With numerous hit singles and a distinct sound, Stankonia cemented itself in rap history immediately after its release.Ħ. The golden boys of Southern hip-hop, Outkast went triple platinum with their fourth album. These picks span the decades of rap’s existence and were chosen for their influence on the genre and their lasting cultural impact.Ī classic from the turn of the millennium, Stankonia is the key album from Atlanta rap group Outkast’s impressive discography. This list counts down our picks for the seven best rap albums of all time. Producers began spearheading the pioneering of new sounds in the pop world, many of which were directly inspired by rap and hip-hop.Īs time has passed, many of the albums from the early decades of rap and hip-hop have remained the standout efforts in the genre.
Subgenres began to form, and the production elements of rap became mainstays in other genres. It had the same spirit as rock but turned the tables in popular music on what was a white-dominated market at the time.īy the time the millennium turned, rap was cemented in popular music. The overall feel of early hip-hop was buoyant, belligerent and raucous. In the 80s and 90s, what is now known as old-school hip-hop began to take the world by storm with its unique production elements that were nothing like anything heard prior. Like jazz and blues before it, rap showed America the beauty of black culture and served as a reminder that black art was here to stay. Black artists in America have always faced many cultural and societal obstacles, but the dawn of hip-hop was another victory for black art. Rap was controversial from the beginning, with rappers pushing the envelope by offering biting social commentary, especially on life for black Americans. Early hip-hop’s beats were as innovative and game-changing as the flow and lyricism of the rappers themselves.
The technique for creating the early backing beats for rap involved the use of sampling – pulling isolated sounds from songs and playing them in a loop. Initially, rap was born when the MCs at parties in the 70s began rhythmically talking over beats.
Like rock before it, early rap gave a voice to the restlessness and tension of its time. The revolutionary genre got its start in the late 70s, when The Sugarhill Gang released the now-iconic “Rapper’s Delight.” Since then, the art form has evolved considerably, becoming one of the centerpieces of popular music and the soundtrack to cultural revolution.