Cypress Hill were notable for being the first Latino hip-hop superstars, but they became notorious for their endorsement of marijuana, which actually isn't a trivial thing. Not only did the group campaign for its legalization, but their slow, rolling bass-and-drum loops pioneered a new, stoned funk that became extraordinary influential in '90s... [+] Read More

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Though they were not the first to synthesize jazz and hip-hop, Digable Planets epitomized the laid-back charm of jazz hipsters better than any group before or since. The trio's 1993 debut album, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space), was a mellow ride packed with samples from Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, and Curtis Mayfield, and the single... [+] Read More

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Never overly prolific nor overly popular, Gang Starr nonetheless became and remain one of hip-hop's most admired acts ever, the duo's legacy nothing short of legendary in terms of influence. DJ Premier and Guru, the duo's respective producer/DJ and lyricist/MC, set standards for early-'90s hip-hop with their two touchstone releases: Step in the... [+] Read More

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Rapper/composer Guru (real name Keith Elam) first rose to prominence as the "lyrical half" of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, one of the first outfits that attempted to fuse jazz with rap. After three albums by Gang Starr hit record store shelves (1989's No More Mr. Nice Guy, 1991's Step in the Arena, and 1992's Daily Operation), Guru launched his... [+] Read More

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Insane Asylum Soldiers


Sample the new soldiers from the Insane Asylum Label!

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A Hispanic rapper actually born in Cuba, Mellow Man Ace focused on lovers rap with occasional bilingual delivery and a heady gift for novelty rhymes. Born Ulpiano Sergio Reyez in 1967, he left Cuba with his family at the age of four and resettled in Los Angeles. With production from the Dust Brothers and Def Jef, Mellow Man Ace recorded his... [+] Read More

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Latin rap duo tha Mexakinz were formed in Long Beach, CA, by MCs I-Man and Sinful. Their fluid bilingual rhymes on such albums as 1994's Zig Zag and 1996's Tha Mexakinz garnered them an underground following among both hip-hop and alternative rock fans. 1998's Crossing All Borders began to reflect the influence of the latter genre while... [+] Read More

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An influential alternative rap quartet from South Central Los Angeles, the Pharcyde was formed by MCs/producers Tre "Slimkid" Hardson, Derrick "Fatlip" Stewart, Imani Wilcox, and Romye "Booty Brown" Robinson. Hardson, Wilcox, and Robinson were all dancers and choreographers who met on the L.A. underground club circuit in the late '80s, worked... [+] Read More

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