The Old School Hip Hop Thread

[OGpistolpete]

I've debated making this topic for awhile, but decided, what the hay, I love old school hip hop, whether it be from A Tribe Called Quest all the way to the Wu-Tang Clan.

First topic of discussion, the greatness that was Leaders of the New School.

They were first featured in A Tribe Called Quest's song, Scenario, off their Low-End Theory album. Busta Rhymes just shredded that song to pieces with his final verse. Their first album is an absolute classic, in my books. The more I listen to it the more I love it. This is where Busta Rhymes got his start, and this is when he was the shite. Charlie Brown is still my favorite of the group though, with Dinco D coming in last. They made two videos for their two best songs, Case of the PTA and Sobb Story. Case of the PTA is a great song, don't get me wrong, but Sobb Story just blows it away. The hook is fantastic, and they are rapping about things that normal people experience when they don't have a car and when they do get a car. I also like Too Much On My Mind, What's The Pinocchio's Theory?, Sounds of the Zeekers, Teachers, Don't Teach Us Nonsense!!, and Feminine Fatt. I highly suggest you download it, and give it more than just one listen.

I haven't listened to their second and unfortunately last album though, T.I.M.E., because I haven't gotten sick of their first album, plus I heard it was not as good.

DISCUSS~!

Edited February 19, 2008 by Kaney
Illegal material linkage removed

[bstan80]

Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, ATLiens, and Aquemini definitely need to be mentioned in this topic. Even though Aquemini was released like 10 years back, it's still 5x better than the current rap scene.

Can't forget about Illmatic(best album ever), It Was Written, or my new old school favorite right now. Mobb Deep's The Infamous.

[VerbalPuke]

It's not hard to figure out that I'm not a huge rap or hip hop fan, but there was some fantastic old school shit out there.

Erik B. and Rakim anyone? Possibly the best hip hop I've ever heard, if not for Mr. Lif emergence in the early part of this century.

With the mention of Busta Rhymes, I'd like to go ahead and say that I think E.L.E. is the best rap album I've ever heard.

[Verder]

The Notorious B.I.G. and Nasty Nas are my favourites from this era. Since this topic needs cliché things, I'll say that Biggie had a flow unmatchable by anyone at that time and probably still nowadays too. Ready To Die is the shit. "Everyday Struggle", "One More Chance", "Juicy", "Warning", need I say more? Illmatic, on the other hand, is of course another classic, already for "N.Y. State of Mind" alone. Ten tracks, no more, no less and it works. It's these two albums that form quite possibly my favourite part of the 90's rap scene. Too bad Biggie's life was so brief, but I think had he lived on longer, that lyrically he might have eventually experienced what Eminem has gone through over the past few years - you just can't keep on making lyrically brilliant tracks forever. So I think, if Biggie was still alive, that people might be saying he's not what he used to be etc. But you never know.

I've never really been able to get into Busta Rhymes' music. Indeed he sounds different and innovative, just too different for me, such as on Craig Mack's "Flava In Ya Ear Remix" where all the others rap... uh, normally.

[DMN in the House]

Half the shit getting mentioned isn't even 'old school'. Old school is Big Daddy Kane and Run DMC. Its not OutKast and Wu-Tang Clan.

[MalaCloudy Black]

That's debateable. Kane's debut only came six years before The Wu, and OutKast released their first album a year after Enter The Wu-Tang (1993, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik came out in 1994). And "half the shit"? One dude mentioned OutKast and there's a passing mention of the Wu in the first post. That's hardly "half the shit".

No offense, but you'd have to be living in the late 90's or early 00's to not consider the Wu "old school". They've been around for almost 16 years and have had a huge influence on hip-hop be it East or West Coast. I'd say they're definitely old school.

And why didn't you take any issue with BIG or Nas? They were releasing their debut albums around the same time as OutKast and the Wu (1994 to be precise).

[DMN in the House]

Because I wasn't taking it all super seriously. To be honest, to be 'old school' to me, you need to be PRE-NWA. I didn't feel like getting all the facts straight, especially considering that by naming Wu-Tang Clan I figured people would understand that I meant everyone that came after them as well. None of that shit is old school.

I'd wager that a vast majority of EWB didn't listen to Tupac while he was even still alive, so I highly doubt any of you know what true old school is. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Run DMC. The Beastie Boys. Old school. Wu-Tang. Outkast. Biggie. Nas. Pac. NWA. Snoop. NOT old school.

Shit, I don't even know why I'm having this discussion, because I don't even like the majority of old school hip-hop. I like west coast gangsta rap from the early to mid 90s. Maybe I'm just old, and it trips me out that people label shit 'old school' when its not, to me.

Edited February 19, 2008 by DMN

[VerbalPuke]

How old does it have to be to be considered old-school these days?

I'd think enough years have passed that we can consider groups of the early 90s and maybe to the mid-90s old school.

But on the other hand, does old school rap really just refer more to a style, something in the vein of a Run DMC or Big Daddy Kane?

Edited February 19, 2008 by VerbalPuke

[MalaCloudy Black]

How old does it have to be to be considered old-school these days?

