Poor Righteous Teachers was a hip hop group from Trenton, New Jersey, founded in 1989. Often referred to as PRT by its fans, Poor Righteous Teachers was known as a pro-Black conscious hip hop group, with musical content inspired by the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths. Wise Intelligent, as the lead MC, was the most visible and well known member of the group. Culture Freedom provided backing vocals and production, and Father Shaheed served as a DJ and producer. About.com ranked the group's lead MC, Wise Intelligent, number five on its list of the 10 Most Underrated Rappers, calling him "one of the most creative MCs of our time."
The Pharcyde is an American alternative hip hop group, formed in 1989, from South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani, Slimkid3, Bootie Brown, and Fatlip. DJ Mark Luv was the group's first disc jockey (DJ), followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla. The group is perhaps best known for the hit singles "Drop", "Passin' Me By" and "Runnin'", as well as their first album, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde (1992). The group continues to tour and record, both collaboratively and in solo projects—the most recent being Hardson's collaborative EP with the award-winning DJ Nu-Mark released in 2014 on Delicious Vinyl.
Check Your Head is the third studio album by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released on April 21, 1992 by Capitol Records. Three years elapsed between the releases of the band's second studio album Paul's Boutique and Check Your Head, which was recorded at the G-Son Studios in Atwater Village in 1991 under the guidance of producer Mario Caldato Jr., the group's third producer in three albums. Less sample-heavy than their previous records, the album features instrumental contributions from all three members: Adam Horovitz on lead guitar, Adam Yauch on bass guitar, and Mike Diamond on drums.
The Score is the second and final studio album by the hip hop trio Fugees, released worldwide February 13, 1996 on Columbia Records. The album features a wide range of samples and instrumentation, with many aspects of alternative hip hop that would come to dominate the hip hop music scene in the mid-late 1990s. The Score's production was handled mostly by the Fugees themselves, Jerry Duplessis and Warren Riker, with additional production from Salaam Remi, John Forté, Diamond D, Warren Riker and Shawn King. The album's guest raps are from Outsidaz members Rah Digga, Young Zee and Pacewon, as well as Omega, John Forté, and Diamond D. Most versions of the album feature four bonus tracks, including three remixes of "Fu-Gee-La", and a short acoustic Wyclef Jean solo track entitled "Mista Mista".
Cypress Hill is the eponymous debut studio album by the American hip hop group Cypress Hill, released on August 13, 1991 by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. It was critically and commercially successful, becoming their second-most successful album with over 2 million copies sold and getting certified double Platinum by the RIAA. The album is broken down track-by-track by Cypress Hill in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.
Long Live the Kane is the debut album by MC Big Daddy Kane, released by Cold Chillin' Records on June 21, 1988. It was produced by Marley Marl and established both as premier artists during hip hop's golden age. Kane displayed his unique rapping technique while covering topics including love, Afrocentricity and his rapping prowess. Marley Marl and Big Daddy Kane display a sparse production style - creating beats with fast-paced drums and lightly utilized James Brown samples.
Paid in Full is the debut album of American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released on July 7, 1987, by Island-subsidiary label 4th & B'way Records. The duo recorded the album at hip hop producer Marley Marl's home studio and Power Play Studios in New York City, following Rakim's response to Eric B.'s search for a rapper to complement his disc jockey work in 1985. The album peaked at number fifty-eight on the Billboard 200 chart and produced five singles: "Eric B. Is President", "I Ain't No Joke", "I Know You Got Soul", "Move the Crowd", and "Paid in Full".
Resurrection is the second studio album by American rapper Common, then known as Common Sense, released on October 4, 1994 by Relativity Records. It was entirely produced by No I.D., who also produced most of Common's 1992 debut Can I Borrow A Dollar?.
