A
couple months back, we thought it would be dope to go back and
think about most formative music years—from high school
through college—and identify the albums that walked by our
side throughout each year. What albums spawn the most
memories for specific years and why? What albums did we
individually rock so much that we broke the tapes or
they mentally play in the background when we think about
various "scenes", if you will, from that year. I mean,
when I think about my Pops barbequing in my childhood
winters, I can hear Miles Davis or James Brown more than
I can smell the aroma or visualize the charred ribs.
When it gets to that point, music becomes a soundtrack.
For instance, there
aren't many memories of 1993 (or early '94, for that
matter) that I can recall without some song off Enter
The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) subconsciously playing in
the background like a score to a movie. We thought it'd be a
nostalgic trip down memory
lane and identify our personal soundtracks for 1993-2002,
which were, for us, those crazy, developing, experimental and
fresh high school and college years when music means more than
ever and you accrue the most vivid of memories.
Along this trip we
collectively realized something: because we're a
likeminded group of kats, our soundtracks weren't
exactly a study of diversity and breadth. When we were
young dudes, we went hard on some East Coast hip-hop.
That's who we were and, to a much lesser extent, who we
still are. But, we thought we might be leaving yall out
of the loop on what was a cathartic, enjoyable
experience. So we decided to also think about those
years through our peers' lens, as well. What was bangin'
on urban radio? What video could you count on appearing on
Rap City or
Video Soul or, later,
106 & Park or any of the MTV shows? What music would
year bumpin' out a bunch of jeeps on busy streets? What
songs and albums were the topics of conversation at the
high school lunch tables or dorm hall common areas? All
that…what were TheSoundtracks Of Our Lives?
For each year, we
identified three albums—typically an R&B album, a
hip-hop joint and individual Musicologist soundtrack
pick for each year. It's interesting to see how our
personal tastes' and our peers preferences evolved,
devolved, morphed and progressed throughout the years.
So turn up your computer
volume, take some time and digest all this
nostalgia…oh…warning: you might read about thongs at
some point.
Tell us what albums you were
listening to during these years
(Include your name and what state
you're from)
BACK IN THE DAYS!!!! YALL HIT THE NAIL ON
THE HEAD WITH THIS ONE. I'M SORRY I HAD TO 1st READ IT IN THE
ARCHIVES. FOR ME? 94-97. TEANECK HIGH SCHOOL, TEANECK, NJ. ALL
ABOUT BIGGIE, NAS,BCC, WU, A LIL JAY -Z TOO. HIP HOP HEAD TILL
THE END.
I HAD TO ADD A LIL REGGAE MUSIC IN HERE TOO THO. BEING OF
JAMAICAN BLOOD AND IN A HEAVILY POULATED WEST INDIAN AREA I
COUNDNT IGNORE 1997, BEENIE MAN'S "MOODS OF MOSES" OR 1995?
BUJU BANTON'S "TIL SHILOH." BOOKSHELF RIDDIM,JOY RIDE RIDDIM,
THAT'S WHEN THE PARTY REALLY STARTED.
ALL IN ALL, GREAT JOB ON THIS ARTICLE!!
--SETH
yo my man, I cut my teeth on just about
everythang LOL. Growing up in Pittsburgh where we didn't
really have a 'black station' (WAMO and WJMO came closest). so
I grew up listenin to a LOT of various stuff..
But being a HEAD, my collection started with that 'Black
Sheep' joint the choice is yours. After that, I had to gobble
up as much NATIVE TONGUES sh*t as possible. I just couldn't
get enough of their vibe (and STILL can't LOL). I eventually
moved on to the Roots, Brand New Heavies and Soulive.
But I was still coppin any hiphop heat that I heard or heard
about from Tribe, KRS, Jeru, MOS DEF (I still can't get enough
of this cat too), LONS (And Busta), NAS, Gangstarr (Premo,
Guru), EPMD, Redman, WU, Common Sense (aka Common now), etc.
etc.
