![]() The shadow of Biggie’s absence was growing more and more notable. And while “I Just Wanna Love You (Give It to Me)” was certainly catchy, you could only say it evoked childhood memories if you were a child while listening to it. East Coast was all about proficient rhymes over memorable tracks, meant to call up one’s childhood while adding a new lyrical sentiment. And while sampling didn’t die out in the late 90s, its fade from the East Coast sound was particularly notable. The birth of hip hop, though, is sampling, not the studio. It’s tough to imagine the Dirty South producing something as bittersweet and optimistic as “Juicy” in the mid 90s, at least while adhering to the Dirty South sound. And (this is as much personal preference speaking as objective Overthought have at it in the comments) it limits the range of emotional responses that hip hop can evoke. While there’s nothing wrong with stomping rhythms and artificial horns, it does contribute toward all hip hop sounding alike. Consider Jay-Z’s first big hit, “Big Pimpin’.” Behind such uber-producers as Timbaland and the Neptunes, the Dirty South was known for brassy, synthetic sounds and grungy beats.Įven rappers north of Hotlanta adopted this sound. It was during this time that Southern hip hop, a/k/a Dirty South, rose to prominence. and Tupac Shakur left a power vacuum in the world of hip hop. So while the rest of the world reflects on loss, we’re going to reflect on triumph, picking apart what could have been Jay-Z’s funeral dirge and realizing why it catapulted him to the success he enjoys today.Ĭast your mind back to the late 90s. ![]() And it was recognized as such at the time, receiving the coveted five mics from The Source. It is widely considered one of Jay-Z’s best albums, if not his best outright. Who was lining up outside the record store for Jigga’s latest when fighter jets were buzzing Manhattan?Īnd yet The Blueprint not only did well, considering its unfortunate release date, it thrived. Given the tremendous cultural upheaval America’s been through since then, it’s hard to imagine anything born on the same day lasting. It also marked 10 years since the release of Jay-Z’s sixth album, The Blueprint. This past Sunday saw a happier anniversary than the attack on the World Trade Center in New York. ![]()
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