Obviously Illmatic cuts are on there, some Big L for sure, Wu-Tang, Mobb Deep, there's soooooooo much good stuff but I'm looking to make a list with strictly C.R.E.A.M. of the crop. It doesn't have to be the *HITS* (even tho alot of them are necessary to complete this list), just the most beautifullest cuts in the world. Some of the biggest songs have been played to death and I'm not sure I wanna bump them like that («Juicy», «5 on it», «Runnin'» / «Passin me by», «93 till infinity» etc}


So far I have:

Nas «Memory Lane»
Big L «Put It On»
Mobb Deep «Drink Away the Pain» feat. Q-Tip
Brand Nubian «Slow Down»
D&D Allstars «1, 2 pass it RMX»
Jeru the Damaja «Me or the Papes»
Biggie «Big Poppa»
Biggie «Friend of Mine»
AZ «Sugar Hill»
Craig Mack «Flava in ya ear»- SHOULD IT BE THE o.g. or the remix hmm
Keith Murray «The Most beautifullest thing in this world»
Mobb Deep «Survival of the fittest»
Mobb Deep «Hell on earth»
The Pharcyde «Groupie Therapy»
The Pharcyde «She Said» (<< sorry its my JAM»)
A Tribe Called Quest - almost anything??
Jay Z - preferably Reasonable Doubt stuff IMO
Biggie «Ten Crack Commandments»
Biz Markie - not sure yet which one(s) I wanna thrown on here
Black Moon «Who Got Da Props»
Lord Finesse «Hip 2 Da Game»
Nas «2nd Childhood»
Lost Boyz «jeeps» (I want the original remix but the edit on Spotify is super janky?)
Outkast - ATLiens and Aquemini cuts + Player's Ball, perhaps
Q-Tip «Let's Ride» (one of my all time faves, JUST makes the list-99)
Common - either Resurrection or I used to love H.E.R.
O.C. «Time's Up»
Nas - «NY State of Mind»
Gang Starr «Mass Appeal»
Gang Starr «Above the Clouds»
Biggie «Machine Gun Funk»
Scarface & 2Pac «Smile»
Bone thugs «Thuggish ruggish Bone»
Big L «Street Struck»
GZA «Liquid Swords»
Ghostface Killah «Daytona 500»
Lil' Will «Lookin for Nikki»


annnnnnnd what YOU got???

or was it Roy Ayers... Anyway dope, good call

Kinda mad u suggested it now lol, cos that would've been a perfect addition to the list

I see you avoided some obvious hits, but if we're talking Ultimate 90's hip-hop, you can't leave those two off.
______________________________________________________________________________

"To Each His Reach"

but.....

Fuck aliens.

Just due to the beat and video alone, but I've played it probably 500k times in my life, am I still bumping like that in 2021 and beyond? Well yes, ok probably

Time 4 Sum Action and Can't Wait for sure

I was crazy into Redman as a teenager, even had the hoodie with horror / red logo, but I gotta admit I haven't listen to any of his songs through in 15+ years

.

Crooklyn Dodgers: the first one and the remix

Souls of Mischief: 93 till

ATCQ: Low end Theory and Midnight Marauders whole albums

De La: De La Soul is Dead whole album

Fab Five (Boot Camp): Leflour Leflah Eshkoshkah

Pete Rock: The Basement

UMCs: Fruits of Labor whole album

Organized Konfusion: Hypnotical Gasses

Jemini the Gifted One: Brooklyn Kids

Street Smarts: Problemz

OGC: No Fear

Mos Def: Brooklyn

The Roots: Proceed remix w/Bahamadia

Akinyele: Ak ha ha

Pharcyde: Devil Music

E40: Sprinkle Me

Cannibal Ox: Cold Vein whole album

Raekwon: Criminology

and a couple more that I'm forgetting.

KRS-1 - MCs act like they don't know; Step into a World
Boss (Deeper)
Missy Elliot - The Rain at a minimum
Tracy Lee - The Theme

lost boys - renea
ill al scratch - where my homies
AZ - the format
pete and CL - troy
gangstarr - manifest, mass appeal, just to get a rep
black moon - how many mcs, i gotcha open remix
OC - far from yours, cant go wrong, the chosen one, word life

memory aint what it used to be

Why Premier wasn’t a producer on Doe Or Die considering they were on the same label.

grand daddy i.u. - represent (grinch remix)
https://youtu.be/krYqNqTrcG8

troubleneck brothers - gusto
https://youtu.be/b_cv03_8H-o

da king & I - tears
https://youtu.be/fskCvWfFZ5E


mister vooodoo - hemlock
https://youtu.be/pkUhLWK7cTU

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68FCLdXXGNVVSmj3b2mJx3?si=qGwFHDULR6CoLAq95GVrXw&dl_branch=1

it's a lot tho

feel to add any here that make sense for your purposes:

