Stuck in the past.... Hip Hop (Part 1).

Ok, so this is the first of many posts about my obsession with the 80's and 90's. I'm a 90's baby, but as soon as I was old enough to notice the painfully obvious difference in style, culture and expression between the decades, I knew that I appreciated the old school vibes a great deal. I decided to start off with Hiphop because it is literally what I know the most about... I really do love it. it's how I learnt about every other urban genre of music. Hell, it's why at the age of 9 I decide to 'pursue'a career in rap. I called myself lil Slim, then lil X, then MC Slimmy Slim... Lol good times. So here's part 1 of my list (in no particular order) of influential hip hop artistes and songs. Enjoy.x

Definitely one of the greatest hip hop groups to ever do it!

I can't remember the first time I actually heard of A Tribe Called Quest but it's been such a long time and I still can't get over it. Everytime I hear Sucka N***a I actually bug out. It comes on and I literally just want to break into a 2 step- at least! I like to think the first time I discovered ATCQ was when I was about 8 and I heard Scenario featuring Busta Rhymes but the honest truth was Busta made that song for me. But when I finally heard can I Kick It and Sucka N***a, ugh I was sucked in! I haven't looked back since. Think I'll still be listening to ATCQ when I'm 40! Ha! 

Scenario

Sucka N***a

 De La Soul!

I actually got hooked on De La quite late. It was when I heard Me, Myself and I for the first time... I was about 11 or 12. I literally jumped up from the couch and pressed record on the vcr I had to! Back then I always had a blank video tape in the vcr ready to record anything that I felt was worthy. It was brilliant. Internet access was limited back then so I had to wait with bated breath for the next time I would hear from them... It wasn't long till I heard All Good featuring Chaka Khan... Ahhh a great collaboration! I plan to see them in London on the 4th of December... If you're a fan with 50 quid to spare you should too. I have no doubt it'll be a great night. 

Me, Myself and I

Breakadawn

Lords Of The Underground

Ok! The moment I heard Chief Rocka I almost broke my gamecube. It was Summer '03, in Nigeria. My brother had chicken pox, my friends were all in England, all I had was the gamecube, the ps2, the games and lots of time. I had just got NBA Street vol. 2 on my gamecube and decided to give it a go. It turned out to be the best game I had ever played. (it's the reason why, in 2011, I still have a ps2!) Then I heard it; Chief Rocka! Argh honestly it was the best thing I had ever heard. It's still my one of my all time favourite hip hop songs and Lords of the Underground still get so much love from me. 

Chief Rocka

Funky Child

DMX

Ok! X should have been first but I can't be bothered to rearrange this! Anyone who knew me when I was about 7,8,9,10 knew about my obsession with DMX. I was greatly influenced by my brother, his taste in music, the way he dressed and even his mannerisms. He loved DMX and so naturally I followed suit, but then i got completely into him. The first album I got my hands on (literally stole from my brother when he went away to school! Ha! Hey broham!) was "And then there was X" and from the very first track it was love! "Get 'em boy, get 'em boy!" Haha! I knew all the lyrics to pretty much every track on the CD and I really don't care how that makes me look. DMX is, to me, one of the best rappers of the 90's and early 00's. Whereas some might condemn him as angry or devlish I believe he was passionate, to a fault. Even though he's fallen off I still love X. Someone needs to start a petition for X to perform in London... an unplugged show like MTV used to do when they were... MUSIC TELEVISION! 

Ruff Ryders Anthem Remix

Ok! Forget the original it is all about X's verse on this remix. "Now this is gonna hit y'all n***as hard, leave y'all n***as scarred!" I LOVED Ruff Ryders, used to think I was meant to be a part of the crew. Lol.

Party Up!

Nasty Nas!

I used to argue with anyone who thought differently about who the King of NY was. It was such a personal battle that it sometimes led to us not speaking for a few minutes. Haha. Nas, to me, was and is such a ridiculous wordsmith that it is highly offensive not to acknowledge that. Illmatic alone trumps the competition. Let's not even talk about It Was Written, Stillmatic, God's Son!!! But I digress... The first song I heard by Nas was If I ruled the world featuring Lauryn Hill. At the time I wasn't really feeling it, I love Lauryn and I love Nas but I didn't appreciate that song till much later. It was when I heard It Ain't Hard To Tell that my respect for Nas sky-rocketed. Nas is such a lyrical genius and I will always put him on a higher pedestal than a lot of other rappers- Always! 

Made You Look

Nah Mean- Love this album!

Common

I'm going to post this but I swear I'm going to have to do a separate post dedicated to common and his music. This man! His music!!! I have said, so many times, how much Common's music moves me. It is pure poetry... so beautiful. The first common song I heard was Sixth Sense... And honestly between Dj Premier's sick production and Common's lyrics and flow I haven't been able to let this song go. Everytime I listen to a Common song I am taken to a different place entirely... It transports me to a stoop in brooklyn circa 1991, sitting there with my high tops, my high waisted jeans and baggy jumper, holding my walkman and bumping to it like no man's business. Fucking GOOD music! 

Sixth Sense

I Used To Love H.E.R

I think I need to stop now.... So that's it for part 1 of the hip hop chronicles. I'm going to be posting a lot of great music on this blog so be sure to check back everyday or so. Hope you like it so far! 

Peace and love... Son x