LL Cool J - Year Of The Hip Hop ('91 or '92?)

An unreleased LL gem recorded sometime inbetween Mama Said Knock You Out and 14 Shots To The Dome. Possible shots at De La and the Native Tongues towards the end, but anyone who remembers the appalling gear LL was forced to wear to fit in during the conscious era during the time of the Around The Way Girl video and his MTV Unplugged performance (the furry top hat was bad enough, but the patchwork shirts and kecks were near unforgivable) can't really blame Uncle L for his saltiness.

LL Cool J - Year Of The Hip Hop



Does a better quality version exist? If so, hook it up for a gringo. I can't remember if it was K. Def or Dr Butcher who produced this, but it doesn't really matter either way as we can basically boil this down to being LL rapping over the classic UFO by ESG sample, which is such a magnificent break it still sounds good being rapped over now as DOOM & Raekwon proved last year, and it's pounding eerieness can make even the most average weed carriers sound like G. Rap and Kane on The Symphony as anyone who ever heard Realms Of Junior Mafia can attest.

I always thought it was weird how old hip hop djs and producers gravitated towards UFO by ESG considering the rest of ESG's early 80s catalogue. I mean, great song 'n' all and the way they slowed the record down to create something altogether otherwordly was a stroke of genius, but wouldn't you think that other ESG songs like Dance and Moody are way more ripe for block parties and sampling? Even student birds in the UK like Dance since it was in that car insurance advert.