The Golden Era Of Labels

Oh, how I remember the golden era of urban record labels back in the mid to late 90's.

I was sittin' up thinkin' the other day about how certain rappers or groups were at their absolute best when they were in the fold of a talented team. Labels like:

DEATH ROW:

BAD BOY:

ROCAFELLA:

& even SO SO DEF:

are just 4 labels I wanna talk about and reminisce over for a second.

I think it's absolutely unanimous that these 4 label conglomerates were definately on the best games when there was unity among them.

• DEATH ROW: Even amid the inner violence and alledged drug money that fronted the joint, that label was by far, what set the West Coast - behind NWA - on the map as far as music was concerned. Everybody's rap game over there was sick. Dre on production was bananas, I mean, it made you proud to say, yeah, you know, I'M from California too! I still listen to the albums that came outta that camp and to this day, there's nothin' like it. They made a definate signature on the West Coast sound. The flow of Snoop in his prime, the griminess of the Dogg Pound, the fearlessness of Tupac, the ghetto hooks of Nate Dogg, and don't even get me started on Lady of Rage's lyrical genius, all topped over Dre beats? I mean, any time they did a feature on each other's albums, you knew it was gonna be crazy. They had the BEST formula! After Dre left, and Pac died, and Snoop distanced himself, things were never the same. Dogg Pound got WHACK, Daz gained WEIGHT and Rage started acting like a clown on the Steve Harvey Show....not to mention Nate Dogg's multiple strokes....I mean, damn......I guess we'll always have the memories.
• BAD BOY: I ain't gon' even front. During their golden era, I was "team West" the whole time but i'll give credit where credit is do. Some of the GREATEST R&B albums came outta that era over there @ Bad Boy. While I could totally do without Puffy all over everybody's songs and videos and Mase's lazy flow, it's a no brainer that Lil' Kim had the roughest voice ever known to man back then. Nobody had a chick on their crew like her. Biggie....lyrically, Biggie was by far NEW YORK all the way. I don't think New York ever LEFT the game but Biggie made sure the spotlight showed on them for a reason. The R & B of Faith's first albums on the label, as well as Carl Thomas and 112...Puffy can NEVER duplicate that. Ever. Total had some cuts too and the only thing I cared about that Black Rob did was "Whoa" but back between '94-'97, Bad Boy was THAT Label 'cause they kept goin' even after Death Row's demise. Unfortunately for him, Puffy's tactics lost everybody. We started hearin' about publishing disputes and artists not getting enough attention, why? Because Puffy was too busy marketing himself and making his OWN albums, now Bad Boy has a reputation of doom should anybody be stupid enough to sign over there......but we'll always have the memories, right?
• ROCAFELLA: You know damn well Jay-Z is not on the same calibur, lyrically, as he was back when THIS dynasty was together. Richer, yeah....better as a rapper, no. Back when he and Damon were friends, the chemistry between their team was awesome. Beanie Seigal and Memphis Bleek both had the craziest flows I had ever heard at that time, but they were at their best when they worked TOGETHER. A-Mil...like, I wasn't about to sit up and listen to a whole album by her, but when she jumped on and guest appeared on a track with the team, the girl was off the charts with hers. Nobody sounded like her. There are so many cuts.....I can't even explain. This is the Rocafella that I remember.....not this watered down excuse for a label that Kanye West is the franchise player of. This was the Rocafella who's symbol was a simple R with a record encased inside it, not this Mason diamond we're fed now. Unfortunately, you know what happened, Dame and Jay-Z "broke up", Amil was dropped off on skid row without an explaination and Beanie and Memph were expected to choose....they chose Jay-Z and ended up with "shelved" careers. But......we'll always have the memories, right?
• SO SO DEF: So they weren't as dangerous on the rap game as the 3 others, but you gotta admit, when Jermaine had Brat & Jagged Edge on his team, they stayed on the charts. After dropping Kriss Kross off on skid row too, I guess Jermaine Dupri added a nice touch with the little pup we remember called Lil' Bow Wow. Before he got grown and cocky, I actually thought he had charisma and you have to admit, when he was workin' with Jermaine, he made his best work. Same with Brat, same Jagged Edge. I'm sure So So Def had some other artists back during their golden era but these 3 artists are the ones that were obviously nurtured the most, so that's why I remember them. But what happened? Bow Wow grew up and left the nest, Brat hit some broad over the head with a Rum bottle and now she's in prison for 3 years and Jermaine just lost his job over at Def Jam. J.E. still tryin' but they have yet to bring back the baby makin' ballads like they used to.....BUT...... we'll always have the memories, right?