1990 saw a spate of conscious rap releases that would influence the lyricism of the next 5 years but is sadly missing from the majority of modern hip hop. Imagine if the biggest artists of the day were rhyming about Allah, black empowerment and Egyptian history instead of whips, tricks and shine and you can catch a glimpse of the conscious rap movements heyday. The majority of artists releasing conscious albums were either members of the Nation of Islam, Nation of Earths and Gods (Five percenters) or closely affiliated with these groups that were considered extremely radical at the time.

Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet

When Public Enemy dropped their 3rd album they were undoubtedly the biggest hip hop group on the planet and this record sold accordingly in all corners of the globe. The godfathers of conscious rap were on fine form again with an insatiable appetite for finding previously unchartered ground both musically and lyrically. The Bomb Squad returned with a more diverse attitude to sampling and Chuck was determined to meet every controversy P.E had courted head on. Proffesor Griffs anti semitism and departure from the group to white americas treatment of black stars through to the pronouncement of Elvis Presley as a racist Public Enemy was once again provided food for though and ammo for the army of media detractors they had picked up in the 80′s.

911 is a Joke

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Welcome to the Terrordome

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Fight the Power

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Brothers gonna work it out

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Can’t do nuttin for ya man

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On the DL

Ice Cube – Amerikkka’s Most Wanted/Kill at Will

NWA were at the peak of their popularity when Ice Cube departed the group on the solo tip and to add awe to the shock hooked up with the East coast production powerhouse the Bomb Squad for his first album. Hank Shocklee’s Bomb Squad were the team responsible for Public Enemys first 3 albums but many were uncertain of how Ice Cubes gangster rap style would sit on top of Bomb Squads funky high energy beats. It turned out to be a match made in heaven as Cubes proximity to Public Enemy had given him a new found political conscious and whilst he was still saying Fuck tha police he was now willing and able to explain why and where that statement came from. Even the title with the obvious kkk conotations was a middle finger to racist white america but the breadth of targets for Cubes ire was breathtaking; commercial radio stations, golddiggers, police brutality, scandalous women, wannabe gangsters and preachy rappers are all given the verbal treatment.

Dead Homiez

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Jackin’ For Beats

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Who’s the Mack

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On the DL

BDP – Edutainment

By 1990 Boogie Down Productions had been reduced from 3 to 1 by the death of Scott La Rock and the departure of D-Nice leaving just KRS-One to continue the legacy. Krs had been deeply affected by the murder of La Rock and had long departed from the gritty street life tales of Criminal Minded to concentrate on socially and politically conscious themes. Edutainment is the Teacha at his best preaching his sermon to the masses. Historical innaccuracies, materialism and ignorance are all tackled in typical Krs style and theres also plenty of disses for the philosophyless MC’s who are just after fame and cash that could apply to the majority of todays rappers. Edutainment was an absolutley classic album full of knowledge, rhetoric and even a diss for Bush and Thatcher.

Love is Gonna Get’cha

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On the DL

Brand Nubian – One for All

Brand Nubian fronted by Grand Puba, Lord Jamar and Derek X (Sadat X) who were all prominent members of the Nation of Gods and Earths burst into the rap game amidst a cloud of controversy. Heavy criticism of the Five percenter doctrine that was at the centre of their lyricism and media hysteria that surrounded MTV’s decision to ban the video for Wake Up gave Brand Nubian instant notoriety. The video (below) which was directed by the legendary Fab 5 Freddy depicted a black man with his face painted white which was enough to offend the MTV hierachy but the exposure it gave Brand Nubian only insured extra record sales for the group meaning more people were exposed the ideas of the Nation of Gods and Earths.

Wake Up

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One for All

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Slow Down

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On the DL

X Clan – To the East Blackwards

The X Clan were one of the most innovative and exciting groups in the conscious movement combining black power messages of the blackwatch movement with afrocentrism and jovial wordplay. The blackwatch movement was an organisation set up to influence and guide young black rap artists as X Clans Brother J explains;

The Blackwatch Movement was originally put together for Hip-Hop artists that felt like they had to get off the ego for a little bit and get back into learning knowledge of self and understanding what it’s like in the higher realms of manhood. So Blackwatch combined Black nationalist aspects and Hip-Hop knowledge into one house.

They will be forever remembered for the word ‘vanglorious’ and their frequent use of the word ‘sissy’. This their debut album is a classic which invokes visions of a ‘Warriors’ style gang focused on the positive.

Funkin Lesson

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Heed the word of the brother

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Review

On the DL

Poor Righteous Teachers – Holy Intellect

Another Fiver Percenter’s inspired group PRT, were proud to be part of the conscious movement, even their individual names Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom and Father Shaheed were statements of black power and enlightenment. Their debut album coins many God’s and Earths sayings like ‘I self lord and master’ (I.S.L.A.M) that would later become common themes in hip hop through the Wu down to Lil Wayne (so I’m told I usually nod off when he’s “rhyming”). Holy Intellect is not the pinnacle of the groups work by any means but is fast funky and fluid throughout and the beats are very much of the time though the knowledge imparted is timeless.

Rock Dis Funky Joint

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On the DL

In a time when rappers were either hardcore and gangster or political and militant the Native Tongues collective were neither. Abstract, witty and intelligent is the best way to describe A Tribe Called Quest’s approach to lyricism, with an evidently coherent jazz backdrop that was much less radio friendly than De La and the JB’s, but would leave more of a lasting imprint on hip hop production values of the 90′s. Made up of Phife Dawg, Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and sometime member Jarobi White, A Tribe Called Quest entered the stage with their 1990 debut Peoples Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.

Their debut album was full of random rhymes that touched on topics as diverse as safe sex, vegetarianism, wallet loss, as well as odes to the ladies, French hip hop artists and fools. This lyrical lightheartedness gave Tribe a vast appeal which reached out to younger children, the white mainstream and the larger dance community, areas that more militant or hardcore artists could not breach. The fact that a lot of their early audiences didn’t get the lyrical content of a rap album but still chose to enjoy it is a testament to the ear friendly production. This album wasn’t the ear melting stuff of say NWA or Public Enemy but was a mellow full sound that hadn’t been heard from a New York scene which had so far favoured sparse cold production. The warmth of the beats and the varied vocal styles of Phife and Q-Tip make this a classic debut but fortunately for hip hop the best of A Tribe Called Quest was still to come.

Trivia

The album was entirely produced by Q tip

Tribe were originally managed by the legendary DJ Red Alert

Tribe were the least known members of the Native Tongues collective behind Jungle Brothers and De La Soul

The members of ATCQ and Jungle Brothers went to the same school

Singles

Can I Kick It (Boilerhouser mix)

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Bonita Applebum

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Left My Wallet in El Segundo

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Slang Dictionary

Slammin, Jimmy Hat, dome, Propmaster, Freak y’all, lowdown, Blunts, 40,

90s Guy says

De La Soul and Jungle Brothers were already huge in England thanks to a multitude of ‘Dance’ remixes that had brought them into the style of the club music that was already being played over here. Thankfully Tribe were largely spared this fate but it made them a lot less accessible than their Native Tongue brothers. The quirkiness of the single releases meant no one knew had to market them and the music mags didn’t have a clue what they were about, so groups like the Dream Warriors got more play at the time. Then in 92 there was that Ian Wright Nike ad and a new reason to check out Peoples Instinctive Travels which now could be scooped up from the Woolworth’s bargain bin on tape for about £3 along with new Album Low End Theory and the love affair with Tribe truly began.

90s Guy Favourites

Luck of Lucien Luck of Lucien

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Link

Review

On the DL

Tribe Vibes (sample collection) on the DL

Tribe Vibes Vol.2 on the DL

Tribe Vibes Vol.3 on the DL