As for funk being in the mainstream, it dominated R&B radio in the early 1980s.

namepeace said:

the last golden era in hip hop ( 93' - 95')

Soulchild82 said:

I agree. It Was Written was a good album. Did that drop in '95? I could have sworn it was '96.

And I wholeheartedly agree with you that 1993-95 was the last "golden age" of hip-hop (I've posted 2 threads that '94 was the single greatest year in hip-hop history), and I would extend it into '96. At that time, hip-hop had a variety of acts that diversified the scene.

Here are some of the other albums I think that make that era one of the defining eras of hip-hop:

Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the 36 Chambers (1993)

De La Soul, Buhloone Mindstate (1993)

Dr. Dre, The Chronic (1993)

A Tribe Called Quest, Midnight Marauders (1993)

Black Moon, Enta Da Stage (1993)

Nas, Illmatic (1994)

Notorious B.I.G., Ready To Die (1994)

Digable Planets, Blowout Comb (1994)

Jeru The Damaja, The Sun Rises in the East (1994)

The Beatnuts, The Beatnuts (1994)

Common Sense, Resurrection (1994)

Gang Starr, Hard to Earn (1994)

Redman, Dare Iz A Darkside (1994)

Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (1995)

Mobb Deep, The Infamous (1995)

De La Soul, Stakes Is High (1996)

Jeru The Damaja, The Wrath of the Math (1996)

The Fugees, The Score (1996)

Soulchild82 said:

I agree. It Was Written was a good album. Did that drop in '95? I could have sworn it was '96.

And I wholeheartedly agree with you that 1993-95 was the last "golden age" of hip-hop (I've posted 2 threads that '94 was the single greatest year in hip-hop history), and I would extend it into '96. At that time, hip-hop had a variety of acts that diversified the scene.

Here are some of the other albums I think that make that era one of the defining eras of hip-hop:

Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the 36 Chambers (1993)

De La Soul, Buhloone Mindstate (1993)

Dr. Dre, The Chronic (1993)

A Tribe Called Quest, Midnight Marauders (1993)

Black Moon, Enta Da Stage (1993)

Nas, Illmatic (1994)

Notorious B.I.G., Ready To Die (1994)

Digable Planets, Blowout Comb (1994)

Jeru The Damaja, The Sun Rises in the East (1994)

The Beatnuts, The Beatnuts (1994)

Common Sense, Resurrection (1994)

Gang Starr, Hard to Earn (1994)

Redman, Dare Iz A Darkside (1994)

Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (1995)

Mobb Deep, The Infamous (1995)

De La Soul, Stakes Is High (1996)

Jeru The Damaja, The Wrath of the Math (1996)

The Fugees, The Score (1996)

namepeace said:

That's a great list, bro.
The early to mid-90's were where my love and appreciation for true hip hop was in bloom.

Soulchild82 said:

I agree. It Was Written was a good album. Did that drop in '95? I could have sworn it was '96.

And I wholeheartedly agree with you that 1993-95 was the last "golden age" of hip-hop (I've posted 2 threads that '94 was the single greatest year in hip-hop history), and I would extend it into '96. At that time, hip-hop had a variety of acts that diversified the scene.

Here are some of the other albums I think that make that era one of the defining eras of hip-hop:

Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the 36 Chambers (1993)

De La Soul, Buhloone Mindstate (1993)

Dr. Dre, The Chronic (1993)

A Tribe Called Quest, Midnight Marauders (1993)

Black Moon, Enta Da Stage (1993)

Nas, Illmatic (1994)

Notorious B.I.G., Ready To Die (1994)

Digable Planets, Blowout Comb (1994)

Jeru The Damaja, The Sun Rises in the East (1994)

The Beatnuts, The Beatnuts (1994)

Common Sense, Resurrection (1994)

Gang Starr, Hard to Earn (1994)

Redman, Dare Iz A Darkside (1994)

Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (1995)

Mobb Deep, The Infamous (1995)

De La Soul, Stakes Is High (1996)

Jeru The Damaja, The Wrath of the Math (1996)

The Fugees, The Score (1996)

I noticed one thing missing from that list:

Pete Rock and CL Smooth - THe Main Ingredient

I don't know who'll be the death of it...but this song is pretty bad and should make you wanna run for cover. Franchize-"White Tee"... a song about white T-shirts.

