MC Ren "Kizz My Black Azz EP" (June 30, 1992)

Before there was a group called N.W.A. there were individually, angry, young Black males; roaming through darkened alley ways, surviving the roughest of street tests and emerging, once again as survivors. All of them had a story to tell; all of them wanted to be heard; all of them searched for an answer. But the true base of power for any group has been the individual strength and character of its members. And now, since they've stepped the fuck off! another MC emerges for the fall out -- "The Black N!gga that they call Ren." At a time when we were starving from a lock of hosts to boast about the west coast, Ren was rehearsing for his debut. "I had a rep at Roosevelt Jr. High, me and DJ Train (of JJ Fad)." M.C. Ren went on to high school with his reputation in tow. By the time he graduated, Eazy-E, from around the corner, was knocking on his door. Back in 1987, "Eazy was trying to get me and Train to sign on Ruthless for a solo deal, but Ice Cube had left to go to school. Eazy had me write some material for the N.W.A. album, so me and Train's solo project had to be put on hold." Now, Ren is ready to rock the mic on his own. He's out to show and prove what he is made of, 'cauz "Real N!ggaz Don't Die." Listen to Kizz My Black Azz, cont'd below...

Kizz My Black Azz, the debut EP on Ruthless/Priority, is the first sign of life since N.W.A.'s EFIL4ZAGGIN. This six track EP was produced by Bobcat, a member of the Boogie Men Production team, which ironically produces some of Ice Cube's songs. "The Final Frontier" is the first single to hit the streets. "The Final Frontier" expresses Ren's lyrical intent to handle all MC's that think gangsta rap is just a category. "Rap is getting away from where it started," explains M.C. Ren. "Everybody is trying to be like Hammer and have a band playing behind their raps." The hook on this will have even the most passive of listeners thinking of Ren, whenever real rap is the subject, "Who iz it? - The Black N!gga that they call Ren." The intro kicks in with the 'back in the day' piano riff from "The Bridge Is Over," and is woven throughout the entire cut with a nice sax handling the breaks, while Ren flows like melted I-C-E. "Right Up My Alley" begins as a neighborhood eviction of the local smokers (crack addicts) from the alley in which Ren reigns supreme and turns into the news story of the week. Our reporter Ren spins the rhymes and weaves the tell tell story of the day to day events in the alley; "90% of the black males from the streets got a spot in their neighborhood where all the dirt goes down -- gambling, drinking, dope-selling -- you know." - Press Kit (Priority Records, 1992). Also, check out the write-up in The Source (August, 1992) below...

EPMD "Business Never Personal" (30th Anniversary)

Thumpin' fat, no-bullshit hardcore funk is the best description for this LP. Erick and Parrish are back, catchin' mad wreck and solidifying their position as one of the premier groups in hardcore hip-hop. The trademark EPMD slow-flow rhyme style and no-nonsense lyrics combined with their no-nonsense delivery hit you like a Tek-9 slug. And with an abundance of funky hard beats, this one promises to keep your neck jerkin'. "Crossover" deals with the sellout mentality in rap. "Cummin' At Ya" is a duet with the diggedy-Das EFX that has all four MC's flippin' shit over a fat slow beat. And "Boon Dox," with it's exploding bass, is simply the Long Island anthem. Don't forget to check for "Play The Next Man," warning of scandalous females, and "Headbanger," the Hit Squad posse cut that features MVP performances by K-Solo and Redman. Business Never Personal is EPMD at their best. With 12 cuts of pure slammin' funk, there's not going to be much fast-forwarding on this one. Chalk up another gold dish for the Hit Squad in '92. Swayze kids. - The Source (March, 1992). I got this tape at Sam Goody in the Metro Mall in Queens. You had to walk the tracks to the mall, come out through the parking lot or walk down the hill which was a no-go in the winter. I think I might've lost my copy and got another through Columbia House... but that's a whole other story. In any event, I remember taping a copy of "Headbanger" from the radio and waiting eagerly for the album's release. I credit 1994 as my favorite year in hip-hop, but my excitement for music in 1992 was probably at its highest heights. Business Never Personal was one of the reasons why, revisit the album below...

The review in The Source, ads and more below...

