Tracklisting & link included, all after the break. Read the rest of this entry »

Words By D. Chanda

The Yanks weren’t always the Evil Empire—that was post-2000. A carefully-constructed team—not store-bought talent—was the reason for the four World Series titles in the late ‘90s, with 1998 seeing the Pinstripes at their pinnacle. One hundred twenty-five wins (including the postseason) is a record, and a glowing example of why the ’98 squad is always mentioned in the same breath as the ’27 team. Another reason? The spirit of the yesteryear Yanks was the hefty, ball-battering, booze-swindling Babe while the team ten years ago had their own Ruth reborn: David “Boomer” Wells. ALCS MVP and pitcher of a perfect game… while hungover. Read the rest of this entry »

Deviation. The path less traveled. The mastery of one’s own art, not of another’s.

Aquemini.

Though ATLiens pushed unruly boundaries and set the tempo for Big Boi and Andre, Aquemini created a moment where everyone was excited about potential; of Outkast, of Hip-Hop and of music in general. Could they go farther/bigger/bolder?

Yes. They could. And did.

Anticipation reached a fever pitch with this album’s release as heads got giddy like kids hearing that ice cream truck coming down the street… Run for your dollars! And that’s precisely what makes Aquemini so lasting – it’s grown folks music that lets you be young again. Not with immature frivolity, but with an innocent sensibility that opens the brain/heart/beat to ‘Kast’s rupturing stories of love and life lost and gained on the pavement.

We’re talking the definition of Outkast.

Out. Kast.

Other-worldly stratosphere status.

You gotta come provocative… so let’s rap track by track, Crew Love style. Hold On, Be Strong… Read the rest of this entry »

“Sometimes I wish I could
Stop the world from spinning and step out of it…”
-Diaz Brothers feat. Matrix and A-Butta, “Keep Pourin”

I’d like to think I’m a special, unique snowflake, like my mom tells me…but I know I’m not. I’d bet a handful of you reading this had a similar development arc in your love for Hip-Hop. Mine went something like this:

…The “dumb deaf and blind interest in the pop rap fed to me by top 40 radio” phase
(He’s The DJ, I’m the Rapper; 2 Legit 2 Quit)

…The “who’s this guy with the cool voice on the Beastie Boys song” phase
(Midnight Marauders; Blowout Comb; Buhloone Mindstate)

…The “holy shit if Wu-Tang isn’t the best shit ever I don’t know what is” phase
(Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers); the entire first round of Wu solos; Forever)

And then it really got crazy. The whole initial independent/”underground as fuck” movement, centered around Rawkus Records was crazy. Progression, energy, meaning…if you wanted to hear everything you thought Bad Boy Records WASN’T…this world was yours.

A centerpiece of this era for many was the incredibly packaged double disc Lyricist Lounge Vol. One. Each and every track brings me back to a more innocent time, for me and for Hip-Hop.  Rappers didn’t have clothing lines, there were more fans than MCs, and I didn’t have credit card debt. Read the rest of this entry »

We need a September 29th, 1998.

It was the eve of what would become one of the greater days in Hip-Hop, and music history at large.

Five of the most impacting albums to ever be released that year dropped on the 29th: A Tribe Called Quest split ways on The Love Movement, as Brand Nubian reunited on Foundation, Jay-z got back on his grizzly with Hard Knock Life, while Mos Def and Kweli came together (none) for Blackstar. All the while Outkast prepared to change the world with Aquemini.

There was more than just new music being released, there was history being made by each one of these releases. Read the rest of this entry »