Tag: 90’s Hip Hop

Another hip hop milestone, another classic hip hop album. This album definitely is the soundtrack and the first of it’s kind. Mafioso style hip hop about the harsh realities of the street life in the ghetto. Stories of drugs, crime, sex, money, survival, and flashy cars and clothes. 2 out 9 members of the iconic and legendary Wu-Tang Clan, teamed up together to create the perfect movie about the life of an everyday street hustler. With it’s rawness, rough, truthful, and some knowledge throw into the mix, “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…” painted a picture of street hustlers trying to make a way in everyday life. Telling stories of their experiences about what the street life is like. It allows all the negative but brutally honest energies of that lifestyle to push through into storytelling as a way to keep a listener intrigued but also teaches awareness about a dark world. With Wu-Tang already on the rise since their debut in November 1993, solo projects from the members only helped their popularity and success rise. 25 years ago, on August 1st, 1995, Raekwon The Chef & Ghostface Killah teamed up together to create “Only Built For Cuban Linx…” Also known as “The Purple Tape”, the album is a must have in a hip hop lover’s collection. It’s one of the most talked about albums of all time and the album also was the first of it’s kind, ushering in future albums like Jay-Z’s “Reasonable Doubt”, The Notorious B.I.G. “Life After Death”, and even another Wu-Tang Clan member’s own GZA’s “Liquid Swords.” During the mid to late 90’s, mafioso rap became very mainstream and popular. Leaving behind all of the colorful, happy raps, and dance tracks, this style of rap was more dark. It was the soundtrack of a generation that grew up during the crack era in the 1980’s and survived by hustling in the streets to make an everyday living. It resonated with so many people which is why this style of rap was so popular. 25 years later, “Cuban Linx…” is a masterpiece that’s timeless. It aged so well and gracefully. The same generation that survived the crack era days are now much older with families and can reflect back on how hard times were in life. With the scars on their bodies and the roughness in their attitudes, they can be able to express what this music means to them. It’s a remembrance of surviving. They pound each other up with love and say “Yo! What’s good kid?” It’s the language of the broken street kid whose a survivor now. Life is good now. They’ll say “Man, that was years ago! We don’t do that shit no more! We got kids and a family now.” 

Written by Jalen Hemphill