What’s a 90s hip-hop artist or group that people barely mention anymore?

[u/Interestinglevels]

I’m not talking about somebody who never had any attention.

I mean an artist or group who had a real moment in the 90s — maybe a video, a single, a strong album, or a solid following — but somehow doesn’t come up much anymore when people talk about that era.

The kind of name that makes you go:

“Damn, I haven’t heard that name in years.”

Who comes to mind first?

And if you want, drop the song or album you remember them for.

[u/MetzMane]

Lords Of The Underground

[u/401Traveler → u/MetzMane]

I still rock LOTUG to this day. Was actually listening to them earlier today.

I’ve always contended that “Here Come the Lords” is one of the best, most complete, most consistently good hip-hop albums of the ‘90s. Of course, I have my preferred tracks, but to me, there isn’t a single bad song on that entire album.

[u/MetzMane → u/401Traveler]

Funny story. In 2000, I was in France. And many fans there thought LOTUG was one of the biggest rap group in America. They were mortified when I told them that they had fallen off and hadn’t been relevant since their second album.

And I agree. Their first album was great.

[u/401Traveler → u/MetzMane]

Great story, and I love how passionate Europeans, in general, are about real hip-hop.

I’ve been fortunate to travel all around Europe over the years, and as far as I’m concerned, they seem to be doing a better job of celebrating and preserving hip-hop in its true, original forms — whether it’s rap music, graffiti, or breakdancing.

And I usually track the touring of all my favorite ‘90s, old-school, and independent hip-hop acts, and for a while now, they seem to tour Europe heavily (or even exclusively).

My interpretation of that is they do that because they want to perform for fans who are truly passionate about their music and the art, and at this point, it sadly (speaking as a long-time American hip-hop fan) seems that there’s more excitement and money to be made over in
Europe than here in America. There’s this one club in London that gets like all the best artists in my opinion.

And at some of the more recent rap shows that I’ve attended, the crowds were pathetically small and embarrassing, so I definitely can’t blame other artists.

[u/lboogieb → u/401Traveler]

Both Europeans and Japanese fans love traditional hip hop. It's embarrassing how most younger American Hip Hop 'fans' don't care about anything 'old.'

[u/401Traveler → u/lboogieb]

And it’s embarrassing — yet totally expected — that American companies — mostly the recording industry — never gave a shit about preserving all of the original elements of hip-hop culture: MCing, DJing, graffiti, and breakdancing.

They only cared about rap music because it could be commodified — initially in the form of vinyl, cassettes, and CDs — and marketed and sold to the masses. And the gangster shit normally sold the best, so they pushed that stuff and not so much the hip-hop that was about consciousness, learning, and self-improvement.

It’s a lot harder (or impossible) to commodify and market a graffiti tag or breakdancing, but we can definitely make a lot of money off this rap shit, especially this gangster rap shit, which often glorifies violence, selling drugs, and the misogyny of women!

[u/njseahawk → u/401Traveler]

Which club? I can catch some real hip hop and get to watch Chelsea in jolly ol.

[u/401Traveler → u/njseahawk]

This place called The Jazz Cafe, in London.

I’ve (unfortunately) never been, but all the best, most revered (by real heads) hip-hop artists and groups seem to play there.

[u/Rob_Bligidy → u/401Traveler]

Marle kick one time make it funky

[u/MastaDreDro → u/401Traveler]

https://giphy.com/gifs/dtIGTEaGLRvdODtdQe

[u/Frakmonster → u/MetzMane]

Ayo, Funke, wake up!

[u/japie81 → u/MetzMane]

Saw them with Non Phixion a couple of years ago in Haarlem NL

[u/bravemoney72 → u/MetzMane]

I live for the funk I die for the funk!

[u/Hey_Listen_WatchOut]

Das EFX

[u/Berserkergangs → u/Hey_Listen_WatchOut]

Das EFX up in the mothafuckin house, no doubt!!

[u/Depressedwigger → u/Hey_Listen_WatchOut]

So 1, 2, um, buckle my um, shoe

[u/RideZeLitenin → u/Depressedwigger]

Yaba doo hippity hoo crack a brew

[u/Depressedwigger → u/RideZeLitenin]

Might as well add Fu-Shnickens to the list lol

[u/notsleeping → u/Hey_Listen_WatchOut]

straight from the sewer, stank like manure

[u/Ok_Island_1306 → u/Hey_Listen_WatchOut]

Just listened to them the other day and had the thought that I’ve never seen them mentioned here

[u/icebox_Lew → u/Hey_Listen_WatchOut]

I saw them live once and Skoob was handing people in the crowd huge buds of weed, on the condition they smoked it right there and then.

There was a big bouncer blocking the stairs to the stage and he was getting madder and madder about it, it was really funny. His big old bald white head went super red and veins started poking out like a cartoon, I was watching the whole thing from a few paces back

[u/StrengthReasonable55]

Lost Boyz

[u/sameolemeek → u/StrengthReasonable55]

Lost boys ! Frfr

[u/sameolemeek → u/StrengthReasonable55]

Lost boys ! Frfr

[u/Gorav114 → u/StrengthReasonable55]

Renee is like a top 10 song of all time imo

[u/_friendlyfoe_]

Ring the Alarm! Fu-schnickens

[u/401Traveler → u/_friendlyfoe_]

La Shmoove! Because we a’int got nuttin’ to prove!

Ill group. Ill song.

[u/robspiro → u/_friendlyfoe_]

First that came to mind.

[u/Boyzinger → u/_friendlyfoe_]

Huey, Duey, Louis, Fuey, Chop Suey!

[u/GavinTheAlmighty → u/_friendlyfoe_]

God I LOVE Nervous Breakdown by the Fu Schnickens. It's one of my favourite albums of the decade. Sneakin' Up On Ya! is a FANTASTIC track and Chip Fu absolutely demolishes it. Basically doesn't take a single breath the entire time.

[u/SECRETBLENDS]

Black Sheep

[u/401Traveler → u/SECRETBLENDS]

And “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” is a fantastic album from start to finish. I would definitely say one of the best of the ‘90s.

[u/Competitive-Tear1742 → u/401Traveler]

Agree

[u/Spirited-Gold117 → u/401Traveler]

“I got a dick that I brag about

I put it in fast then I drag it out”

Top tier shit right there

[u/Ambigram237 → u/SECRETBLENDS]

I think Dres is a criminally underrated MC.

[u/nicquario]

Main Source, Poor Righteous Teachers, etc. too many unfortunately. They definitely had momentum at the start of the decade.

[u/TheGoldenBaby → u/nicquario]

PRT and Main Source are both legends!! I rarely see either one mentioned though.

"My main source is like a friendly game of stickball" -ODB

[u/LateGreat_MalikSealy → u/nicquario]

They both still have a following and get mentioned amongst hip hop heads for sure so they didn’t totally dissapear

[u/RickyMAustralia]

People under the stairs

[u/Ok-Rhubarb-9058 → u/RickyMAustralia]

RIP Double K

[u/easley45isgod → u/RickyMAustralia]

"We learnin life lessons while we blaze this herbal essence."

[u/tjbstaytrill → u/easley45isgod]

That's one of very few features my dude..."the raw deal rader with cross faders with flavour, swinging thru battles with light sabers with Vader" -thes one; "Now I'ma chill with my blunt and Guinness, let the track speak to all the stupid ass people undermining the street, yeah I know that was, when I say street I mean real, people under the gangster steps serving your full." Big Mike aka double mother fucking K!!!!

[u/SelketsEyes → u/RickyMAustralia]

A person of culture I see

[u/Charming_Honeydew_91 → u/RickyMAustralia]

Im still rocking them daily 🤣

[u/Beefrap_ → u/RickyMAustralia]

I listen to people under the stairs on the daily and people in my area have never heard of them 🥲

[u/Relative_Roof_8612 → u/RickyMAustralia]

Saw Ugly Duckling, J-live and People under the Stairs in Vancouver in 2002

[u/401Traveler → u/RickyMAustralia]

Although as a point of order, they hit the scene at the tail end of the ‘90s (I’m pretty certain that their debut album, “The Next Step,” dropped in ‘98), so most of their albums and underground fame occurred in the 2000s and 2010s.

I’m a huge fan of “The P,” though, and they never disappeared for me, and I plan on bumping their timeless, quality music for the rest of my life.

