Spice 1 — 187 He Wrote

Second studio album by Spice 1, released a year after his debut. The album title plays on the television series "Murder, She Wrote" starring Angela Lansbury, where 187 stands for murder in the California State Penal Code. The production is provided by a dozen different beatmakers: Prodeje, CMT, E-A-Ski, Too Short, Mentally Blunted, Ant Banks, MC Eiht, Johnny Z and Xtra Large. The Texas-born rapper collaborates with Boss, G-Nut, Ant Banks, MC Eiht, Havikk The Rhime Son & Prodeje, and E-40.

Greyson & Jasun — Sweatin Me Wet

Greyson and Jasun are two Slick Rick affiliates who came up with a rap album that isn't really necessary. The cover breathes vibes R&B, but in reality the product is fully hip hop: the production, the work of Vance Wright, is simplistic, skinny, tight and minimal, uses several funky samples (especially James Brown, but also George Clinton and several rap acts) to give a NY tone to the album, while the delivery of the duo is nothing special.

Showbiz & AG — Full Scale LP

In 1992 New York rap is oriented towards jazz coming from albums such as "3 Feet High and Rising" by De La Soul (1989), "Done by the Forces of Nature" by Jungle Brothers (1989), "One for All" by Nubian Brands (1990) and Main Source's "Breaking Atoms" (1991). Show & AG replicate placing their debut gem, "Runaway Slave" (1992).

Frankie Hi-Nrg Mc — Verba manent

Nel 1992, pubblica il suo primo singolo, "Fight da faida", e nello stesso anno apre le date italiane dei concerti di Run-DMC e Beastie Boys. Non ha ancora un album ed è già odiato da tutti, per qualche motivo. L'anno seguente, Francesco Di Gesù aka Frankie hi-nrg mc, rilascia il suo esordio: è il primo album hip-hop italiano a essere pubblicato da una major label, la BMG. Inoltre, sono estratti altri tre singoli, oltre a quello del '92.

 

Steady B — What's My Name

What do you find when you place the abused word "pioneer" alongside the equally abused word "forgotten"? Thousands of artists. I just said that they are abused terms. But Steady B responds coherently to both: his sophomore jinx is highly respectable and sees him improve on last year's debut. Here, the emcee maintains his own thematic coherence by releasing several brave bars delivering hardcore with a good flow on a series of bare and raw rhythms that are supported faithfully by the drum machine and simple bass lines, while the hooks are always functional. His fresh and hardcore style is superior to that of most of the cats of the period, the music sounds good with correct samples in this simple, straight, mature LP. Released by Pop Art and Jive with RCA distribution, entirely produced by his uncle Lawrence "LG the Teacher" Goodman, the effort enters rnb chart (#40) and is considered his best album. 7/10.

Above the Law — Uncle Sam's Curse

Third studio album by Above the Law, rap group from Pomona, California, at their swan song. After the previous album, released the year before, Go Mack leaves the group, which remains formed by three elements: Cold 187um, DJ K-oss, and KMG. Cold 187um is the unique producer and affiliate Kokane is the main guest, often contributing with sung performances. Tone-Loc is the other host on the CD.

T La Rock — Lyrical King

Clarence "Terry" Ronnie Keaton aka "T La Rock" was born in Manhattan and grew up in the Bronx, he developed a passion for hip-hop, making his way as a break dancer, DJ and rapper. He's the older brother of Special K, rapper of the group the Treacherous Three, and of T.O.N.E.-z, another rapper. Special K and Rick Rubin are schoolmates and should make a track together, but the emcee is already busy with his group (also composed of LA Sunshine and Kool Moe Dee), so Special K introduces Rubin to his brother T La Rock.

Spice 1 — Spice 1

Debut studio album for Oakland rapper Spice 1, released by Jive Records and Californian label Triad Records. Production is often entrusted to Ant Banks, but Blackjack, Ea-Ski, CMT and Spice 1 himself also work behind the keyboards, creating a funky and relaxed musical carpet, typical of mobb music that emerged in the Bay Area, with good funky samples, bass lines and synths.

Mathematics — Mathematics Presents... Return of the Wu & Friends

After a good response to his previous compilation, Mathematics returns with a new CD featuring Wu-Tang Clan material, this time not unreleased. They are all remixes and previously released tracks. The disc features the Staten Island supergroup (Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Raekwon, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, GZA, RZA, ODB), affiliate Streetlife and the producer's friends Eyeslow and Buddah Bless, among others.