House of Pain "Fine Malt Lyrics" (30th Anniversary, 1992)

"We're animals trying to be men," laughs Everlast, lead rapper of the Irish-American rap act House of Pain. Explaining the inspiration for the group's name, he describes the movie "The Island of Dr. Moreau," "It's about a scientist who tries to turn animals into men, and the place where he took them to punish them was the House of Pain." Danny Boy and DJ Lethal round out the trio that produced the gold smash single "Jump Around," and a debut album filled with dense, diverse samples and a rap style that recalls the kind of shit-kicking you hear at a party or on a basketball court. "If you get on the basketball court, talking shit is half the game," Everlast says. "I look at the lyrics like a basketball, like I'm bouncing them off the beat." Everlast is sporting a basketball jersey in their video for "Jump Around," but it wasn't the jersey of his hometown Lakers. He wore Boston Celtics green, a nod to the heritage of both himself and rapping partner Danny Boy -- as is House of Pain's shamrock emblem, "Fine Malt Lyrics." "It definitely does fit the 'Irish' stereotype," Danny Boy says of their image, "but it just happens, as do we." "We don't try to be preachers of Irish history, or Irish politics," adds Everlast. "It's just two guys who happen to have Irish blood, you know, happen to have a taste for some beer once in a while, and like to kick funky rhymes." The group got together in 1990, after Everlast left the Rhyme Syndicate. "The name of the group came from an old punk band I used to have," says Danny Boy. Adds Everlast, "When I saw the name written down at his house, it clicked with me, and later on I figured out it was because of the "Island of Dr. Moreau" movie that I'd seen when I was young." // (Revisit the album while you continue reading below) .....

Everlast (Erik Schrody, age 22) and Danny Boy (Danny O'Connor, 23) met at Taft High School, which is also the alma mater of Ice Cube and Divine Styler. "There was a whole spectrum of people with different music preferences," states Everlast, "from punk rockers, to rappers to hard rocks." "You knew who was a B-boy and who wasn't," says Danny Boy. "You knew who liked rap and who didn't. Of course we weren't going to click." The House of Pain crew is rounded out by Latvian-born DJ Lethal (Leor Dimant), who worked on Everlast's previous solo projects as part of Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate. DJ Lethal's mix changes colors from the psychedelic dub style of the "House of Pain Anthem," through the infectious "Top O' The Morning To Ya" - laced with woozy harmonica and slippery scratches - to the jazzy shifts of "All My Love." "I'm like jumping around the beat, picking out things to put in the beat," says DJ Lethal, who, at age 19, has emerged as a sampling ace, looping without reliance on drum programs. "Hip-Hop is my first love, but incorporated into hip-hop are a lot of forms of music," Lethal says of his cross-style collage. "I'll take a beat from rock, I'll take a little horn from jazz and I'll take a little organ from some old classical piece." The album produced by Lethal, Muggs of Cypress Hill, who lead rapper B-Real joins Everlast on "Put Your Head Out," and Ralph M of FunkDoobiest. "The first time people hear your record, they don't listen to the lyrics, they listen to the flow and the music," Everlast says. "And if you get in this weird (lyrical) thing, where they're going "Ooh, listen to him bug out!, THEN they're going to listen to what you said. I put a lot of thought into my style beforehand, but when I finally come down to writing the songs, I do it in a form of freestyle. I like that spontaneity. It's pure feeling rather than being over-rehearsed or over-written, or over-thinking about it," he says. "There are a few rhymes that are totally flipped around from what we thought we were starting with. But I saw that the rhymes fit the beats, and makes each part as entertaining as possible." - Press Kit, 1992. Undeniable classic.

DJ Filthy Rich "Mecca & The Soul Brother" (30th Ann. Mix)

Toronto’s DJ Filthy Rich pays homage to the 30th anniversary of Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth’s classic album, Mecca and the Soul Brother from 1992. Reminisce for a spell with a mix of original samples, remixes and unique blends, who adds that “The way Pete sampled old jazz/funk/soul records and layered them over hard, dusty drums was masterful (how he caught that little part on the fadeout of an Ohio Players record for "Lots Of Lovin" still amazes me). Combine that with C.L.'s sharp yet fluid lyricism (how many MC's could rhyme like THIS back in '92??), and you unquestionably have one of the pillars of early 90's NYC boom bap.” I agree, this was a masterful release. As I’ve said before, I had the honor of touring Europe with Eternia while Pete Rock & CL Smooth were performing this album almost in its entirety every night. Hearing “T.R.O.Y.” to close out the show every night was incredible - they are near-flawless performers and it was definitely a career highlight. Props to DJ Filthy Rich for doing this one justice, I hope it doesn’t get taken down. Listen to this mix below…