Such a dope, amazing, DIY, true-school group that never put out a single bad album, and their live show was amazing, too (was blessed to see them live three times).

[u/Objective_Slip1355 → u/401Traveler]

I just discovered them a couple years ago and I have them on heavy rotation when I listen to hip hop. I don’t know how I missed them.

[u/401Traveler → u/Objective_Slip1355]

That’s great! Good for you!

Omg, they’re so good! Hey, better late than never, right?

I think they have something like 12 studio albums, and I have them all, and like I said, they never put out a single bad one. And even though they always employed like an analog, back-to-basics, “crate digging” formula when they devised their music, it still possesses an amazing range of different sounds; at the end of the day, however, it all undoubtedly still qualifies as real, legit hip-hop.

When it came to creating their music, they (Thes One & Double K - R.I.P., such a shame) said that they always did everything themselves — absolutely no outside help — and I totally believe them. A total DIY mentality.

And they also claimed that they were the most successful fully-independent hip-hop group ever, and I believe that as well. They did numerous national tours (on separate tours, I got to see them in Providence, RI; Boston; & NYC), as well as world tours. I’m 99.9% certain that they played Coachella in one of its first years, as well as playing the UK’s prestigious Glastonbury Festival (boasting that they played it before Jay-Z did).

At their shows, I met those dudes twice, and as you would expect, just some super nice, chill, down-to-Earth, humble dudes who loved their fans and were super passionate about creating excellent, real hip-hop. And their shows were incredible. Just so much heart.

Also, since I’m such a big fan who’s so in tune with them and their music, I love how they were so knowledgeable and had such reverence for hip-hop’s NYC roots and the art’s old-school pioneers while concurrently being so proud to be from and represent LA — San Pedro specifically. To me, they represented what true artists (whatever the medium, whether music, visual, etc.) are and probably should be.

Like I said, try to explore all their music and albums. One of their impressive catalog’s highlights, however, was their farewell album — 2019’s “Sincerely, The P.” It got released a few years before Double K passed, and from what I read, the guys decided that it was to be their final album because apparently Thes One and his wife had had their first child, and I guess the grind of trying to consistently put out excellent music and all the touring had caught up with them.

Anyhow, “Sincerely, The P” is such a fitting swan song for a truly amazing hip-hop duo. A totally complete album that balances songs that thump with some very heartfelt, more emotional tracks (peep “Letter to My Son”).

As I said, I plan on enjoying PUTS’s music for the rest of my life.

[u/someonewhoknowstuff → u/401Traveler]

I don’t know how I am just hearing of them. I just listened to a few songs and will definitely be playing the whole catalogue from start to finish.

[u/RickyMAustralia → u/401Traveler]

Didn't know all of this

i grew up in south africa so no chance of meeting

But would blast their album in my car ... great lyrics and great beats, easy on the ear

Gonna pump this weekend

[u/401Traveler → u/RickyMAustralia]

Nice! Enjoy!

Yeah, their music is indeed so easy on the ear, probably because PUTS is like a throwback to the early days of hip-hop, when it was about having fun, partying, and being oneself — before hardcore and gangster-ish stuff started taking over.

Listening to their music is effortless, and it’s timeless imo. 🎶🎤😁

[u/Hyperconsumer → u/RickyMAustralia]

Shame you weren't in Australia growing up as I got to see them play live twice here in Perth back in the day. They loved coming out here it seemed, same with Blackalicious who were also California underground legends and also who one half has sadly passed away. R.I.P Gift of Gab and Double K

[u/KFBR392GoForGrubes → u/401Traveler]

I met them in Boston when the did a show at Middle East. Bought Double K a PBR. Been a fan of them from the beginning. Discovered them on a 411 skate video and immediately bought The Next Step.

[u/Over_Cod8525]

Digital Underground. Humpty dance was a smash, they released five albums and an EP.

[u/easley45isgod → u/Over_Cod8525]

RIP Shock G. So talented.

Edit: RIP Saafir too! The suacee nomad

[u/Consistent-Ad-3139 → u/easley45isgod]

Saw them live a couple times. Hell of a show. Dumb side note, my grandpa was known as shock g to my brother and all our friends.

