KRS-One - Return of the Boom Bap 2xLP

Music On Vinyl (2017)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for twenty-five plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

Boogie Down Productions was the first favorite hip hop group that I had.  I came across them on Yo! MTV Raps and proceeded to stock up on their back catalog through BMG Music Club and/or Columbia House.  When 1993 rolled around, KRS-One dropped the BDP name and released his first record under his own name.  I never really understood why he did that, especially because pretty much everyone knew Boogie Down Productions was essentially KRS-One and whoever else was helping him out that week.

It's very obvious listening to this record that it was intended to be a BDP album.  On many of the songs he raps about being in Boogie Down Productions, most notably on my favorite track on the album "Outta Here."  I'm not sure exactly what prompted him to have this not come out under the BDP umbrella, but whatever it's called, it still feels like classic BDP to me.

 

That said, I think I do like this album more now than I did in 1993.  In 93, hip hop was getting so innovative and the sort of stripped down, old school vibes on Return of the Boom Bap felt a little dated.  But with thirty years of hindsight really just puts this album on the same level as a lot of the classic Boogie Down Production releases.  I still don't like the hook on "Sound of da Police," but aside from that, this is a really great album.

KRS-One - Return of the Boom Bap:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lUCdV5_sH-qjI9JP1-O5j818A9jrJaDD0