Schoolly D — Am I Black Enough for You?

In its fourth effort, Schoolly D changes pace to adapt to the new standards of the game and deals with Afrocentric and political themes, without fully tackling them and remaining anchored to the thug-braggadocio.

Bloods & Crips — Bangin on Wax

In 1993, Tweedy Bird Loc sought to make history, attempting to unite the street gangs Bloods & Crips into a 71-minute, 18-track album, aided by his producer Ronnie Marlon Phillips. The beats, made by Phillips, George & Darrell, J. Stank, Jerome Evans, QLuso and DJ Battlecat, are simplistic, funky boom bap, tight drum, functional hooks, some random jazzy samples, under typical gangsta bars: there are almost twenty different performers, you can't tell one from the other and it seems like the whole album is rapped by a handful of people, because they all sound the same.

MC Shy D — Got to Be Thug

This is Florida's debut album, released by a rapper from Atlanta, originally from the Bronx, whose executive producer made the fortune of Miami hip hop. It remains a record that thinks New York with its skinny n hard beats and generic functional lyrics from a classic mid-eighties b-boy who makes braggadocio his personal playground.

Grand Agent — By Design

Debut solo album by Jared Lee Taylor aka Grand Agent, rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The emcee comes from the collaborative project NAME together with producers Larry Fowler Jr. aka Mr. Cisum and Ozzie Jones, with whom he released an album in 1998 ("Lost Page of the B-Boy Document"), which never goes beyond promotional copies and never gets an official press. Later, Taylor was part of the duo 2MC together with rapper Chops, with whom he released the album "Men of Respect" in 2000.

In 2001, Grand Agent debuted as a solo artist with his own project. The album is recorded between Philadelphia, New York, Santa Monica and Los Angeles. Production is done by Kut Masta Kurt, Mr. Cisum, AG, Amed, Chops, Lord Finesse, M-Boogie, Profit Zakariah, Hi-Tek and Grand Agent. The guests are AG, Lord Finesse and Planet Asia, others are credited as background vocalists.

Schoolly-D — Saturday Night!: The Album

Schoolly-D starts recording his new album in 1986. Due to the violence, deemed excessive, of his hit "PSK What Does It Mean?", he's barred from the studio and he went to INS Studios in New York. The album is originally released under his label Schoolly-D Records with seven tracks, then the artist signs with Jive Records and the record is reissue in 1987 with three more cuts, originally destined to "Smoke Some Kill", his next LP.

Spice 1 — Let It Be Known EP

Robert Lee Green Jr. is a rapper from Hayward, California, under the moniker Spice 1, acronym for Sex, Pistol, Indo, Cash & Entertainment. Born in Texas, the boy divides his time between music and the streets, until he realizes that he has the opportunity to earn more with music and with less risk. In early nineties, Spice 1 signs with San Leandro, California label Triad Records and releases this extended play composed by seven tracks produced by Ant Banks and co-produced by himself, with live guitar executed by Stan Keith, Milton Lynch and Shorty B. MC Ant is the unique guest of the CD.

Mathematics — Mathematics Presents Wu-Tang Clan & Friends Unreleased

In 2007, producer Mathematics released a compilation featuring previously unreleased tracks from Wu-Tang Clan and affiliates. The music is credited entirely to Mathematics. The performers are the entire Wu-Tang Clan (Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, U-God, Masta Killa, GZA, Cappadonna, Method Man, RZA, Inspectah Deck), Sunz of Man (Killah Priest and Hell Razah), Superb of American Cream Team, Solomon Childs of Theodore Unit, Wu affiliates Streetlife, Shyheim and Allah Real, as well as Eyeslow, Buddha Bless, Bad Luck, All Day, M-Speed, Drama and Hot Flames.

