Think about the undeniable hip hop classics of the 90s: Illmatic, Cuban Linx, Supreme Clientele, Midnight Marauders, etc....
They got hip hop radio play but they were never Billboard hits. You don't hear them everywhere you go in a "general" environment. You probably hear them everywhere you go in a hip hop environment, but not in a general setting. You won't be listening to a top 40 station or at a generic "top 40 and other" club and hear a Nas song.
Compare that to Ready to Die, Life After Death, Doggystyle, All Eyez on Me, Miseducation....
You can hear Juicy anywhere. Radio, club, whatever. Hypnotize. Who Am I. Doo Wop. California Love.
For a general audience (casual hip hop fans and non hip hop fans), songs like "Hypnotize" are essential 90s hip hop songs.
Because they get played so much, is that partly why we don't deem them as great as an Illmatic, even though all are great songs in their own right?
If radio constantly played "Memory Lane", would that song still be as special as it is today?
Thoughts?
edit: Another way to think about it: at home, I never have the urge to play any Biggie radio joint. I hear it everywhere anyway. Whereas, sometimes I wanna hear "Made You Look". That's a Nas radio song, but it's more fire to me than Hypnotize. Even though both songs are fantastic.
They got hip hop radio play but they were never Billboard hits. You don't hear them everywhere you go in a "general" environment. You probably hear them everywhere you go in a hip hop environment, but not in a general setting. You won't be listening to a top 40 station or at a generic "top 40 and other" club and hear a Nas song.
Compare that to Ready to Die, Life After Death, Doggystyle, All Eyez on Me, Miseducation....
You can hear Juicy anywhere. Radio, club, whatever. Hypnotize. Who Am I. Doo Wop. California Love.
For a general audience (casual hip hop fans and non hip hop fans), songs like "Hypnotize" are essential 90s hip hop songs.
Because they get played so much, is that partly why we don't deem them as great as an Illmatic, even though all are great songs in their own right?
If radio constantly played "Memory Lane", would that song still be as special as it is today?
Thoughts?
edit: Another way to think about it: at home, I never have the urge to play any Biggie radio joint. I hear it everywhere anyway. Whereas, sometimes I wanna hear "Made You Look". That's a Nas radio song, but it's more fire to me than Hypnotize. Even though both songs are fantastic.
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A WOAT campaign was started within weeks of my arrival on The Coli. Spearheaded by my #2 dikkrider 
) so 
but it would make a change to hear that track.