D.O.C. - The D.O.C. and The Doctor, Let the Bass Go, Funky Enough
(yeah, album dropped second half of '89 but lived into 90 so i'm counting it)
Ice Cube - Once upon a time in the projects, Steady Mobbin', Nappy Dugout
Public Enemy - Welcome to the Terrordome
Tribe - Bonita Applebum, Scenario, Award tour
LL - Boomin' System
NWA - Just Don't Bite it (LOL), Always into something
Digital underground - Freaks of the Industy, Doohutchyalike
Geto Boys - Mind Playin' Tricks on me
P.E. - Shut 'em down
Black Sheep - The choice is yours
DJ Quik - Born and Raised in Compton, Tonite, Sweet Black P*ssy
Scarface - Money and the Power
DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince - Summertime
AMG - B*tch Betta have my Money
MC Breed and DFC - Ain't no future in your frontin'
BDP - My philosophy
EPMD - Headbanger
Spice 1 - 187 Proof
UGK - Pocket full of stones
Common - Soul by the pound
Eric B and Rakim - Don't Sweat the Technique
Pete Rock & CL - T.R.O.Y.
Dr. Dre - Everything on the Chronic basically
Wu Tang - Everything on 36 Chambers, Triumph
Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick, Nickel bags
Black Moon - How Many M.C.'s
Masta Ace - Born to roll
Souls of Mischief - That's when ya lost
Snoop - Everything on Doggystyle pretty much
Nas - Everything on Illmatic
B.I.G - Everything on Ready to Die (but Unbelievable if we're picking just one), Big chunk of Life after death. Probably 60-70% of it.
Outkast - Southernplaylistic, Playa's Ball, all of Aquemini
Warren G - Do You See, This D.J.
Gangstar - Mass Appeal, DWYCK
8Ball & MJG - Lay it down, Space Age pimpin'
Method Man - Bring the Pain
Lil Kim - Drugs
Camp Lo - Luchini
Slum Village - Players
Twista - Adrenaline Rush, Get it Wet
Busta - Hands where my eyes can see
Jay-Z - Intro/One in a million, Where I'm From, Who ya wit, Imaginary Player
Puff - All about the Benjamins
Hieroglyphics - You Never Knew
Big Pun - All of Capital Punishment

Damn near ALL of 1995, 1996 and 1998 LOL
Like literally, you could fill this list with songs from the albums dropped in those 3 years alone.

Whew!

in the late late 90s lol, before they were put on Fantastic Vol 2

Get Dis Money is like '99

like, there's some music released in 99 that seems to fit the glossy early millenium aesthetic more

and then there's some that retains that 90s feel

makes zero sense but my ears do this weird sorting thing

like I don't consider Chronic 2001 90s music at all, especially compared with the rest of Dre's 90s output. Same with Destiny's Child WOTW

But Q-Tip Amplified, Mos Def BOBS, etc? Totally 90s to me

smh



>
>in the late late 90s lol, before they were put on Fantastic
>Vol 2
>
>Get Dis Money is like '99

>like, there's some music released in 99 that seems to fit the
>glossy early millenium aesthetic more
>
>and then there's some that retains that 90s feel
>
>makes zero sense but my ears do this weird sorting thing
>
>like I don't consider Chronic 2001 90s music at all,
>especially compared with the rest of Dre's 90s output. Same
>with Destiny's Child WOTW
>
>But Q-Tip Amplified, Mos Def BOBS, etc? Totally 90s to me
>
>smh
>
>
>
>>
>>in the late late 90s lol, before they were put on Fantastic
>>Vol 2
>>
>>Get Dis Money is like '99
>

And also as you noted, Dre's sound on 2001 was way more 00s Dre than it was 90s Dre.

Only one I don't agree with is QTip. I associate that album with early 00s more than 90s.

likely the single best song Lil Kim ever rapped on imho

Sheek alhas teezi (lick my ass in Arabic).

Beat was undeniable

This lowkey felt like an impossible assignment tho lol I don't know how yall can rattle off all these deep cuts and remixes half the time

I had to really think about various faves and one-offs across albums, then rule out most singles/overplayed hits as you said (with a few must have exceptions).

I don't think any ultimate 90s playlist for me could only include hip hop tho! There's too much R&B, House, EDM, Rock etc I like from that era as well.


My suggestions:


Re: Craig Mack - I vote for putting the remix! the features alone are a 90s retrospective lol

Re: Common - I vote for putting I Used To Love H.E.R. instead of Resurrection (or putting both). Also suggest Invocation if not too overplayed for you


