HIP HOP CLASSICS: Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded Album

Happy Sunday folks! Time for yet another classic album thread and we’ve circled back around to the 80s. After 3 weeks of relatively well known classics, we’re gonna turn our attentions to an album that, whilst incredibly well known to hip hop heads, may not be as well known to mainstream or new hip hop fans. This week, we’re listening to the work of D-Nice, the late DJ Scott La Rock and the man that probably needs to introduction KRS-One and they’re album Criminal Minded...

Released just 5 months before Scott La Rock was murdered, this is the only album that features the original three members. It also features one of the best hip hop songs of all time in “South Bronx”.

Sound off below and let us know what you think!

@Henry to pin

 

One of the few good things 2020 has brought is us that somehow D-Nice has become one of the most relevant artists of the year

 

Nice. Haven’t listened in years

 

Same. I haven't heard this album since I was child, but it's getting bumped this week.

 

I gotta say, there's a level of corniness with the flow/vocals of a lot of hip hop around this era that still irks me a little, lol. I feel like hip hop really grew leaps and bounds when they worked out the awkwardness and got smoother on the verses.

 

haven't heard of this one, interesting

 

Rudimentary would be the term I would use and I would agree somewhat. I still enjoy a lot of music from this era though.

 

okay nerd!

 

Never listened to this. Giving it a spin this morning.

 

I could listen to South Bronx and The Bridge is Over on repeat forever. Two of my favourite hip hop songs of all time.

 

Damn this album has some iconic beats, huh? Can't believe I had never listened to this.

 

The Bridge is Over rules and the beats are great. This just isn't my bag in terms of the vocals/rhymes (for the most part).

 

I felt that way with a lot of 80's hip hop. Was part of the reason why I rarely went back and listened to the classics. I'm not even sure when or how it changed, but the more I listened, the more I appreciated the simplicity of it. And it's fascinating seeing the progress rap makes in the early years.

 

Some of the early classics I really love. Paid in Full, the PE/Beastie albums, Run DMC, NWA etc. I don't know what it is about this one that doesn't grab me. I also have a huge blindspot for EPMD and LL, so let's do one of them for the next 80s!

Embarrassingly enough, I think I first heard of KRS from Sublime, lol. I remember I grabbed "A Retrospective" after hearing the Sublime song in early high school. I enjoyed some of the tracks but overall just really never fell in love with him.

 

I definitely know what you guys mean, but there’s definitely 80s rap with vocals that still hold up. LL and Rakim are at the top of that list, but Fresh Prince, Beastie Boys, Biz Markie, PE, Big Daddy Kane among others also come to mind. Queen Latifah too.

Yeah I’ve been thinking we should do LL’s Radio as our next 80s album, but then again his actual best albums (arguably Mama Said Knock You Out and Mr. Smith) are 90s albums so maybe we should save LL for the 90s and go with Paid in Full for the 80s instead. Paid in Full overall is probably also more accessories than Radio, as are LL’s 90s classics of course. You should listen to Radio at least once anyway though.

 

I was never a huge KRS One fan in general tbh, but yeah his bangers are undeniable

 

I know we’re talking BDP and Criminal Minded, but this right here may be the best thing KRS has done

That Preemo beat may be one of the best he’s done.

 

Sound of da Police for me

 

By All Means Necessary is a good album too by the way. One of the first albums I ever owned. The cover alone is legendary.