official hip-hop litmus test: hip-hop's greatest year

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both widely regarded as "hip-hop's greatest year." anecdotally, i've found that you can tell a lot about someone's taste in contemporary hip-hop based on which one of these years someone leans towards....

which are you? what does your choice say about you?

Poll Results

OptionVotes
1993 44
1988 40


pug waffle (Whiney G. Weingarten), Sunday, 8 January 2012 18:21 (twelve years ago) link

obviously, I'm a 1988 guy, which is why I think I'm partial to more abrasive and minimal stuff like Lil Jon, Roc Marciano, Young L, Danny Brown, Waka and even Death Grips.

pug waffle (Whiney G. Weingarten), Sunday, 8 January 2012 18:25 (twelve years ago) link

I get clowned by goons sometimes because my favorite contemporary rap productions are always the 88 style of a looping, skipping sample--"Otis," "Six Foot Seven Foot," "On To The Next One," Rich Boy's "Drop." Because they remind me of the days when rap was obnoxious, repetitive, confrontationally annoying, and rhythm-based. I think Dr. Dre can really be credited for making chord changes popular in rap--suuuuper prevalent in Houston/Atlanta/LA stuff to this day--and I really like stuff that has p much one chord...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4SydcL9OLE

pug waffle (Whiney G. Weingarten), Sunday, 8 January 2012 18:30 (twelve years ago) link

if I hadn't been around for both years, I'd probably pick '93. I was, though, and when I look at the '88 list, I get all BMW-driver-about-the-60s. It Takes Two came out in '88; as much I love a lotta '93 stuff (and as much as I think the strides made in '93 are kinda bigger toward broadening the genre, and therefore more "important"), hearing "It Takes Two" on KDAY was one of those "oh, shit, music is different after this for me" moments. You don't like it, so what, I don't care

unlistenable in philly (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Sunday, 8 January 2012 20:20 (twelve years ago) link

and even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Gripsand even Death Grips

mutant slow drum (BradNelson), Sunday, 8 January 2012 20:27 (twelve years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBiFel99JEM

President Keyes, Sunday, 8 January 2012 20:52 (twelve years ago) link

88 was more life-changing for me but from here I'm voting 93

Poppy Newgod and the Phantom Banned (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 8 January 2012 21:18 (twelve years ago) link

^^^ otm

jon /via/ chi 2.0, Sunday, 8 January 2012 21:20 (twelve years ago) link

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41J93DE01ML._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Where's the 1990 option?

Doran, Sunday, 8 January 2012 22:18 (twelve years ago) link

I think Dr. Dre can really be credited for making chord changes popular in rap--suuuuper prevalent in Houston/Atlanta/LA stuff to this day--and I really like stuff that has p much one chord...

this is true, if a very complimentary way of putting what Dre did, which was turn from a one or two bar sequence made out of layers of multiple samples to sampling 4 bars of one song by someone else & then building up the production / replacing the instruments. I fell out precisely around 1993 because mainstream rap just gravitated towards what seemed like cover versions. I enjoy a lot of those songs now and can hear all the production work & polish but at the time it seemed like a sad turn

in other words I like the stuff that had one chord as well, especially the stuff that had so many noises piled up and against each other that you couldn't even begin to tell what chord it was

Milton Parker, Sunday, 8 January 2012 22:21 (twelve years ago) link

I thought I was going to vote for 1988 era (I actually have more rap albums from 1989 and 1994 than from 88 and 93, which feels appropriate), but the breadth of the 1993 stuff is pretty great, gonna have to go with that.

da croupier, Sunday, 8 January 2012 22:27 (twelve years ago) link

Should add '98 and '03 so jordan can participate lol

somebody call the brinks truck (D-40), Sunday, 8 January 2012 22:28 (twelve years ago) link

looking over the ego-trip singles lists from these years has just made this harder

da croupier, Sunday, 8 January 2012 22:31 (twelve years ago) link

the problem with saying 1988 is "hip-hop's greatest year" is that it feels weird to suggest it was all downhill from there.

da croupier, Sunday, 8 January 2012 22:36 (twelve years ago) link

well

pug waffle (Whiney G. Weingarten), Sunday, 8 January 2012 23:15 (twelve years ago) link

1988 had the better albums out of those two. It's amazing what five years did to Run DMC.

irrational, Sunday, 8 January 2012 23:36 (twelve years ago) link

404 (Lamp), Sunday, 8 January 2012 23:45 (twelve years ago) link

i guess there was more rap music in 93...

sisilafami, Sunday, 8 January 2012 23:46 (twelve years ago) link

1993/fuiud

flopson, Sunday, 8 January 2012 23:48 (twelve years ago) link

Why '93 over '94?

