1998 marked a time of transition after 2Pac died and Lauryn Hill made her breakthrough, setting the stage for new generations to emerge. Rappers like Juvenile released tracks like 400 Degreez and Mystikal released Ghetto Superstar that propelled them further along their musical careers.
DMX – It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot
From an impoverished Brooklyn borough where breaking laws was the only way to survive, DMX became an influential advocate for those left voiceless by society. He became known as Dante’s Inferno of hip-hop music with fiery performances that captured his subjects’ rage perfectly.
X’s music emerged from the shadows of city life, documenting murder and robbery with an intense brutality that shocked listeners even while entertaining them. His unsettling flows jerked like a car veering off-course, echoing an irregular heart rate or panicked thoughts of those struggling with mental instability. He wasn’t meant to serve as a moral guideline but as an objective mirror reflecting back all the horrors society had created for those most broken of souls.
Earl Simmons found comfort from spending much of his youth moving between children’s homes, solaced himself by making friends with stray dogs that shared his loneliness and sense of abandonment. Soon enough, as a rap battle competitor in New York he would dominate opponents – including an unknown JAY-Z – by barking loudly enough for them to retreat in fear. By the time of It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot’s release X had experienced more hardship than most 27 year-olds could imagine and yet still managed to be relatable through his honest portrayal.
While most MCs in his class relied on aggressive street rhetoric to communicate their message, X was able to create an intimate atmosphere without resorting to gutter language. From his songs raging against DMX (“That n***a is a motherfuckin’ problem”) or discussing his love life subtly (“How’s It Going Down”) or dark conceptual confessionals (“Damien”) or offering up dark conceptual confessionals (“Damien”, his songs always alternated between being urgent and urgent or slow and contemplative; one reason that It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot remains such a classic; its legacy laid the way for future artists telling their own stories in their own ways.
A Tribe Called Quest – Find a Way
On September 29th of 1998, record stores offered five must-cop releases: Jay-Z’s Vol. 2 and Outkast’s Aquemini were both surefire classics; three veteran groups (A Tribe Called Quest’s We Got It From Here, Mos Def & Talib Kweli’s Black Star, and Brand Nubian’s Foundation) also made debut albums of their own that day!
Some were eagerly awaiting Tribe’s latest album release, while others expressed doubt. Yet this album exceeded all expectations – featuring catchy tag-team rhymes set against top production with an air of positivity and fun, making for one hell of a Hip Hop experience!
Tribe’s latest album may vary in style from their earlier efforts, yet remains true to their core principles. Notably featuring humorous wordplay from its MCs as well as dramatic movie audio excerpts and synthesizer bass tones that could pass for Paul’s Boutique-era Beastie Boys, its sound remains distinctively Tribe’s.
This album marks the debut of Detroit beatmaster J Dilla, who quickly gained favor among Tribe members such as Questlove of The Roots and Q-Tip of ATCQ by impressing both with his sample-chopping talents. Dilla’s work on this album–including “Superthug (What What)” and its final track honoring Phife Dawg with “Find a Way”)–would serve to inspire subsequent generations of MCs looking to break away from traditional hip hop convention. Dilla’s innovation lies most evident through his use of samples that allow sounds to clash at odd angles; double and separate like in a Steve Reich phasing experiment; or spin off into total silence.
JAY-Z & JD – Money Ain’t a Thing
As 1998 was a banner year for hip hop albums, with newcomers such as DMX, Lauryn Hill and Master P and classic albums from longstanding acts like The Lox, Cam’Ron, LL Cool J, Public Enemy and Wu-Tang Clan all dropping albums at once; people would line up early every Tuesday for new tunes; it was crucial that top artists released their records simultaneously so as to take full advantage of sales before digital downloads became widespread.
Jermaine Dupri and Jay-Z had an obvious chemistry despite their varied approaches to music, and “Money Ain’t a Thing” provided both artists with an opportunity to shine. With Hov’s clever rhymes and JD’s beats coming together to form an album full of luxury lifestyle that resonated across demographics – this record marked only the beginning for them becoming one of New York and Atlanta’s premier duos.
Gang Starr created their hit anthem “Eazy-E” as an anthem to commemorate their late friend, mentor, and collaborator Eazy-E and it quickly became one of their biggest hits ever. Widely considered an all-time hip hop classic with Mya’s catchy hook, Pras’ clever lyrics, and ODB crashing the party with his iconic grunt making this track an all-time hip hop classic to this day – also sampled and referenced in many rap songs since. With lyrics that address drug addiction while offering hope in many other lyrics this track remains timeless today – yet again making history!
Mya & Pras – Ghetto Superstar
Pras of The Fugees made his solo debut with Ghetto Superstar in 1998, which showcased both his vocal talent and social awareness. This song highlights how people from marginalized communities must overcome adversity to pursue their dreams; furthermore it emphasizes perseverance and self-belief – timeless messages which remain applicable today.
Mya’s soulful vocals and its signature funky bassline make this classic club track a stand-out. This track uses a remixed chorus from Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton’s 1983 song Islands In The Stream by Jerry “Wonda Duplessis” & Wyclef Jean; its music video directed by Francis Lawrence featured Warren Beatty, Oliver Platt & Joshua Malina among its stars.
Ghetto Superstar isn’t just a club single. Its lyrics convey a positive message of empowerment that resonates with many around the world – particularly those struggling to rise above their circumstances. Ghetto Superstar’s success has inspired many artists to create music with positive messages.
Ghetto Superstar marked an important turning point in Pras’ career, setting him as one of the major forces within hip-hop music and inspiring a wave of socially conscious music from artists of various genres. Ghetto Superstar continues to inspire musicians today through its universal themes of determination and perseverance; additionally it has provided talented artists an outlet to tell their own stories to a public audience through independent labels.
Juvenile – 400 Degreez
400 Degreez was one album that sent shockwaves through hip hop like Mardi Gras. Fusing New Orleans jazz and rap with Southern-influenced rap sounds such as Mannie Fresh and Lil Wayne’s “Back That Azz Up,” Juvenile produced some of the genre’s most infectious tunes on this record – making this an essential listening experience.
“Ha” from Juvenile’s debut album Cash Money made an announcement: he and Cash Money had arrived. Its hard beat beat like an Evel Knievel crash and Juve was both swaggering and paranoid with pained yet free vocals; it captured New Orleans culture while internationalizing it through mass consumption; its video by Marc Klasfeld provided a four-minute blueprint of future videos produced with low production budgets.
Juvenile has assembled an album of equal potency and infectiousness. Enlisting his fellow Hot Boyz and Mannie Fresh to craft irresistibly catchy tracks that’ll have your teeth grinding, this record offers both party anthems and soulful reflection all in one package – with outstanding production from Houston-based Pen & Pixel design team creating its memorable album cover design.