Pete Rock & CL Smooth "Mecca and the Soul Brother" (6-9-92)

Straight from the jump, Pete Rock & CL Smooth have it goin' on. The two represent Mt. Vernon, a city just north of the Bronx made famous by Pete's cousin Heavy D, and they're quickly approaching the status of becoming the L.A. and Babyface of rap. They've produced or remixed funky gems for the likes of Public Enemy, Heavy D. & The Boyz and even Run-DMC, and the duo released the EP, All Souled Out last year which featured the hits "Mecca And The Soul Brother" and "The Creator." Just recently, they dropped the album Mecca and the Soul Brother, an 18-cut must, filled to the brim with hardcore jams that will have heads noddin' for months to come. From the first single, "T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You)," which is dedicated to the late Trouble T-Roy, to the party movin' "On And On," to the posse cut "The Basement," Pete and CL have succeeded in creating a record that relies on no gimmicks or short word hooks, just straight-up live rhymes, with fat beats and scratches--the true essence of early rap music. CL Smooth shares, "I want people to focus first on the tracks. They will be able to understand the lyrics more down the line as they play it.... Basically, we talk about things that goes on feeling more than just basic fantasy. The beat will draw them into the lyrics because they're entwined. You can't appreciate one without the other." - The Source, 1992. 

Below is the full article and interview from The Source Magazine...

Gang Starr "Daily Operation" (May 5, 1992)

Much as they do on their previous album, the Guru (the MC aka Keith E) and DJ Premier unload 18 of the smoothest cuts on the planet. DJ Premier, once again, proves why he might be one of the best turntable wizards around. No one cuts and scratches as well as he does, and no one else can match his production or his ability to influence the listener with a piece of plastic. Hints of his greatness are evident on the tracks "Flip The Script," "No Shame In My Game," "B.Y.S. (Bust Your Shit)" and especially "I'm The Man," in which Premier creates three different tracks for the Guru and two others, Little Dap and Jeru The Damaja. Oh, by the way, Keith E can hold his own as well. Complementing his unique rhyming style and his distinct voice, the Guru drops more "science" than the chemistry department does in a year. He very well may be the most perceptive, intriguing and intelligent rapper today. Although I was disappointed that they left off "DWYCK" (a track featuring Nice & Smooth), I was thoroughly impressed by Gang Starr's third effort. Maybe not quite as good as Step In The Arena (Sav disagrees!), but this one was a definite four-star album. This summer is already not looking so bad. With new albums by Kool G Rap and DJ Polo, Pete Rock & CL Smooth (mark my words, these two will be classics), EPMD, Eric B & Rakim, MC Ren and others coming out, it looks like I'll finally have something to play in my car. But before you go out and buy those albums, go grab Daily Operation, because, as the saying goes, this record is ALL THAT. Have a great summer, and I'm outta here. - California Aggie (June 10, 1992). Revisit Gang Starr's Daily Operation LP below...

More from this college write-up in the summer of 1992...

Chi-Ali "The Fabulous Chi-Ali" (March 24, 1992)

Chi Ali was the youngest member of the Native Tongues, at only fifteen years of age when the collective came to life. He was also the most fashion-forward, as one might expect a teenager still in high school to be. He wore Cross Colours, the fashion trend of the moment; large sweaters with names of historically black colleges on them; baggy jeans with Nike tennis shoes. While so many of the other Native Tongues were interested in distancing themselves from the mainstream projections of hip-hop and blackness, Chi-Ali was immersing himself in them. He was also interesting because he seemed to take pleasure in both his status as the collective's little brother and his ability to rhyme about topics that, for him, seemed mature. A few years after his decline, a close comparison to his role in the Tongues would be Shyheim, who was the boy wonder of the Wu-Tang Clan, often on the outside looking in but valuable for a topical dexterity that belied his age. Chi-Ali was a precursor to that, with his album The Fabulous Chi-Ali being released in 1992 when he was sixteen, featuring production from Mista Lawnge and guest verses from Phife, Dres, Trugoy, and Fashion on the song "Let The Horns Blow." Chi-Ali's age was unmistakable in his wavering, sometimes cracking voice. But, unlike Leaders of the New School, his topical range went beyond tales of school and teenage debauchery. He rapped about sex and romance, violence and fantasies of violence, and material wealth. As far as bad boys went, Chi-Ali was the bad boy of the Native Tongues merely by drifting slightly from the path of his older counterparts. He was the edgier glimpse of youth, a kid who grew up on a slightly rougher end of the tracks and had the mind and language with which to make that plain. At one point, he felt to some like the most promising member of Native Tongues, not just because of his youth, but because of the wide range he could traverse almost seamlessly. He was the offshoot of what Native Tongues aspired to be: young people making music with each other, hoping to feed off each other's strengths. Chi-Ali was as sharp and fearless as Queen Latifah, as clever as Q-Tip, as fashion-forward and streetwise as Phife and Dres. It seemed as if he was the most likely to sustain a long and adventurous career. Cont'd below, via Hanif's Go Ahead In The Rain...