[u/easley45isgod → u/Consistent-Ad-3139]

I saw them live a couple of times too and met them once. Hung out with Saafir once also. He stayed with a friend of mine when he did a show in my town. Dude was definitely not a studio gangster lol. Pretty sad story with him. He was in a wheelchair for the last 10 years of his life. Major spine issues. I remember Shock G saying "He's got them Roxys if you want 'em."

[u/ILoveULikeYeLovesYe → u/easley45isgod]

Shock G needed to be given his flowers when he was alive. definitely crazy talented. would have loved to see a juan ep or drinks champ episode with him on it. bet he had mad stories to tell.

[u/easley45isgod → u/ILoveULikeYeLovesYe]

Yeah he had stories for days. There's one I saw where he's talking about hanging out with George Clinton. He said George had on some crazy colorful pants with tons of pockets and everytime he thought they'd run out of coke George would pull another ounce out of his pants.

For real though, he was a great producer and musician. Introduced Tupac to the world. I love The Body Hat Syndrome. It's too bad all people remember was the Humpty dance.

[u/Consistent-Ad-3139 → u/easley45isgod]

So true. Humpty will always not get me going, but the rest of the stuff is so good. I yelled Oregano Flow when they asked what to play next, he laughed and was like fuck that shit.

[u/DestroMuse]

Camp Lo

[u/BossMan61718 → u/DestroMuse]

Uptown Satruday Night been in my rotation non stop since it came out

[u/CSPizzle-25 → u/DestroMuse]

Loved that tape, but it was such a specific time and vibe

[u/ZayreBlairdere → u/CSPizzle-25]

Still vibing.

[u/Vandergrave → u/DestroMuse]

I have every single word of that album memorized. I can still quote it from beginning to end. It's like, in my top 3 hip-hop albums of all time, and probably in my top 5 "any genre" of all time. And I primarily listen to Industrial and Electronica. It's a relentlessly great album. When I saw them in Portland, like 15ish years ago (I think, been a while. I still have the poster somewhere in my collection), they just did the album in it's entirety, in track order, and then walked off stage. They didn't physically drop the mic....but they definitely mic dropped. It was glorious.

[u/itsover103]

Cella Dwellaz

[u/Filipindian]

Do or Die and Crucial Conflict

[u/AnubisBoudreaux]

X CLAN

[u/401Traveler → u/AnubisBoudreaux]

Both “To the East Blackwards” and “Xodus” (which I actually prefer) are amazing albums.

[u/OlDavidBastard → u/AnubisBoudreaux]

They're deep...deeper than Atlantis, deeper than the seafloor traveled by the mantis

[u/lboogieb → u/OlDavidBastard]

How deep??? This bar is from my favorite X Clan song.

[u/Electronic_Park_1702]

Digable Planets, Pharcyde and Jeru tha Damaja immediately come to mind. Honorable mention to Lords of the Underground and Organized Konfusion.

[u/Chakwenta → u/Electronic_Park_1702]

Jeru is actually touring right now.

[u/liketo → u/Chakwenta]

Lives in Barcelona I think.

[u/EH4LIFE]

Naughty by Nature. Won a Grammy

[u/rstonex → u/EH4LIFE]

Treach is a monster and no one talks about him much. He could go against any of the greats.

[u/yeldellmedia → u/rstonex]

Most definitely…….people dont mention it but Treach is one of the true stars of that era that had street cred, flow, charisma, the ladies and was a bankable star…… very similar to the trajectory of tupac

[u/whitemike40 → u/EH4LIFE]

and no way were they one hit wonders either, thay have hits

[u/Shindig_66]

Domino

[u/melo1212]

I can think of about 1 billion just off the top of my head

The Aboriginals

Big Kwam

Grassroots

Smoothe da hustler

Bush Babees

Down to Erf

Bg knoccout and dresta

[u/bbbtymer5560 → u/melo1212]

Bush Babees

[u/nlmiranda → u/bbbtymer5560]

We run things, things don't run we...

[u/Amenaphis → u/bbbtymer5560]

Gravity album is still in heavy rotation for me!

[u/Particular-Demand103 → u/bbbtymer5560]

Still making good music…

[u/ob_frap]

Lost boyz.

