Was 1996 the Peak of Rhyming? Free Daps & Reps

[mobbinfms]

No mention of Pharoahe Monch on Stress: The Extinction Agenda?

That might put 94 over the top.

 

[mobbinfms]

A Million and One Questions, Imaginary Player, Friend or Foe 98, Rap Game/Crack Game, Where Im From. The word play on those songs are ridiculous. Overall I think RD is a much better album tho

That's what's crazy about it. Jay had all these classic songs with classic verses on them. AND it still felt like a noticeable decline from RD.
Jay on RD is as good as any rapper on any album ever.
And when I heard that Primo beat on A Million and Jay started rapping
I thought
Is he gonna do it again?
Didn't keep it on that level though

 

[definition]

1994
Nas on Illmatic
Common on Resurrection
B.I.G. on Ready to Die
Redman on Dare Iz A Darkside
OutKast on Southernplaya (best Kast album IMO)
O.C. on Word...Life
Scarface on The Diary
Jeru on Sun Rises

Concur with 1994

Add on "stress" by OK, "genocide and juice" by The Coup, and I'm sure many others.

1996 was great though. I think you could argue that 1994-96 was as good as 86-88 (or 88-90, if you prefer).

 

[Pinyapplesuckas]

Wouldn't that mean it's the greatest year of all time??

arguably...its hard to say because its all subjective...its one of the last years left in the 90s that doesnt sound too dated right now...lots of albums dropped that year that were slept on in the moment as well.

 

[mobbinfms]

lots of albums dropped that year that were slept on in the moment as well.

It's crazy when you think about it.
I'm kinda swayed right now for 94 though.
Thinking about editing the thread title since @ISOMELO came through and crushed the buildings

 

[Pinyapplesuckas]

It's crazy when you think about it.
I'm kinda swayed right now for 94 though.
Thinking about editing the thread title since @ISOMELO came through and crushed the buildings

yeah 94 and 96 are unfukkwitable...it doesnt get the props it deserves compared to 88 and 94 but time and revisionist history is giving it some burn lol

 

[mobbinfms]

yeah 94 and 96 are unfukkwitable...it doesnt get the props it deserves compared to 88 and 94 but time and revisionist history is giving it some burn lol

And 95 has The Infamous, OBFCL and Liquid Swords

 

[SonnyDecay]

1996 also had

 

[mobbinfms]

1996 also had

I never knew there was a video for this

 

[mobbinfms]

I believe so. Not only was every coast bringing their a game but it didn't matter if you were mainstream or underground cause you were still expected to be lyrical.

Every coast and the Midwest had this shyt

 

[mobbinfms]

Hip hop from 96-99 was

93-96 was

 

[mobbinfms]

For the most part, that era was hardly watered down. Listening to some of the lyrics, a lot of the songs that came from them were far from watered down. Listen to what Biggie was saying on "Hypnotize". There was also the lyrics on "It's All About The Benjamins". Harlem World had "24 Hrs. To Live" as a single. No Limit definitely wasn't as mainstream and they really gained steam in '96 with "Bout It" and "Break Em Off Somethin". Truthfully, as great as '96 is, it set the stage for '97. I mean you could go back and see how much of influence albums like It Was Written, Ridin' Dirty, All Eyez On Me, and several others had on '97.

Lyrically 97 was still pretty strong. But the overall sound was watered down.
LAD - although its a classic - had super commercial records on it. Way beyond what was on RTD and IWW. Puff was taking hits from the 80s and the shiny suits were all up in the videos in 97, dancing.
There was still a lot of hard shyt - there was a lot more watering down to go, but 97 was the year where their was a significant turn for the worst.

 

[mobbinfms]

Legend of the liquid sword was gza at his best lyrically.

I think that's what the breh @Inspect Her Deck was hinting at earlier. I'll have to revisit that album.

 

[malbaker86]

93-96 was

Lol ima young head, them 93-96 years I was 7-10 years old.

 

[mobbinfms]

Lol ima young head, them 93-96 years I was 7-10 years old.

Go back and revisit breh. I was 7-10 in 87-90 and some of my favorite albums ever are from those years.