Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill

Album: Cypress Hill
Artist: Cypress Hill
Release Year: 1991
Hails From: South Central LA

Tracks:
1. Pigs
2. How Could I Just Kill A Man
3. Hand on the Pump
4. Hole in the Head
5. Ultraviolet Dreams
6. Light Another
7. The Phuncky Feel One
8. Break It Up
9. Real Estate
10. Stoned Is the Way of the Walk
11. Psycobetabuckdown
12. Something for the Blunted
13. Latin Lingo
14. The Funky Cypress Hill Shit
15. Treq Equis
16. Born to Get Busy


My Thoughts: Children - Just because I really like this album does not mean I condone the use of marijuana or violence against police or violence in general or racism. However this some good mo fo shiz. It uses heavy sampling from jazz greats, to soul, to funk, to Jimi Hendrix. It is one of the best hip hop albums, from when hip hop was still good (unlike today). I listened to this "tape" through out all of grade school. Since Cypress Hill is sooo pro mary jane they made their songs to sound like you are stoned, if you aren't already. Even though they are rapping about violence and drugs, their delivery makes it sound almost humorous.

Reminds me of: sitting on the bus going to school. being out in the yard during lunch. gang banging with my homies in south central LA.

Random Fact:
Banned from SNL for smoking weed on stage during their show and for smashing their instruments after their performance. This album is one of "1001 Albums to Listen to Before You Die". Also I found it interesting that Rolling Stone only gave this album only 3 stars when it came out, but then named it "Essential Recordings of the 90's". I guess they had a change of heart. First latino group to have a multi-platinum album. ~ wikipedia

Hand on the Pump


Latin Lingo (combines both english and spanish with an ill beat)

The Fugees - The Score

Album: The Score
Artist: The Fugees
Release Year: 1996
Hails From: Jersey Jers

Tracks:
1. Red Intro
2. How Many Mics
3. Ready or Nor
4. Zealots
5. The Beast
6. Fu-Gee-La
7. Family Business
8. Killing Me Softly With His Song
9. The Score
10. The Mask
11. Cowboys
12. No Woman No Cry
13. Manifest/Outro


My Thoughts: This is one of my favorite hip hop albums. The Fugees basically only have 2 albums, this is their second one and after it they all went in different directions, Lauren Hill's direction being -> making one of the other greatest hip hop & R&B albums ever then followed by a quick stop in crazy town, which is the rumor for why the Fugees haven't really reunited although there have been many an attempt. But this album is just amazing tour de force of three incredible lyricists and rappers.


Reminds me of: driving around in the K Car & the Bonneville.

Random Fact:
The track "Ready or Not" samples Enya's "Boadicea". Initially this sample was uncredited, and Enya was prepared to sue for copyright infringement, however decided not to when she discovered that the Fugees were not gangsta rappers. ~ (wikipedia)

Ready or Not


Fu-Gee-La

TLC - Ooooooohhh... On The TLC Tip

Album: Ooooooohhh... On The TLC Tip
Artist: TLC
Release Year: 1992
Hails From: Atlanta

Tracks:
1. Intro
2. Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg
3. Shock Dat Monkey
4. Intermission I
5. Hat 2 Da Back
6. Das Da Way We Like 'Em
7. What About Your Friends
8. His Story
9. Intermission II
10. Bad By Myself
11. Something You Wanna Know
12. Baby-Baby-Baby
13. This Is How It Should Be Done
14. Depend On Myself
15. Conclusion

My Thoughts:
In all honesty, some of the songs on this aren't that great, but the ones that are great are really fun and great. Also good or bad song - I know every word to every song by heart. This started my obsession with this group that lasts till today, so much so that I am watching Celebrity Apprentice, just for T-Boz.

Reminds me of: Listening to this tape in my walkman every day on the bus in 7th grade. Standing in front of my TV performing Hat 2 Da Back with TLC while my mom was outside shoveling snow. Dressing like Left Eye with Kim & Jenn for Halloween (trend?). Making socks with our names on them with Lizzy that were like the socks TLC had.

Random Fact:
Crystal Jones put out an ad to start a group called 2nd Nature with her in it. They found Tionne Watkins - T-Boz & Lisa Lopes - Left Eye and changed it to TLC. Producers later felt that Crystal Jones needed to be replaced, so they brought in Rozonda Thomas - Chili. Thanks for that idea Crystal Jones, see ya later.
To this day TLC is the 3rd most sellinginst girl group, surpassed by Spice Girls & Destiny's Child. ~ (my mind)

Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg


Hat 2 Da Back (Featuring Kriss Kross!!!!!!)