Mmhmmm.

We had some TSSkeptics at the beginning of our official 1998 Week, so The Crew worked overtime to show just how much the year was smashing on smashing.

We covered a lot this week…

– The importance of the family; with posse cuts, Lyricist Lounge, Flipmode, Def and Terror Squads, and No Limit.

– The best day ever; September 29, 1998. So agree-eth XXL (when magazines were still dope.)

– The days when music videos were actually on TV; with Aaliyah, Tupac, A Tribe Called Quest, Redman, Xzibit and Warren Beatty.

– The sports and leisure; from Michael Jordan to Randy Moss to NY pinstripes, from 007 to MGS to WWF, from watching Blade to wearing FUBU to getting head.

– The artists; the misunderstanding of Lauryn Hill, the incomparability of Big Pun, the lingo of Big L, the fusion of Black Star, the mystery of Canibus, the flow of Bussa Buss, the bark and bite of DMX

– And oh the albums, albums, albums; from Gangstarr, Jay-Z, Show & AG, Pete Rock, E-40, Witchdoctor, ATCQ, Rasco, R. Kelly, The Coup, DJ Quik and… may ye never forget… Outkast.

Of course we also hit you with a Stray Shot extravaganza and threw some Notable Quotables in your direction… to check those out, just search “Artist Week” or “1998″ and all the late-century love should magically appear.

And don’t forget we had interesting showings in present day as well, especially from Killer Mike and Big Boi, and ATL brethren Luda and T.I.

The most marked thing about ’98 wasn’t necessarily pure quantity of content, but that it was the tipping point — the last great year for mainstream, chart-topping Hip-Hop before shit got funny style. Wishy-washy-ass rappers started popping up with frequency at the turn of the century, and then we dived headlong into the complete dissolution of radio. Not to say Hip-Hop is dying or dead today, but it was most certainly live and alive in ’98.

1998 wins.

Fin.

R.I.P Bernie Mac