Bahamadia - Wordplay
Lauryn Hill - Final Hour
Lil Kim - Drugs - Lil Kim
Queen Latifah - U.N.I.T.Y.
Queen Latifah - No Work
Salt N Pepa - Do Me Right
Foxy Brown - Chyna White
MC Lyte ft Missy Elliot - Rock A Party
Missy Elliot - Izzy Izzy Ah
Camp Lo - Swing
Camp Lo - Say Word
Jay Z - Friend or Foe
Raekwon - Incarcerated Scarfaces
Raekwon - Glaciers of Ice
Wu-Tang Clan - It's Yourz
Gang Starr - The Militia
De La Soul ft Common - The Bizness
Outkast - D.E.E.P.
Outkast - Wailin
Nas - I Gave You Power
Nas - The Setup
Blackstar - Respiration
Common - Invocation
Pharoahe Monch - The Light
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Carmel City
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Get On The Mic
Pete Rock - Mind Blowin
Mos Def - Hip Hop (pretty much any 88 keys or Ayatollah beats he's on)
Mos Def - Love
ATCQ - Oh My God
ATCQ - Get A Hold
ATCQ - The Hop
ATCQ - The Love
Q-Tip - Higher
Busta Rhymes - Survival Hungry
Busta Rhymes - Rhymes Galore
Busta Rhymes - Turn It Up
Busta Rhymes - Hot Shit Makin Ya Bounce
Busta Rhymes - Party is Goin on Over Here
ODB - Baby Cmon
Suga Free - Why U Bullshittin
Das EFX - Real Hip Hop
Black Moon - How Many MCs
Lost Boyz - Me and My Crazy World


Also some special mentions below (lol, maybe you'll reconsider?) bc if this were my 90s hip hop playlist I could never ever ever ever not incl these hits/singles! lol seriously never get old:

*Stakes Is High - De La Soul
*Take Your Time - Pete Rock
*One More Chance Biggie ft. Faith Evans
*Get Me Home - Foxy ft Blackstreet
*Brooklyn Zoo - ODB
*Woo Hah - Busta
*1nce Again - ATCQ
*Stressed Out ft Faith Evans - ATCQ
*Jazze Belle - Outkast
*Da Art of Storytellin - Outkast
*CKTH - Jay Z ft Mary J Blige
*Aint No Ni**a - Jay Z ft Foxy
*Luchini - Camp Lo
*Coolie High - Camp Lo
*No Diggity - BlackStreet,Dre, Queen Pen

tune <3

And I usually tend to keep the overplayed classics that were singles off…

And I’ll keep it to one joint per artist…

In The House - Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Get A Hold - A Tribe Called Quest
Funkorama - Redman
What I Represent - OC
Rather Unique - AZ
C’mon Wit Da Git Down (Remix) - Artifacts feat Busta Rhymes
The World Is Your (Q-Tip Remix) - Nas
Benz Or Beamer - OutKast
Props Over Here - Beatnuts
High Expectations - Common
Long Island Degrees - De La Soul
Eyes May Shine - Xzibit
Still Shinin’ - Mobb Deep
Salute Pt II - MOP feat Gang Starr
Where Wuz Heaven - Wu-Syndicate
Respiration (Remix) - Black Star feat Black Thought
BIBLE - Killah Priest
Legal Drug Money - Lost Boyz
Suspended In Time - Group Home
Life Goes On - 2Pac
The What - Biggie feat Method Man
Gz Iz Gz - Tash feat Kurupt (greatest west coast joint of all-time!)
Thought Process - Goodie Mob feat Andre
The Rap World - Pete Rock & Large Professor
Fakin’ Jax - iNi
Trouble Man - Inspectah Deck
Whatever- Jeru The Damaja
Whut’s Happenin - Keith Murray
Masta IC - Mic Geronimo
Why - Organized Konfusion
Movin’ On Your Weak Production - Royal Flush
Shaolin Style - Shyheim
Timz N Hood Chek - Smif-N-Wesson
Contents Under Pressure - Tha Alkaholiks
Good Times - Twinz
Street Jeopardy - Wyclef
Really Doe - Ice Cube
Little Ghetto Boy - Dr Dre
Gz Up Hoez Down - Snoop
Last Dayz - Onyx
Buck Em Down (Remix) - Black Moon
Compton Cyco - MC Eiht
Street Struck - Big L
Tres Leches - Big Pun feat Inspectah Deck and Prodigy
In My Nature - Luniz feat Eightball & MJG
Recognize & Realize - Big Noyd feat Prodigy
Blah Blah Blah - Blahzay Blahzay
Whatchu Want - Nine
Gravity - Bush Babees
Perfect Match - Cella Dwellas
Heist Of The Century - La The Darkman feat Killa Sin
All For The Love - The Lox
Young Gs - Puff feat Big and Jay-Z

Shall I go on??…?…

it was for a shirt brand, ended up with 60 or so songs.

2 (3) songs on your list match mine: Get a Hold and Street Struck. I had The What on there initially but I ended up with 4 Biggie songs so I took it out

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0fMKemzUBJFYyhW3JEqFtH?si=3696b64c25b64c6f


A lot of songs was omitted due to the mastering / sound quality being a bit weak compared to the loudness of others, I feel like Resurrection (the album) has always been a little timid sounding (as much as I love it). When it plays after Digital Underground with Roger Zapp's drums its kinda underwhelming (where's the remasters of some of these classics at?)

Anyway thank you all for your suggestions! I tried to make a list of 90s songs that I still bump today that arent TOO infinitely repeated, even though there are many many cuts here we've heard 1000000 times. This was a list for a button down shirt brand my friend just launched, so it is a little bit for everybody, not a hardcore heads-list at all. Just jams

Take care & good friday