Yea in my white tee [x12]

[Hook x2]
I slang in my white tee
I bang in my white tee
All in the club spitting game in my white tee
I bling in my white tee sver things in my white tee
Fuck a throwback i look clean in my white tee

[Verse 1]

Step on the scene with some green and some hard white work
Real clean fresh jeans and a all white shirt
We all get money and we all smoke twerk
Hit the dirt one squirt will leave all yall murk
Cause im fresh in my white tee they glance at my white tee and i
Got the hat that match my pants and my white tee
Whoever that you might see
I know they got a white tee
Uncle brother sister mother dad or ur wifey
Hanes or fruit of the loom be the
Name of my white tee
I gotta change man its a stain on my white tee
Lames in a white tee i bring the pain in my white tee
Hispanic cracka nigga ever yangs wearin white tee
Hit the club deep and we all got a white tee
A throw back no that hell naw it dont excite me
You dont need no throwback cause you will be sat on your white
Tee you can get a circle or a v neck on ur white tee

[Hook x2]

[Verse 2]

I hit the mall in my white tee
Ooh I think they like me or they like the diamonds cause they shine so brightly
Yeah u know i how i be under my tee it the wifey
.... or tighly
For them niggas who think im soft nigga come and try me
They going to find your body
White tees in the club and while we drinking on bacardi
Fuck throwbacks white tees in party
Now dont get me started gotta try bacardi
Drama we avoid it
Everyone one wear white tees cause they can afford it
Girls wear white tees boys wear white tees
Niggas in the trap now i bet they got a white tee
I wear a white tee, you wear a white tee
The next day catch me with a brand new white tee
Oh they buy clean white shoes fresh jeans
But on that boy shirt what it say not a thingg

[Hook x2]

I gotta couple throwbacks it just I choose not to wear them
White tee extravganza nigga like a foot locker sale
Niggas think i done fail but my paper stacking a lot
Or you can throw back this but
Partner check my nine
And im a ghetto gangsta white tee laws gone hate ya
Street gangs with a little fame them hoes gonna chase ya
Can't exscape from this white shit it done covered the map
Like crack been her in the 80s and it took over the trap
Come to the hood you can find me trapping in my white tee
Standing with a full grill niggas might try me know how i be still in my white tee
Rock jeans tiger green yeah girls like me
Haters try to bite me
Some try to dislike me
Became a rich nigga and the feds try to indicte me

Yea in my white tee [x12]

Here are some of the other albums I think that make that era one of the defining eras of hip-hop:

The artists I found myself attracted to were ones that in my mind weren't stereotypical of the genre (De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, etc) but were more creative in their choice of subject matter and had an intelligent sense of humor. Or flat out lampooned the idiom periodically (Digital Underground).

Hip-hop hasn't really died. There are many artists out there with no airplay and no videos that still generate creative product. De La Soul, Talib Kweli, JayLib, MF Doom and Common come to mind. Not to mention OutKast. A Tribe Called Quest is reuniting.

I think the murderers of Tupac and Biggie derailed hip-hop. They have since had hundreds of would-be imitators whose lyrics and videos remind me of a modern day minstrel show. Hip-hop's image is that of a mindless, soulless, illiterate, materialistic mess. It's been co-opted by radio, R&B, cinema and the media vanguard. KRS-ONE and Chuck D must be beside themselves.

The tide is starting to turn slowly, but we've come full circle again. Hip-hop went from fad to art form to fad, a vehicle to sell records, sports gear and other product. Hopefully, the image will become passe and the music will thrive on the underground scene.

Ma$e

Janfriend said:

BINGO!! welcome back kotter ( think thats what that sho was called) is n no way shape or form hip hop...mase need to stay his ass in the church nstead of jumpin on the money train that is hip hop/rap wit that piece of shit song.

Moonwalkbjrain said:

He needs you learn how to speak

Janfriend said:

exscuse me?

Moonwalkbjrain said:

oops can't spell right now. I edited it. Sorry

Janfriend said:

BINGO!! welcome back kotter ( think thats what that sho was called) is n no way shape or form hip hop...mase need to stay his ass in the church nstead of jumpin on the money train that is hip hop/rap wit that piece of shit song.

namepeace said:

I noticed one thing missing from that list:

Pete Rock and CL Smooth - THe Main Ingredient

death of hip hop: Lil John, Franchise Boyz, Yin Yang Twins, etc.