Until I moved out WEST, then it was still my East Coast Flave,
but I also started coppin NWA (Dre, Easy, Ice Cube, Ren, Yella,
DOC), Snoop, Paris, Digital Underground (and TuPaC),
Hieroglyphics, Pharcyde, Casual, Saafir, Rass Cass, Alkaholiks
(and Xhibit-Paparatizi), you get the flavas I'm talkin about
LOL..
Back then you could buy a release and EVERY cut was volcano
heat. But nowadays you don't wanna buy the whole CD cause
there might be 3-4 Stingers, but the rest is Sleep Aid
material..... Just buy a mixtape or compilation.. Sad..
Keith 'KDubbs' Williams
Bassist/Producer
Urban Underground®
www.myspace.com/urbanunderground
I always loved music from since I was a
young boy (i.e. Rick James, Anita Baker, Fat Boys - all the
stuff that I remember when I was real little) watching Masters
of the Universe and Smurfs-LOL!!! But I think some the records
that shaped my perspective about myself and who I was in life
was A Tribe Called Quest's "Midnight Marauders", Souls of
Mischief's "'93 till Infinity", Public Enemy's "Fear of A
Black Planet", Ice Cube's "Death Certificate" and the list
goes on and on. I just always been hip-hop and always will be.
I'm black and I love this music because its the "soundtrack"
to African-American lifestyle, beliefs, and vibe - period. -- Foreshadow (myspace.com/thosechosen).
"I didn't start listening to music really
until 6th grade in '96 the first 2 hip hop albums I bought
were OutKast-ATLiens and 2Pac-All Eyez on Me, my mom had me
listening to Maxwell. In '97 I was takin over by Bad Boy and
the Fugees, I really liked Lauryn Hill...Wow, I'm from NC so I
was definitely on the Hot Boys of Cash Money!!! Started liking
Jay-Z in '99 with the Hard Knock Life....those were the days"
--Anonymous
"we'll back then I was in high school and my
favorite artist was and still is Mary J Blige I would love to
meat her , I think her and nelly need to make asong together
that would be tight.......I would also like to meet nelly is
something serious........keep up the good work Mary J Blidge
and you are a good role
model......"
--tardanika@myway.com,
Columbia SC
"These are just some of my favorite albums of
the years....Hit me up Kingpin of NonStopHipHopLive (kingpin@nonstophiphoplive.com)
if you need a copy...
'93-Midnite Marauders (ATCQ), Return of the Boom Bap (KRS),
Mecca and the Soul Brother (PeteRock/C.L. Smooth-latter part
of 92),Ain't No Other (MC LYTE), 12Play/SWV/Jodeci/Toni
Braxton/Zhane'
'94-Sun Rises in the East (Jeru the Damaja), Hard to Earn
(Gang Starr), Illmatic (Nas), DoggyStyle (Snoop), Do You Want
More (Roots),Most Beautiful Thing (Keith Murray), All WuTang/Redman/BadBoy....Man
I could really go on. My Collection of Music is extremely
ridiculous. I always have something to express the day to
come, am having, or experienced. God has seriously blessed us
with soundtracks to life....."
--Kingpin the Villian of Vinyl
"Back in the day I was listening to SWV,
EXSCAPE, Mary J. Blidge, Monica, and Brandy." --Anonymous
"I am surprised that I listened to EVERY
album listed above. BUT when I wanted to turn off the radio,
I'd listen to a tape I dubbed from some of my uncle's old
albums. Be forewarned, I was kind of a hippie. Here is a
little bit of what I bumped on the bus to school or while
passing the time at track meets: Legend (Bob Marley), All Day
Music (War); Are You Experienced and Bold as Love (both Jimi
Hendrix); Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Hotel (The Beatles);
random joints by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Nirvana, Al
Green, Parliament Funkadelic, and Lenny Williams.
That was high school...I got more hip hop in college (1996 to
2000). Um can't tell you how many times I listened to TuPac's
Makavelli album for clues to where he was hiding (HA!).
Maxwell, Big Pun, Jay-Z, The R (fiesta fiesta).
Lata!" --Anonymous
