Rawkus Records Best of Decade I (1995-2005) In Stores Now!

Rawkus Records Best of Decade I (1995–2005) — In Stores Now!

Today’s Pop Rap Stars Were Yesterday’s Underground Kings

December 14th

Hip-hop always had an underground, a minor league, if you will. It was a place where artists kicked around, cutting their teeth and sharpening their lyrical swords while they awaited their chance to shine. But in the mid-’90s, as mainstream hip-hop embraced its pop potential, the nature of the underground changed. Rather than serve as a batter’s box, it became a movement unto itself. Subterranean rappers no longer pleaded for love from the majors. Instead, they moved stridently against the grain in a form of nonviolent protest against what they saw as the exploitation of their art. As a result, while mainstream hip-hop became refined and slick, the underground became abrasive and militant.

Thankfully, while much of the industry looked on in disgust at this new development, Jarret Myer and Brian Brater, the minds behind Rawkus Records, had the vision to recognize the rebellious brilliance of the counterculture. Born in 1996, just before hip-hop reached its crossover crest, Rawkus harnessed the underground’s unbridled enthusiasm and angst and offered a 12-inch megaphone for artists otherwise overlooked by the industry, like Company Flow, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli.

Starting strictly on vinyl, the company was able to foster a true community, forcing fans to return to hip-hop’s roots and collect records rather than CDs. In doing so, Rawkus listeners became more than passive consumers; they became active participants, not unlike what indie label Sub Pop cultivated in Seattle during the late ’80s.

Building off their success with singles, the label worked its way up to full-length releases and scored immediately with Company Flow’s Funcrusher Plus LP. But its true coup was its second LP release, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, which set the tone for everything that followed. Featuring brilliant production from soon-to-be Dr. Dre collaborator Hi-Tek, the LP captured the spirit of the early ’90s Native Tongues movement and blended it with a sound suited for contemporary hip-hop. It yielded standout tracks like “Definition” and “Brown Skin Lady.”

Over the next several years, the label earned back-to-back gold plaques with a series of now-classic releases. By rejecting formula, Rawkus created an entirely new market and helped break artists like Mos Def and Talib Kweli, along with Big L and other once-fringe MCs such as Eminem. Albums like Black on Both Sides, Reflection Eternal, Quality, and the Soundbombing mixtape series exceeded expectations and positioned both the label and its artists as major forces in hip-hop.

Now, nearly 10 years after the label’s inception, Rawkus’s Greatest Hits—a bold repackaging of the rebel franchise’s peaks—finds its way to shelves as its stars have truly become among the brightest in the industry. Mos Def has become a star of screen and stage, as well as a musical pioneer whose pinnacle may still lie ahead. Talib Kweli is widely recognized by everyone from Jay-Z to 50 Cent as one of hip-hop’s most passionate and articulate voices. Enjoy this collection of hits from hip-hop’s last moment of genuine innocence and reflect on where the stars of tomorrow began.

Rawkus Best of Decade I (1995–2005)
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