Benny the Butcher — Tana Talk 3

Debut studio album by Jeremie "Benny the Butcher" Pennick, rapper from Buffalo, New York. He's the second Griselda MC to make his debut after Westside Gunn, with "Flygod" (2016). The production is entirely performed by Daringer, three rhythms are reserved for The Alchemist. The guests are Keisha Plum, Westside Gunn, Meyhem Lauren, Royce da 5'9", Melanie Rutherford and Conway the Machine. The title refers to Montana Avenue, the street in Buffalo where Benny grew up, the third chapter of his series. The cover is a painting that portrays Machine Gun Black as a child, brother of the rapper who died in 2006.

Group Home — Livin' Proof

First, best-known and most popular studio album by Group Home, a New York duo formed by James "Lil' Dap" Heath and Jamal "Melachi the Nutcracker" Felder. Both part of the Gang Starr Foundation, both guests on Gang Starr's 1994 album "Hard to Earn", Lil Dap debuts on their previous album, "Daily Operation". The production of the disc is almost entirely created by DJ Premier, while Guru and Big Jaz have a beat each. Guests are members of the Gang Starr Foundation Guru, Big Shug, Jeru the Damaja, Absaloot, and the relatives of the two main rappers, Smiley AKA the Ghetto Child, Melachi's cousin, and Jack the Ripper, Lil Dap's younger brother.

Coolio — Gangsta's Paradise

The song "Gangsta's Paradise" is the foundation stone of three different albums released over two summers: the soundtrack of the movie "Dangerous Minds", this self-titled album by Artis Leon "Coolio" Ivey Jr. and the debut of Larry "LV" Sanders.

 

Da Youngsta's ILLY Funkstaz — I'll Make U Famous

The poor sales result of their previous effort convinces EastWest, which is currently switching from Atlantic to Elektra, to leave the young group of rappers. The boys find themselves without a label, and take refuge under the one founded over a decade earlier by their parents, Pop Art Records. This is considered Philadelphia's first hip-hop label, founded by Lawrence and Ann Goodman in the early 1980s. Da Youngsta's released their fourth studio album in four years, changing their name to ILLY Funkstaz (sometimes referred to as "Da Youngsta's ILLY Funkstaz" or "Da Youngsta's / ILLY Funkstaz"). Production is mainly done by Qu'ran and Emanuel Parks, with six and five beats respectively, Dante Barton produces a song, while Al B. Sure! and Kyle West are the authors of the final remix. Guests are Kim Branch, Mobb Deep, Mentally Gifted, and Big Tabb.

Benny the Butcher — Burden of Proof

About a month after Conway's last release and two weeks after Westside Gunn's third project of the year, Benny the Butcher is back to releasing a solo work 16 months after the last. The record immediately takes on more commercial contours, with guests such as Rick Ross, Freddie Gibbs, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, Dom Kennedy and Queen Nalja, in addition to the Griselda MCs Conway and Gunn; the production is entirely made by Hit-Boy, who during the year worked on the albums of Mick Jenkins, Lil Baby, Jay Electronica, Polo G, Nas, Big Sean, ASAP Ferg and Conway.

Big Ghost Ltd. & Conway the Machine — No One Mourns the Wicked

After the success of "Griselda Ghost", extended play signed by Hall N Nash aka Westside Gunn & Conway with the production of Big Ghost Ltd, and one of my favorite hip-hop records ever, the beatmaker comes back to collaborate again together with Conway the Machine for this tape, sometimes labeled as EP sometimes labeled as album (or mixtape). Elcamino and Flee Lord are the guests.

The Juggaknots — The Juggaknots

In 1996, Bobbito Garcia's Fondle 'Em publishes the second project in its catalog, which coincides with the first official work of the Juggaknots, a Bronx group made up of brothers Paul "Breeze Brewin'", Peridot "Queen Herawin" and Kevin "Buddy Slim" Smith.

Jungle Brothers — J. Beez Wit the Remedy

After the 1989/90 and 1991 seasons, 1993 is the third and also one of the last years of the hippie hip-hop, which died soon and was already starting to disappear completely from mainstream game.

 

Fu-Schnickens — Nervous Break Down

Brutal and catastrophic sophomore jinx for hip-hop group Fu-Schnickens, from East Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York City. The guys have never been the best MCs even at their peak and they've never sucked up to this point, bringing their own almost original style to the game.

AAVV — Wild Pitch Classics

Wild Pitch Records collection of cuts, featuring artists such as Gang Starr, Latee, The Coup, Main Source, O.C., UMC's, Lord Finesse, Chill Rob G, Ultramagnetic MC's, N-Tyce and Jamose. Production is handled by DJ Premier, The 45 King, Boots, Main Source, Buckwild, Hass, RNS, Diamond D, Godfather Don, 4th Disciple, Wu-Tang Clan and Louie Louie.

Conway the Machine — Look What I Became

This album is a face of the whole "Look What I Became, God Don't Make No Mistakes" medal. While "God Don't Make Mistakes" will be his debut album with Shady Records, "Look What I Became" anticipates it by several months, falling in autumn 2019. And it's a good, surprisingly versatile effort by Conway. The production is realized by Daringer, The Alchemist, DJ Muggs, K-Sluggah, JR Swiftz, Rick Hyde and Statik Selektah. The guests are Griselda rappers Westside Gunn and Benny the Butcher, along with Jim Jones, Dave East, Elcamino, DJ Muggs and Amber Simone.

Mad CJ Mac — True Game

First studio album by Mad CJ Mac, South Central Los Angeles hip-hop duo composed by the producer Clement "Mad" Burnette and by the rapper Bryon "CJ Mac" Ross. The production is made exclusively by the duo, Poppa LQ is the only accredited guest. The cover shows us that GZA isn't the only chess fan in rap and is almost entirely blue on a black background, with the artist's name and title being represented in white and blue. So, Crips, I guess?

Young Cellski — Mr. Predicter

Debut album by Marcel "Young Cellski" Wade aka 2Took, San Francisco rapper who writes, produces, mixes and performs the project. He also plays keyboards, along with The Enhancer. The numerous guests, all uncredited, are Mr. C, Lil Swoop, UNLV, Mac 10, San Quinn, Suga Bear, Baldhead Rick, Cougnut, Black C, Hitman, Dirt Bag, Leo J, SB and Young Ed.

Company Flow — Funcrusher EP

In 1993, rapper Jamie "El-P" Meline and producer Leonard "Mr. Len" Smythe formed the Brooklyn group Company Flow, later joined by Queens rapper Justin "Bigg Jus" Ingleton. El-P performs the greatest number of stanzas and the entire production, reserving the beat of the last tune, the only instrumental, for Mr. Len. More than a collaborative project, it's a sort of union of intentions between the three entities: the only songs in which both El-P and Bigg Jus are committed to rapping are the first two, not surprisingly the two finest tracks on the tape. The rest of the pieces are a collaboration with Kevin "BMS" Smith ("Vital Nerve"), and two solo cuts each by Meline ("Corners '94", "The Definitive") and Ingleton ("Silence", "Krazy Kings").

Miilkbone — Da Miilkrate

Thomas Wlodarczyk began his career in hip-hop in the early nineties, became an affiliate of Naughty by Nature and signed a contract with Capitol Records at the age of eighteen. Two seasons later, the Perth rapper Amboy, New Jersey's, publishes his first LP under the moniker Miilkbone. The production is mainly handled by Mufi, along with Nick Wiz, Twig, Kay Gee, Butch Whip and Steve White. Guests are local rappers Kandi Kain, Middy and Trip. 18 tracks, 4 skits, 54 minutes total.