‘Above The Rim’ Soundtrack Dropped 28 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip-Hop history, Death Row Records in conglomeration with Interscope Records released the soundtrack to the popular film, Above the Rim. Winning the 1995 Source Award for Soundtrack of the Year, this album featured so many hits that it could have stood alone from the movie as a compilation album.

Acting as executive producers of the project, Suge Knight and Dr. Dre curated one of the most popular movie soundtracks of all time. This album featured work from artists 2Pac, Warren G, SWV, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, The Lady of Rage, and more. Due to the popularity of the artists and the success of the movie, the soundtrack sold 2,000,000 copies in the year of its release and peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Although it fell short on the mainstream chart, the album was able to grab hold of that #1 spot on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Here are some videos from the famed soundtrack to help jog your memory of its greatness.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records’ ‘Above The Rim’ Soundtrack Dropped 28 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: 2Pac Dropped His Third LP ‘Me Against The World’ 27 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip-Hop History, the late Tupac Shakur released his third studio LP, Me Against the World. This album came at one of the most pivotal times in ‘Pac’s life and career. Recorded shortly after his near-fatal assassination attempt in New York and released while he was in prison, this album marked a change in 2Pac as an artist and a man.

This album was nothing like the music that gave him his “thug life” gangster image and street credentials. The subject matter and tone of this project were a lot more serious and introspective than anything he had previously released. Much less high energy than the tracks from his previous album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…, this album showed genuine reflection on his life and career path as an artist along with shining light on some of his personal struggles with paranoia and self-loathing.

The realism of this album brought a ridiculous amount of commercial success. Debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, the album has been certified double platinum selling over 3.5 million copies in the United States alone. Along with being #1 in the US, the album also ranked #23 in Germany and #20 in Sweden. In the year after its release, the album received the Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap Album. The project was Tupac’s most positively reviewed album and has been called the magnum opus of his career.

The singles from the project “Dear Mama,” “So Many Tears” and “Temptations” all made appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Dear Mama” peaked at #9, “So Many Tears” hit #44 and “Temptations” claimed the#68 spot.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: 2Pac Dropped His Third LP ‘Me Against The World’ 27 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.