“I think people were just starving for good material because they just weren’t getting it on the radio.”
John Oates
I listened to some “Hip Hop” on the radio yesterday and i actually never ever listen to the radio, not even in the car – and not saying that i don’t like it, but to say it in the immortal words of Chappell’s Prince impersonation “It bores me…”. Whether they are trying to be educational about the latest trends (underground radio) or they are trying to be funny and/or “informative” (main stream radio) it just annoys me that the main focus has been lost and most radio shows/hosts stations are being “secretly” demanding. Somehow along the way radio forgot what it’ about – and that is music. Music with a certain mood, a certain feeling, a certain appeal. Most songs these days are commercials, thats why you hear them in commercials. Why did it get this way? …just follow the money. So when i heard these two kids talk on their show about hip hop and lyrics and the sample culture that has been spread, promoted and made acceptable through Hip Hop, they caught my attention. I was in the mood for exactly what they were talking about and it did sound promising – no matter if new or old. It took them three songs, and i was being patient, for me to turn off the radio. It was everything but what they had talked about, not knocking any of the new stuff – just saying not even the quality tunes of today are getting the spotlight they deserve. And in my mind i remembered a few songs that could have fit that description, so i put them together in this playlist, for you to hear.
These songs are some memorable random picks going down Memory Lane, that i vividly recall spinning. All from the mid 90ies and certainly some masterpieces and classics to match. These song didn’t have the prime time radio, net and tv promo that these new Hip Hop songs have, but somehow they survived the times, just strongly proving their quality and class.
Except the Freestyle Fellowship tune, i still have all these on vinyl as 12″s and i think if you are in the mood for some laid back smooth Hip Hop these are random picks to guarantee you a quality hour of music. There are tons more that i could have chosen, but like i said random picks going through my mental record collection. Enjoy this little trip down memory lane.