Editor’s Note: From Albumism’s inception back in 2016, we’ve remained unabashedly and unequivocally passionate about our mission of celebrating the world's love affairs with albums past, present and future.

But while our devotion to the album as an art form has remained steadfast, as evidenced by our deepening repository of individual album tributes and reviews, we’ve admittedly seldom taken the opportunity to explicitly articulate our reverence for the virtues of artists’ complete album repertoires as a whole.

Hence why we’ve decided to showcase what we believe to be the most dynamic discographies of all time in this recurring series. In doing so, we hope to better understand the broader creative context within which our most beloved individual albums exist, while acknowledging the full breadth of their creators’ artistry, career arcs, and overall contributions to the ever-evolving musical landscape.

We hope you enjoy this series and be sure to check here periodically for the latest installments.

PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS

In the last 20 years, mainstream rap music has gone from glib to suffocatingly morose. And during that time, the group People Under The Stairs provided the necessary counter-balance. Chris “Thes One” Portugal and Michael “Double K” Turner (R.I.P.) were two rapper-producers, their music had a craftsmanship that remained top notch for their over two-decades-long career. PUTS made hip-hop that was fun and relatable without sounding corny.

The group were consummate road warriors, making touring the world and connecting to their audience intrinsic to their musical identities. But they wouldn’t have been able to travel the millions of miles if their music hadn’t really connected with their fanbase. The pair were just two everyday cats from the Crescent Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles who liked to rap about the stuff that they went through on a daily basis.

PUTS certainly played to their strengths for their entire career. They liked to rap about Los Angeles. And smoking weed. And drinking. And touring. And hosting barbecues. And partying. And very often the joy that comes from loving and creating music. But they were also preoccupied with their own legacy and mortality, and it became a consistent theme on their albums. Both members pondered the lives that they could impact and the frailty and impermanence of their existence. Hence, they always advocated for enjoying every day, and made it a point to end every album like it would be their last.

There won’t be any other albums by PUTS. They officially called it a career with Sincerely, The P (2019), and performed their final show shortly before its release. Tragically, Double K passed in early 2021. Don’t expect any further music from the group to be released. Thes revealed that Double K hated the idea of posthumous releases, feeling that the artist should decide what music sees the light of day. To that end, PUTS felt they said what they needed to, and ended their career on their own terms. Not many artists are that lucky.

Jesse’s 3 Favorite People Under The Stairs Albums of All Time:

1. O.S.T. (2002)
2. Fun DMC (2008)
3. Carried Away (2009)

VISIT People Under The Stairs’ Bandcamp

LISTEN & WATCH: