Do Remember Archives

20 Years Later, Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Aaliyah & Magoo Still Boogie Down (Video)

With their platinum-selling 1997 debut LP Welcome to Our World, Timbaland & Magoo invited millions of music fans into their native Norfolk, Virginia, a city (not to mention, a state) that had not made the kind of splash in the culture as had other Southern cities. With Timbo's innovative, electronic style... Read more

April 27, 2017 Do Remember

It’s Record Store Day. Go Back & Tour Hip-Hop’s Most Famous Vinyl Destination (Video)

Hip Hop music started in the early 1970s, when DJs used at least two turntables and their vinyl records to prolong the sections of songs that dancers and party-goers most responded to. By the end of the decade, rappers and DJs were making their own Hip-Hop records, including hits by... Read more

April 22, 2017 Do Remember, Throwback

Too Short Kept The Funk In The Trunk With This Telling Verse Of His Career (Video)

In 1992, Hip-Hop was changing. The Bay Area, while always an important market for Hip-Hop, had finally produced stars. Oakland's M.C. Hammer had fast become Rap's then all-time best-seller with his Capitol Records Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em campaign. Digital Underground, signed to the same East Coast-based Tommy Boy Records... Read more

April 13, 2017 Do Remember

25 Years Ago Das EFX Checked The Mic With Dead Serious Rhymes (Video)

1992 was a deeply transitional year for Hip-Hop. By the end of the calendar, The Chronic and Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop were heavy in the air. However, one of the first sparks of the hardcore flame came in the form of another debut. That album, Das EFX's Dead Serious,... Read more

April 6, 2017 Do Remember

Wyclef Jean & Lauryn Hill’s Collabo From The Carnival Was 1 Of Their Last And Best (Audio)

In 1997, The Fugees disbanded. At the time, Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, and Pras were at the peak of their careers, with their multi-platinum and Grammy-winning sophomore LP The Score still clearly visible in the rear-view mirror. That same year, Wyclef released his debut solo LP, also a multi-platinum selling... Read more

March 30, 2017 Do Remember

10 Years Ago, Rakim, Nas, Kanye West & KRS-One Made A Classic (Video)

This week, a new video with D.M.C. revealed how telling his verse on "My Adidas" truly was. The Hollis, Queens superstar MC pointed back to the lyrics claiming he took the beat of the street and put it on TV. In doing just as Darryl McDaniels said, the world followed,... Read more

March 23, 2017 Do Remember

Six Years After His Passing, We Still Have Much Love For Nate Dogg (Video)

Six years ago today, music lost a true talent in Nathaniel Hale. The singer better known as Nate Dogg has one of the richest voices of the last 25 years. Alongside Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ludacris, Fabolous, Pharoahe Monch, Eminem, and his right-hand-man Warren G, the crooner within Tha Dogg... Read more

March 15, 2017 Do Remember

As Eve, DMX, Swizz, Drag-On & The LOX Plan A Ruff Ryders Reunion, Here’s The Scenario (Audio)

This week, the Ruff Ryders announced their reunion homecoming, planned for April. The Hip-Hop collective (which began first as a party promotions company in the late 1980s) is largely responsible for the careers of DMX, Swizz Beatz, The LOX, Eve, Cassidy, and others. Approaching the turn of the millennium, the... Read more

March 2, 2017 Do Remember

Do Remember When Soul II Soul Took A Classic Hip-Hop Beat & Kept It Movin’ (Video)

In 1989, Soul II Soul's unique blend of R&B, Dance, and Hip-Hop music not only crossed oceans from its British origins, it had everybody crossing the dance-floor to find a partner. Before "Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)" would be a pillar of "acapella-cool," another Club Classics, Vol. 1... Read more

February 23, 2017 Do Remember

Nas, Ice Cube, Jadakiss, T.I. & Bun B Teamed Up For A Hip-Hop Grand Finale (Audio)

In 2004, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz released their fifth and final album, Crunk Juice, which featured a host of Rap's elite. Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Pharrell, Ludacris, and Suga Free all made appearances, as did 8Ball & MJG, Gangsta Boo, Jazze Pha, Lil Scrappy, Usher, R. Kelly,... Read more

February 16, 2017 Do Remember

20 Years Ago This Week, Wu-Tang Clan Bombed Atomically In A Rap Triumph (Video)

1997 was an interesting year for Hip-Hop music. Death Row Records, coming off of an empirical reign, had fallen, and fast. Tupac Shakur was dead. And while Makaveli and Snoop Dogg's Tha Doggfather dominated the charts, Tha Row's two founders were not anywhere close to the label's steering wheel. Dr.... Read more

February 9, 2017 Do Remember

Blahzay Blahzay Still Sounds Great From The East…To The West (Video)

In 1996, Hip-Hop was in the middle of a shift, especially in New York City. The rugged, construction boot days were yielding to the shiny suits. Just as the Big Apple's reigning Rap star The Notorious B.I.G. had transformed from an "Unbelievable" entrance to a "Get Money" mantra involving Cristal,... Read more

February 2, 2017 Do Remember

Sean Price’s Jesus Price Supastar Brought Believers To Rap Paradise 10 Years Ago (Audio)

Ten years ago this Monday (January 30, 2007), the second coming of Rap lord and savior Sean Price occurred. On Jesus Price Supastar, his sophomore solo album, P definitely took wack MCs to “Church,” raining hellfire on the game. The immaculate LP is a solid 45 minutes of surefire rapping... Read more

January 26, 2017 Do Remember, Throwback, Video

Mos Def & Slick Rick Had A Lyrical Workout Over A Madlib Track On This 2009 Collabo (Audio)

In recent weeks, Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) announced and seemingly executed his farewell to Hip-Hop, putting on a series of performances that he says are his final. He also released a new album - albeit a collaborative project under the name Dec. 99th - that he presented as being... Read more

January 19, 2017 Do Remember

Cypress Hill, Def Squad & MC Eiht Made Us All Throw Our Hands In The Air (Video)

For more than 25 years, Cypress Hill has bloomed from pure Hip-Hop to mainstream appeal. B-Real, Sen Dog, and DJ Muggs created a sound that made Hip-Hop fans feel the daily angst of gang-controlled Los Angeles, California juxtaposed with the euphoria of medicinal relaxation. In 1996, after three albums (eventually... Read more

January 12, 2017 Do Remember

Snoop Dogg’s Dippin’ From Death Row To No Limit May Have Saved His Career & Life (Audio)

In early 1998, Snoop Dogg left Death Row Records for No Limit. In a reported $4 million deal brokered by Priority Records, the Long Beach, California MC went from the breakout star signed by Dr. Dre at the top of the decade to the key acquisition of the reigning independent... Read more

January 5, 2017 Do Remember

Can You Spot DOOM In This Graffiti-Inspired Company Flow Video?

El-P joined forces with Killer Mike to produce his album R.A.P. Music in 2012, officially forming their group Run The Jewels the following year. They have since released three studio albums, rocked a few late night talk shows, made some bold political statements, toured extensively, inspired some amazing graffiti, landed... Read more

December 29, 2016 Do Remember

Snoop Dogg’s Santa Brought His Gifts In A ’64 Impala Sleigh (Video)

What do you get when you mix Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg's soaring vocals, an iconic Isaac Hayes sample and a nod to the Godfather of Soul? Christmas Rap, G-Funk style. Titled after the James Brown classic, “Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto” is the first track and lead single... Read more

December 22, 2016 Do Remember

15 Years Ago, Mystikal Told Us To Bounce Back Up When Knocked Down (Video)

Fifteen years ago this Sunday (December 18), New Orleans, Louisiana native Mystikal dropped Tarantula, his fifth and final studio album to date. Its lead single, “Bouncin’ Back (Bumpin’ Me Against The Wall),” is like an early-2000s time capsule, from Mystikal’s erratic flow to the track’s bouncy Neptunes beat. It was... Read more

December 15, 2016 Do Remember

Twenty Years Ago, Redman Had Us Down For Whateva Man (Video)

Since his 1992 debut, Redman has amassed an impressive discography brick-by-brick. There are albums full of hits, collaborative classics, and derivations to the darkest side of the human psyche. As fruits of his labor, Red' has appeared on Pop remixes, while being a part of three Top 5 chart appearances.... Read more

December 8, 2016 Do Remember

15 Years Ago, Nate Dogg & Pharoahe Monch Made a Pledge To The Funk (Audio)

Nearly 16 years ago to the date, Rawkus Records dropped Lyricist Lounge 2, a compilation album featuring - among others - the Notorious B.I.G., Big L, Guru, Q-Tip, and Royce 5'9"; not to mention production from J Dilla, DJ Premier, Madlib, Hi-Tek, and so on and so forth. But the... Read more

December 1, 2016 Do Remember

Clipse’s Second Album Turns 10 Years Old & It’s Still A Major Key (Audio)

A little over four years after making their mainstream entry with 2002's Lord Willin', Clipse returned with Hell Hath No Fury, continuing their particular brand of religious imagery mixed with uncut street hustle. Years before Young Jeezy's "snowman" persona ruled the airwaves and while Rick Ross was just a couple... Read more

November 24, 2016 Do Remember

OutKast Warned About The Dangers Of Phobia 20 Years Ago…They Were Right (Audio)

To follow up Poetic Justice, John Singleton’s 1993 romantic drama starring Tupac and Janet Jackson, the Boyz n the Hood director released his third movie two years later, in 1995. Higher Learning confronted issues like racism and sexual assault through the lens of students on a fabricated multicultural college campus.... Read more

November 17, 2016 Do Remember

Rakim & DJ Premier’s Song Has A Message Of Wisdom, Strength & Moving Forward (Audio)

In 1999, the world was gearing up for Y2K with great angst and uncertainty. Going by the numbers this week, approximately half of the American voters are feeling angst and uncertainty in an upcoming change of offices, from the White House, to Congress, and at state levels. In a week... Read more

November 10, 2016 Do Remember

20 Years Ago, Makaveli Rose From Tupac’s Ashes & Made Him a Prophet (Audio)

As an album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory did more to contribute to Tupac Shakur's propethic and iconoclastic image than any others in his discography. Released during the first week of November in 1996, it was his fifth solo album (and first posthumously released) and was recorded under... Read more

November 3, 2016 Do Remember

25 Years Ago, Organized Konfusion Opened Our Eyes To What’s Really Going On (Audio)

During the final week of October in 1991, two MCs and producers bubbling with analytical perspectives and bursting with Hip-Hop creativity emerged as Organized Konfusion on their eponymous debut LP. Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po delivered one of the most distinctive debuts in Rap history, proving that lyrical dexterity and... Read more

October 27, 2016 Do Remember

25 Years Ago, Del The Funky Homosapien Came Out Swingin’ Like ‘I WISH They Would’ (Audio)

Today, Del The Funky Homosapien may be thought of as an inventive, at times, experimental veteran MC from Oakland, California. D-E-L has worked with the Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and most recently BROOKZILL! to exercise his tremendous vocabulary, and display the range in his delivery. However, when it all... Read more

October 20, 2016 Do Remember

Biggie, Method Man & Redman Are 3 Eternal Rap Phenomenons (Audio)

In the life and times of The Notorious B.I.G., outside of his Bad Boy and Junior M.A.F.I.A. families, two close associates were Method Man and Redman. Long before album plans existed from the members of Wu-Tang Clan and Def Squad, respectively, they were rolling with Biggie Smalls to concerts and... Read more

October 13, 2016 Do Remember

25 Years Later, Freestyle Fellowship’s Myka 9 Looks Back On Their Debut (Audio)

On October 8, 1991, a group of Hip-Hop minded lovers of Jazz and improvisational artistry calling themselves Freestyle Fellowship dropped To Whom It May Concern. Together, Aceyalone, J. Sumbi, Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E., Self Jupiter, and a handful of like-minded creatives were planting the seeds for a vibrant underground underbelly in... Read more

October 6, 2016 Do Remember

Redman, Lloyd Banks, Jadakiss & Obie Trice Set Up A New Standard For Collabos (Audio)

After signing to Eminem's Shady Records in 2000, fellow Detroit native Obie Trice (real name, no gimmicks) dropped his debut album Cheers, three years later. Production from Eminem, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Mr. Porter and others made it a heavy hitter, as did guest appearances from Busta Rhymes, D12, 50 Cent,... Read more

September 29, 2016 Do Remember

20 Years Later, The Roots Continue to Do What They Do Best: Shine For Hip-Hop (Video)

With content ranging from the ethereal "The Hypnotic" to the aggressive "Clones," September 1996's Illadelph Halflife was a bold look from the Roots. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania group's third album, it took the musical concepts established on Jazz and improv-heavy formulas found on 1993's Organix and 1995's Do You Want More?!!!??!... Read more

September 22, 2016 Do Remember

EPMD Knew They Had Customers In ’88. In 2016, People Are Still Buying In (Audio)

In the ears of many, EPMD's debut Strictly Business is a 1980s Hip-Hop masterpiece. Erick Sermon and Parrish "PMD" Smith merged to exude a style, sound, and attitude in the genre that has withstood nearly 28 years since. Released on Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records, the independent album from the Long Island, New... Read more

September 15, 2016 Do Remember

SWV & Wu-Tang Clan’s Remix Did Not Sound Like Anything Before It (Audio)

In 1994, SWV (a/k/a Sisters With Voices) had become one of the most successful acts in the new guard of R&B-Pop. With its Gospel roots, the RCA Records machine (thanks to some demo tapes packaged with sparkling water) helped transform Taj, Coko, and Lelee into top-of-the-charts sensations. Like fellow New... Read more

September 8, 2016 Do Remember

Lost Boyz, Tha Dogg Pound & Canibus Had Heads High On The Music (Video)

In 1996, Queens, New York's Lost Boyz burst onto the scene with vibe-driven Hip-Hop like no other act out. Mr. Cheeks, Freaky Tah, Pretty Lou, and Spigg Nice were welcomed distractions to the heated coastal rivalry perceived in Hip-Hop. Like the neighboring Boot Camp Clik, the LB Fam was able... Read more

September 1, 2016 Do Remember

15 Years Since Her Death, We’ve Still Got To Give It Up To Aaliyah – & Slick Rick (Video)

On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah Haughton and eight others were lost in a fatal plane crash. In the years since, the singer's influence on not only music but also fashion continues to be seen and heard. Today, on the 15th anniversary of her death, scores of fans are taking to... Read more

August 25, 2016 Do Remember

In 1993, Pete Rock & CL Smooth Helped Run-D.M.C. Reclaim the Throne (Video)

In the early '90s, Run-D.M.C. was experiencing a relative lull in their career after the lackluster success of the singles from the group's 1990 LP Back From Hell. However in 1993, the Queens, New York trio landed its highest-charting single since 1986's "Walk This Way" in the form of "Down... Read more

August 18, 2016 Do Remember

10 Years Ago, Rhymefest Aimed His Lyrics At Gun Violence (Video)

Ten years ago last month, Chicago, Illinois' songwriter and MC Rhymefest put out his debut album. Blue Collar featured some major players including Q-Tip, Ol' Dirty Bastard, and Kanye West, with whom he had already achieved luster and acclaim. A few months prior to his LP's release, he won the... Read more

August 11, 2016 Do Remember

Andre 3000, Snoop Dogg & Devin The Dude Got The Job Done & Then Some (Audio)

Nearly a decade after going solo, Devin the Dude released his fourth studio album, Waitin' to Inhale. The LP's title was a perfect combination of the Houston, Texas rapper's lyrical cheekiness and appreciation for cannabis and all of its properties, medicinal and otherwise. By the time his André 3000 and... Read more

August 4, 2016 Do Remember

k-os’ “Superstarr Pt. Zero” Declared The Jiggy Era Dead & Restored Order To Hip-Hop (Video)

MC/singer k-os was not the first Canadian Hip-Hop artist to gain international mainstream attention, and he clearly is not the last. However, in 2002, at a time when the genre was well aware of its own geographic expansion, this Toronto, Ontario native proved regardless of where he or she was... Read more

July 28, 2016 Do Remember

Da Brat & Jermaine Dupri Gave Us A Party-Starter In 1994 That’s Still So So Def (Audio)

At only nine tracks long, Da Brat's 1994 debut album Funkdafied was nevertheless a massive success, selling one-million copies and cementing her rightful place in Hip-Hop history as the first female solo MC with a platinum-selling LP. The Chicago, Illinois rapper made her first major move in 1992 after winning... Read more

July 21, 2016 Do Remember

Ice Cube Asked A Question In 1992 That Still Demands Answers (Audio)

In late 1992, Ice Cube would release his third solo album, The Predator. The Priority Records release would become Cube's first (and lone) #1 LP, yielding his highest-charting solo hit, "It Was A Good Day." Keeping the corps of Sir Jinx and DJ Pooh in tact, Cube would also call... Read more

July 14, 2016 Do Remember

Back In The Day, Ahmad Released A Record That Only Gets Better With Age (Video)

Heads have all heard the "back in my day" stories from elders, tales of times when things were simpler, childhood was easier, and parties were liver. Nostalgia is a familiar trope in Hip-Hop, and MCs of every generation are likely to devote at least one song to the kind of... Read more

July 7, 2016 Do Remember

15 Years Ago MF DOOM & Aesop Rock Shined Light Upon The “Black List” (Audio)

Earlier this year, Aesop Rock released The Impossible Kid. Down with the Rhymesayers crew, the LP marked the New Yorker's fourth consecutive solo work to appear on the Top 200. In this particular case, the album was the Hail Mary Mallon front-man's second straight Top 30 entry. This is a... Read more

June 30, 2016 Do Remember

Remember When Little Brother & Black Star Picked Up Where Native Tongues Left Off? (Audio)

In the late 80s and early 90s, Native Tongues, the collective led by De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, and consisting of members like Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah, Black Sheep, Monie Love and more, began a movement that would last well into the 2000s. Beyond the musical legacy... Read more

June 23, 2016 Do Remember

Uh-Huh, Okay: Trick Daddy’s Hater Anthem Still Rings Loud & Clear (Video)

In 2000, Trick Daddy released Book of Thugs: Chapter AK Verse 47, the third in an eight-LP discography that culminates with 2009's Finally Famous: Born a Thug, Still a Thug. The Miami, Florida rapper has continued to make music into the 2010s, but his most celebrated works run roughly from... Read more

June 16, 2016 Do Remember

Reminisce Over Pete Rock & CL Smooth 24 Years After Mecca & The Soul Brother (Video)

Today (June 9), Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's full-length debut, Mecca & The Soul Brother turns 24 years old. The Elektra Records album would represent a zenith for the pair of MC/producers from above the Bronx (Mount Vernon and New Rochelle, New York respectively). The LP included one of Hip-Hop's... Read more

June 9, 2016 Do Remember

Domino’s 1993 Hit Forecast The Way Hip-Hop And R&B Would Jam (Video)

Where there is smoke, there is fire—especially in the eyes of record labels. In many ways, Snoop Dogg's appearance on "Deep Cover" set the table for Hip-Hop's awareness to Long Beach City, California. Combining the stylings of Slick Rick and Smooth B, the lanky MC with the liquid flow appealed... Read more

June 2, 2016 Do Remember

Grand Puba, Masta Ace, & Main Source Helped Create a Brand New & Heavy Sound (Video)

In 1992, Delicious Vinyl hosted a unique compilation album in the form of Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1. In many ways similar to Guru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1, the LP merged the sounds of distinct genres into a fusion of Funk, Jazz, and Hip-Hop, in this case, to showcase the musical style most... Read more

May 19, 2016 Do Remember

25 Years Later, This Rare De La Soul Performance Keeps Heads Ringing (Video)

On May 14, 1991, De La Soul released their sophomore LP, De La Soul Is Dead. The Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. Records release was strikingly more irritable than the first, with Posdnuos, Trugoy (n/k/a Dave), Maseo, and producer Prince Paul shrugging off the labels that the media, Rap fans, and everybody... Read more

May 12, 2016 Do Remember

This Track From Dilated Peoples & Tha Alkaholiks Still Deserves To Be In Heavy Rotation (Audio)

In many ways, Tha Alkaholiks were a critical, often overlooked part of the 1990s West Coast Underground movement. Acts like Freestyle Fellowship, Hieroglyphics, and The Pharcyde were instrumental forces—unifying multiple MCs, groups, and styles in a didactic, soulful sound that was distinctly California. However, in L.A., E-Swift, J-Ro, and Katashtrophe... Read more

May 5, 2016 Do Remember