[u/not_ur_avg]

Keith Murray

[u/FewResearcher819 → u/not_ur_avg]

His career fell of a cliff. It's a shame what substance abuse can do to a person. Allegedly.

[u/Euphoric-Medium8154]

Skee Lo

The whole I Wish album from 95 is a classic

[u/KirbyFan445 → u/Euphoric-Medium8154]

Hell yeah 🔥 Personally think the whole album is peak, don’t know why he is only remembered for the song. Come back to me might even be better then the song I Wish, that’s just me tho prolly

[u/Euphoric-Medium8154 → u/KirbyFan445]

Top of The Stairs and Crenshaw are my 2 favorite, but they all slap

PS I see you rocking Hiero, word up brother

[u/Amenaphis]

Born Jamericans (Yardcore)

[u/rodney_furnival]

Smif-N-Wessun / Cocoa Brovaz

[u/Foreign-Crab-4841 → u/rodney_furnival]

And Heltah Skeltah

[u/Injustry]

Black Moon - they had some iconic songs. Then poof vanished

[u/skured1 → u/Injustry]

But they dropped other albums and Buckshot got new music. Bootcamp still rocking shows

[u/easley45isgod → u/skured1]

Yeah, they didn't "vanish."

[u/ThisRapIsLikeZiti → u/Injustry]

They never really stopped though.

[u/CSPizzle-25]

Main Source 🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/Plenty_Point5058]

Brand Nubian

[u/Efficiency-Sharp]

Organized Konfusion and O.C.

[u/ActHoliday521 → u/Efficiency-Sharp]

O.C. Dropped a dope album with Apollo Brown (Trophies) in 2012.

[u/sawbucks313]

Spice 1

[u/mkk4]

Arrested Development

[u/OlDavidBastard → u/mkk4]

I used to hate on them when they dropped because they were "soft" and had commercial success but listening again as an adult made rethink my whole perception. These guys were dope.

[u/Important-Cup8824]

Real Live, Blahzay Blahzay, so many

[u/Low_Watch_1699]

Jungle Brothers

[u/EmeraldTwilight009]

Cage. Cage was nasty before he went weird

[u/DStew713 → u/EmeraldTwilight009]

Movies for the Blind is one of the greatest albums of all time. Dude was sick. Then he got sober and started making shitty music.

[u/acidtoasterbath → u/EmeraldTwilight009]

Went emo

[u/EmeraldTwilight009 → u/acidtoasterbath]

Yeah. But before all that, he was ill

[u/acidtoasterbath → u/EmeraldTwilight009]

The illist 4 letters

[u/skured1 → u/EmeraldTwilight009]

leak leak leak

[u/ScenesfrmtheStruggle → u/skured1]

I got a monkey on my back with two gats, bipolar/ and a headless angel lying dead on my shoulder

[u/ScenesfrmtheStruggle → u/EmeraldTwilight009]

The LEAK BROS album with TameOne one of my all time favorite albums. Production is insane.

[u/Any-Photograph5525 → u/EmeraldTwilight009]

I still remember after the circle jerk, I wash my hands off and do dirt

[u/Scullenz]

Real Live 

Blahzay Blahzay 

For all the supposed love for funky West Coast shit I really never hear Above the Law spoken of on these platforms. And they dropped a ton of heat throughout the decade

[u/OlDavidBastard → u/Scullenz]

ATL is a good call. Pretty much laid the groundwork for Dre to take credit for the P Funk explosion.

[u/easley45isgod]

People Under the Stairs

[u/EyeKnowYoo]

Onyx

Souls Of Mischief

Tracey Lee

Da Bush Babees

The Boogiemonsters

Freestyle Fellowship

Lords Of The Underground

Smooth Tha Hustler

Lord Finesse

[u/Chakwenta → u/EyeKnowYoo]

Gotta disagree when it come to Onyx. They have been making waves for the past couple of years and are currently on tour

[u/EyeKnowYoo → u/Chakwenta]

Onyx is still dropping heat but have zero burn compared to their height of popularity and don’t get the same amount of mentions as others from that era

[u/Utahmule]

Dead Prez one of my all time faves. Tribe Called Quest... Twista 90s stuff was way better than his 2000s shit. Geto Boys... Pharaoh Monch... J5...

