Boogie Down Productions and the Blueprint of Hip Hop

Boogie Down Productions is one of the most influential hip hop groups of all time. Their debut album, Criminal Minded, is considered a blueprint for hip hop. In this blog post, we take a look at their career and legacy.

Boogie Down Productions- The Beginnings

Boogie Down Productions, often shortened to BDP, was a hip hop group from the Bronx in New York City, which was active between 1986 and 1995. The group was composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. They are noted for being one of the first hardcore rap groups.

Boogie Down Productions released their first album, Criminal Minded, in 1987. The album was taken off the shelves by its record label due to concerns over its violent and graphic lyrical content. It is now considered a classic by many fans and is credited with helping to pioneer the conscious hip-hop movement that would come to prominence in the 1990s.

The group’s second album, By All Means Necessary, was released in 1988 and reached #4 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop chart. The album featured the track “My Philosophy”, which is considered by many to be one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time.

Boogie Down Productions’ third album, Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop, was released in 1989. The album reached #1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop chart and #3 on the Billboard 200. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.

The Making of Criminal Minded

In 1986, Scott La Rock and KRS-One (then going by the name of Kris Parker) released their debut album, Criminal Minded. The album was a critical and commercial success, and is considered to be one of the most influential hip hop albums of all time. In many ways, the album was a blueprint for the hip hop that would come to dominate the next decade.

The album’s title track, “Criminal Minded”, set the tone for the album with its hard-hitting beats and aggressive lyrics. KRS-One’s rhymes were sharp and intelligent, and the duo’s chemistry was undeniable. Other standout tracks on the album include “9mm Goes Bang”, ” Poetry”, and “South Bronx”.

While Criminal Minded was certainly a groundbreaking album, it was not without its critics. Some felt that the album’s violent lyrics glorified crime, and that it would have a negative impact on young listeners. Others simply found the music too harsh and abrasive. Regardless of the criticism, Criminal Minded remains an important part of hip hop history, and its influence can still be felt in today’s music.

The Death of Scott La Rock and the Release of By All Means Necessary

On August 27, 1987, Scott La Rock, a member of Boogie Down Productions, was killed in a shooting in the South Bronx. His death came just months after the release of Boogie Down Productions’ debut album, Criminal Minded. The album would go on to be hailed as one of the most important albums in hip hop history, and is credited with helping to define the genre.

In the wake of La Rock’s death, Boogie Down Productions released their second album, By All Means Necessary. The album was dedicated to La Rock, and is considered by many to be one of the most influential hip hop albums of all time. It featured socially conscious lyrics that addressed issues like poverty, racism, and police brutality. By All Means Necessary is often cited as a blueprint for contemporary hip hop music.

The Blueprint of Hip Hop

Formed in the South Bronx in 1987, Boogie Down Productions was one of the most influential hip hop groups of the late 1980s and early 1990s. With their debut album Criminal Minded, BDP helped to define the sound and style of hip hop, with their innovative use of sampling and social commentary. Their follow-up albums, By All Means Necessary and Ready to Die, are considered two of the greatest hip hop albums of all time, and cemented BDP’s place as one of the most important groups in hip hop history.