When Hardcore Hip-Hop Went Mainstream (1992-98)

In which The Curmudgeons revisit an era where the streets soared to the top of the charts...and then unleashed their danger on hip-hop's finest artists. The success of Dr. Dre's 1992 album The Chronic ushered in an era where cursing, threatening lyrical opponents with violence, drug use and other chicanery became acceptable fodder for the radio dial. And it gave artists who might not otherwise have enjoyed a broad-based platform an opportunity to shine--including a couple of guys named Tupac Shakur and Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G" Wallace. In this episode, we analyze the tremendous music this period produced and lament its unfortunate wrath. 

 

Enjoy all of this awesome hip-hop music from the 1990s on our special Spotify playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5z7oEmg62kJeiAPRIKhxhS?si=e506f329ec4b4a26

 

Here's a handy navigation companion to this episode. 

 

(00:52 - 04:50) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for our discussion

 

(05:06 - 15:52) - The Parallel Unvierse, featuring reviews of new albums from Oisin Leech and Eels

 

(16:37 - 01:11:11) - We celebrate the breakout of hardcore hip-hop from both coasts, with discussion of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas and Biggie Smalls

 

(01:12:37 - 02:10:15) - We rumble through a whole host of great '90s hip-hop singles, including entries from gang Starr, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Jay-Z, DMX, A Tribe Called Quest and Ol' Dirty Bastard

 

(02:11:14 - 02:55:04) - We meditate on the ballad of Tupac and Biggie and attempt to capture the legacy of 1990s hip-hop

 

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Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons