As with most of Del’s albums, there’s a sense of fun about many of the songs on Eleventh Hour—even those that touch upon more serious issues.
Read moreBiz Markie’s Debut Album ‘Goin’ Off’ Turns 35 | Album Anniversary
Biz Markie’s inaugural LP reinforces how well he understood that the creative process is an assembly line requiring different people and expertise at each stage.
Read morePete Rock’s ‘NY’s Finest’ Turns 15 | Album Anniversary
As the title suggests, Pete Rock is one of New York City’s most revered musical innovators, as gloriously displayed throughout the album.
Read moreJ Dilla’s ‘Ruff Draft’ EP Turns 20 | Album Anniversary
While 2003’s ‘Ruff Draft’ showcases Dilla’s penchant for sonic experimentation, the EP also reinforces that he could have a lot of fun in the studio.
Read more2Pac’s ‘Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
2Pac’s sophomore album contains some of his strongest work from a time before he was living the Thug Life quite so hard.
Read moreRakim’s Debut Solo Album ‘The 18th Letter’ Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
‘The 18th Letter’ is packed with a wealth of lyrical excellence, reminding us exactly why many consider Rakim the greatest rapper of all time.
Read moreGravediggaz’ ‘The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel’ Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
Twenty-five years on from ‘The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel,’ the group deserves to be remembered as more than just a quirky side project.
Read moreCommon’s Debut Album ‘Can I Borrow a Dollar?’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
On his 1992 debut, Common wasn’t afraid to be the kind of rapper he wanted to be, rather than the formulaic rapper he could have conformed to become.
Read moreCommon’s ‘One Day It’ll All Make Sense’ Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
The Chicago-bred emcee’s third LP offers an intriguing look at the transition from the Common Sense of old to the Common we know today.
Read moreNas’ ‘The Lost Tapes’ Turns 20 | Album Anniversary
A collection of then-unreleased songs from previous recording sessions, ‘The Lost Tapes’ thankfully doesn’t feel like a hodge-podge of filler fare.
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