Tim Dog — Penicillin on Wax

Timothy "Tim Dog" Blair, Bronx, New York, 1967. You have to go back to this guy when you want to answer the question: "This f*ck*** feud between the Coasts, which took away two of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time, where did it start from?" Well, that's all. It all started when this 23-year-old Blair hasn't yet emerged in his neighborhood rap scene: he wants to get into the game, but the labels pretend that he poses, he gets dressed, and that he raps with the NWA style.

Paris — Guerrilla Funk

Third studio album in five years for the San Francisco-born rapper Paris. The Conscious Daughters, who also provide the background on several tracks, and Mystic are the only guests on the album, while Paris himself is the creator of the whole production.

Willie Dee — Controversy

William "Willie Dee" Dennis was born and raised in Houston, Texas. During adolescence he made his way as an amateur boxer and instead of becoming a professional he chose to become a rapper. During the nineties he returned to boxing occasionally: a curious episode occurred during a charity box show between rappers in 1992 in which Willie D went head to head with Melle Mel and knocks him out by accident, winning the match by TKO in the first round. Shortly after turning 18, Dennis also attempted a career as a robber, ending up in prison for six months for aggravated robbery.

Benny x Cuns — Tommy DeVito's Breakfast EP

Second short EP by Benny the Butcher. The Griselda rapper teams up with Italian-born producer Cuns and titles this effort under the name Tommy DeVito.

Willie D — Play Witcha Mama

After leaving the Geto Boys, William Dennis also leaves Rap-A-Lot and releases his third independent studio album. Here the guy has fun and jokes the listener from the very first moments, spitting bars on anything with a more relaxed style than his previous efforts and happily cheap g-funk production.

Big Pun — Yeeeah Baby

In 1998, Big Pun debuts with a platinum album welcomed with critical acclaim. Then, he's guest in the albums of Showbiz & AG, Onyx, Delinquent Habits, Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz, Fat Joe, Noreaga, Mack 10, Pete Rock, Kid Capri, DJ Clue?, Krayzie Bone, Ruff Ryders, Naughty by Nature, Jennifer Lopez, Heavy D, everyone wants him. Is the main emcee of Terror Squad first LP, released in 1999: produced by the group himself, DITC and The Hitmen, the tape gains positive reviews by professional critics, but sales are below expectations. In 2000 his second album is scheduled to be released, however, Big Pun died at the age of 28.

Westside Gunn — Flygod Is Good... All the Time EP

Little jewel, among the most refined pearls in the discography of one of the greatest exponents of the return of the gangsta, and of the much-renegade mafioso. It's one of his best EPs, among the most solid: less than 15 minutes, Griselda lyrics, simple dark jazzy rhythms, tight and grimy rapping, most tracks have a unique verse. The production is made by Mr. Green, while the project is solo like [almost] none of his projects has ever been.

Champ MC — Ghetto Flava

Only studio album for Kimberley "Champ MC" Johnson, a rapper from the Bronx who will later be part of the hip-hop group Deadly Venoms, Wu-affiliate. Being a NYC girl this should be a natural East Coast disk, however, it's decided for a division of the record into two parts: the first named "East Side" of 9 cuts, produced by NY beatmaker Tony Dofat, the second named "West Side" of 8 tracks, produced by Oakland beatmakers E-A-Ski and CMT. 2 skits on each side, Yo-Yo and Michael Speaks in the guest role.

Ed O.G & Da Bulldogs — Life of a Kid in the Ghetto

Solid debut album for Ed OG directly from Boston, although it has a sound typically close to NY. The rapper brings several topics with a rather simple lyricism, he releases some socio-conscious cuts, but he devotes himself more to light-hearted and sexual songs ("Feel Like a Nut", "She Said It Was Great", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy"): personally, I find him better when he deals with other topics, he doesn't give up on some commercial fillers with R&B vibes ("Gotta Have Money", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy"), and hip house tracks ("Bug-A-Boo").

Conway & DJ Green Lantern — More Steroids [mixtape]

After "Reject on Steroids", one of the best mixtapes of the year, in autumn the Buffalo, New York State rapper Conway the Machine released this tape with DJ Green Lantern. Daringer is the main producer of the CD, the other beatmakers are The Alchemist, Green Lantern, Statik Selektah and Boodeini. The credited guests are Benny and Elcamino.

