The best description of 90’s rap: “We down with O.P.P…”
By Mumbua Nzula Nzyoka.
If you’ve never heard the phrase up there (We down with O.P.P), then I doubt you’ve heard of Naughty by Nature, MC Lyte, Da’Brat, Warren G or Foxy Brown. But the good news is, it is likely that you’ve heard of Tupac, Notorious B.I.G, Jay – Z, Puff Daddy (before he was P.Diddy), Dr. Dre, Nas, Fat Joe, Bone Thugs, Coolio, LL Cool J and DMX. What all these people/groups have in common is that they were among the biggest names in rap during the 1990’s.
Note: 90’s Rap, also referred to as the Golden Age of Hip-Hop that begun in the late 1980’s to the early 90’s, with groups like N.W.A that did gangster rap, Dj Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince who did party rap, LL Cool J and Eric B. & Rakim. It is important to note that the Golden Age played a major role in the worldwide success of late 90’s rap.
About two weeks ago, whatyouneedtowatch published a list of the most notable ballads of the 90’s and in that same spirit, we’ve decided that rap was just as big back ‘in tha day’ as the love ballads were. Here are 20 rap songs from the 1990’s to help you ‘get down with the 90’s.’ Not to worry, you’ll be down with O.P.P in no time.
1. Naughty by Nature – O.P.P (1991)
2. Warren G. feat Nate Dogg – Regulate (1994)
3. Tupac feat Dr. Dre – California Love (1995)
4. Bone Thugs n Harmony – Crossroads (1995)
5. Coolio – Gangster’s Paradise (1995)
6. LL Cool J – Doing it (1995)
7. Notorious B.I.G – Hypnotize (1996)
8. Fugees – Killing me Softly (1996)
9. Foxy Brown – I’ll Be (1996)
10. Da’Brat – Sitting on top of the world (1996)
11. MC Lyte feat Missy Elliot – Cold Rock a Party (1996)
12. Puff Daddy feat Faith Evans and 112 – I’ll be missing you (1997)
13. Mase and Puff Daddy – More money, more problems (1997)
14. Big Pun feat Fat Joe – Still not a player (1998)
15. Jay – Z – Hard Knock of Life (1998)
16. DMX – Ruff Ryders Anthem (1998)
17. Eminem – My Name is… (1999)
18. Dr. Dre feat Snoop Dogg – Still (1999)
19. Juvenile – Back that thang up (1999)
20. Nas – Hate Me Now (1999)