President Keyes, Monday, 9 January 2012 00:16 (twelve years ago) link

'94 til infinity

Θ ̨Θƪ (sic), Monday, 9 January 2012 00:48 (twelve years ago) link

yeah i was gonna say, '94 (or even '91) >>>>> '93

seasonal thug (some dude), Monday, 9 January 2012 02:17 (twelve years ago) link

i was still listening to hip-hop in 1988

buzza, Monday, 9 January 2012 02:24 (twelve years ago) link

I shouldn't even vote in this, since I've basically decided to never listen to new hip-hop ever again, but yeah, '88 for sure - I'll take a loop and a beat over swooshing synths and a fucking sung chorus every day of the year.

誤訳侮辱, Monday, 9 January 2012 02:28 (twelve years ago) link

Voted 1993 b/c of 12 Inches of Snow.

Bon Ivoj (jaymc), Monday, 9 January 2012 02:32 (twelve years ago) link

A few Illmatic singles were released in '93. "Party and Bullshit" was 93.

billstevejim, Monday, 9 January 2012 02:33 (twelve years ago) link

I have probably playedBuloone Mindstate, Midnight Marauders, The Bliss Album...?, Return of the Boom Bap, and Reachin' more than the 1988 releases.

lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 9 January 2012 02:34 (twelve years ago) link

I'll take a loop and a beat over swooshing synths and a fucking sung chorus every day of the year.

Chronic was December 92 dude

Θ ̨Θƪ (sic), Monday, 9 January 2012 02:39 (twelve years ago) link

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/SlickRickTheGreatAdventuresofSlickRick.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8a/Eazy-E_Eazy-Duz-It.jpg

^88

xpost!

― mark (er) s (k3vin k.), Thursday, August 18, 2011 9:53 AM (4 months ago)

rebecca blah (k3vin k.), Monday, 9 January 2012 02:49 (twelve years ago) link

mainstream rap just gravitated towards what seemed like cover versions. I enjoy a lot of those songs now and can hear all the production work & polish but at the time it seemed like a sad turn

yeah this is otm - I loved The Chronic and Doggy Style (and Uncle Sam's Curse what year was that?) but the element of rap that was like mindblowing sheer sonics gave way to what were essentially rock records structurally - same rules as rock in terms of how you get to the vibe/effect. whereas that late 80s stuff was so Structures In Sound - but then again, Wu Tang is fully up on that when they come around, and they weren't "throwback" to me at that point, they were taking that vision to where it would have gone next if it had remained the dominant discourse, which it didn't.

not that all rap had been dense layers of Bomb Squad & not that there isn't plenty of trad song structure at play in Nation of Millions and shit but that's how I break it down to an extent, rap becoming more a new approach to songcraft than a new approach to sound.

unlistenable in philly (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Monday, 9 January 2012 03:18 (twelve years ago) link

Chronic was December 92 dude
--Θ ̨Θƪ (sic)

As the singles (and Snoop) rolled out, you could def say 1993 was Dre's year tho

pug waffle (Whiney G. Weingarten), Monday, 9 January 2012 04:58 (twelve years ago) link

g-funk's sung choruses are dope though. I'm not really into sung choruses in rap, but who in their right mind didn't find "Snoop Doggy DOOOOO-OOOH-OOO-OOO-OGGG" engaging?

unattractive on the inside (Neanderthal), Monday, 9 January 2012 05:00 (twelve years ago) link

(yea yea I know it's just reappropriated "Atomic Dog" but itw as still dope...plus "Let Me Ride"!)

unattractive on the inside (Neanderthal), Monday, 9 January 2012 05:00 (twelve years ago) link

(ok ok yea mothership connection fuck off nowadays pedant)

unattractive on the inside (Neanderthal), Monday, 9 January 2012 05:01 (twelve years ago) link

93, honestly. I was fresh out of high school and really listening to rap a lot. one of my first roommates was a would be dj. good year.

Thug Luftwaffle (forksclovetofu), Monday, 9 January 2012 06:20 (twelve years ago) link

As the singles (and Snoop) rolled out, you could def say 1993 was Dre's year tho

figured dude was whinging about current rap, my joke had layers

Θ ̨Θƪ (sic), Monday, 9 January 2012 06:31 (twelve years ago) link

well, one and a half layers

Θ ̨Θƪ (sic), Monday, 9 January 2012 06:32 (twelve years ago) link

1993

Not even a close race for me. I was 12 and impressionable.

