With ‘Soul Food,’ it was as if the group sprouted from the dirt floor of their Dungeon Family hangout/studio, emerging as holy street warriors, toughened by the struggle, and ready to do battle.
Read moreWhitney Houston’s ‘I’m Your Baby Tonight’ Turns 35 | Album Anniversary
Following the success of her first two LPs, Houston’s third album shifted her focus from big ballads and the occasional bop to a firm dance-pop album, albeit with a few ballads for good measure.
Read moreBarbra Streisand’s ‘The Broadway Album’ Turns 40 | Album Anniversary
“It was time for me to do something I truly believed in,” Streisand confided to ‘The New York Times’ in 1985. “This is the music I love, it is where I came from, it is my roots.”
Read moreSade’s ‘Promise’ Turns 40 | Album Anniversary
Contrary to misguided criticisms at the time of its release, ‘Promise’—and Sade’s music in general—proves powerful without overpowering the listener’s senses.
Read moreJoni Mitchell’s ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’ Turns 50 | Album Anniversary
It didn’t matter to Mitchell that her seventh studio album’s esoteric lean made choosing a single nearly impossible at the time. This was the album she wanted to make.
Read moreBig Audio Dynamite’s Debut Album ‘This Is Big Audio Dynamite’ Turns 40 | Album Anniversary
The album’s willingness to blur boundaries—between rock and reggae, analog and digital—sets it apart from other records of its time.
Read moreCypress Hill’s ‘Cypress Hill III: Temples of Boom’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
An uncompromised piece of work that demonstrates Cypress Hill’s many abilities, ‘Temples of Boom’ capped what was an incredible three-album run and continued to solidify their legend.
Read moreParis’ Debut Album ‘The Devil Made Me Do It’ Turns 35 | Album Anniversary
What’s arguably most striking about listening to Parris’ debut LP once again is that like most great conscious hip-hop, his words are just as applicable today as they were 35 years ago.
Read moreTha Dogg Pound’s Debut Album ‘Dogg Food’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
Behind Dr. Dre’s ‘The Chronic’ (1992) and Snoop Dogg’s ‘Doggystyle’ (1993), Daz & Kurupt’s debut long player is the third best album the infamous Death Row Records ever released.
Read moreOnyx’s ‘All We Got Iz Us’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
The group’s second studio affair is caked with palpable layers of sweat, grime, and pain, its content permeated with a claustrophobic sense of desperation.
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