Houston…..

With me being from Houston, you want your home team to blow up. I guess it’s that we influenced others (Drake, Lupe, Jay-Z, etc.) but haven’t really capitialized on a our sound. There’s also the fact that most of our artist really didn’t want to fuck with the majors. Like Slim Thug was doing good before he signed to Star Trak, but afterwards, you get involved with the whole industry politics which tends to hinder you.

cosign to the fullest Rob. Rap-A-Lot has been the shit for many years. and Scarface and Devin are both in my top 5. yes i said Devin, top 5. if your still sleeping please wake up.

now would i sign a deal with J. Prince if i was a artist? HELL NO! but that’s another story. as i’ve said before J is what Suge thought he was all these years. a real gangsta that has all his money in order. the feds have been after J for years and haven’t been able to catch him yet. all hail the teflon don of the rap game.

good job this week Rob. giving shine to the less celebrated but equally dope record labels in hip hop history. how about a post on Loud Records tomorrow?

This label was/is one of the best to ever put out hip hop music. The Ghetto Boys… I always was partial to till “Death Do Us Part”. Usually when a group member is replaced it hurts the group, but to this day I think Big Mike stepped in and added sooooo much flavor to the group. His song “Strait Gangsterism” was a classic before the tacked on Scarface verse for the video. And “Crooked Officer” as well as “Six feet deep” were great songs.

Both of Big Mikes solo albums were semi classics.

The older Ghetto Boys, “Do it like a GO”, “Damn it feels good to be a gangster” (Did Lil J kill that verse or what?)All of the Chucky stuff from Chuckwick. (Psycho before Eminem). Man Great music.

Chuckwicks first solo “Little Big man” Classic… “Ever so clearly” Classic.

I fucked with DMG too. He was a little rough around the edges and talked about murder a whole lot but he had a solid album.

Of course all of Brad’s solo albums were kick ass. “The World is yours” AND “The Diary” certified hip hop classics.

Willie D’s verse on my “Minds playing Tricks” classic.

5th Ward Boys.. Dope

2low.. first kid rapper aside from Illegal that I recall cussing. And actually spitting some dope shit.
“Only time I’m saying yes ma’am or no ma’am is when you’re handing me a check”

I could go on all day. Hip Hop was better because of Lil J and his vision.

cosign Mutada.

DMG was hard. and most people don’t know DMG sampled the beat that would become Collio’s Gangstas Paradise 2 years before Coolio sampled it. funny coincidence ain’t it?

“Through the years I’ve always wondered why Rap-A-Lot doesn’t get more love”.

Because its a southern record label that made GREAT music. GREAT music down here ALWAYS gets overlooked. Speaking of big mike,at the ‘95 source awards when biggie won lyricist of the yr,how many ppl know big mike was nominated in the same catagory? Mann if big mike wouldve won,it wouldve been pandemonium!! Lol u see what new york did to outkast that yr.

And why hasn’t VH1 honored the Geto Boys yet or Facemob as a solo artist at the hip hop honors? Hopefully they get in nxt yr.

I do agree with Devin being “Top 5 “. He is definitely a rapper that deserves way more attention than he gets. His stage shows are the shit. Scarface will always be #1 here in Texas no matter what. Followed by UGK, Slim Thugg and then Zro and Trae. Rap A LOt the shit. The best weed I ever done smoked was with Devin at some busted ass club here in San Antonio.

great drop…this shit is nostalgic because i was actually living in texas at the time when the label was peaking…circa 93-97

Much respect to Rap A Lot Records! They will always have respect and honor within Hip Hop, and they will always be given their just acclaim from the top rappers in the game. But for whatever reasons, as good as they are, they are not embraced and given their due from the general public. It doesn’t matter, but it’s a little weird with them being as great as they are/were.

Just a shame that they suck so much at promotion. Albums just sort of turn up and you had no idea they were even coming.

There was a time when I would cop anything that appeared to be from Rapalot like I still have Big Mello (RIP) Bonehard Zaggin (as on the cover), Gangsta Nip 5th Ward Psycho, Choice, Convicts (32 and Big Mike) and they used to use the same break (jimbrowski break)on most of their songs but for some reason it wasn’t a problem cuz they always came with it

Yo, I remember buggin when they put out the Geto Boys album with Bill’s eye shot out! True independent shit! What was the name of the group that was like the Geto Boys but had a white midget in the group?

Rap-A-Lot has always been my ish all of it from N-I-P to DMG to 3-2, Too Much Trouble 5th Ward Boyz. The first tape that I ever bought with my own money was the first Geto Boys tape the one with their mug shots on it. I was like 10 at the time and had to hide it from my moms. It turns out that, that tape was only an introduction to Huston/ Texas rap for me. Anyone out there remember Point Blank? PSK 13? Man this brings back lots of memories for me. Thanks for the drop!

I LOVE RAP-A-LOT, they were even on that horror core rap music before DEF Jam..Peep Gangsta NIP (SOUTH PARK PYSCHO). I know probably NO ONE has heard of him, but he was out during that odd squad era. Not saying he was the most lyrical dude, but the stuff he said till this day still has me like WOW…did dude really say he was f’ing cats *lol*. Everyone else that made Rap-A-Lot the s*** has already been mentioned :)

ChiquitaB

[...] got a lot of appreciation from yesterday’s Rap-A-Lot post. But as much as I LOVE the house that J. Prince built, being from Brooklyn, I can’t imagine the [...]