When Was The Golden Era Of Hip-Hop? What Year? What Time Of Year?

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

I say mid-summer 1996.  Here's proof, the biggest heavywieghts in hip-hop, at the time of mid-summer 1996, were all in there prime.  The rappers, who have been platinum artists for almost a decade now, were all in the prime mid-summer 1996, this, was the golden era of hip-hop.  Some say it was the late 80's, and 1994 gets mention, but check this out from mid-summer 96'.

-2pac was still alive, and he was the king of hip-hop, his All Eyez On Me album had blown up and he had the full attention of the streets and mainstreem.  He was making major moves, with the "Hit Em Up" single also gowing platinum, and putting work in on the legendary Makevelli album.

-Snoop Doggy Dogg, the Dogg Pound were also in their prime.  They were illest crew in hip-hop.  Snoop was still on fire from the success of his Doggystyle solo, and his platinum work he put in on Murder Was The Case, and the Dogg Pound Dogg Food album.  He had just beat his murder case, and this was the summer just before he made his first mistake, and dropped the lukewarm Doggfather LP.

-Warren G was still in his prime.  Not only had he blown up as a solo artist, but any true West Coast hip-hop head knows that he put in magnificent work on the Twinz and the Dove Shack records.

-Ice Cube was still making major moves, on the cover of the Source with WC crew, "Bow Down" blew up and had the West still had the industry on lock.

-The East Coast was starting to catch up with the West and come into it's own.  Nas was still hot, dropping his "It Was Written" LP with the single "If I Ruled The World" with Lauryn Hill dominating the airwaves all summer long.

-The Fugee's put out one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop records of all time, "The Score".  The most underground hip-hop heads and the mainstreem both gave this album the thumbs up, it sold some 16 million worldwide

-Jay-Z was at his best.  Even people like me who hate Jay-Z, loved his first solo album that dropped that summer.

-Biggie- Biggie was king of the East Coast, still on Fire inbetween two classic LP's "Ready To Die" and "Life After Death".

-Outkast "Atliens" double platinum, and Goodie Mob were blowing up down south, and Master P's No Limit Records was getting off the ground.

... Anything that came out in summer 1996 was dope.  The best soundtrack, "The Show" came out then.  Everyone was tight then, from Bone "Crossroads", Too Short "Gettin It" to Crucial Conflict, to Jodeci, Brandy, Monica, Coolio, Tony Rich,  Everything was dope!!!!!  You could turn on the radio at anytime and just kick back, wouldn't even have to ever flip channels or change the station.

Then 2pac died, at the end of the summer, and the whole hip-hop world began to unravel.

[We Fly High]

mobb deep hell on earth was also released. classic. ghostface killah with ironman too.

[Suga Foot]

The Show came out in '95

[Don Seer]

to me what you listed was the last dying breath of the golden age.. wind that clock back to around 92/93 so it includes The Chronic, Illmatic, Doggstyle, Regulate G Funk Era... and you've got the golden age covered..


on your scale i chose 94 coz that sits in the middle..  illmatic, doggystyle and regulate dropped that year

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

mobb deep hell on earth was also released. classic. ghostface killah with ironman too.

No Doubt.. there is more than I had time to mention, like I said, everyone was hot in the summer of 96'.  Even Kriss Kross was dope then!  Young Rich And Dangerous was straight heat!  For real, Da Brat was even still tight then!  Lil Kim' and Foxy Brown were bangin in sum 96!  You name it, they were tight that summer.

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

u say what you listed was the last dying breath of the golden age.. wind that clock back to around 92/93 so it includes The Chronic, Illmatic, Doggstyle, Regulate G Funk Era... and you've got the golden age covered..


on your scale i chose 94 coz that sits in the middle..  illmatic, doggystyle and regulate dropped that year

Yeah, but what I'm saying is, those artists that you mentioned that dropped albums in 94 (Wu-tang too) were still tight and in their prime in summer 96. 

[Thirteen]

i say now

you have Nelly making HUUUGE moves not only being the first rapper that came out with two cd's in one day (even though rappers have come out with double disks...but some how that doesn't count) plus he genre crushing callabo with Tim McGraw

you got Kanye West, the realest big baby to ever do it

you have the whole Dip Set thing... sure Bloods from california don't get any love but people sure do love knock offs

Snoop Dogg and Pharrel took us back to the Doggystyle days with R & G

and eminem came with his most lyrical cd yet, talking about important issues

this has been a great year for hip hop

[Suga Foot]

you have Nelly making HUUUGE moves not only being the first rapper that came out with two cd's in one day (even though rappers have come out with double disks...but some how that doesn't count)

Mac Dre did it first.

[Traumatized]

For me it's the summer '96.

[Thirteen]

you have Nelly making HUUUGE moves not only being the first rapper that came out with two cd's in one day (even though rappers have come out with double disks...but some how that doesn't count)

Mac Dre did it first.

that doesn't count either.... white america doesn't recognize Mac Dre and MTV, the channel that is on the forefront of the hip hop movement has never played a Mac Dre song

[Suga Foot]

For me it was '94, I was only 11 then, but thats when I started getting into Hip Hop with The Chronic, Doggystyle, It Takes A Theif, G Funk Era, and It's on Dr. Dre 187um Killa

[BigBDrugStores]

it was when nolimit didnt exist

[Primo]

LMAO the cat who said now

[M Dogg™]

Late 80's when actual real hip-hop was also the mainstream stuff that was on Yo MTV Rap

[Elevz]

It's a long era, but 1993 up to 1995 for me. Some great albums I still listen to a lot dropped back then. Think of the Wu, Onyx, Biggie, Nas, Snoop, Fugees, Pac, whatever!

All I know is that these are the days of the past, and I wonder if hiphop will ever be of that level again.