As the seldom-heard, mostly unknown original Geto Boys album — back when they were still the “Ghetto” Boys — Making Trouble should interest strictly enthusiasts of the Houston group, if that, and probably only to a slight extent. At this point, back in 1988, around the time when James Smith (then known as Lil’ J) … Read more
Life Is…Too Short is the second studio album by Too Short. The album was released on January 31, 1989, by Jive Records and RCA Records, although it appeared as a Dangerous Music/RCA Records release until Jive Records logos appeared on the release on October 25, 1989, after it became successful. It is currently his highest-selling … Read more
As Nasty As They Wanna Be is the third album by Miami bass group 2 Live Crew. It was released in 1989 and became the group’s largest seller, being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. In 1990, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida ruled that the album … Read more
Walking with a Panther is the third studio album by high-selling hip-hop artist LL Cool J. Released in 1989, the album was a commercial success, with several charting singles (“Going Back to Cali,” “I’m That Type of Guy,” “Jingling Baby,” “Big Ole Butt,” and “One Shot at Love”). The album however was often criticized by … Read more
Straight out the Jungle is the debut album from hip hop group Jungle Brothers. The album marked the beginning of the Native Tongues collective, which later featured popular artists such as De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep. The single “I’ll House You,” added to the album in 1989, is known for … Read more
The Biz Never Sleeps is the second studio album by Biz Markie. It was released on October 10, 1989, on Cold Chillin’/Warner Bros. Records and was produced by Biz, his cousin Cool V and seminal producer Paul C, instead of Cold Chillin’ in-house producer Marley Marl. The album proved to be a success, peaking at … Read more
The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech… Just Watch What You Say! is the third studio album by American rapper Ice-T. The album was released on October 10, 1989, by Sire Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album has an uncharacteristically gritty sound, featuring some of the darkest musical tracks that Ice-T ever released.
As riveting as Rhyme Pays was, Ice-T did hold back a little and avoided being too consistently sociopolitical. But with the outstanding Power, the gloves came all the way off, and Ice didn’t hesitate to speak his mind about the harsh realities of inner-city life. On “Drama,” “Soul on Ice” (an homage to his idol … Read more