90s Hip Hop Music: The Best of the Decade
Looking for some great 90s hip hop music to add to your collection? Check out our list of the best tracks of the decade!
The Golden Age of Hip Hop
From the West Coast G-funk of Snoop Dogg and Warren G to the East Coast hardcore rap of The Notorious B.I.G. and Wu-Tang Clan, the 1990s was a decade that saw the rise of some of the most iconic figures in hip hop history. But what made the 90s such a special time for hip hop? Let’s take a look.
The Birth of Hip Hop
The golden age of hip hop is generally considered to be the 1990s. This was a time when the genre was exploding in popularity and creativity, with a new generation of artists taking things to the next level.
The 1990s saw the birth of some of the most iconic hip hop artists of all time, including Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Wu-Tang Clan, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg. This was also the decade that saw the rise of gangsta rap, a subgenre that would come to dominate the genre in the years to follow.
If you’re a fan of hip hop, then there’s no doubt that you consider the 1990s to be the golden age. This was a decade that truly set the stage for what hip hop would become in the years to come.
The Rise of Gangsta Rap
Often referred to as the “Golden Age”, the 1990s was a decade that saw the rise of a new genre of hip hop music: gangsta rap. This style of hip hop was characterized by its lyrical focus on inner-city crime and violence, as well as its often aggressive and confrontational tone.
The genre began to emerge in the late 1980s, with artists such as Ice-T and N.W.A gaining prominence in the mainstream music industry. However, it was not until the early 1990s that gangsta rap truly exploded in popularity, thanks in large part to the release of seminal albums such as Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggystyle.
Over the course of the decade, gangsta rap would come to dominate hip hop music, both commercially and critically. However, it would also become increasingly controversial, with many critics accusing it of glorifying violence and promoting negative stereotypes about African Americans.
The East Coast vs. West Coast Rivalry
The early nineties were a time of great change in the hip hop world. The east coast/west coast rivalry was at its peak, and the music reflected the tension and violence of the time. The east coast was home to artists like Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, and Notorious B.I.G., who were known for their gritty, street-wise lyrics. On the west coast, artists like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Tupac Shakur were making music that was more funk-inspired and often highly sexualized. This rivalry came to a head in 1996 with the murders of Tupac and Biggie, which shocked the hip hop community and changed the course of the genre forever.
The Best Hip Hop Albums of the 90s
The 1990s was a golden age for hip hop music. Some of the best albums of all time were released during this decade. Here are some of the best hip hop albums of the 90s.
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan’s debut album is one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time. It established the group as not only the leaders of New York hip-hop, but as a new force in music. The album’s dark, foreboding sound was a major change from the optimistic, party-oriented hip-hop that dominated the early ’90s. And its hard-edged, streetwise rhymes were a stark contrast to the more conscious and poetic style that was popularized by groups like A Tribe Called Quest. Wu-Tang’s unique sound and style would go on to have a huge impact on hip-hop in the years that followed.
All Eyez on Me
All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac, released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row Records and Interscope Records. The album is considered one of the crowning achievements of 1990s rap music. All Eyez on Me was the second album by 2Pac to reach number one on both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, selling 566,000 copies in its first week. The album features the hit singles “Ambitionz Az a Ridah” and “California Love”.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Released in 1998, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was an instant classic and is often cited as one of the greatest albums of all time, hip hop or otherwise. Lauryn Hill’s unique blend of soul, R&B, and hip hop helped to cement her place as one of the most talented and influential musicians of her generation. The album’s debut at the top of the Billboard 200 made Hill the first woman to ever achieve such a feat.
The Legacy of 90s Hip Hop
The 1990s was a defining decade for hip hop music. It was a time when the genre was coming into its own and artists were beginning to experiment with new sounds and styles. This decade saw the rise of some of the most iconic hip hop artists of all time, including Tupac, Biggie, and Snoop Dogg. The legacy of 90s hip hop is still felt today, and the music of this decade continues to influence artists all over the world.
The Influence of Hip Hop on Pop Culture
The influence of hip hop on pop culture has been profound and far-reaching. Hip hop emerged in the early 1970s in New York City, and quickly became a dominant force in both music and fashion. The style and sound of hip hop would go on to influence many other genres of music, as well as fashion, art, and dance.
Hip hop has had a significant impact on fashion. The style of dress associated with hip hop is often flashy and ostentatious, with lots of gold and jewelry. This style was popularized by rap stars like Run DMC, who often wore their gold chains and rings as a way to show off their wealth and success. This style of dress has now gone mainstream, with many celebrities and everyday people alike sporting gold chains and other jewelry associated with hip hop culture.
Hip hop has also had a major impact on art. The graffiti style associated with hip hop has been adopted by many artists as a way to express themselves. Graffiti art often features bold colors and aggressive images, which can be seen as a reflection of the tough urban environments from which it emerged. This type of art has now been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world, further cementing the influence of hip hop on the world of art.
Finally, hip hop has had a major impact on dance. The breakdancing style associated with hip hop is now practiced by people all over the world. This physically demanding form of dance requires skill, strength, and coordination, and has captivated audiences worldwide. Breakdancing is often seen as a symbol of the athleticism and creative energy associated with hip hop culture.
The Impact of Hip Hop on the Music Industry
In the 1990s, hip hop music became increasingly popular worldwide. It had a significant impact on other genres of music and helped to shape the sound of the entire music industry. Hip hop music is a genre that is characterized by its use of samples, looping, and creative production techniques. It often features rap vocals, but it can also include other elements such as R&B, soul, funk, and pop.
In the early 1990s, artists like Dr. Dre and Public Enemy helped to bring hip hop music to a wider audience. Their albums were commercially successful and were critically acclaimed. Dr. Dre’s album The Chronic (1992) is often cited as one of the best hip hop albums of all time. It helped to popularize the “G-funk” subgenre of hip hop, which is characterized by its use of synthesizers and samples from 1970s funk music.
The success of The Chronic led to a wave of commercially successful hip hop albums in the mid-1990s, including Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle (1993), Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993), and Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die (1994). These albums were highly influential and helped to establish hip hop as a mainstream genre of music.
In the late 1990s, hip hop music continued to grow in popularity with artists like Jay-Z, DMX, and Missy Elliott achieving mainstream success. Hip hop music also began to experience some backlash from critics who accused it of being gangsta rap glorifying violence and drugs. Nevertheless, hip hop remained one of the most popular genres of music in the United States throughout the 1990s and into the new millennium.