KMC — Three Men With the Power of Ten

KMC is the acronym for Kaotic Minds Corruptin, West Coast Los Angeles hip-hop trio formed by the MCs Tee the OG & Rocc the Jock, with DJ Poison Ivey in production. This group from Santa Ana, California, deals with Priority Records. The rhythms are skeletal, simplistic and tight (always), minimal, with a skinny and heavy drum machine, trivial hooks and mainly braggadocio lyrics with extravagant references on animals, and some socio-conscious deviations ("Living in the Ghetto", "The Streets Are the Battlefield"), delivered with a syncopated and irregular style, urgent when the rhythm requires it. This effort is quite decent and focused on dark elements (ESG's "UFO" is the only noteworthy sample used for "Terrifying Tracks"), however, it's easily obscured by the other gangsta acts of the top riders. 6/10.

Mathematics — The Answer

In 2013, Wu-Tang Clan producer Mathematics released his third LP. His face graces the cover, with his name and album title at the top, with the Wu symbol so small you might not even notice it's there. Self-released again, he features Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Raekwon, Cappadonna, Masta Killa, Ol' Dirty Bastard of Wu-Tang Clan, 12 O'Clock of Brooklyn Zu, Wu affiliates La the Darkman, Allah Real and Popa Wu, as well as Ali Vegas, Termanology and Redman, among others. Eyeslow is the main guest, appearing on over half the record.

Lord Finesse — Rare and Unreleased Volume 2

In 2008, Lord Finesse drops a sequel to his previous compilation released one year ago. The disk is published by Underboss Entertainment and No Sleep Recordings. Robert Hall Jr. is the sole producer and main rapper, flanked by Big L, Grand Puba, AG, Marquee, Roy Yaers, Caron Wheeler, Kirk, Trends of Culture, God Sunz, Pitch Black, DITC and Sheek Louch.

Mathematics — The Problem

Second LP by Mathematics two years after his debut, which achieved a fair amount of sales success. On the cover the boy introduces himself as Jay-Z in 1996, at the top he places his stylized name with numbers that replace the vowels, title and in support the symbol of the Wu-Tang Clan, created by him, as big as a house, in purple, and with a purple shadow on a light blue background. Like his previous effort, the project is entirely produced by Mathematics and brings together Wu-Tang boys who need no introduction and friends of the producer.

Lord Finesse — Rare and Unreleased

In 2007, Diggin' in the Crates Crew rapper and producer Lord Finesse publishes a compilation album through independent label Underboss Entertainment. The tape is entirely produced by Finesse and features OC, Pitch Black, AK Skills, Ill Biskits, Ground Floor, Illegal, Shorty Long, Diamond D, AG, Lordz of Brooklyn, Stepehn Simmonds, Big L, Marquee, Twice, Jeff Reed, Rell and Black Coffey. In two bonus tracks are featured Bas Blasta, Fat Joe, Godfather Don, Juju, and The Notorious B.I.G.

A.G. — The Taste of AMBrosia

AG has basically never stopped since his return to the game in 2006 and in the 2010s he continued to release several records. However, this effort comes eight years after the last solo LP, "Everything's Berri". It might surprise you that it's a fairly solid LP, backed up by really good production.

Termanology — Cameo King 2024

Eight years have passed since the last edition, but Daniel Carrillo bka Termanology never gives up and returns once again to release a chapter of his successful mixtape series "Cameo King". Even though we are on his fourth effort, the boy releases a tape without numbering the edition, pressing five hundred copies of vinyl released by his own ST Records and by the independent label 1332 Records based in Boise, Idaho.

Warcloud — Smugglin’ Booze in the Graveyard

After releasing his solo debut album, the former Black Knights leader Warcloud, West Coast rapper affiliated to the Wu-Tang Clan, publishes his second CD, always in 2002 through Skarekrow Music label as independent. While the previous effort was an almost "homemade" production, if you like, with a series of beats created by Skarekrow and a few others, and friends rapping abstract lyrics along with him, with the notable addition of Kurupt, this album sees a strong presence behind the keyboards of some of the best producers of the Wu-Tang Clan.

A.G. — Everything's Berri

It should be the third solo for veteran AG, which can boast a couple of classics in the trophy case thanks to a stellar production by his friend Showbiz in the early nineties. To say that twenty years later he lost energy, it'd not be entirely true. Already in 2000 he seems to have completely exhausted it (check "The Dirty Version"). It can be said with a sad certainty, that here, as in "Oasis" of the past year, he hasn't found it.

