We cant just do mixes…We want to take time to acknowledge some of the legends and true pioneers of this thing we call hip-hop
Notorious BIG – Considered by many as the Number 1 emcee of the 90’s and possibly “The Greatest Rapper of All Time”!
Wallace began rapping when he was a teenager. He would entertain people on the streets as well as perform with local groups, the Old Gold Brothers and the Techniques. After being released from prison, Wallace made a demo tape under the name Biggie Smalls, a reference to his childhood nickname and to his stature; he stood at 6′ 3″ (1.91 m) and weighed as much as 300 to 380 pounds according to differing accounts.[12] The tape was reportedly made with no serious intent of getting a recording deal, but was promoted by New York-based DJ Mister Cee, who had previously worked with Big Daddy Kane, and was heard by the editor of The Source. In March 1992, Wallace featured in The Source’s Unsigned Hype column, dedicated to aspiring rappers, and was invited to produce a recording with other unsigned artists in a move that was reportedly uncommon at the time. Ready to Die was released on September 13, 1994, and reached #13 on the Billboard 200 chart, eventually being certified four times Platinum. In addition to “Juicy”, the record produced two hit singles; the Platinum-selling “Big Poppa”, which reached #1 on the U.S. rap chart and “One More Chance” featuring Faith Evans, a loosely related remix of an album track and its best selling single.
RUN DMC The Originators of Swag, Rap Rock and Coolin and Frontin
Run–D.M.C. were one of the most well-known hip hop acts in the 1980s, who along with LL Cool J, signified the advent of the new school of hip hop music. They were the first group in their genre to have a Gold record and be nominated for a Grammy Award.[1] The group was among the first to show how important the MC/DJ relationship was.[2][3] In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them number 48 in their list of the greatest musical artists of all time.
Beastie Boys – The Longest Standing Group in Hip-Hop
The Beastie Boys began as hardcore punk band in 1979, first appearing on the compilation cassette New York Thrash before releasing their first EP, Polly Wog Stew, in 1982. After achieving moderate local success with the 1983 release of their experimental hip-hop 12″ Cooky Puss, they made the transition to hip-hop in 1984 and a string of successful 12″ singles followed by their debut album Licensed to Ill in 1986 which received international critical acclaim and commercial success. As of 2010, they have sold 22 million albums in the United States and 40 million albums worldwide.
Busta Rhymes – Some of the Best Albums and Remixes in Hip-Hop History
Hip-hop crew Leaders of the New School began recording in 1989 and released their debut album A Future Without a Past in 1991 on Elektra Records. In early 1992 the group appeared on A Tribe Called Quest’s posse cut “Scenario,” in which Busta’s climactic verse propelled him into the cultural consciousness.[6] In 1993, they released T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind’s Eye). Soon after, however, internal problems arose because of Busta’s increasing popularity, and the group broke up on the set of Yo! MTV Raps.
Naughty By Nature – Quite Possibly the Biggest Rap Group NOT from New York
Their first hit as Naughty by Nature was a track called “O.P.P.,” which sampled the Jackson 5’s hit “ABC” and was released in 1991 on their self-titled album Naughty by Nature. The song peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100,[4] making it one of the most successful rap songs in history to that point in terms of crossover success on the pop charts. The song has become well known in pop culture, being mentioned in TV shows and films such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Malibu’s Most Wanted, Monk, and The Office. “O.P.P.” also gained critical acclaim, being named one of the top 100 rap singles of all time in 1998 by The Source magazine,[5] and being ranked the 20th best single of the ’90s by Spin magazine
2Pac – Considered by Many as the Greatest Poet and Rapper of All Time
Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide,[1] making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world. In the United States alone he has sold 37.5 million records.[2] Rolling Stone Magazine named him the 86th Greatest Artist of All Time. In addition to his career as a rap artist, he was also an actor.[4] The themes of most of Tupac’s songs are the violence and hardship in inner cities, racism, other social problems, and conflicts with other rappers during the East Coast – West Coast hip hop rivalry. Shakur began his career as a roadie and backup dancer for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground
