Uncle E's Hip-Hop Anthology: Vol. 7- Pass Tha Mic

Ok, so this might be a little confusing because I haven't posted any of Uncle E's Hip-Hop Anthology previously, and this is Volume 7.  But think of it like how Star Wars started with Volume 4 (Episode IV: A New Hope).  This particular mix is just fun to talk about, so we're starting here.

A few years back I started putting together mixes for my nephew that included some of my favorite tunes from Hip-Hop's "Golden Age" (generally considered the early-to-mid 90's, after "Old School" but before every record label had to have a Hip-Hop act and sort of ruined the spirit of the genre).  This became a larger task than I initially thought.  It grew from a couple mixes into a multi-disc anthology.  There are some well known classics, but there are a bunch of hidden gems that are hard to even find anymore.  With that said, here is the first installment of Uncle E's Hip-Hop Anthology:

Volume 7: Pass Tha Mic

(*many of these songs contain mature content)

 One of the best part of Golden Age Hip-Hop was the group dynamic.  Rap was started be guys free-styling (rhyming off the top of the head) street poetry in a group on the corner.  The Group made the music, you could not parse the music from The Group.  In fact The Group was rapping on the corner before anyone decided to put music to it.  Later growing to block parties and individual MCs trying to excite the crowd, while the DJ was the actual show.  So, before there were solo MCs, The Group was more than just vital, it was in fact the definition of Rap.  Guys taking turns at impressing and one-upping each other is the heart and soul of Rap.  This mix revels in the act of passing the mic (pronounced "mike", short for microphone).  The art of taking one's turn and then letting the next guy go. 

Making songs with multiple MCs had some major advantages.  Each rapper had less content to write based on the fact that they only had a few moments to fill.  And it was a great way for an artist to be exposed to new audiences (think of how Tupac spun out of Digital Underground, and Snoop Dogg gained prominence on Dr. Dre's album The Chronic after only being on a few tracks).  But above all, whether it was one of the outstanding groups of the era, or a collection of solo MCs coming together, passing the mic was just cool.  And this mix has a bunch of my favorites...

1. Straight Outta Compton- N.W.A.- An iconic drop from the most influential rap group of all time.
2. Don't Curse- Heavy D. & The Boyz (Feat. Kool G Rap, Grand Puba, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Big Daddy Kane, and Q-Tip) - This song is a little corny, but has a good spin against censorship, and a collection of old school greats.
3. Uni-4-Orm- Rhyme & Reason Soundtrack- Ras Kass, Heltah Skeltah, & Canibus - Rhyme & Reason had an outstanding soundtrack with head-bobbin' beats from many lesser-known acts.  This one in particular shows how deep hip-hop was at that time.
4. Live Or Die- Naughty By Nature (Feat. Master P, Mystikal, Phiness, Silkk the Shocker) - This is an awesome compilation of one of the best and most under-rated groups of all time and the then reigning champs of hip-hop Master P and his No Limit soldiers.
5. Bring It On- The Geto Boys (Feat. 2Low, Seagram, Too Much Trouble, 5th Ward Boyz, Odd Squad, Gangsta NIP, DMG, 3-2, Big Mello, and Scarface) - Absolutely infectious.  Due to its length (over 8 minutes) it allows the listener time to embrace the beat.  Many people who were not initially impressed by it at first ask to hear it again by its conclusion.
6. 93 'Til Infinity- Souls of Mischief - One of the best one hit wonder tunes of the golden age.  And they are right, it is still chill...
7. Ya'll N*ggas Ain't Ready- Def Squad - A wonderful example of when a super group comes together at the right time and place.  With Redman, Erick Sermon, and Keith Murray, Def Squad is a landmark in mic passing.
8. Banging On Wax- Bloods & Crips - This was an album released as a part of the truce reached by Bloods and Crips after the Los Angeles roits.  It's not exactly a love fest, but it's better than bangin' on the streets.  And this title track is a real cool tune.
9. Real Muthaphukkin G's- Eazy-E (Feat. Dresta, and BG Knocc Out) - This song is a response to the disrespect sent Eazy-E's way by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg on The Chronic album.  Like much of the Hip-Hop from that era, it is filled with acrimony and violent threats, it is also very clever and well made. 
10. Pack The Pipe- The Pharcyde - An often over-looked tune from the one of the best alternative hip-hop albums ever: Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde 
11. Gangsta Team- South Central Cartel (Feat. 2pac, Ice-T, MC Eiht, and Spice-1) - Maybe the best "pass the mic" tune of all time.  Its tight production, and incessant rhythm are only out paced by the eye-popping line-up.  This is a collection of real golden age titans.
12. Git Up, Git Out- Outkast (Feat. Cee-Lo and Big Gipp of Goodie Mob) - Nearly two decades before Outkast and Cee-Lo were Grammy winning household names this song was one of the reasons why Southernplayalisticadillacmusik changed music, and why it is still held in such high regard to hip-hop heads worldwide.
13. Stranded On Death Row- Dr. Dre (Feat. Kurupt, RBX, The Lady of Rage, and Snooop Doggy Dogg) - Yet another fantastic beat by Dre, and flawless lyrics by a talented stable that made this a vital cog in the hit making machine that was The Chronic.
14. Wheee!- Digital Underground (Feat. Clee, Smoothe, and Saafir) - This was just a bonus song on The Body-Hat Syndrome, and much of it is free-styled and it isn't going to win any awards for production or writing.  But the free-wheeling spirit and let's-see-what-happens attitude embodies why rap even started in the first place.  Plus its nice to end an album like this on a whimsical note, you just gotta say Wheeee!!!!!

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