XMAS SPECIAL: SoulNRnB's The Evolution of Hip Hop 1980-2010

 

Truth be told, though I enjoyed Hip Hop through the 80's I thought it was a fad. I couldn't see where it was going besides the clubs, and the "Soul Snob" in me thought of it as not "proper music". 

But something changed in the early 90's. I heard Gang Starr's "Jazz Thing" and Pete Rock and CL Smooth's "They Reminisce over you" and I was intrigued by the music. Where did they get those samples from? Hip Hop nudged me to start looking elsewhere for music, to dig in second hand record stores and search for those elusive sampled tracks. 

From Donald Byrd's "Think Twice" to Leon Haywood's "I wanna do something freaky to you" to Bernard Wright's "Spinnin'" I started to discover music that had passed me by. And then I started to appreciate the lyrical content of some of my favorite rappers: Biggie; Nas; Q Tip and Phife; Busta and so many more. By the late 90's I was a Hip Hop head and listened to everything I could. Sample spotting was much easier by then of course, what with the advent of the internet, but no less rewarding.

I've tried to present the progress of this relatively new form of music; From its happy go lucky party anthems, through to its Social Commentary and Black Rights promotion, to its "Gangster Rap" and "Native Tongues"  offshoots, through to the Boom Bap beats of the 90's and 00's. Great Producers like J Dilla, DJ Premier, Dre, Pete Rock, The Neptunes, Just Blaze etc to wordsmiths such as Jay Z, Tupac, Snoop, and so many more.

I could have had this mix run to at least 6 hours, but cut it to 3. So yes, there are missing songs I would have liked to include, and im sure some of your faves are missing. But all in all, this should give you an Idea of how this musical Revolution appeared on the scene and developed, from street beginnings to the mainstream pop charts and commercials and films etc etc

And as a bonus, it should give you something to nod your head too this Xmas. (Please be aware that i includes some NSFW lyrics, so don't scare the kids!)

Ill be back before the end of the year with the last Street Sounds Sessions of 2017, but stay tuned for more from Grizz and Ridym. So until Im on the blog again, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!