The case of Chi-Ali is both confusing and heartbreaking. After the moderate success of The Fabulous Chi-Ali, he largely vanished from hip-hop altogether, without a sound. At the end of the 1990s, he made an appearance on Dres's solo album Sure Shot Redemption, offering a short verse in the song "It's Going Down." And then he disappeared again. He surfaced in January of 2000, when he shot and killed Sean Raymond during an argument in the Bronx. Raymond was the brother of Chi-Ali's daughter's mother.... He spent over a year on the run, first in Atlanta, and then bouncing around various East Coast cities. His friends held him down, or he would hustle in places where he knew he'd be safe. He stayed south of New York, selling drugs and committing small robberies. He hit America's Most Wanted in late 2000, and then again in early 2001. In March, he made the mistake of returning to New York City. He was staying with a friend when police banged on the door, and I imagine that he was perhaps too worn down to run anymore. Being a fugitive can be exhausting, particularly with safe havens dwindling and with no crew to hold you up. - Go Ahead In The Rain by Hanif Abdurraqib (a phenomenal, must-read book!). Chi-Ali has since completed his bid, returned home to glimpses at music, a book, and has been featured in a couple documentaries as well. He did his time and his music is still celebrated to this day. Revisit 1992's The Fabulous Chi-Ali again today!

Fu-Schnickens "F.U. Don't Take It Personal" (Feb. 25, 1992)

Even before they made it to the record bins, three-man New York crew Fu-Schnickens created quite a buzz in the hip-hop community with the oddity of their group name. Once they dropped their debut album, F.U. Don't Take It Personal, their music turned out to be every bit as curious and intriguing. The music is inundated with kung fu movie dialogue snippets and all manner of lyrical references to pop culture, both obscure and otherwise; this provides the album with a joyous, tongue-in-cheek, almost cartoonish flair. That sense is countered by the machine-gun-rapid toasting and almost military-like shouts of the three MCs (Poc, Chip, and Moc Fu), who trade off rhymes so telepathically that they seem to finish each other's sentences half the time. In this regard, they fit in perfectly with peers such as Leaders of the New School and Brand Nubian, as part of the early-‘90s new wave of rap crews that catapulted hip-hop into the future partially by playing up the camaraderie of old-school rap groups. All the peer crews, however, were so progressive because they grew up fully in a hip-hop culture and lifestyle, and knew where they wanted to take it, thereby developing unique styles and, occasionally, novelties to help them stand out. Fu-Schnickens were no different in this respect, and although their fashion sense (kung fu outfits on the cover) and taste in influences may have initially painted them as a novelty, their approach to music was straight serious on this debut album, and it shows. With production help from A Tribe Called Quest, they create spare, tension-filled, intense soundscapes, and twist reggae and vintage soul samples into unrecognizable, bass-heavy tracks. Even better is the trio's ear for vocal hooks, which stamp each song with an instant appeal. - AllMusic. Revisit this fine novelty album below...

I Am a True FuSchnick OG promo sticker...

Lord Finesse "The Return of the Funkyman" (Press Kit, 1991-1992)

