1998 was a very underrated year in Hip-Hop ... so many banging albums came out

[Stick Up Kid]

only like 5 quality projects on that entire list if were keeping it all the way real

lotta classic joints came out in 1998 tho

-Hard Knock Life
-Rosa Park
-Deja Vu (Uptown)
-Ruff Ryders Anthem
-Doo Wop
-Can I Get A
-Superthug
-HA
-Nobody Does it Better
-Still Not a Player
-John Blaze
-Definition
-Get At Me Dog
-Ghetto Superstar
-Back That Azz Up
-Horse and Carriage
-Moment of Truth
-How It's Goin Down
-He Got Game
etc

 

[god shamgod]

You mentioned not one no limit release

Young bleed & silk da shocker dropped nice albums too

 

[vdfebduderocks]

1998 was the last year before bootlegging started ruining album releases and ultimately turned the No Limit business model into dust.

 

[JMD]

No, it was not 1988 or 1993, but looking back, there was a steady stream of quality albums coming out damn near every week.

The word "classic" gets thrown around too much and has lost meaning on this site. But there were soooo many albums that came out in 1998 that were solid from beginning to end. There were also lots of albums that came out that had plenty of flaws and/or were disappointing, but still had some great songs and spent lots of time in my rotation.

Here is a partial list:

Pete Rock - Soul Survivor
Outkast - Aquemini
Jay-Z - Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life
Mos Def & Talib Kweli - Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Blackstar
Brand Nubian - Foundation
Ras Kass - Rasassination
Xzibit - 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz
Fat Joe - Don Cartegena
Big Punisher - Capital Punishment
RZA - RZA as Bobby Digital in Stereo
Method Man - Tical 2000: Judgement Day
Redman - Doc's Da Name 2000
Gang Starr - Moment of Truth
DMX - It's Dark and Hell is Hot
DMX - Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty
M.O.P. - First Family 4 Life
Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Busta Rhymes - Extinction Level Event
Ice Cube - War & Peace Vol. 1: The War Disc
Heltah Skeltah - Magnum Force
Kool G Rap - Roots of Evil
Big Daddy Kane - Veteranz Day
Public Enemy - He Got Game
A Tribe Called Quest - The Love Movement
Noreaga - N.O.R.E.
Funkmaster Flex - The Mixtape Vol. 3
Canibus - Can-I-Bus
Kurupt - Kuruption
Twista - Mobstabiity
Pras - Ghetto Superstar
DJ Clue - The Professional
Cappadonna - The Pillage

a few I don’t consider that good but overall dope list

It’s Dark and Hell is Hot probably my personal fav from ‘98

 

[2ATMsYouSteppinOrWhat]

lotta classic joints came out in 1998 tho

-Hard Knock Life
-Rosa Park
-Deja Vu (Uptown)
-Ruff Ryders Anthem
-Doo Wop
-Can I Get A
-Superthug
-HA
-Nobody Does it Better
-Still Not a Player
-John Blaze
-Definition
-Get At Me Dog
-Ghetto Superstar
-Back That Azz Up
-Horse and Carriage
-Moment of Truth
-How It's Goin Down
-He Got Game
etc

but you can say that about pretty much any year in the 90’s from like 93 onward

 

[Keep_It_Hip_Hop_Fam]

Everyone knows 1998 was DMX's year. Not close to being underrated.

One of the most impactful album releases.

Jay also has his breakout year that year.

 

[AlbertPullhoez]

 

[re'up]

Was 12 in 1998 and this was when I came into the game, lived through 1997 and knew the music, but 1998 was when I could more actively participate, buying magazines, albums, a lot of cd singles, saving up change for streetwear clothes of the time, chains and bracelets from the mall.

The more sharply defined first memories are from 1998, from Ginuwine Same Ol G, Next Too Close, Hard Knock Life, Ruff Ryders Anthem,

that was my era. I Got The Hook Up, 112, Dru Hill, How Deep Is Your Love For Me, Gone Til November, KP and Envy Swing My Way

 

[mitter]

lotta classic joints came out in 1998 tho

-Hard Knock Life
-Rosa Park
-Deja Vu (Uptown)
-Ruff Ryders Anthem
-Doo Wop
-Can I Get A
-Superthug
-HA
-Nobody Does it Better
-Still Not a Player
-John Blaze
-Definition
-Get At Me Dog
-Ghetto Superstar
-Back That Azz Up
-Horse and Carriage
-Moment of Truth
-How It's Goin Down
-He Got Game
etc

I forgot about the Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz album. "Deja Vu" was awesome, but it had some other joints that I listened to a lot (for example, "We Will Ball")

 

[mitter]

It is absolutely not

It was an improvement from 97, though. 3 or so classics, but a lot of joints that were still dope enough to bump

Also had
La The Dark Man - Heist Of The Century
Killah Priest - Heavy Mental
Suns Of Man - The Last Shall Be First
Flipmode Squad - The Imperial
Def Squad - El Niño
Cam'ron - Confessions Of Fire
Belly Soundtrack
Bulworth Soundtrack
Onyx - Shut Em Down

I forgot about a lot of those

Belly soundtrack and Bulworth soundtrack were banging!

