Rap music was born in the 1970s. It came of age in the 1980s. But it was perfected in the 1990s. That decade boasted a giant number of marquee names, important albums, significant newcomers and songs that still play prevalently at parties. From The Sugarhill Gang came Run-DMC came A Tribe Called Quest, Jay-Z and Eminem. What a time to be alive.
Here below, we wanted to take a look at three specific reasons why the 1990s were the best decade to be a hip-hop fan. Three songs from the era that included truly iconic guest features. For a style of music that relies heavily on the pop that comes from a good guest feature, these are three of the best of all time.
“Life’s a Bitch” by Nas Featuring AZ and Olu Dara from Illmatic (1994)
Nas released his debut LP Illmatic in 1994 and today it remains not only one of the best debuts of all time, but it is also simply one of the best rap records ever made. One of the standout songs is “Life’s a Bitch,” which not only features his jazz musician father Olu Dara playing the cornet, but it includes perhaps the best guest feature of all time, the lively and effervescent, truth-telling slew of bars from friend and rapper AZ. His flow, his verve and his impeccable word choices make the verse legendary. Amazingly, AZ was the only guest vocalist on the LP—and for good reason.
“Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang” by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg from The Chronic (1992)
Speaking of all time albums that were also all time debuts, Dr. Dre’s 1992 LP, The Chronic, checks both of those boxes, too. Formerly of the group N.W.A., Dre went solo in the early 1990s and eventually released his classic solo debut. But not only were the beats terrific and Dre’s voice a sound for soar ears, but the record was also the introduction of Snoop Dogg to the world. Can you imagine? You create an all time album and discover Snoop? That’s what happened in 1992 and it all crystalized on the tremendous party tune, “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang.” The rap world would never be the same.
“Scenario” by A Tribe Called Quest Featuring Busta Rhymes from The Low End Theory (1992)
In 1992, the jazz-oriented rap group A Tribe Called Quest released their sophomore LP, The Low End Theory. Featuring iconic songs like “Verses from the Abstract” and “Jazz (We’ve Got),” the record finished with “Scenario,” a classic cypher song that featured Tribe coming together with the group Leaders of the New School. But the kicker was a young 19 year old artist named Busta Rhymes, whose guest verse on the track turned him into a household name and a solo artist who would have major impact later in the decade.
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