"I don't need dancers," says Lord Finesse about his own remarkable abilities. "My vocabulary does it all." A word technician of the highest order, Lord Finesse has long been an underground favorite in and around his native New York. Now, with the release of his Giant Records debut, Return of the Funkyman, Lord Finesse is poised to impress millions hungry for a new and funkier approach to rap. The new album indeed signifies the return of Lord Finesse. His 1990 premier album, The Funky Technician, released on a small independent label, established him in the hard-to-pease Northeast as a witty and dazzling wordsmith. His current crew consists of DJ's Mike Smooth and Steve D and fellow MC's Andre the Giant and Percee P. Return of the Funkyman was produced by a variety of producers including former Low Profile member DJ Aladdin, Diamond D, Showbiz and Lord Finesse himself. The music is supremely funky, thanks to the ingenious cuts of Mike Smooth and Steve D. But the star of this show is the funkyman himself, Lord Finesse. Perhaps no other rapper today is as adept at clever punchlines as Lord Finesse. Tracks like "I Like My Girls With A Boom," "Show 'Em How We Do Things," "Praise The Lord" and the debut 12" "Isn't He Something" shine with Finesse's racy sense of humor and facility for clever rhyme. The title tracks retells the harrowing story of Finesse's experience on a shady record label and he offers warning to other fledgling rappers about the dangers of signing with crooks. "Hands In The Air, Mouth Shut" takes on rappers who don't really know what they're talking about, while "Fat For The '90s" pairs Finesse and Andre the Giant in a memorable word battle. Finesse also offers insightful commentary, especially on "Stop Sweating The Next Man," which urges people to have faith in themselves ("Gonna rise instead of sinking / I use my head for thinking"), the attitude that certainly helped Finesse get where he is today. Cont'd...

 

Born and raise in the Bronx, the heartland of Rap, Lord Finesse began rhyming at young age. "When they introduced me to metaphors and similes in school, that was it," he recalls. Listening to well-known New York rap radio DJs like Marley Marl convinced Finesse he could make it as a rapper. He played neighborhood block parties and jams, gaining local popularity. However, making the transition to professional rapper wasn't easy. Family and friends told him it would be difficult, but his grandmother lent him $150 to record his first demo. "She told me, 'Follow your dreams,'" he recalls. A period of struggle ensued, with Finesse knocking on every door in town. He never gave up and, when he finally released The Funky Technician, he gained a foothold in the rap world. Fans and critics responded to his use of compound words and inner rhymes. He also earned the respect of fellow rapper Ice-T, who helped introduce him to Giant Records. Now, with The Return of the Funkyman, Lord Finesse breaks new ground. "It's a personal album," he notes. "I just express everything I went through recently." Though the album does recount some dark periods in his life, these days Finesse is happy and working with other young up-and-coming artists. But for the present, Lord Finesse is content to know he's made one slammin' album for the ages. The funkyman is most definitely back! - Press Kit (September, 1991). At the time, Finesse was easily one of the fiercest, most talented MCs! 

KRS-One vs. PM Dawn (January 13, 1992)

On January 13, 1992, KRS-One responded to remarks P.M. Dawn’s Prince Be had made in an issue of Details magazine, where Be said “KRS-One wants to be a teacher, but a teacher of what?” by throwing him off stage at New York’s Sound Factory. Kid Capri spoke on the incident in a Rap Radar interview a few years ago saying, "I was standing right there at The Sound Factory... [KRS-One] walked in with a bunch of people that I’d never seen him with—a whole different crew. He had [Boogie Down Productions possé members] Willie D. and I.C.U. with him. He had those two [usual accomplices] with him... They sat on the windowsill [next to the stage]. It was a P.M. Dawn show [with] Super Cat.” Kid Capri continued, “So P.M. Dawn comes on stage… it was [Prince Be] and [DJ Minutemix] in the booth, and it’s three girls [doing background singing]…They let him do his first song. When the hit started, it was all bad, man. Yo, they rushed on the stage—Kris and the whole crew…Kris grabbed the mic from [Prince Be]. I.C.U. grabbed all the girls, hugged them and picked them up at the same time [and led them offstage]. When Kris grabbed the mic, Will’ hit [Prince Be], which threw him offstage... Kenny [Parker] went in the [DJ] booth, threw the DJ out the booth. When the Kris threw them offstage [DJ Kenny Parker] threw on ‘South Bronx.’ It felt like the floor was gonna cave in. What was crazy was, when Kris left, Super Cat was supposed to be next. [However] when Kris left, the whole crowd [left and was] walking down the street with him. It looked like a video! Super Cat was on stage with nobody [left]. It was monumental!” Props to AFH for the transcription. The video below further discusses the issue and that infamous night. Art by Andre LeRoy Davis for The Source Magazine's The Last Word. R.I.P., Prince Be of P.M. Dawn ('88-16).

