[Hip-Hop Classics] Timeless HIPHOP / Golden Oldies
Hip-hop hadn’t been very popular in Japan for a long time, but it’s recently started getting attention, thanks in part to the spread of MC battles.
That said, even if people know recent tracks, many might not be familiar with the older ones.
So this time, we’ve picked out some classic hip-hop tracks recommended for those listeners.
We’ve mainly chosen songs from the 1980s to the 2000s, so you can also get a sense of hip-hop’s history.
Please take your time and enjoy.
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Hip-Hop Classics: Essential HIPHOP and Timeless Hits (21–30)
The MessageGrandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
A classic that sings about the crises and anxieties of contemporary urban life, epitomized by poverty and violence in the ghetto.
Released in 1982 by the American hip-hop group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
Their most famous track, it became a hit in the United States and across Europe.
Shook Ones, Pt. IIMobb Deep
It’s a hip-hop classic that needs no introduction for the heads, but if you’re currently studying up on hip-hop, definitely check it out! Over an incredibly tight, dope track, HAVOC and PRODIGY trade intertwined flows that kick off with “TO ALL THE KILLERS AND A HUNDRED DOLLARS BILLAS,” making this a gritty Queens classic.
The crawling bassline, razor-sharp sample chops, and hard, punchy snare sound are irresistible—an exquisitely matured gem from 1995.
Mind Playing Tricks on MeGeto Boys
A classic early masterpiece released in 1991 by the GETO BOYS, led by Houston heavyweight SCARFACE, a.
k.
a.
H-Town’s own.
Built around a neo-soul-flavored guitar sound—something that surged in popularity in the 2010s—the track carries a distinctive, melancholic vibe that becomes more addictive the more you listen.
It’s a song I can recommend even to those who aren’t usually into classic hip-hop!
Look at MeXXXTentacion
Jahseh D.
Onfroy, who performs under the name XXXTentacion, is an artist from Florida.
He is characterized by a sound style that spans many genres, from rock to hip-hop and R&B.
The beat of this song samples the vocals from “Changes,” a track by Mala, a pioneer of UK dubstep.
In Da Club50 Cent
After becoming famous through a side hustle, he learned the basics of rap and gained worldwide recognition with “How To Rob.” This track, “In Da Club,” is one of his signature songs and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance.
Its biggest draw is definitely the catchy beat.
The lyrics are as gritty as ever, but the track itself has to be one of the most accessible in US rap history, right? It’s a piece I can recommend even to those who aren’t familiar with hip-hop.
ScenarioA Tribe Called Quest
Among their many classic songs, this one is especially popular.
This track features Leaders Of The New School—a group well-known among hip-hop fans, partly because Busta Rhymes was a member.
It’s become an anthem at old-school hip-hop parties, and whenever it plays, the dance floor goes wild!
N.Y. State of MindNas
A hugely popular hip-hop classic anthem from the legendary 1994 album Illmatic, released by Columbia and packed with tracks from the golden duo every hip-hop fan loves: Nas and DJ Premier.
Many Japanese rappers have been influenced by it; ANARCHY, who rose up from a poor district in Kyoto, even used the phrase “composition of pain,” which appears in the lyrics, as the title of his own song.