The Infamous is the second studio album by the American hip hop duo Mobb Deep. It was released on April 25, 1995, by Loud Records. The album features guest appearances by Nas, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and Q-Tip, who also contributed to its production and mixing. Embedded with hyper-visual lyricism, dark soundscapes, gritty narratives, and hard beats, it marked Mobb Deep's transition from a relatively unknown rap duo to an influential and commercially successful one. Most of the left-over songs from the album became bonus tracks for Mobb Deep's The Infamous Mobb Deep album (2014).
Enta da Stage is the debut album of American East Coast hip hop group Black Moon, released on October 19, 1993 through Nervous Records. The album was produced by DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt of Da Beatminerz. Enta da Stage features the debut of underground hip hop duo Smif-N-Wessun, as well as appearances from Havoc of Mobb Deep and Dru Ha, the co-founder of Duck Down Records.
One for All is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Brand Nubian, released on December 4, 1990 by Elektra Records. The album was highly acclaimed for its politically charged and socially conscious content. Sales never matched the wide acclaim — the album has only sold 350,000 copies as of May 2013 — but it has remained in print since its 1990 release. The album is mainly produced by Brand Nubian, but it also features production by Skeff Anselm, Stimulated Dummies, and Dave "Jam" Hall. The album's production contains many motifs of hip hop's golden age including James Brown-sampled breakbeats and funky R&B loops. The album is broken down track-by-track by Brand Nubian in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.
Sex Packets is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Digital Underground, released on March 26, 1990.
Reachin' is the debut album by alternative hip hop group Digable Planets released on February 9, 1993, by Pendulum/Elektra Records. The album has been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
Timothy Grimes, better known by his stage name Wise Intelligent, is an American hip hop musician from Trenton, New Jersey. He is a member of Poor Righteous Teachers. He released The Talented Timothy Taylor in 2007. His third solo studio album, The Unconkable Djezuz Djonez, was released in 2011. In 2012, he was listed by Complex as one of the "50 Most Slept-On Rappers of All Time". In 2017, he released a collaborative album with Gensu Dean, titled Game of Death.
Firing Squad is the second studio album by American hip hop duo M.O.P. from Brownsville, New York. It was released on October 22, 1996, via Relativity Records. It was produced by DJ Premier, Big Jaz, Ali Dee, M.O.P. & Laze E Laze and it also features a guest appearance from Kool G Rap. The whole album was mixed and overseen by DJ Premier, who continued the work for the next two M.O.P. albums. The album is broken down track-by-track by M.O.P. in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.
Goin' Off is the debut studio album by American hip hop musician Biz Markie. The album was released by Cold Chillin' Records, and produced by Marley Marl. The album was praised for its wit and humor. Big Daddy Kane wrote the lyrics of the album's first five songs. The album also showcased Biz's talent as a human beatbox on the song "Make the Music with Your Mouth, Biz", and his skill in the game of dozens on the track "Nobody Beats the Biz". One of his most widely known songs, "Vapors", was on the album.
Lyte as a Rock is the debut album of American rapper MC Lyte. released in 1988. In 1998, the album was listed in The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. The album is broken down track-by-track by MC Lyte in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.
In Control, Volume 1 is an album by hip hop producer Marley Marl of the Juice Crew, released September 20, 1988 on Cold Chillin' Records. The album compiles ten studio recordings by Juice Crew members and artists affiliated with Marley Marl. It showcased his style of hip hop production and sampling at a time when he became one of the first super-producers in hip hop music. The album is broken down track-by-track by Marley Marl in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.
Strictly Business is the debut album by hip-hop duo EPMD. It was released on June 7, 1988, by Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records around the world and BCM Records in Germany. It peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard 200 soon after release, yet it earned an RIAA gold album certification within four months of its release. In addition, it has received much positive critical attention since its release. In 2012, the album was ranked number 453 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies is a book by music journalist Brian Coleman that covers the making of 36 classic hip hop albums, based on interviews with the artists who created them, also providing a track-by-track breakdown for each album entirely in the words of the artists. It was published by Villard/Random House in 2007.
