West Coast hip hop is a regional genre of hip hop music that encompasses any artists or music that originated in the West Coast of the United States. West Coast hip hop began to dominate from a radio play and sales standpoint during the early to-mid 1990s with the birth of G-funk and the emergence of record labels such as Suge Knight and Dr. Dre's Death Row Records, Ice Cube's Lench Mob Records, the continued success of Eazy-E's Ruthless Records, Aftermath Records belonging to Dr. Dre, and others.
Dogg Food is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Tha Dogg Pound, released on October 31, 1995. The album features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Michel'le, The Lady of Rage, Tray Deee, and Mr. Malik. Two singles were released from the album: "Let's Play House" and "New York, New York".
Critical Beatdown is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Ultramagnetic MCs, released on October 4, 1988, by Next Plateau Records. Production for the album was handled primarily by the group's rapper and producer Ced-Gee, who employed an E-mu SP-1200 sampler as the album's main instrument. Music journalists have noted the album for its innovative production, funk-based samples, self-assertive themes, ingenious lyricism, and complex rhyme patterns by Ced-Gee and fellow rapper Kool Keith.
Meiso is the third studio album by Japanese hip hop producer DJ Krush. It was released on July 21, 1995 in Japan by Sony Music Entertainment.
Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton is the second and final studio album by American hip hop recording artist Eazy-E. It was released posthumously by Ruthless Records and Relativity Records on January 30, 1996, ten months after Eazy-E's death in March 1995. The album spawned the single, "Just tah Let U Know".
Stakes Is High is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group De La Soul. It was released on July 2, 1996, through Tommy Boy Records. The album marked a change in the group's sound and direction, as it was their first release not produced in collaboration with Prince Paul. Stakes Is High was mainly produced by the group themselves, with additional tracks provided by Jay Dee, DJ Ogee, Spearhead X and Skeff Anslem. It is considered the group's darkest and most serious album. It received mostly strong reviews but little commercial success.
Omar Gerryl Credle, better known by his stage name, O.C., is an American rapper and member of the group D.I.T.C. He has been involved with several underground hip hop groups, namely Crooklyn Dodgers '95, Luv NY, and Perestroika.
Nocturnal is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Heltah Skeltah. It was released on June 18, 1996 via Duck Down/Priority Records. Recording sessions took place at Chung King Studios, at Dollar Cab, at D&D Studios, and at Unique Recording Studios in New York City. Production was handled by Da Beatminerz, Buckshot, Shaleek, Shawn J. Period, Supreme, E-Swift, Lord Jamar and Sean Price. It features guest appearances from Originoo Gunn Clappaz, Illa Noyz, Representativz and Vinia Mojica. The album peaked at number 35 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
Livin' Proof is the debut studio album by the American hip hop duo Group Home. It was released on November 21, 1995, through FFRR/Payday Records. Recording sessions took place at D&D Studios in New York. Production was handled by Gang Starr and Big Jaz. It features guest appearances from Absaloot, Big Shug, Guru, Brainsick Enterprize and Smiley the Ghetto Child.
Lordz of Brooklyn is an American hip hop group from New York. The group was started by brothers Michael McLeer (Kaves) and Adam McLeer (ADMoney) as the Verrazano Boys but eventually changed to Lordz of Brooklyn where they were joined by Dino Cerillo (Bottz), Paul Nugent, and Scotty Westerman. In 1995, their debut album All in the Family, received favorable reviews and established them as a well known underground group.
Masta Ace Incorporated was an American hip hop crew formed by rapper Masta Ace.
The Resurrection is the fifth studio album by the hip hop group known as the Geto Boys. The album was released on April 2, 1996, when the Geto Boys reunited following a 3-year breakup. It peaked at number six on the Billboard 200, becoming the group's only top ten album in the United States. It is considered by fans to be one of the group's most critically praised albums and the first of two especially creative albums. The majority of the album was produced by Mike Dean.
The Pack was a hip hop group formed in Berkeley, California in 2004. The group consisted of Lil B, Young L, Stunnaman, and Lil Uno. They all recorded together for over a year at Young L's home studio where they released their first two mixtapes Wolfpack Muzik Vol. 1 and Wolfpack Muzik Vol. 2. The Pack expanded their fanbase and eventually got signed to a major label, when Too Short signed The Pack to his Jive Records-distributed label Up All Nite Records. The Pack is usually known for their skateboard raps and the sexually explicit content of many of their songs. The group is best known for the track "Vans". The Pack has also collaborated with musicians such as Soulja Boy, Wiz Khalifa, Dev, and The Cataracs.
Operation Stackola is the debut album by hip hop duo Luniz, released on July 4, 1995 through Virgin Records, Noo Trybe Records, and C-Note Records. The album was eventually certified Platinum by the RIAA for shipments and sales of over one million records on June 20, 2000. It features the group's most famous song to date, "I Got 5 on It." The album is The Luniz's best selling album, and it topped the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart for over 2 weeks and making the Top 20 on the Billboard 200.
Double or Nothing is the second solo studio album by the American rapper and record producer Erick Sermon. It was released on November 7, 1995, via Rush Associated Labels. The production was mainly handled by Sermon, and several tracks were co-produced by Redman, Rockwilder, Rod 'KP' Kirkpatrick and Ty Fyffe. The album features contributions from Keith Murray, Redman, Jazze Pha, Passion and Roz. Double or Nothing spawned two singles: "Bomdigi" and "Welcome".
Return of the Bumpasaurus is the fifth album by the rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot, released in 1996 by American Recordings. It peaked at No. 123 on the Billboard 200. It includes the single "Jump on It", which samples the Sugarhill Gang's version of "Apache".
World Ultimate is the first studio album by American hip hop group The Nonce. It was released by American Recordings and Wild West Records on February 28, 1995. "Bus Stops" peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart.
Oladipo Omishore, known professionally as Dot da Genius, is an American record producer and audio engineer from Brooklyn, New York. He first gained recognition in 2008 for producing "Day 'n' Nite" by American musician Kid Cudi, with whom he is a longtime friend and frequent collaborator; the two would later form a rock band in 2010, known as WZRD.
"23" is a song by American record producer Mike Will Made It featuring American singer Miley Cyrus and American rappers Wiz Khalifa & Juicy J; released on September 10, 2013, by Interscope Records. The song was written by Mike Will Made It alongside the rappers, Pierre Ramon Slaughter, and Rock City. It is set to a midtempo beat and lyrically references Air Jordan sneakers and recreational drug use.
Michael McLeer, better known as Kaves, is an American fine art painter, graffiti artist, illustrator, director, actor, author, rapper, and entrepreneur. From Brooklyn, New York, Kaves started doing graffitis in the 1980s. Part of the early 1980s train car movement, his talent got noticed, and appeared in Henry Chalfant's book Spraycan Art (1987). Shortly after, with his brother, they created the hip-hop group Lordz of Brooklyn. They had four releases All in the Family (1995), Graffiti Roc (2003),The Brooklyn Way (2006), and Family Reunion (2020).
