Class of 02. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Oversized throwback jerseys and large pinwheel fitted hats were the attire of the day. Ja Rule was our Drake and 50 cent was only in the rearview mirror, yet to take over. Although the lyricist lounge show was off -air, the neo-coffeshop sect of hip hop was still alive and well with mos & kweli making noise as well
As a little known producer from chicago. Hipster rap, fashion rap, trippy rap didnt really exist yet. U want hipster? Check out aesop rock or vast aire or anyone of those goofballs. Want fashion? A movement out of harlem had dudes wearing pink and large furs.
It was the era of the super tough, immovable, unshakeable gangster. You couldnt be the soft rapper or the "ladies rapper" or friendly rapper.
Fabolous and jadakiss were still seen as the saviors of hip hop.
Mixtapes werent a dime a dozen. If you werent buying mixtapes before 2007 you missed some glorious days.
Some guy who yells a bunch of nonsense over hyper beats was on the horizon. He would usher in the next era and we would see the south rise again riding a great skeet skeet wave.
The years surrounding 2002 were real turning points for hip hop