Rise of the Classics Podcast

The "Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt" episode

Reasonable Doubt is the debut studio album by American rapper Jay-Z [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay-Z]. It was released on June 25, 1996, by Priority Records [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priority_Records]and Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roc-A-Fella_Records]. The album features production provided by DJ Premier [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJ_Premier], Ski [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ski_(producer)], Knobody [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knobody] and Clark Kent [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Kent_(producer)], and also includes guest appearances [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guest_appearance] from Memphis Bleek [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Bleek], Mary J. Blige [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_J._Blige], Jaz-O [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaz-O] and The Notorious B.I.G. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Notorious_B.I.G.], among others. The album features mafioso rap [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafioso_rap] themes and gritty lyrics about the "hustler" lifestyle and material obsessions. Reasonable Doubt debuted at number 23 on the US Billboard200 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_200], on which it charted for 18 weeks. It was promoted with four singles; including "Ain't No Nigga [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ain%27t_No_Nigga]" and "Can't Knock the Hustle [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Can%27t_Knock_the_Hustle_(Jay-Z_song)]". Reasonable Doubt was certified Platinum [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_certification] by the Recording Industry Association of America [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America] (RIAA) and,[5] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reasonable_Doubt_(album)#cite_note-riaa-5] as of 2006, has sold 1.5 million copies in the United States.[6] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reasonable_Doubt_(album)#cite_note-6] A critical success, it has been ranked on several publications' lists of the greatest rap albums ever, while many hip hop fans have viewed it as Jay-Z's best work. In August 2019, Reasonable Doubt was released to digital and streaming platforms under Roc Nation [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roc_Nation]'s independent label, Equity Distribution.[7] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reasonable_Doubt_(album)#cite_note-7]

The "Cappadonna - The Pillage" episode

The Pillage is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Cappadonna [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappadonna]. It was released on March 24, 1998 through Razor Sharp [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razor_Sharp_Records]/Epic Street [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Street]. Recording sessions took place at 36 Chambers Studio in New York [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City], except for the song "Everything Is Everything", which was recorded at Soundtrack Studios and Sony Music Studios in New York. Production [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop_production] was handled by Wu-Elements [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu-Elements] (True Master [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_Master], Goldfinghaz, 4th Disciple [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Disciple], Mathematics [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics_(producer)]) and the RZA [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RZA], who also served as executive producer together with Ghostface Killah [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostface_Killah], Mitchell "Divine" Diggs and Oliver "Power" Grant [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_%22Power%22_Grant]. It features guest appearances [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guest_appearance] from fellow Wu-Tang Clan [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu-Tang_Clan]members and affiliates [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wu-Tang_Clan_affiliates] Killa Bamz, Method Man [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_Man], Ghostface Killah, Tekitha [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tekitha], Blue Raspberry [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Raspberry_(singer)], Raekwon [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raekwon], Rhyme Recca [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyme_Recca] and U-God [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-God]. In the United States, the album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard200 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_200] and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_R%26B/Hip-Hop_Albums] chart with 132,000 copies sold in its first week.[9] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pillage#cite_note-9] In its second week, the album charted at number 16 on the Billboard 200 and sold an addition 63,000 copies.[10] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pillage#cite_note-10] It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America] on April 24, 1998. It also peaked at No. 8 in Canada [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Albums_Chart], No. 28 in the Netherlands [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Album_Top_100], No. 36 in Finland [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Official_Finnish_Charts], No. 43 in the United Kingdom [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Albums_Chart], No. 58 in France [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syndicat_National_de_l%27%C3%89dition_Phonographique] and No. 67 in Germany [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GfK_Entertainment_charts]. The song "Run" later appeared on Bulworth –The Soundtrack [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulworth_(soundtrack)].

The "Boogie Down Productions - By All Means Necessary" episode

By All Means Necessary is the second album from American hip hop [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop_music] group Boogie Down Productions [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boogie_Down_Productions], released on May 31, 1988[1] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/By_All_Means_Necessary#cite_note-Sha-1] on Jive Records [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jive_Records]. After the 1987 murder of DJ-producer Scott La Rock [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_La_Rock], MC KRS-One [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KRS-One] moved away from the violent themes that dominated his debut, Criminal Minded [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_Minded], and began writing socially conscious songs using the moniker [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moniker] the Teacher.[2] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/By_All_Means_Necessary#cite_note-Five-year-2] Accompanied by minimalist production [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimalism] and hard-hitting drum beats, KRS-One covers social issues that include government [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_corruption] and police corruption [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_corruption], safe sex [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_sex], government involvement in the drug trade [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#U.S._government_involvement_in_drug_trafficking], and violence in the hip hop community [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop_culture]. As of September 25, 1989, the album was certified gold [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_album] in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America].[3] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/By_All_Means_Necessary#cite_note-3] Both the album cover, depicting KRS-One, and the album title make reference to Malcolm X [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X]. The album's cover art is a reference to the iconic photo [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Malcolmxm1carbine3gr.gif#/media/File:Malcolmxm1carbine3gr.gif] of Malcolm X [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X] peering through his window while holding a M1 carbine [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_carbine] rifle. The album title is a modification of Malcolm X's famous phrase "By Any Means Necessary."

The "Beatnuts - Street Level" episode

The Beatnuts is the self-titled full-length [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LP_album] debut album by hip hop [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop_Music] trio The Beatnuts [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatnuts].[5] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatnuts:_Street_Level#cite_note-5] It was released on June 21, 1994, by Relativity Records [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativity_Records], a year after their debut EP [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_play], Intoxicated Demons [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intoxicated_Demons:_The_EP]. "Psycho Dwarf" is the only song found on both the EP and the album. The album was produced by The Beatnuts, and features guest appearances by Grand Puba [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Puba], Miss Jones [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Jones_(radio_personality)] and DJ Sinister amongst others. The Beatnuts boasts two singles, "Props Over Here [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Props_Over_Here]" and "Hit Me with That [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit_Me_with_That]." The album is known for its diverse production and hedonistic [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism] lyrics. Its cover art was inspired by the cover of Hank Mobley [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Mobley]'s The Turnaround [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turnaround!].[6] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatnuts:_Street_Level#cite_note-tbohhca-6] The album's title is sometimes mistakenly referred to as Street Level, because those words appear on the album cover; however, the words "Street Level" do not appear anywhere else on the CD (in the liner notes or on the CD spine label). It is the last Beatnuts album to include Fashion, who left the group to pursue a solo career under the alias Al' Tariq.

The "Dead Prez - Let's Get Free" episode

Although the production was derided by some critics as a "dull musical backdrop",[10] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_Get_Free#cite_note-10] Let's Get Free was called a "return to politically conscious rap".[11] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_Get_Free#cite_note-11] Rolling Stone [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone] gave the album four stars and lauded its equation of "classrooms with jail cells, the projects with killing fields and everything from water to television with conduits for brainwashing by the system".[12] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_Get_Free#cite_note-12]