YZ — EP

After his debut album, Anthony "YZ" Hill drops an anonymous EP the following year: six tracks, one instrumental, one remix, a couple of mediocre ones. The production chosen by the rapper and Tony D is funky and accessible, consisting of simple, minimal, light, skinny and tight beats, with a syncopated and skinny drum machine, sometimes vibrant or frenetic, some of these rhythms are also fresh at first listenings. The syncopated and slow delivery of the rapper — urgent on frantic tracks — is stopped by functional hooks, there are no particular inviting samples or successful bridges: in conclusion, it's a forgettable effort, although you can find some funny tunes. 5/10.

Blue Sky Black Death & Hell Razah — Razah's Ladder

In 2007, Sunz of Man leader Chron "Hell Razah" Smith's fourth studio album was released, produced entirely by the production team Blue Sky Black Death, who the year before had released a collaborative album with another prominent Wu-Tang Clan affiliate, Holocaust, formerly of the Black Knights. The guests included Sunz members Prodigal Sunn and Shabazz the Disciple, as well as Ill Bill and Sabac of Non Phixion and KXNG Crooked.

Racionais MC's — Racionais MC's

In 1994, Racionais MC's are an irrepressible force in the Brazilian music scene, so much so that they were arrested by the police at the end of a concert in downtown São Paulo.

Dred Scott — Breakin' Combs

Jonathan Scott aka Dred Scott's only album is a hidden gem of the golden age. The Los Angeles-based artist is a producer and rapper, also providing the vocal background to himself: he does everything, helped by several engineers, some skilled live instrumentalists and a few guests, such as Adriana Evans, Da Grinch and Big Domino. Tragedy Khadafi provides the background on a couple of tracks.

Blue Sky Black Death & Holocaust — The Holocaust

In 2006 Anthony "The Holocaust" Brown released his fifth studio album, entirely produced by the production team Blue Sky Black Death and without the presence of any external guests.

Lord Finesse — From the Crates to the Files: The Lost Sessions

Great compilation album that includes some Lord Finesse's classics and several more or less successful remixes.

Lord Finesse — The SP 1200 Project

Lord Finesse releases this instrumental disk with his indepedent labels Bossmen and Slice-of-Spice, almost twenty years after his last studio LP. The first CD is excellent (8/10), the second much less (7/10) growing in the final with the last three dope bonus tracks: put together we note a deep decline in the quality of the instrumentals in the second part.

Coop MC — Home of the Killers

Debut studio album by Coop MC, rapper from Fort Worth, Texas. There's no credit for production, while the guests are SJ and The Joint. The cover is designed by Pen & Pixel. The main emcee realizes an album of over an hour of gangsta rap narratives, with some of the best hip-hop music ever created in the South. The record starts strong with gorgeous synths lines, perfect drums, slick beats and a velvet rapping style by Coop MC. Then, the effort has some flexion in the central part, without ever diminishing the quality of the music offered, supported by fluid soundscapes, guessed rnb hooks, and good gangsta rap. In the final twenty-five minutes, the project proves that it deserves to be called one of the best Southern hip-hop records of the year and arguably the decade. Published by Houston, Texas label On the Rise Records, distributed by Midwest Records, the tape is reissue in 2016 by Japan label II Tight LLC and in 2012 by Italian label Armabillion Recordz, recommended to fans of gangsta rap. 8/10.

Fat Joe — The Darkside Vol. 1

Again dissatisfied with the lack of promotion he received for his album from Caroline/EMI, the Bronx rapper Fat Joe goes on the hunt for a new record company to release his music with and finds it by signing an agreement with independent label E1 Music in early 2010. After the commercial and critical flop of his previous album, which also contributed to alienating part of his niche of most loyal fans, the champion from the Bronx returns with a new "serious", hardcore and non-mainstream album in order to win back his fans and consolidate his musical legacy by returning to his hip-hop roots.

Queen Latifah — All Hail the Queen

Dana "Queen Latifah" Owens was born in Newark, New Jersey, living primarily in East Orange, New Jersey. Original member of the Flavor Unit crew, her song "Princess of the Posse" got the attention of Dante Ross, Tommy Boy Music employee who signed the emcee in 1988 with the help of Fab 5 Freddy, host of Yo! MTV Raps. With Tommy Boy, Queen Latifah releases "Wrath of My Madness" with "Princess of the Posse" as b-side, then publishes her debut album at the age of nineteen years old.