PM Dawn not only came at KRS-One in that Details Magazine interview but also Public Enemy and N.W.A.. The exact quote is, "Public Enemy and people like that--they just make mountains out of molehills. KRS-One wants to be a teacher, but a teacher of what? N.W.A. just don't do anything at all." After the incident at The Sound Factory on Monday January 13, 1992, KRS-One spoke with USA Today on January 17, 1992, and admitted: "I let my temper get the better of me." Snippets from both interviews are below. UPDATE (2025): Unfortunately, the original video that I had included in this post was made "private," so I updated this with a related video about the incident featuring KRS-One, Dres from Black Sheep and more. Once again, Rest In Peace to Prince Be of PM Dawn. Enjoy.

The "Juice" Soundtrack (1992)

Encore! Encore! Juice isn't talked about enough, but it remains a phenomenal film from 1992. The soundtrack boasts a lineup that stands as a veritable who's who of early-'90s hip-hop. Heavyweights such as Naughty by Nature, Salt-N-Pepa, and Cypress Hill all check in with stellar contributions to this remarkably consistent collection. In addition, respected pioneers of the genre also lend their talents to the album, with Eric B. & Rakim's propulsive "Juice (Know the Ledge)" and Teddy Riley featuring Tammy Lucas' slinky "Is It Good to You?" Other notable tracks include Too Short's cautionary tale "So You Want to Be a Gangster?" and EPMD's cooly confident "It's Going Down." Juice showcases a group of performers whose work can be appreciated because of their integrity and rhyming skills rather than their blatant sampling of entire hit songs or video gimmickry. In short, it represents everything that is right about hip-hop. - AllMusic. I still argue that "Know The Ledge" is the single greatest hip-hop song of all-time, and the exclusivity of "Uptown Anthem" on the soundtrack--at the time--was remarkable, making it a must-have. Peace to DJ Scratch, Majesty, Queen Latifah, Special Ed, EPMD, Treach, Ed Lover, Doctor Dre, Fab Five Freddy + more.... 

You can find more photos below and in the archives, too...

Dr. Dre "The Chronic" (December 15, 1992)

Whether as an artist, or record company founder, Dr. Dre has become one of the most successful figures on the music scene today. His debut solo album, The Chronic (Death Row) has reached the triple platinum mark, selling more than three-and-a-half million copies. Released in December 1992, The Chronic shot to the top of the Billboard Charts - #1 R&B, #1 Rap and #2 Pop. It became one of the best-selling rap albums in history. The album's singles included "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" (certified platinum, #1 R&B, #1 Rap, #2 Pop) and "Dre Day" (also Top 5 across the charts). Dre won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance for yet another single, "Let Me Ride"; American Music Awards as both Favorite Artist and Favorite New Artist; and Billboard Music Awards for Debut Artist of the Year, Top R&B Artist and for Top R&B Album Artist. Besides his own work, Dre also produced the 1993 debut album from Snoop Doggy Dogg, Doggystyle (Death Row), which became the first debut album in chart history to enter at #1 on the pop side (also reaching #1 on the R&B and Rap charts). That album too has gone beyond triple platinum and is now approaching four million copies sold. Doggystyle was honored by NARM as the Best-Selling Rap Recording of the Year. Snoop (who was featured with Dre on his solo singles and "Deep Cover", the #1 rap single from the Deep Cover (Solar Records) soundtrack) is one of the artists on Death Row Records, the label co-founded by Dre (who is president of the company), and his manager Suge Knight. Other inmates include Tha Dogg Pound (Dat N!gga Daz, Kurupt), Nate Dogg, The Lady of Rage and Jewell.... Today Dr. Dre is considered by many to be the most creative producer in music -- whether rap, hip-hop, R&B, or pop. - Press Kit, 1994. The West was a real problem and Dre lead the way with The Chronic in '92..

Below are just a couple pieces of random promo...

