A Wolf in Sheep's ClothingArtist: Black Sheep
Community Score: 7.40
Playfully satirical, witty, and incredibly imaginative, A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing introduced one of the freshest talents in early-'90s rap, a self-produced duo who caught the tail end of the Native Tongues family. Though Dres and Mista Lawnge didn't match the brilliant wordplay of A Tribe Called Quest or De La Soul, their topics were...
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The Nine YardsArtist: Paperboy
Community Score: 6.50
In the late '80s and early '90s, rap invaded the pop music world to the point where many rappers were considered mere pop artists. As a result, the genre produced an abundance of one-hit wonders who failed to reconnect with either rap or pop audiences after their moment of glory. Along with artists like Young MC, Candyman, Domino, and Positive...
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Bring It OnArtist: Ali Dee
Add Ali Dee to the list of rappers successfully exploiting rap/jazz fusion. His cut "Dee Swings Jazz" expertly demonstrates the genres' shared qualities, and his whole release has both a loose, improvisational air and an edgy, combative street vibe. The single "Who's Da Flava" attracted the most attention, but there are other, equally sharp...
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Dust to DustArtist: Prime Minister Pete Nice & Daddy Rich
When 3rd Bass disbanded, Prime Minister Pete Nice and Daddy Rich tried to regroup with this 1993 album. It contained some competent message tracks and hard-edged commentary, but failed to recapture the niche or audience 3rd Bass had previously enjoyed. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
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Midnight MaraudersArtist: A Tribe Called Quest
Community Score: 8.33
Though the abstract rappers finally betrayed a few commercial ambitions for Midnight Marauders, the happy result was a smart, hooky record that may not have furthered the jazz-rap fusions of The Low End Theory, but did merge Tribe-style intelligence and reflection with some of the most inviting grooves heard on any early-'90s rap record. The...
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It Takes a ThiefArtist: Coolio
Community Score: 5.70
Just when it looked like rap would completely succumb to the violent hyperbole and mean-spirited "realness" of gangsta rap, new blood entered the scene in 1994 to nudge the genre back toward friendlier turf. That new blood included Nas, Craig Mack, and Coolio, whose It Takes a Thief starts with the easy-rolling funk of Lakeside's "Fantastic...
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Artist: Beastie Boys
Community Score: 10.00
