Classic Albums

Has the classic hip-hop album become a thing of the past? I remember growing up in the eighties listening to one of the first albums I considered to be a classic, Bigger and Deffer by LL. Cool J. What made this album a classic was that every song had well thought out production and lyrical content, style and charisma. The song that I didn't care for,"I need love", which I later learned to appreciated, was one of the greatest hits in hip-hop music. Later that summer Eric B and Rakim's "Paid in Full" was released. Rakim took lyricism in a different direction from what it was heading in. Instead of telling a story, Rakim would paint you a portrait of what he was rhyming about. Both albums were complete. Each song living as an individual united to speak to your soul. We need more of this. Remembering the summer of 87 takes me to a place of joy, pure satisfaction. The albums, the whole album had to be worthy of the fans. In comparison to today's Ipod generation where one song is .99, that time was priceless. Here are some albums that I consider classics. Not in any order.

Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back
Common, Be
Lupe Fiasco, The Cool
Game, The Documentary
DJ QUIK, Quik is the Name and Rhythmalism
EPMD,Strictly Business
Kanye West, College Dropout
Eminem, The Slim Shady LP
Nas, Stillmatic
Notorious B.I.G, Life After Death
Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown and Nature presents the Firm
Foxy Brown, Ill Na Na and Broken Silence
Raekwon, Only built for Cuban links
Will Smith, believe it or not, Willenium
Boogie Down Productions, Criminal Minded
Ice Cube, Amerikkka's Most Wanted
Eazy-E, Eazy Does It

What is hip hop exactly?

If you were to ask 10 people what is hip hop. You would get 30 different answers. Why is that? Why can't we clearly define something that has been around for over thirty years.Hip-Hop can be described by the many different artforms that stem from it: Djing, MCing, etc..,. Each artform having its own distinctive quality. But can hip-hop be defined in a language that can be universally interpreted by all cultures? I believe so. But what has to happen is that we need to care about The Hip-Hop culture enough to share it amongst others so that we can come to this global understanding.

I can't give a formal definition of Hip-Hop. But, the funny thing about that statement is the fact that it does not need a formal introduction due to the nature of the subject in question, Hip-hop. Hip-hop is revolutionary.

This is what hip-hop means to me. Hip-Hop is an American subculture and movement. It has its own fashion , language, intellect and customs. The message of hip hop is one of the unfortunate urban youth, so the whole culture maybe misinterpreted as criminal, defiant an obscene, seeing that these are elements that are found in the streets. But hip hop is more than that. It is a united stand of the urban areas saying with one voice," We are here, we are strong and we are enlightened". Now what do you think HIP HOP is?

"Holy Integrated People Having Omnipresent Power"

9 elements by KRS-ONE