The early days of hip-hop have a unique sound, one that will probably never be replicated. The rapping styles, the lyricism, the samples, the productions… songs from the late 80s stand out for these reasons.
Boogie Down Productions was a hip-hop group built around KRS One and DJ Scott La Rock. They were among the pioneers of hardcore hip-hop and gangster rap, and drew on Jamaican influences to push the hip-hop sound forward.
After Scott La Rock’s murder in 1987, the album By All Means Necessary was released in 1988. It had a more political theme, with minimalist beats and almost poetic lyrics.
“My Philosophy” is could be viewed as a sort of mission statement for the album. A street manifesto.
It’s considered one of the best hip-hop songs ever.
Conscious vibes.