Youncle Buck (Spottie_Ottie_Dope), Monday, 9 January 2012 06:35 (twelve years ago) link

yeah 93 was the first year I ever heard rap where they said "fuck" and "shit" and "titties"

unattractive on the inside (Neanderthal), Monday, 9 January 2012 06:48 (twelve years ago) link

prior to then, my only exposure was "He's the DJ...I'm the Rapper", and Shaq Diesel.

unattractive on the inside (Neanderthal), Monday, 9 January 2012 06:48 (twelve years ago) link

i was 0 and 5 respectively but 1988. if it was 94 instead, i'd pick 94.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH5CmB44TaY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ORLq1zSNow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axJpBlxW6n0

I am Newgod (a hoy hoy), Monday, 9 January 2012 09:58 (twelve years ago) link

Voting 1993 but somedude's right - 91 or 94 would be my picks.

Science, you guys. Science. (DL), Monday, 9 January 2012 10:38 (twelve years ago) link

2003

all i see is angels in my eyes (lex pretend), Monday, 9 January 2012 10:59 (twelve years ago) link

god what a boring fucking question though. 2004. 2005. 1999. whenever.

all i see is angels in my eyes (lex pretend), Monday, 9 January 2012 10:59 (twelve years ago) link

thanks for sharing that valuable insight Lex, really getting new perspectives on reality here

unlistenable in philly (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Monday, 9 January 2012 12:11 (twelve years ago) link

well whenever is the right answer.

sisilafami, Monday, 9 January 2012 12:33 (twelve years ago) link

the thread is about assessing competing claims

it's not really hard to understand

unlistenable in philly (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Monday, 9 January 2012 12:38 (twelve years ago) link

still boring though

groovemaaan, Monday, 9 January 2012 12:44 (twelve years ago) link

Seems to me if you prefer 1989 you should vote for 1988 and and if you prefer 1994 you should vote for 1993?

Tom D (Tom D.), Monday, 9 January 2012 12:45 (twelve years ago) link

... Earlier this week?

― Bam! Orgasm explosion in your facehole. (DJP), Tuesday, January 10, 2012 6:03 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

no, dan, a rap station that YOUNG RAP FANS listen to....

pug waffle (Whiney G. Weingarten), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:05 (twelve years ago) link

man the myth that young rap fans like eminem has to really cease.

pug waffle (Whiney G. Weingarten), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:06 (twelve years ago) link

Meanwhile, back in the thread...

Neanderthal, Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:07 (twelve years ago) link

1988

EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:08 (twelve years ago) link

How many Max B joints came out that yr

Neanderthal, Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:14 (twelve years ago) link

... Earlier this week?

― Bam! Orgasm explosion in your facehole. (DJP), Tuesday, January 10, 2012 5:03 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

how embarrassing for wherever you live

somebody call the brinks truck (D-40), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:14 (twelve years ago) link

i think dan lives in the home of Benzino

the 500 gats of bartholomew thuggins (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:20 (twelve years ago) link

not the city, i mean literally he lives in benzino's house

the 500 gats of bartholomew thuggins (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:20 (twelve years ago) link

he is benzino

somebody call the brinks truck (D-40), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:22 (twelve years ago) link

btw sorry if i went hard on a hoy hoy itt was feeling defensive

somebody call the brinks truck (D-40), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:23 (twelve years ago) link

1988 was Max B deficient. But 1989 had a load of Max Q.

EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:25 (twelve years ago) link

man deej, u are never gonna be unsigned hype :(

the 500 gats of bartholomew thuggins (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:33 (twelve years ago) link

... Earlier this week?

― Bam! Orgasm explosion in your facehole. (DJP), Tuesday, January 10, 2012 5:03 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

how embarrassing for wherever you live

― somebody call the brinks truck (D-40), Tuesday, January 10, 2012 6:14 PM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

haha this

rebecca blah (k3vin k.), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:33 (twelve years ago) link

lol America?

Jimmy Riddle Orchestra (Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:34 (twelve years ago) link

... Earlier this week?