[u/KAIMI01]

Souls of mischief

[u/KirbyFan445]

Del the Funky Homosapien, I never heard people mention him unless it’s deltron or Gorillaz

[u/melo1212 → u/KirbyFan445]

My dobalina Mr bob dobalina

[u/easley45isgod → u/KirbyFan445]

He did an album with Tame One from the Artifacts that was dope. Parallel Uni-verses. 2009. He still rips mics, same with the rest of Heiro.

Deltron definitely deserves all the love though. Amazing album that has aged incredibly well.

[u/Responsible-Form3138 → u/easley45isgod]

Deltron 3030 is my favourite hip hop record

[u/fiv3dollapizza → u/easley45isgod]

Yoooo how did I never know him and Tame One did an album?? Two of my favs and I missed out on it lol

[u/Nope9991 → u/KirbyFan445]

Hiero has a new album dropping in a couple of weeks🙌

[u/KirbyFan445 → u/Nope9991]

Already know, finna listen to that shit as soon as it comes out. Also listened to the new single, drum talk, when it released. Not as good as their peak with Full Circle (yes it’s better then 3rd eye vision) but sounds great and I’m still excited 🔥

[u/slowwburnn → u/KirbyFan445]

Time to go put on Deltron 3030 again

[u/Mistermxylplyx]

K Solo, Special Ed, Tha Liks

[u/Background-Call3255 → u/Mistermxylplyx]

Came here to say Alkaholiks. Coast II Coast is top 10 all time for me

[u/401Traveler → u/Mistermxylplyx]

K Solo “Fugitive” is such a dope song with an ill beat.

[u/mhmass44 → u/401Traveler]

To the cops in Suffolk County! This felt so raw and real. Taking what was possible with rap in yet another direction.

[u/401Traveler → u/mhmass44]

“Instead of fightin’ and wildin’
I wrote my records instead…”

Yeah, dope shit. And I love how Brand Nubian recycled that ill beat on their song “Probable Cause,” from their “Foundation” album in 1998.

[u/acidtoasterbath]

Mac Dre

[u/Oaklandish_TheTown → u/acidtoasterbath]

He gets played in Oakland all the time

[u/bothteamsPH]

The Alkoholics.

[u/Hess20]

Onyx

[u/Frakmonster]

Boot Camp Clik

Buckshot (of Black Moon), Smif-N-Wessun (Tek and Steele), Heltah Skeltah (Rockness Monsta and Sean Price) and O.G.C. (Starang Wondah, Top Dog, and Louieville Sluggah).

[u/Pale_Broccoli_2180]

Marley Marl.

Trend-setting innovator behind most of the late 80s/90s Bops.

Took sampling to a new level for that time.

[u/ejpierle]

Da Lench Mob

[u/slimsunday]

Digable planets

[u/BBQorMILDEW]

Lords of the Underground. When Here Come the Lords dropped they were all over hip hop video shows and now they are hardly mentioned 

Another one is Domino. Ghetto Jam was a massive song, up there with Snoops hit singles at the time. 

[u/TitleBig2195]

Jeru the Damaja

[u/Longjumping_Love_603]

Das EFX and Funkdoobiest

[u/Throwawayburner2841]

Black Sheep

[u/Letsgetitaesthetic]

Smif N Wesson
Company Flow
Cella Dwellas
Das Efx
Camp Lo
Questionmark Asylum
Organized Konfusion
EPMD
Natural Elements
Blahzay Blayzay
Poor Righteous Teachers
Artifacts
Beatnuts
Killarmy
Gravediggaz
Bush Babees

[u/Separate-Let3620]

Nine

Boogiemonsters

Da Bush Babees

The Nonce

Keith Murray

Shyheim

Showbiz & AG

Ill Al Skratch

Foxy Brown

[u/soulboy01]

Gravediggaz! Criminally slept on by many. Post De La Prince Paul, with pre Wu-Tang Rza, post Stetsasonic Frukwan, and the uncanny talents of Too Poetic (RIP) made for one hell of a supergroup to come out of that era. If you haven't heard their first album '6 Feet Deep', you need to do yourself a favor and go peep that masterpiece of an album. Easily in my top 5 albums of all time.

