What was Hip Hop Like Back in the 80's and early 90's?

[king hassan]

Im a 90's baby but I didnt start listening to Hip Hop until the late 90's. Who were your favorite rappers in those times? How were the concerts back then and do you have a specific concert that you remember? And the deceased rappers that I never knew about until later on in life (Pac, Biggie, Big Pun,etc). Where they really that hyped up back in the day?

HIp Hop was fresh and new but did'nt get much radio play. You'd hear shit in somebody house or car and mostly college radio played hip hop. It was some wack shit and some dope shit that came out. It was mostly about partying and it really wasn't regional. You had a variety to listen and cats were'nt pigeonholed to one thing. Concerts were much much cheaper, in 1988 I saw Hammer, NWA, Candy, 2 Live Crew, Anquette and a few more acts for less than 20 bucks and Hammer put on the best show ever. In 91 saw Ghetto Boys, Kid and Play, Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and PE for about 22 bucks. Shit used to be hype back then. It was more cats wanting to DJ than rap. And the Fresh Fest tour in the mid 80's was legendary. Then gangsta rap hit and everybody wanted to be tuff, but you still had a mix and hodge podge of shit to listen to. Pac came out around 92 and that same year Pete Rock and CL SMooth dropped, Gangstar Daily Operation dropped, THe Pharcyde dropped, Redman, Comptons' Most Wanted, Cube and a slew of other stuff, so Pac was'nt how people hype him now. Biggie came out and was dope but was'nt the dopest. It was so many dope emcee's out and for people to label them the greatest baffles me.

And by my dj'ing I've heard so much shit, the average listner won't even know what's out there. And cats were buying actual albums then and tapes, no cd's. And if shit was that hot cats would dub the shit out of a tape. And mixtapes were mixtapes, with mixes. Some dj would get 12'' and and blend and cut and scratch new shit. Used to get them at the local record store. And fresh new shit was being dropped on mix tapes all the time.

 

[usmarin3]

There were more crews and everyone had their own distinct sound and that's because producers stuck to their squad. It ain't like today where these producers jump from artist to artist.

 

[king hassan]

There were more crews and everyone had their own distinct sound and that's because producers stuck to their squad. It ain't like today where these producers jump from artist to artist.

This too. And there were no compilation albums where a artist has a bunch of other cats on his album to carry it over

 

[Catalyst2012]

How big was Redman back in the day?

 

[usmarin3]

How big was Redman back in the day?

Probably big as Ross is today, not quite on the A level stars level ( Biggie, Tupac, Snoop,Dre,etc level ) but had a good enough following to be a consistently gold artist.

 

[Catalyst2012]

How hype was people when the Fresh Prince was on the air? I read somewhere that was like a big thing for hip hop. I dont remember why tho.

 

[StillFaggyAF]

As a fellow 90s baby, i am interested in this thread

 

The user and all related content has been deleted.

 

[idoitforhiphop10]

as a 90's baby myself (born 1990), i really didn't start knowin about hip hop until dmx, jay z and big pun was poppin in 98. i remember everybody in my third grade class use to love master p and no limit.

 

[Kame]

There was some good shit and some wack shit.... but the good gets glorified more cause people get nostalgic when they get older

But a lot of good music came out of there

 

[usmarin3]

How hype was people when the Fresh Prince was on the air? I read somewhere that was like a big thing for hip hop. I dont remember why tho.

You got to remember rap was much united back then. All those artist like Fresh Prince, Queen Latifah, Heavy D, Public Enemy,etc use to tour with each other and were good friends. Hiphop was still on the come up and that's was before all the money came into the game and changed things. A win for hiphop back then was a good thing

 

[Lou Cypher]

Yeah i was born in 90 and always wondered this. I remember when i was 4 hearing OPP by naughty by nature on the radio and i loved it. Didnt hear much hip hop till 99 when eminem came out. I bought the cd and my mom heard it and took it from me, but i went and bought another with my allowance. Soon as i figured out how to download full albums (around 02-03.) i just started to reverse it and got everything i could find from the 90's and late 80's didnt get everything but what i do have, i wish i was born in 1980 instead cuz that would be dope to hear when it was brand new. Then when i got old and heard todays shit i could say the whole "Back in my day" speech.

 

[idoitforhiphop10]

Yeah i was born in 90 and always wondered this. I remember when i was 4 hearing OPP by naughty by nature on the radio and i loved it. Didnt hear much hip hop till 99 when eminem came out. I bought the cd and my mom heard it and took it from me, but i went and bought another with my allowance. Soon as i figured out how to download full albums (around 02-03.) i just started to reverse it and got everything i could find from the 90's and late 80's didnt get everything but what i do have, i wish i was born in 1980 instead cuz that would be dope to hear when it was brand new. Then when i got old and heard todays shit i could say the whole "Back in my day" speech.

that sounds just like me son. i remember they would always play old school music vids and i would be upset that i was born in the 90's. i use to envy all the 80's babies.

 

[idoitforhiphop10]

anybody that grew up in the 90's, who would u compare Nas' hype from 92-94 to now?

 

[southernmade]

Some of yall niggas make me feel old as hell and im not that old lol

 

[idoitforhiphop10]

Some of yall niggas make me feel old as hell and im not that old lol

how old r u?

 

[usmarin3]

The major difference between rap back then and now is the balance. There was something for everyone on tv and the radio, and even the southern shit was dope back then.

 

[southernmade]

how old r u?

Just turn 27......just hearing niggas say they were born in 90 is a trip (yes i know people didnt stop being born after 84 lol).....your not too much young than me so its all good. Hell i have a little cuz who was born in 96'....his outlook on music is much different than mine was at his age....is what it is though. I'm doing my part to put him up on good music.

 

[StillFaggyAF]

that sounds just like me son. i remember they would always play old school music vids and i would be upset that i was born in the 90's. i use to envy all the 80's babies.

this. i listened to mostly 90s hip hop until my sophomore year in high school

 

[white715]

Great, rap was great back then and every element of hip-hop was represented.

Fresh Prince was mush watch tv you made sure you was in the house when it came on that and In living color