O.G. Style — I Know How to Play 'Em!

In 1991, Eric "MC Prince Ezzy-E" Woods and DJ Boss released their only album as OG Style, produced by Rap-A-Lot Records, which was probably not a major at the time, but was the most important label for the rappers of the south.

Tony D — Droppin' Funky Verses

Anthony "Tony D" Depula is a rapper and producer from Trenton, New Jersey. After working on production realizing underground disks in New Jersey, in the late eighties Depula signs first with Tommy Boy parent label Body Rock publishing the single "It's My Day", then with Sure Shot Records and releases his debut instrumental LP in 1989. Around 1990, Tony D deals with 4th & Broadway — it means that Island is behind this release — and drops a new CD with the moniker Harvee Wallbangar.

Conway — Reject on Steroids [mixtape]

In the late 2017 is released this mixtape of Conway. DJ Green Lantern is the host of the tape, entirely produced by Daringer. Benny and Royce da 5'9" are the guests.

Above the Law — Black Mafia Life

In the early nineties, some producers have the merit of inventing g-funk, the sound that will condition the musicality of West Coast hip-hop records in the following years. With their 1990 debut, Above the Law are probably the first group to have imported this kind of sound into an official studio album, released by Eazy-E's Ruthless in which there's still Dr. Dre working on the second NWA album after also contributing to the production of the debut of Above the Law.

Rap Mafia — Criminal Mode

Released at the end of the year 1990, precisely on November 13th, this is the only effort by an underground gangsta group from the Detroit scene that highlights its criminal nature: Eric Vance and Paris Lane decide to call themselves "Rap Mafia" and name the album "Criminal Mode".

Lou X — Rap presaglia [demo]

This demo made by the independent rapper from Abruzzo, is one of the first hip-hop documents recorded in Italy and is the most neglected work by Lou X, unfairly.

Paris — Sleeping with the Enemy

Paris's second studio album was initially to be released the day before the 1992 presidential election, however Time Warner decides not to release the material, delaying the release of the disc. Paris manages to release the album through his label Scarface Records.

Erick Sermon — Double or Nothing

Second studio album for Erick Sermon, rapper and producer from New York. He almost exclusively produces the LP, leaving two rhythms each to Redman and Rockwilder, one beat to KP, who co-produces another track and three co-productions to Sugarless. Keith Murray is the major guest of the edition with four appearances, followed by Redman and Jazze Pha with two, Crystal Gamble, Roz, Rockwilder, Passion, Aaron Hall and Sugarless with one.

PMD — Business is Business

Parrish Smith releases his second solo LP after breaking up with Erick Sermon, two years after his debut. The "s" of the title are all replaced with the dollar symbol, after all Parrish Making Dollars is the meaning behind the acronym of his moniker. Smith's Hit Squad supports the project. Behind the keyboards appear 8-Off (aka Agallah), Charlie Marotta (EPMD engineer), Solid Scheme, Fabian Hamilton and DJ Scratch. The guests are Das EFX, M.O.P. and Nocturnal. Parrish's lyric game doesn't take great steps forward, but the problems that bury the disc are in the production and above all in the execution of the emcee.

Sir Veterano — The Gathering

Californian producer Sir Veterano assembles this thirteen-track tape, bringing you some of the West Coast's most respectable performers, welcoming them with some generic and bland rhythms, sometimes even experimental which unfortunately don't work in these forty minutes. Fashawn handles an honest beat in “All Hail the King”, one of the high numbers of this strong dozen. Veterans MC Eiht, Planet Asia and Mitchy Slick carry “Reputable” over solid production. The other guys aren't making an effort and, due to the often poor rhythm, they don't stand out in this tape. Among others also Ras Kass, Bishop Lamont, Murs, Phat Kat, Guilty Simpson, Casual and MED. Overall, the tape is too weak to make its way into the sea of releases produced this year, 5/10.

