From Backpacks to Jiggy Part 2

 

This era in hip hop is not something that we at Keep It Oldskool are really enthused about. There was a seismic shift in hip that began in the late 90s that became a “zombie virus” that now has rappers in this current state. Keep It Oldskool wants to so see if we can pinpoint at what point there was the change.

 

 

“King of New York and Hit em up” 95-99

 

 

 

We last left off with releases from Notorious B.I.G and Nasty Nas in 1994. This era the backpack was in full swing and in the town of Philadelphia there was The Roots. Their 2^nd album came out in 1995 Do You Want More was like the Hip Hop of old dope rhymes over LIVE instruments. Led by Black Thought and Quest Love this group shattered conventional wisdom that it was all drum machines making the music in Hip Hop.1995 was very eclectic in terms of  releases that year. There was 2PAC Me Against The World that was a great record with songs like “So Many Tears” and “Dear Mama” Tupac  showed a softer side. The enigmatic artist that in 1 more year (1996) would drastically alter the musical landscape and give rise to one of the most ones sided rap beefs in history.

 

 

 

 

 Everyone knows that Biggie and Pac were friends and that for some strange reason Pac who knew who shot him and paid no heed to Biggie’s warnings about the people he was hanging with decided that he would diss Biggie first in interviews then in the song “Hit Em Up” Over the years it has been stated that Biggie responded with “Who Shot Ya” That is incorrect. Biggie recorded that song BEFORE “Hit em Up” came out. Biggie never lyrically responded to Hit em Up and in a span of 2 years both would be dead from unsolved shootings. While the non-existent  East Coast vs. West Coast beef was getting a lot of print in newspapers and magazines there were still some “Backpackish “ releases that were coming out there was Redman’s Muddy Waters and The Fugees The Score both released in 1996. However the music was starting to go “Jiggy” Jay Z a former protégé of Jaz O and toured with Big Daddy Kane released Reasonable Doubt and vaulted himself into the discussion as one of the next up and comers. Gone were the Carhartt vests and jackets and out came the Coogi and Moschino then…in came in the SHINNY WEAR Much has been made about Puff Daddy and the shiny suits. It was not just him, The Lox and Mase wore that shiny stuff also. If you search hard you will see a lot of  rappers went “Jiggy”. There were even songs like the one by the aforementioned Lox actually had a song called “If You think Im Jiggy”

 

 

 

After 97 with no more Biggie and Tupac and Nas on a self imposed “non illmatic” period the mantle was there for Jay Z to take over.With releases in 1997 and 98 In my Lifetime and Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life respectivley he cemented himself as the coined phrase “King Of New York”. (Biggie had used the moniker Frank White from the movie King of New York and once he passed everyone was looking for the “next one” ) During the same time period down south there was a new movement that was independent of east and west influence and disntictive in its own right. One of the biggest rap stars in the world would come from this movement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEXT UP DIRTY SOUTH CASH MONEY WITH NO LIMIT

 

 

 

KEEP IT OLDSKOOL