 

[Art Barr]

no son, I'm a fan of hip hop since 1984. Roots of Evil at best is G raps 4th best album. MOT is not every Gang Starr fan's best album, but a majority of them I've heard over the years(not all) have stated this is the one where they figured it out and unintentionally crossed over. And yes I was a Gang Starr fan since 89. Attended one of their concerts, Spoke to the whole crew. Now I'm not saying Either Guru or Pun are better than G rap. G rap is one of my personal favorites of all time. Him and Rakim. Chuck D is also one of my all time favorites (PE is my favorite group). An album consists of beats AND lyrics. Beats on Roots of evil were dope(especially the Stephani Mills sample used by Pudgee and Lost Boyz 2 years prior) but there is no way on earth that was a better album than MOT. no way, no how. Biggie came from Kane's family tree, are we to also believe Daddy's Home was better than Ready to Die? And I liked Daddy's Home too.

For the record, my house is like a goddamn museum of hip hop books, mags(literally decades worth), vinyl, cds, cassettes, show fliers, posters, equipment(3 sets of turntables, and cassettes I personally recoded hip hop programs off the radio over 30 years ago until around 2004. So no, I'm not a casual.... I lived it in real time just like you so I won't get caught up in this, "I'm more hip hop than you cuz I like this albums better"

Again.

For all your responses.

You still never paid any attention to reviewing these records in real time. Plus you self admittedly said you not an expert of gangstarr records.
Even though you have a Supreme like of the culture of hiphop.
Where you skimmed material and did not know the full quality mechanics to the culture to even review a work of art from one of its businesses

Plus this post I am replying to.
reeks again of you skimming material.
As I do not believe you read my post in full.
Plus still never provided any actual review of any album over the years to offer any real counter to my review. To the point you still never even reviewed the album.
nor the time period of any of the artist you brought up. While alternatively,...

I still countered indepthly about every artist.
who could give any idea of possibly being given a rating superior to roots of evil. Plus why it never occurred. On top of a complexion of the material released that year consistently still a quarter of a century that still mirrors my original reviews then as well.

Now as far as who is in a pillar and who is actualized in numerous pillars and a grassroots headliner.

I am definitely in the culture of hiphop.
In show and prove.
as an ACTUALIZED GRASSROOTS HEADLINING superior bboy emcee and writer to you.
Plus most of the history of hiphop too.

These are facts.

Especially in the pillar of emcee'n.





Art Barr

 

[Stick Up Kid]

but you can say that about pretty much any year in the 90’s from like 93 onward

that's not what you said... you said there wasnt lotta quality in 1998.

 

[Tommy Gibbs]

Again.

For all your responses.

You still never paid any attention to reviewing these records in real time. Plus you self admittedly said you not an expert of gangstarr records.
Even though you have a Supreme like of the culture of hiphop.
Where you skimmed material and did not know the full quality mechanics to the culture to even review a work of art from one of its businesses

Plus this post I am replying to.
reeks again of you skimming material.
As I do not believe you read my post in full.
Plus still never provided any actual review of any album over the years to offer any real counter to my review. To the point you still never even reviewed the album.
nor the time period of any of the artist you brought up. While alternatively,...

I still countered indepthly about every artist.
who could give any idea of possibly being given a rating superior to roots of evil. Plus why it never occurred. On top of a complexion of the material released that year consistently still a quarter of a century that still mirrors my original reviews then as well.

Now as far as who is in a pillar and who is actualized in numerous pillars and a grassroots headliner.

I am definitely in the culture of hiphop.
In show and prove.
as an ACTUALIZED GRASSROOTS HEADLINING superior bboy emcee and writer to you.
Plus most of the history of hiphop too.

These are facts.

Especially in the pillar of emcee'n.





Art Barr

How am I not an expert on Gang Starr records? I've been listening to them since their debut hahaha. I was 20 going on 21 when MOT dropped. Still have the source mag with Cube on the cover in which they received 4.5 mics. I was watching the Tonight show in real time the summer of 92 when they performed "take it personal" as the 2nd ever rap artsts to be on the tonight show. I have a gang of original pressings of Gang Starr vinyl AND cds/cassettes. Attended a gang starr concert in September of 99 that Guru autographed all of my albums(Primo wouldn't come out of the back after the concert). For the record, I was a bboy, but not great. You saying you were a better bboy and rapper than me means absolutely nothing because I'm not great at those . That's like saying you're a better soccer player than me. You can have it homeboy. How could I not pay attention to MOT when I was listening to it every day all day. That year in 1998, all I could do was play ball and listen to music. I was on a military deployment restricted to a base for 6 months of 1998.

I have no idea why you want to go on this "i'm more hip hop than you" tirade with everyone on the site, but i'm seriously not the one for that argument. Cuz I can also dig into my stash of pictures of touring (actually touring with a band) highlighting artists, some of them before they blew up. So let's just stop this please. It's going nowhere. And as a G Rap fan, I have lot of his original pressings and collectible hip hop items from his career as well. I'm not here to prove I'm "more hip hop" than you or anyone. It's quite silly and my life is too good to have to do that on a forum with a bunch of 20 year olds.

 

[2ATMsYouSteppinOrWhat]

that's not what you said... you said there wasnt lotta quality in 1998.

i was referring to the albums that dropped that year dude listed like 25 different project and most of that list was some grade a trash

theres always quality singles/songs dropping every year

 

[re'up]

Nobody Does it Better

that was major for me, felt so g'd up with that song on the radio, had the cd single

felt like that year was 2 years, because of the amount of music and your sense of time as a child