2009 marks the 20-year anniversary for some historical releases in the world of Hip-Hop. Not only did De La Soul debut with “3 Feet High and Rising,” but we also heard the talents of 3rd Bass and The D.O.C. on their first full-length releases.
The production of rap music had recently evolved, thanks in part to the Emu SP-1200 sampling drum machine, and the releases of 1989 would make music lawyers heads spin (and not due to break-dancing). The Beastie Boys’ “Paul’s Boutique” has so many samples, I’m pretty sure it has yet to be fully reverse-engineered. Fortunately, you can hear the sample-rich production better than ever while listening to a beautifully remastered 20th anniversary edition.
Do any other artists have anniversary releases planned? I don’t know. I’d love to hear “The Cactus Album” or “3 Feet High and Rising” remastered, but I won’t hold my breath.
I’ve compiled the following list of 1989 releases. If I’m missing any, please let me know.
- Antoinette – “Who’s the Boss”
- Awesome Dre’ & Hard Core Committee – “You Can’t Hold Me Back”
- Beastie Boys – “Paul’s Boutique”
- Beastie Boys – “Love American Style EP”
- Big Daddy Kane – “It’s a Big Daddy Thing”
- The Diabolical Biz Markie – “The Biz Never Sleeps”
- Black & White – “Don’t Know Yet”
- Ron C – “C Ya”
- Chubb Rock & Howie Tee – “And the Winner Is…”
- Company B – “Gotta Dance – “1989 – “Pop/Rock
- Criminal Element Orchestra – “Locked Up – “1989 – “Pop/Rock
- Willie Dee – “Controversy”
- De La Soul – “3 Feet High and Rising”
- Def Jef – “Just a Poet with Soul”
- Divine Styler – “Word Power”
- D.J. Chuck Chillout & Kool Chip – “Masters of the Rhythm”
- The D.O.C. – “No One Can Do It Better”
- Dr. Ease & D.J. Mix – “Put Your Mind & Body at Ease”
- Doctor Ice – “Mic Stalker”
- EPMD – “Unfinished Business”
- The Fat Boys – “On and On”
- Fresh Celeste – “Fresh Celeste”
- Full Force – “Smoove”
- Craig G – “The Kingpin”
- Gang Starr – “No More Mr. Nice Guy”
- Hipsway – “Scratch the Surface”
- Hostyle – “Get Off”
- Hustle Z & M.C. – “Show Me Yours and”
- Ice Cream Tee – “Can’t Hold Back”
- Ice-T – “I’m Your Pusher”
- The Jaz – “A Word to the Jaz”
- Just-Ice – “The Desolate One”
- K-9 Posse – “K-9 Posse”
- KC Flightt – “In Flightt”
- King Sun – “XL”
- Kings of Pressure – “Slang Teacher”
- Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – “Road to the Riches
- Kool Rock Jay & D.J. Slice – “Tales from the Dope Side”
- Kool Skool – “Kool Skool”
- Kwamé the Boy Genius – “Kwamé the Boy Genius: Featuring a New Beginning
- LL Cool J – “Walking with a Panther”
- Magnetic Force – “12-52-365″
- MC Ade – “How Much Can You Take”
- MC Ade – “Just Sumthin’ to Do”
- MC Hammer – “They Put Me in Mix”
- M.C. Rell – “Into the Future”
- MC Sergio – “Making a Killin’”
- MC Shy D – “Don’t Sweat Me”
- MC Twist – “Comin’ through Like Warriors”
- Mellow Man Ace – “Escape From Havana”
- Merlin – “Merlin”
- Ms. Melodie – “Diva”
- Nemesis – “To Hell and Back”
- Nice & Smooth – “Nice & Smooth”
- Nu-Sounds – “Mackin’”
- N.W.A. – “Express Yourself ” [12" Single]
- N.W.A. – “Boyz-N-The-Hood”
- Posse NFX – “Black or Ya White”
- Public Enemy – “Fight the Power”
- Public Enemy – “Welcome to the Terrordome” [Vinyl Single]
- Queen Latifah – “All Hail the Queen”
- Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I. – “A Shade of Red”
- The “R” (Renard with No Regard) – “Going for Gold”
- Roxanne Shanté – “Bad Sister”
- Salt-N-Pepa – “A Blitz of Salt-N-Pepa Hits: The Hits Remixed”
- Schoolly D – “Am I Black Enough for You?”
- Sir Mix-A-Lot – “Seminar”
- Special Ed – “Youngest in Charge”
- Steady B – “Going Steady”
- Stop the Violence Movement – “Self Destruction”
- Tony Tee – “Time to Get Phy”
- 3rd Bass – “The Cactus Album”
- Three Times Dope – “Original Stylin’”
- Twenty Eighth St. Crew – “I Need a Rhythm”
- Too Short – “Born to Mack”
- Too $hort – “Life Is…Too Short”
- Twin Hype – “Twin Hype”
- 2 Live Crew – “As Nasty as They Wanna Be”
- 2 Live Crew – “As Clean as They Wanna Be”
- U.T.F.O. – “Doin’ It!”
- The Wee Papa Girls – “The Beat, The Rhyme, The Noise”
- Wrecks-N-Effect – “Wrecks-N-Effect”
- X Clan – “Heed the Word of the Brother”
- X Clan – “Raise the Flag”
- Young MC – “Stone Cold Rhymin’”