1998 = The Most Underrated Year In Hip-Hop History
the winter was always the layover from the previous year. so it was mostly about bad boy, wutang, mo thugs, no limit, refugees, firm flop, etc.
by the spring, no limit took over as the top label and even has the east coasters coppin(or bootlegging) their albums twice a month, which spirals into the southern market as a whole becoming a thing and basically taking the west coast's spot. meanwhile the new generation is taking center stage on the east coast, with ya man X changing the landscape completely, while cannibus getting spins on BET's biggest show for 2nd round knockout.
by the summer, the old guard on the east has officially taken a backseat. along with the old guard on the west, but the west didn't produce any new stars. while the south flag is firmly in place for good. master p went from having banned videos/movies to a glossy VMA performance and he saves snoop's career.
by the fall - lauryn hill becomes the queen of urban music. jay-z blows up to the moon and jarule is introduced on what is really his song low-key. DMX is THEE MAN and hes about to drop a movie too. the new generation is in full swing on both the east AND south. a flood of other labels and artists are beginning to come up from the south behind no limit, including these other guys out of new Orleans. some old drunk named juvenile that keeps patronizing me after every half-bar.