brayzie

I liked The Chronic. Breakout star Snoop sounded great on those songs, including the intro. He was kind of copying the style of another artist on that album though. Which is why he only really sounded good on his first two solos. "Really doe." After that his voice and delivery sounded very fragile and delicate.

Dre's beats were great on this, in particular his sampling for "Nuthin' But a G Thang."

"Lil Ghetto Boy" was another great track.

I thought the beats and mixing was much more polished on Efil4zaggin, but that album didn't have as strong a first single as The Chronic.

I bought Ice Cube The Predator only for "It Was A Good Day." The other songs were a little too old school sounding for my taste at the time. I just skimmed through it right now after reading this thread, and it's better than I remember. But it's funny to hear Ice Cube talking all that g-talk when he was never ever gang related.

The Questyen

I appreciate the feedback and I tried to word this where it wouldn't sound snarky but can't find the way. That's the way you enjoy albums and it works for you but yeah that's not the way I listen to music. I've been listening to hip-hop for over 25 years now and I can tell within the first listen or two if I'm going enjoy something. I listened to all of the albums so far 4 or 5 times and that's far more than enough time for me to get my thoughts. I do a ton of driving for my job so I've got lots of listening time and the albums that I'm really digging I'm still going to listen to in the future. It's not like this is my only chance to hear them.

These are just my thoughts on the albums as I go I'm not looking at it like I'm a professional reviewer and this is the definitive take on each album. Obviously critically these are all highly regarded albums (or at least were back in 1992) so just like with any other form of entertainment where critics love something everyone is going to connect with it differently.

The Questyen

Fu-Schnickens -- F.U. Don't Take It Personal

I mostly remembered them for featuring Shaq on "What's Up Doc" (which is on their second and final album) and I had previously heard "La Schmoove" a bunch back in the early 90's. I also remember them having a similar rapping style to Das EFX.

So we get to the first album that I just flat out don't like. While yes they have a similar style to the Das EFX we hear on "Dead Serious" that album still sounds fresh and captivating where as the rapping on "F.U." has more of a reggae sound which doesn't hold up for me in the same way. "Movie Scene" which has some moments of technical greatness was cringeworthy to me in most other ways. "Heavenly Father" is unlistenable.

Favorite Tracks: "La Schmoove featuring Phife Dawg"

Letter Grade: D

The Questyen

Gang Starr -- Daily Operation

I consider Gang Starr to be one of my favorite rap groups but I hadn't started listening until "Hard to Earn". I had heard some of these songs before through the "Full Clip" Greatest Hits/Compilation album (which on a side note is probably my favorite Greatest Hits of all time. It's two discs of greatest hits, remixes, new tracks, and soundtrack songs. Highly recommended) but I don't think I had ever listened to this album all the way through which is too bad because it's a great album. DJ Premier is my second favorite producer of all time and he is incredible on "Hard to Earn". He kills it even on the few 30 second skits where I was hoping it was going to be a full song. I've heard a few naysayers call Guru's rapping boring but I don't agree. He's not trying to do anything fancy but he's got a solid flow and great subject matter. We also get the first appearance of Jeru the Damaja on "I'm the Man" which is a great guest spot.

Favorite Tracks: "Soliloquy of Chaos", "Ex Girl to Next Girl", "Take It Personal", "I'm the Man"

Letter Grade: A

JeremyM

You are 100% right on Full Clip. It's the gold standard of what a greatest hits album should be.

The Questyen

Ice Cube -- The Predator

This is the first Ice Cube album that I've listened to all the way through (not counting Westside Connection) which is weird because I've always liked him but just was never one of my favorites. "The Predator" lives on Ice Cube's rapping and lyrics. The production is hit or miss but Ice Cube for the most part makes it not matter and takes command of the tracks with very little guest help. It was odd hearing this album version of "Check Yo Self" since the single version and the video are the remix with a different beat but after multiple listens I think I prefer this original version. Obviously "It Was a Good Day" is the quintessential Ice Cube song and even though I've heard it hundreds of times it still holds my attention. Their are a few goofier songs that don't hold up as well ("Dirty Mack" & "Gangsta's Fairytale 2") but overall I was really impressed with "The Predator" and will give the previous two albums a listen.

Favorite Tracks: "When Will They Shoot", "Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha", "It Was a Good Day", "Check Yo Self"

Letter Grade: B+

The Questyen

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo -- Live and Let Die

I had never listened to one of the Kool G Rap & DJ Polo albums before but I had heard Kool G Rap's first solo album "4,5,6" and he's guested on a bunch of stuff I've heard. "Live and Let Die" is the last of his DJ Polo collaborations and I can definitely see how it inspired the East Coast "mafioso" sound that would become prevalent in the next couple years by Nas, Jay-Z, Raekwon & Ghostface Killah, etc. It took me a few listens to fully connect to but Kool G Rap is definitely a talented lyricist and storyteller. I generally dislike "sex raps" but "Operation CB" stands out by being funny as hell. The production fits well with Kool G Rap's lyrics with "Letters" being my favorite track on both fronts. Overall a solid album and one I'll definitely add to the rotation.