I'd think enough years have passed that we can consider groups of the early 90s and maybe to the mid-90s old school.

But on the other hand, does old school rap really just refer more to a style, something in the vein of a Run DMC or Big Daddy Kane?

I think what DMN and I have is a different definition of "old school". I think the idea that to be "old school" all you have to do is be an 80's rapper or hip-hop group is totally bollocks. You have to acknowledge that the "old school" of yesterday is going to become the "ancient" or "super old school" of tomorrow -- and hip-hop seems to have a shorter lifespan in that regard. To me, "old school" is defined as being something/one/group that regarded as being classic(s) no matter if they were releasing albums in 1988 or 1996. Yeah, there's gotta be a cutoff somewhere (I'm not going to be calling albums released in 2002 old school any time soon), but albums released in the early 90's could easily be considered "old school".

For me it's about lyricism, beats, style and whether or not the group set a precedent more than anything else when I think "old school", and I can't think of many rappers or groups that have done that since the mid-90s or so.

Edited February 19, 2008 by Heart Of Glass Cloudys

[DMN in the House]

To me, Old School is the sound that came out of New York in the late 70s and 80s. Thats old school. Wu-Tang Clan is more of east coast gangsta rap to me. Outkast is southern playa rap. Neither of those are old school, although they have certainly put out stuff that is, without a doubt, classic.

[bstan80]

How old does it have to be to be considered old-school these days?

I'd think enough years have passed that we can consider groups of the early 90s and maybe to the mid-90s old school.

But on the other hand, does old school rap really just refer more to a style, something in the vein of a Run DMC or Big Daddy Kane?

I think what DMN and I have is a different definition of "old school". I think the idea that to be "old school" all you have to do is be an 80's rapper or hip-hop group is totally bollocks. You have to acknowledge that the "old school" of yesterday is going to become the "ancient" or "super old school" of tomorrow -- and hip-hop seems to have a shorter lifespan in that regard. To me, "old school" is defined as being something/one/group that regarded as being classic(s) no matter if they were releasing albums in 1988 or 1996. Yeah, there's gotta be a cutoff somewhere (I'm not going to be calling albums released in 2002 old school any time soon), but albums released in the early 90's could easily be considered "old school".

For me it's about lyricism, beats, style and whether or not the group set a precedent more than anything else when I think "old school", and I can't think of many rappers or groups that have done that since the mid-90s or so.

[METALMAN]

I go as far as finding the PS1 old school. But I'm only 17. In hip-hop terms that would make the likes of P Diddy old school. :/

[DMN in the House]

Unless it was 8-bit, it wasn't old school. You kids don't even know what old school is. Seriously.

I feel old now.

[Vendetta]

Run DMC..LL Cool J. Beastie Boys.

[Guest Redrum3030]

Anybody here listen to the duo Nice & Smooth? They're dope. Some people would consider em old school, they debuted in like late 80s. Here's one of their songs if you wanna check it: http://youtube.com/watch?v=myqQGg_s-Pw

[Lord Nibbler]

Half the shit getting mentioned isn't even 'old school'. Old school is Big Daddy Kane and Run DMC.

[Typical Phenom]

Half the shit getting mentioned isn't even 'old school'. Old school is Big Daddy Kane and Run DMC.

Psh.

Melle Mel, Coke La Rock, Keith Cowboy, Lovebug Starski, Spoony G, Cold Crush Brothers, Kid Creole...that's old school.

[VerbalPuke]

I've been hearing the D.O.C.'s first album a lot lately, it's really quite good. I get a large dose of rap and hip hop at work due to the fact that the guy I work next to is primarily a hip hop fan (and plays the hell out of it on his radio).

I heard that his second album had him sounding almost demonic due to the accident he had, has anybody heard this album? Something about a demonic sounding rapper was intriguing to me.

Oh, and I'll never forget jamming to 2 Live Crew as a kid, despite their raunchy nature, they did produce some classic tunes like Fuck Shop and Get The Fuck Out (of my house).

[JStarr]

I'll have to throw in with DMN on this one. I'd call old school anything pre-gangsta. People like Sugarhill, Flash, Super Wolf, Kurtis Blow, Whodini, Bambaataa, Run-DMC, Treacherous Three (Kool Moe Dee was the shit before he started getting obsessed with LL Cool J), and Sequence (the first female group).

There are exactly two acts that I can name that are still putting out decent product today that can legit be called "old school," those being LL and the Beastie Boys. That said, there needs to be more love for Big Daddy Kane and Eric B. and Rakim.

And Redrum, good call on the Nice and Smooth. I was more partial to DWYCK, myself, if only for Guru being involved.

[Lowerdeck]

My view of hip-hop eras:

1970s - 1991 = Old School

1992 - 1997 = Modern Old School

1998 - 2004 = Shiny Suit Era

2005 - pres = Party Rap Era

I'm not a fan of the old school pre-92 per say. However, gotta love that Grandmaster Flash. Public Enemy. I like some of the older Beastie Boys (Paul Revere for example). Run DMC. That song by Afrika Bombata was pretty sweet.