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo "Live and Let Die" (November 24, 1992)

A strong case could be made for Live and Let Die as Kool G Rap & DJ Polo's crowning achievement. Who can really say for sure if the controversy surrounding the cover artwork--which shows the duo feeding steaks to a pair of rottweilers, in front of two noose-necked white men--clouded a proper consensus? With across-the-board stellar production help from Sir Jinx and Trackmasterz, G Rap (who also produces) thrives on his no-holds-barred narratives that peaked with Wanted: Dead or Alive's "Streets of New York," but most everything on this album comes close to eclipsing that song. "Ill Street Blues" is practically a sequel to it, and it manages to use more swanky piano vamps and horn blurts without making for a desperate attempt at capitalizing on a past glory. Few tales of growing up in a life of crime hit harder than the title track, in which G Rap displays the traits--unforced frankness, that unmistakable voice, and a flow that drags you involuntarily along--that made him a legend. The album is one story after another that draws you in without fail, and they come at you from several angles. Whether pulling off a train heist, venting sexual frustration, analyzing his psychosis, or lording over the streets, G Rap is a pro at holding a captive audience. All die-hard East Coast rap fans, especially followers of the Notorious B.I.G., owe it to themselves to get real familiar with this album and the two that predated it. If you were to take this duo's best five songs away from them, they'd still be on the top duos rap music has ever seen. - Old School Rap and Hip-Hop. The book surely made their case very strong for Kool G Rap as one of the G.O.A.T.!

And yes, "Ill Street Blues" was easily one of my favorite cuts of 1992. 

Redman "Whut...Thee Album" (Rap Pages, 1992)

For all the grannies out there hollering about the evils of rap music, Whut...Thee Album kicks off with a comeback. Opening skit, "Psycho Ward" finds menace-to-society Redman undergoing psychotherapy, with the doc telling him to let loose on some rhymes and get all the "unnecessary anger" out of his system. Being the socially responsible, cooperative (and, in this scenario, incarcerated) brotha that he is, Redman proceeds to bust some wicked loaded lyrics, boosted by tasty, fat grooves courtesy of fellow Hit Squad bomber Erick "EPMD" Sermon, who drops a few words here as well. In typical debut fashion, lyrics on Whut are aimed primarily at making sure suckas appreciate what it is they're hearing. Nothing too mind-bending there, okay, but Redman's got the musical momentum and sense of humor to keep things rolling. Hardcore funk jams like "Blow Your Mind" and "I'm a Bad" playing alongside skits bagging on Hammer ("Funky Uncles"), confrontations between Redman and himself ("Redman Meets Reggie Noble") and just flatout toasted directives on getting bent ("How To Roll A Blunt"). Slapstick track "A Day of Sooperman Lover" follows the exploits of one superfly Romeo who can "slam King Kong and pick up freight trains," but doesn't have a clue what it is he's about to bone: "Stuck my hand between her legs and I felt the bozack--as big as mine!" Definitely not an album for the grandkids, but then again Redman told us straight out he was "Rated R." - Rap Pages (December, 1992). Revisit Redman's debut classic LP below, but please by advised that the exact date of the album's release has been debated for several years. Based on adverts and Def Jam's Friday release schedule, October 9, 1992 is the likely release date.

I still listen to -- and enjoy -- this album to this day... an absolute classic!

Take It Personal Podcast "Ode to 1992 Episode"

With the Summer Olympics going on and episode 89 being a '92 celebration, we couldn't think of a better way to pay homage than with the legendary Sports Illustrated cover featuring the '92 Dream Team. Episode 89 is an appetizer, as we take a quick-trip down memory lane before making a hard stop on one of the greatest years hip-hop. Instead of feeding you the played-out '92 classics, we focus on the deep album cuts and some of our more obscure favorites of '92. We've got music from Positive K, Diamond D, Grand Puba, Too $hort, MC Serch, Compton's Most Wanted, Paris, Heavy D, Gang Starr, Above The Law, X-Clan, Ultramagnetic MC's and DJ Quik to name a few. At the break, we reminisce over '92, discuss some of our favorite albums, share some fond memories and give you the ultimate 1992 time capsule as we cover sports, movies and music. Thanks to our extended family, the listeners. We appreciate your continued support, whether it's copping merch or being a Patreon member. Your contributions are what helps fuel this machine and we can't thank you enough. Remember, all of our episodes can be downloaded (for free) directly on our website or you can stream on all major platforms! - Take It Personal. Props to Philaflava, DJ 360 & Kevlar. Listen below...