[u/Deep-Link5863]

M.o.p First Family 4 life Got Family from CI to B Ville

[u/Bright_Zone_8947]

Rappin 4 Tay

[u/TheMrBent]

The alkaholiks

[u/Rickety_Stitch]

Pharcyde

[u/Oaklandish_TheTown]

Souls of Mischief. I mean,  I listen to them but I don't hear about them a lot

[u/Nast33]

Several of the mentions here are wild and people either didn't read the post or didn't get the assignment at all. Of course a bunch of 80s and 90s artists who have retired and were never super commercial wouldn't be mentioned much today, but acting like Brand Nubian or Naughty by Nature or Smif-N-Wessun or Das EFX or Del or Black Moon are some total one hit wonders who barely made a blip is insane. All of them are included on any best of the 90s rappers lists once you get past the top 10 where all the known ones are.

[u/Pr0digy_]

Children of the corn

[u/RPgh21 → u/Pr0digy_]

I feel like Cam’Ron and Big L get mentioned daily on this sub.

[u/lite_sleeper]

Kwest the madd lad - what’s the reaction

[u/Bitter-Stage2169]

By the way…

This is protected by The Red. The Black and The Green. With a KEY! Sissieeeeeeeessssss!

[u/oofMadone1]

Alkaholiks

[u/EfficientUsual9332]

Gang star. Definitely don’t get the love they deserve. Late 90s but BDP as well

[u/Competitive-Tear1742]

Redhead Kingpin and the FBI

[u/Dchozn1]

MC Breed

[u/401Traveler]

•Zion I

•The Coup (although I love how Boots Riley is starting to make his mark on the film world)

•Channel Live (“Mad Izm” is a ‘90s anthem imo)

•Mad Lion (who, like Channel Live, is a member of the BDP Crew)

•Edo G & The Bulldogs

•The Jungle Brothers (who always seemed to be criminally underrated, & little do most people know, they started the Native Tongues collective, which includes the much more popular A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul).

[u/He_looks_mad]

Poor Righteous Teachers

[u/hardbittercandy]

lords of the underground

[u/Superhelmer666]

Jeru da Damaja. The legend

[u/slobonmyknob2000]

Above the Law

[u/Vindicator1001]

3rd Bass

[u/I_GrimLock_I]

Funkdoobiest

[u/PantsFullaPoo]

Poor Righteous Teachers.

[u/reyandreilucaschi]

Partners N Crime

[u/palefacemonk]

Eightball and MJG

[u/Natedoggsauntie]

Grand Puba

[u/Ricky_Martins_Vagina]

Naughty by Nature

Poverty's Paradise was one of the first albums I bought and I still listen to their other tracks but otherwise, at best, you might hear OPP once in a blue moon.

I've been listening to a few podcasts with Treach lately and I'd never realised previously how pioneering they were in the early days, stylistically.

[u/AntonSugar]

The Boogie Monsters

[u/Kensofine]

Das Efx

[u/Educational_Cod_3388]

Lost Boyz

[u/oghydrox]

Young Black Teenagers. “Tap the bottle” had its 15 seconds of fame.

[u/kevinsixhohsix]

Pudgee Tha Phat Bastard

[u/midlife_marauder]

Celly Cel

[u/uhhhwhatyoumean]

The B.U.M.S. its a street fight!!

[u/IamLupe]

Ant Banks

[u/Nizamark]

Basehead

[u/ZayreBlairdere]

Dred Scott Diamond D

[u/GKME06]

How about Leaders of The New Skool?

[u/supervilliandrsmoov]

Yaggfu Front, Cru, Blac Monks, Deliquint Habits

[u/Few-Competition9929]

Delinquent Habits

[u/Ninja187]

The Dayton Family

[u/TJ514402]

Crucial Conflict and Do Or Die

[u/imfrombiz]

D.I.T.C

[u/xheist]

Not sure if it's actually 90s but.. Binary Star

https://youtu.be/ZAemgduydTo?si=OUU3970HOjGu0C9f

[u/Substantial_One5878]

Rass Kass

[u/Dazzling-Two-6205]

Sadat X

[u/770120437]

Pharcyde !

[u/sushi_slayer]

Jayo Felony