― Bam! Orgasm explosion in your facehole. (DJP), Tuesday, January 10, 2012 5:03 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

how embarrassing for wherever you live

― somebody call the brinks truck (D-40), Tuesday, January 10, 2012 6:14 PM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

haha this is - wait for it - Boston, right?

rebecca blah (k3vin k.), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:34 (twelve years ago) link

^^doesn't know where benzino live

the 500 gats of bartholomew thuggins (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:39 (twelve years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6zf7P8eTRI

pug waffle (Whiney G. Weingarten), Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:41 (twelve years ago) link

jesus christ this is "Critical Beatdown" vs. "Kill My Landlord" stfu about Max B

President Keyes, Wednesday, 11 January 2012 00:31 (twelve years ago) link

head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole head up the brooklyn media butthole

Beezow Doo Doo Zopittybop-Bop Bop (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 00:39 (twelve years ago) link

big ups to the heads up the brooklyn media butthole

thug eclair (The Reverend), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 00:40 (twelve years ago) link

"love the way you lie" was a bad example, that was one of the few eminem songs that DID get in heavy rotation on most rap stations (hit #7 on the r&b/hip hop chart)

seasonal thug (some dude), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 01:03 (twelve years ago) link

^^^dope find xp

Sh1pley Gohard (D-40), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 01:04 (twelve years ago) link

"love the way you lie" was a bad example, that was one of the few eminem songs that DID get in heavy rotation on most rap stations (hit #7 on the r&b/hip hop chart)

― seasonal thug (some dude), Tuesday, January 10, 2012 7:03 PM (29 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

aite you pay more attention that stuff but i imagine that was the rihanna aspect rather than the eminem

Sh1pley Gohard (D-40), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 01:04 (twelve years ago) link

that doesn't really matter, does it?

seasonal thug (some dude), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 01:11 (twelve years ago) link

anyway eminem is a weird case because EVERY mainstream hip hop fan pays lip service to him being a genius etc. but he was never really big on rap radio

seasonal thug (some dude), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 01:12 (twelve years ago) link

some dude you didn't pick a year

pug waffle (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 01:29 (twelve years ago) link

88 i guess but that's more because i feel like that's a better pinpoint of the best year of its era than that i necessarily prefer it to the overall 93 era

seasonal thug (some dude), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 01:55 (twelve years ago) link

You know who was also probably around the 23rd best selling artist of a given year?: ORIGINAL CONCEPT

^ this is amazing

Θ ̨Θƪ (sic), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 02:48 (twelve years ago) link

It doesn't matter whether you like max b
or if you prefer rap from 88 to 93
because a leader has arrived to part rap's Red Sea
the emperor of hip-hop, mr. djdee

Neanderthal, Wednesday, 11 January 2012 03:31 (twelve years ago) link

anyway the real answer to this question is 1998

Sh1pley Gohard (D-40), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 07:25 (twelve years ago) link

^brinks, baby!

it means 'super-otm' (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 14:36 (twelve years ago) link

whatever happened to benzino?

Aesop Rizzle (a hoy hoy), Wednesday, 11 January 2012 21:53 (twelve years ago) link

his latest mixtape received rave reviews in Hip Hop Weekly

some dude, Wednesday, 11 January 2012 22:05 (twelve years ago) link

lol

pandemic, Wednesday, 11 January 2012 22:07 (twelve years ago) link

four weeks pass...

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Wednesday, 8 February 2012 00:01 (twelve years ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Thursday, 9 February 2012 00:01 (twelve years ago) link

UPSET SPECIAL

Bo Jackson Overdrive, Thursday, 9 February 2012 00:02 (twelve years ago) link

Yes!

dr dre throwing dubstep balloons (Spottie_Ottie_Dope), Thursday, 9 February 2012 00:12 (twelve years ago) link

thumbs up

little clouds of citrus spritz as i peel (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 9 February 2012 00:28 (twelve years ago) link

ok, who passed the OFFICIAL HIP-HOP LITMUS TEST?

Alshipleyan Goalpostmover (some dude), Thursday, 9 February 2012 01:08 (twelve years ago) link

I don't remember what I voted

Bo Jackson Overdrive, Thursday, 9 February 2012 01:09 (twelve years ago) link

or if I voted

Bo Jackson Overdrive, Thursday, 9 February 2012 01:09 (twelve years ago) link

R.I.P. whiney it's sad he was a pollmaker

Bo Jackson Overdrive, Thursday, 9 February 2012 01:10 (twelve years ago) link

I don't remember what I voted

― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Wednesday, February 8, 2012 8:09 PM (6 days ago)

autofail

the real shithead is (Drugs A. Money), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 15:09 (twelve years ago) link

A win for modernity! 20 years ago beats 25 years ago!

dave coolier (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 15:29 (twelve years ago) link

three weeks pass...

yeah, no more iggy azalea articles

The Reverend, Friday, 9 March 2012 05:47 (twelve years ago) link

three weeks pass...

can't believe i read this whole thing. that middle section was some dark shit.

caulk the wagon and float it, Wednesday, 4 April 2012 20:04 (twelve years ago) link


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