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony — Creepin on ah Come Up EP

Shortly after releasing their first studio album under the name B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e, the group tries to contact record executives in order to secure a deal. Among others, there's also Eazy-E: the group travels to Los Angeles to find him, returning home after several months, because the rapper is expected to arrive in concert in their hometown, Cleveland, Ohio.

 

Willie D — I'm Goin' Out Lika Soldier

William "Willie D" Dennis leaves the Geto Boys and releases his sophomore for Rap-A-Lot Records with production provided by the label's beatmakers. The Houston, Texas rapper maintains a raw rapping style and gangsta arguments that result in sexism, misogyny and homophobia.

Big Mike — Somethin' Serious

Michael "Big Mike" Barnett's debut, called to replace Willie D in the Geto Boys from 1992 to 1995, is one of the hidden gems in southern rap and in the vast Rap-A-Lot catalog. Production is mainly performed by the Convicts rapper himself and NO Joe, along with other producers of the record company, such as Mike Dean, John Bido, Pee Wee, Simon Cullins and Michael "Mike B" Banks, as well as UGK's Pimp C. The guests of the edition are 3-2 of Convicts, Scarface of Geto Boys, Tre'Mendous, Pimp C & UGK.

Benny — 17 Bullets EP

First extended play by Benny the Butcher, rapper from Buffalo, New York. Production is created by al.divino, Louie Davison, Trickytrippz, Bobby Made the Beat and Swick Rubin. Skyzoo is the only guest of the EP.

Above the Law — Vocally Pimpin' EP

The extended play is entirely produced by Cold 187um, co-produced by Above the Law, with instrumentals played by Stan "The Guitar" Man (bass, guitar) and B-Laid Back Edwards (keyboards). Kokane is the unique guest of the effort in "4 the Funk of It". The tape is composed by a first part made of new material by the group, and by a second part made of edited versions of their previously released material or remixes.

Above the Law — Livin' Like Hustlers

In 1989 is formed Above the Law, hip-hop group from Pomona, California. The group included Gregory "Cold 187um" Hutchinson, Kevin "KMG the Illustrator" Gulley, Anthony "DJ Total K-Oss" Stewart and the brothers Arthur Lee "Go Mack" Goodman III and Larry "Lay Law" Goodman.

Paris — The Devil Made Me Do It

Oscar "Paris" Jackson Jr. at the time was a twenty-year-old with an above-average culture, a charismatic leader who wanted to fight the oppression of blacks in America with boundless political anger and the intent to want to unleash a revolution. In 1989, the San Francisco artist founded his own independent label, Scarface Records, and releases his debut single "Scarface Groove". In 1990, Paris publishes his first LP, self-produced, with no guest.

Kwest Tha Madd Lad — This Is My First Album

The boy grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, NY, and made a name for himself in the New York battle rap scene in the early 1990s. In this period, Kwest Tha Madd Lad was noticed in a national battle rap by Dan Charnas, a talent scout for Profile Records. After leaving Profile, Charnas moved to Rick Rubin's American Recordings, where he became the head of the hip-hop division and decided to bring Kwest with him, calling him around 1993 to make the album and signing the rapper to the label. Charnas became the executive producer of his album and between late 1993 and early 1994, the boy began recording his debut album, convincing record executives after performing an early version of "Lubrication".

Erick Sermon — No Pressure

After the breakup of the EPMD duo, Erick Sermon Makes Dollars Without Parrish. His production is jazzy-funky, lo-fi and energetic, and there are guests able to enhance the tracks, such as Keith Murray at the debut, Ice Cube and Redman, however, Parrish Smith's absence is felt: Sermon's pen isn't strong enough to be able to hold up an album for nearly an hour, and the record soon becomes monotonous and dull. The boy focuses everything on battle rap and braggadocio, giving some songs for women and party tracks that work little and badly, and he's often helped by external performers. He still does well behind keyboards, making an accessible and solid production.

PMD — Shade Business

Parrish Smith makes his solo debut with an almost completely self-produced album, after EPMD disbanded following Smith's swift endeavor from dudes who revealed they were sent to his home by Erick Sermon. It's the beginning of a five-year long feud that ends in 1997, when the duo reunites for a new album: in the meantime, they both release a couple of solo discs.