Which Rap era stands as the best?

[MattZ]

I had an interesting and friendly argument recently with a friend about the heyday of rap. We both agreed that rap could really be broken down into 3 important and different time periods: pre-1988, 88-92 and 93-97.

 

The beginning of the discussion basically started around the premise that things really changed in rap in 88. Something happened and things went to a new level -- albums like It Takes a Nation of Millions, Strictly Business, 3 Ft High/Rising, Straight Outta Compton, It's a Big Daddy Thing, etc. all came out in 1988 (I think). They were all followed up with the best years of Quest, De La, PE, NWA, Brand Nubian, Jungle Bros., Beasties, Digital Underground, etc.

 

Until around 1993, when there seemed to be another shift. Guys like Snoop came up and made names for themselves. The slicker Dre-like productions and guys like Tupac, Biggie, Wu Tang and Nas took over the throne.

 

This invariably ended with an argument about whether the best period of rap was 88-92 or 93-97. I argued 88-92. My friend thinks the samples in 88-92 sound dated and don't hold up as well. And that the lyrics are weaker. He thinks the heyday for rap is really 93-97. It was an interesting debate that went on for awhile. Curious what folks here think.

[aricandover]

I have to go with both and add that it went in the shitter ~1999

[Sir Stewart]

I remember, as a PE/NWA/Digital Underground/Beasties/Run-DMC fan, hearing "Nothing But a G Thing" for the first time in 93 and getting depressed at what was sure to follow. 88-92 was definitely the golden age, even though great hip-hop has been made since then (and I do enjoy me some Snoop/Dre by this point).

[the carlos]

88-92 has had the most effect on me and still does. 93-97 has some great releases in there though.

[quarter23cd]

I'd go with 88-92. Is this a poll?

[jhh4321]

I had an interesting and friendly argument recently with a friend about the heyday of rap. We both agreed that rap could really be broken down into 3 important and different time periods: pre-1988, 88-92 and 93-97.

 

The beginning of discussion basically started around the premise that things really changed in rap in 88. Something happened and things went to a new level -- albums like It Takes a Nation of Millions, Strictly Business, 3 Ft High/Rising, Straight Outta Compton, It's a Big Daddy Thing, etc. all came out in 1988 (I think). They were all followed up with the best years of Quest, De La, PE, NWA, Brand Nubian, Jungle Bros., Beasties, Digital Underground, etc.

 

Until around 1993, when there seemed to be another shift. Guys like Snoop came up and made names for themselves. The slicker Dre-like productions and guys like Tupac, Biggie, Wu Tang and Nas took over the throne.

 

This invariably ended with an argument about whether the best period of rap was 88-92 or 93-97. I argued 88-92. My friend thinks the samples in 88-92 sound dated and don't hold up as well. And that the lyrics are weaker. He thinks the heyday for rap is really 93-97. It was an interesting debate that went on for awhile. Curious what folks here think.

 

i am not much of a hip-hop afficionado and this is just my opinion as a casual rap fan but i would agree with your friend.

 

nobody can argue the importance of early rap but when it comes down to it, a lot beats are pretty weak and a lot of MCs sort of just sound the same.

 

as time went on rappers each found a more personal style and i agree that lyrics and production are just of higher quality in the "93-97" era

[quarter23cd]

More importantly, if we can all more or less agree that rap has been on a downslide since at least 97 (and rock undoubtedly sometime before that), the last decade of popular music is rather depressing to think about.

[Big Perm]

I have favorites from all three, all three quite important to me.

 

Sub question - Is this the last GREAT Hip/Hop Rap record?

 

[Sir Stewart]

Last great hip hop record I heard came out last year:

[Big Perm]

True dat Bro!

[mjpuczko]

i love the early rap. i pretty much quit listening to most rap in 1992 or 1993. and i was only like 16.

[cryptique]

Pre-1988. Specifically 1983, with the release of Newcleus' "Jam On It." After that, it was all downhill.

[WilcoFan]

Def 88-92. -- The gangsta rap era.

 

The Villain in Black

[aricandover]

I have favorites from all three, all three quite important to me.

 

Sub question - Is this the last GREAT Hip/Hop Rap record?

 

 

yes

[boywiththorninside]

I can't tell you which is the best era, but 93 - 97 was my favorite.