Gang Starr "Daily Operation" (May 5, 1992)

Guru, aka Keith Elam, was one of those rare artists who wants to find a kinship with the photographer before working with him. He had a lot of ideas about certain visual elements that would define Gang Starr as a group. He was very political and knew a lot about history and leaders of the civil rights movement. For the album, Guru wanted to include some of this political thought into the imagery to convey rappers being simultaneously 'paid' and taking a role of leadership--he wanted to make a statement. We shot at a historic brownstone on the corner of 79th and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. I shot with my Hasselbad medium-format camera, which was perfect for an album cover because of the shape of the prints it produced. I brought the Malcom X image to the shoot as Guru told me that he wanted that in the shot, staying true to the brotherhood. The cover also featured the book Message to the Blackman in America by Elijah Muhammad, which belonged to DJ Premier. He just happened to bring it to the shoot, and we decided to put it in. We took some alternate shots with the Gang Starr logo replacing the Malcolm image. I love that contact sheet and am sad to say that the version with the original Malcolm X sequence is lost. In addition to the Malcolm X print and the Message to the Blackman in America book, we also had a briefcase with money spilling out in the foreground as well as a globe and the wolf's head. There was also a Remington Rand typewriter, a closed turntable case, and Guru and Premier were both wearing bomber jackets. I suppose there's a lot of symbolism on this cover. Then we took some shots with their crew Lil' Dap, Jeru The Damaja, Phat Gary, Gordon, Big Shug, and others to end the day. Getting a shot of everyone was really important to them. - Matt Gunther (via Contact High, 2018).

Below is the excerpt from Contact High + Daily Operation's press kit from '92...

DAS EFX "Dead Serious" (Press Kit)

NOT. That is the only word that will wipe away your assumptions, expectations, and comparisons. DAS EFX, like a multi-million dollar film, laced with special EFX, must be experienced, NOT described, discussed, or analyzed. Dray and Skoob are NOT simply blessed with rap skills like Grand Puba, or Busta Rhymes. They do NOT simply rap with turbo speed like Treach or Wise Intelligent. They have created a style, which many will imitate, but NOT many will succeed. DAS EFX, (an acronym for "Dray and Skoob EFX"), is a style that could easily be bottled and sold. But instead they have cornered the market with 11 diggedy-dope tracks on their debut album, Dead Serious. The question is who would dare try to do this themselves? Just like a high EFX stunt in a film, people should probably NOT try this at home. Dray, (aka Krazy Drayz), says of their sound, "Our music is with a lot of effects. The style is so unique, a lot of people think it's one person rhyming." His partner in rhyme, Skoob (aka Books), reveals what he thinks is the key to their style. "We have a little secret. What it is, we were away from Hip Hop. We were in Virginia, going to Virginia State so I guess by NOT being exposed to what was going on up here, our style developed so differently. I think that had a big effect." "We were exposed to NO rap shows...at all," says Dray.  Revisit their debut LP, cont'd below...

DAS EFX got "here" via a rap content held in Richmond, that EPMD was judging. The club was a "hole in the wall." Their hopes raised with the sight of Erick and Parrish walking in. The show began and groups were getting scores as high as 7's, 8's, and 9's. When it was their turn to go up, they heard cynics commenting on their dreadlocks. "De La Soul look-alikes," they heard rumbling through the crowd. They got busy, and the crowd warmed up. "I remember glancing back and seeing Erick in the seat jammin' next to Parrish. We finished and our scores were mad high. Parrish pulled me to the side and said 'Before you leave, gimme your phone number.'" When it was time to announce the winners, it was NOT them. "We were like, 'That's it, we're about to graduate. Forget rap,'" says Dray. Then, Parrish walked across the stage and he leaned over and whispered into his ear, "Would you rather have the $100 or a record deal?" The record deal, and the rest is DAS EFX. Cont'd below...

The first rickety-rockin' single, "They Want EFX," is a slippery, funky tracks with the DAS EFX in full effect. The humorous and playful rhyme runs from engine-run rhymes to slowed-down acapella chanting to a razor sharp hook that will bob your head without you knowing. Dray says, "We don't just like writing two sentences that rhyme together. We like taking one idea from one place and put in another. How many years has it been that if somebody wants to rhyme, the last word of the first sentence rhymes with the last word of the second sentence. We'd rather make the first word rhyme with the third word, and the last word rhyme with the first word of the second sentence, and two in the middle, and, if you can, let's get another word that rhymes with the first word and still have the last ending word rhyme." DAS EFX is the dawn of a new age in rap music. Not since the Native Tongues movement has such unbridled creativity been unearthed. Dray and Skoob have one hope, "We want to bring entertainment back to it. Let's make it fun again. We want to have fun with it. I want to be able to listen to my own stuff and enjoy it." Like their mentors EPMD once said, rap is finally outta control. "So tiggedy tell your friends that here comes DAS EFX." - Press Kit, '91.