Favorite Tracks: "Letters", "Operation CB", "Ill Street Blues", "Crime Pays"

Letter Grade: B

PhantomStranger

That Kool G. Rap album is underrated. More of an underground classic than anything, as I don't remember any of its songs being radio-friendly. It definitely preceded much of the New York gangsta sound that would soon follow.

Lipid

I'd again just encourage you to go back and revisit a lot of these albums when you're done. A majority you have underrated and overlooked. "Live and Let Die" has so much depth to it that to give it a B rating is out right confusing to me. For someone who appears to have an appreciation of the golden age of hip hop, I'm not sure how you're disappointed by this album and quite a few others.

The Questyen

Pete Rock & CL Smooth -- Mecca and the Soul Brother

I somehow forgot about this thread and figured I'd might as well continue it since I've been mainlining 90's hip-hop for the last 6 months or so. I've heard a couple songs off this album but this is my first full playthrough and I've already listened to it all the way through 5 or 6 times this week. Pete Rock is an all-time great producer (I love his Soul Survivor album) but I'm less knowledgeable about CL Smooth and he surprised me and is a perfect fit to rap over these beats. "Straighten It Out" blew me away and easily my favorite previously unknown song I've heard in a while. A fantastic album great all the way through with out any skippable tracks.

Favorite Tracks: "Straighten It Out", "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)", "Act Like You Know", "Ghettos of the Mind"

Letter Grade: A

The Questyen

The Pharcyde -- Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

I owned Labcabincalifornia back in the day but don't remember too much of it other than "Runnin" so I was going into this pretty blind and I gotta say I just could not connect to it. The beats are solid and the members are obviously talented rappers but the lyrics and song structure kept me from being able to appreciate this album. Even the songs that are considered classic like "Passin' Me By" did nothing for me. I gave it a solid week of listening and unlike the Fu-Schnickens album where I thought most of the album was flat out bad Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde just left me cold.

Letter Grade: C

The Questyen

Redman -- Whut? Thee Album

This is another first time listen. I previously owned the Darkside and Muddy Waters albums which have a way different sound then this. Even Redman's rapping sounds quite a bit difference in his flow and delivery then he would eventually become. It almost sounds like Redman trying to sound like Erick Sermon who is also all over this album rapping on multiple songs and producing the majority of the album. As you'll remember from my EPMD review I'm not the biggest Erick Sermon fan and his guest appearances along with the overabundance of skits on this album definitely detract for me from what is otherwise a very good record. I would have loved to see what a Redman album produced by The RZA would have sounded like. Still a solid debut and I'm interested in revisiting Dare Iz a Darkside and Muddy Waters to see how he changed in comparison.

Favorite Tracks: "Time For Sum Aksion", "Redman Meets Reggie Noble", "Tonight's Da Night"

Letter Grade: B

LorenzoL

I can still remember the first time I heard T.R.O.Y. and how much I loved the song as soon as I heard it. It still gives chills whenever I hear that Intro with the Sax...

PhantomStranger

C is crazy low for this Pharcyde album. It's a minor cult classic of the 1990s scene.

JeffTheAlpaca

I remember buying the cassette at the mall

The Questyen

Showbiz & A.G. -- Runaway Slave

This one was another blind listen and a definite pleasant surprise. They have a similar vibe to Gang Starr using jazzy samples although in this duo Showbiz (the DJ) raps on most of the songs at least on this debut album. From looking online it looks like he sticks to production going forward which is too bad because he is solid on Runaway Slave. We also get a very early appearance from Big L on "Represent" along with some other good guest appearances by Diamond D, Lord Finesse & other DITC members. It looks like "Soul Clap" is the groups most remembered song and it's easy to see why as it is my favorite track on the album. Overall a very good record that stays consistent throughout and will stay in my rotation.


Favorite Tracks: "Soul Clap", "Represent", "Still Diggin", "Fat Pockets"
Letter Grade: B+

The Questyen

My overall ranking of the albums:
1. Dr. Dre -- The Chronic
2. Gang Starr -- Daily Operation
3. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth -- Mecca and the Soul Brother
4. Das EFX -- Dead Serious
5. Eric B & Rakim -- Don't Sweat the Technique
6. Showbiz & AG -- Runaway Slave
7. Ice Cube -- The Predator
8. Compton's Most Wanted -- Music to Driveby
9. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo -- Live and Let Die
10. Redman -- Whut? Thee Album
11. Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics - Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop
12. EPMD -- Business Never Personal
13. The Pharcyde -- Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
14. Fu-Schnickens -- F.U. Don't Take It Personal

Out of the 14 the Fu-Schnickens album is the only I straight up thought was bad. The EPMD and Pharcyde albums were ok just not for me and all the rest I really enjoyed.

Now onto 1993!

PhantomStranger

AG (aka Andre the Giant) is one of the best underground rappers of the era. Most think their next album improved upon Runaway Slave. They recently reissued one of the Show & AG albums for Record Store Day.

Toddarino

I was more of an east coast hip hop guy so that Redman record got played a lot. I also had Gangstarr, epmd and the Eric B & Rakim. Obviously the Chronic and the Predator are essential as well.