 

Buhloone Mind State - De La Soul

Midnight Marauders - ATCQ

Illmatic - Nas

The Infamous - Mobb Deep

Hard to Earn - Gang Starr

The Sun Rises in the East - Jeru the Damaja

Ready to Die - B.I.G

Reasonable Doubt - Jay-Z

 

These were the albums I loved that were released during that time.

 

EDIT: I don't know how I forgot them, but I must add all the Wu-Tang related albums from the 93 - 97 era, specifically:

 

36 Chambers - Wu Tang

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx - Raekwon

Return to the 36 Chambers - Ol' Dirty

Ironman - Ghostface

Liquid Swords - Genius

[What Light?]

I gotta go with 88-92................with albums such as It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back by Public Enemy..............Paul's Boutique by The Beastie Boys...............Strictly Business by EPMD.................although before that...............85-87 was very important to me as well with albums such as UTFO by UTFO...............Back in Black by Whodini.............and Bigger and Deffer by LL Cool J came out as well...........these two eras were where I grew to really love rap..........after that it has kind of been downhill for me with the occasional good album imo.............

[rileykill]

Even if you consider '88 to be the beginning of the first big surge, hip hop is still pretty young. I think it has a long way to go at this point.

 

Hip Hop would not be the same without ATCQ, Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, KRS-One, etc. - but the same can be said for Mos Def, Talib, Common, The Roots ... the list goes on. There are plenty of creative MC's.

[Big Perm]

other titles since 2000ish that I enjoy . . .

 

Outkast "stankonia"

Numerous Ghostface records,

De La Soul's "The Grind Date" isn't too bad

WHY? "Oaklanddazulasylum" kind of dark, definately off the beaten path, but pretty good

Common "Be"

Lupe Fiasco "F & L"

Clipse, The Game, The Black Album, I don't know, a lot of records out there!

[What Light?]

Even if you consider '88 to be the beginning of the first big surge, hip hop is still pretty young. I think it has a long way to go at this point.

 

Hip Hop would not be the same without ATCQ, Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, KRS-One, etc. - but the same can be said for Mos Def, Talib, Common, The Roots ... the list goes on. There are plenty of creative MC's.

 

 

ageed those are very good indeed and very important.............around the 88-92 era with a little before and after................Common is real cool...........I like him.........

[GtrPlyr]

I'll go with the early period circa 1982 - 1988 (Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC...)

 

I did get into a bit of De la Soul, P.E, and Beasties for a time too.

 

As for the new stuff I've heard, well, for the most part it all seems to be shallow and self-aggrandizing. Also, the sampling of whole songs as the basis of your track is pretty uninspired and lame (that's right, I'm looking at you Kanye and Puffy.) C'mon, leave those Mayfield, Sly Stone, Brown and Clinton records alone for a bit and write some of your own grooves.

[EL the Famous]

there are releases out of all three i love, but 88-92 is indeed rap's 'golden' period.

 

i thought i saw someone say that the samples/tracks from that era aren't fresh and sound dated or something...that statement blows my mind when compared to the stale same sounding backing tracks on most of today's POPULAR rap/hip-hop. thrown on 3 Ft. High and Rising or Paul's Boutique or Low-End Theory or Fear of a Black Planet...those albums stand and will continue to stand the test of time.

 

that said, a lot of the more indie underground stuff bubbling up out there has given me hope...People Under the Stairs, Doom, Diverse, Lyrics Born, Ohmega Watts, Giant Panda and even Ugly Duckling have dropped some pretty cool shit in the recent years. throw in the Roots and you've got an argument real hip hop isn't dead, it's just waiting for the current repetitive dreck taking centerstage to fall out of favor w/ the MTV set.

[rileykill]

that said, a lot of the more indie underground stuff bubbling up out there has given me hope...People Under the Stairs, Doom, Diverse, Lyrics Born, Ohmega Watts, Giant Panda and even Ugly Duckling have dropped some pretty cool shit in the recent years. throw in the Roots and you've got an argument real hip hop isn't dead, it's just waiting for the current repetitive dreck taking centerstage to fall out of favor w/ the MTV set.

 

Exactly ...

[Sir Stewart]

Meat Shake!

Also, Dilated Peoples

[TCP]

Do you guys think that on rap boards they talk about what the best era of alt country was???

[caliber66]

Probably on rap boards where people like other kinds of music...