1989
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The Fat Boys — On and On
Tone Lōc — Lōced After Dark
Kwamé — Kwamé the Boy Genius: Featuring a New Beginning
2 Live Crew — As Nasty as They Wanna Be
De La Soul — 3 Feet High and Rising
Geto Boys — Grip It! On That Other Level
Kool G Rap & D.J. Polo — Road to the Riches
Oaktown’s 357 — Wild & Loose
S.F.C. — Listen Up
Nice & Smooth — Nice & Smooth
Special Ed — Youngest In Charge
Chill Rob G — Ride the Rhythm
Kool Moe Dee — Knowledge Is King
Gang Starr — No More Mr. Nice Guy
L.L. Cool J — Walking With a Panther
Heavy D. & The Boyz — Big Time
Antoinette — Who’s the Boss?
Boogie Down Productions — Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip-Hop
Beastie Boys — Paul’s Boutique
The D.O.C. — No One Can Do It Better
EPMD — Unfinished Business
Schoolly D. — Am I Black Enough For You?
Cool C — I Gotta Habit
Tuff Crew — Back to the Wreck Shop
Mellow Man Ace — Escape From Havana
Young M.C. — Stone Cold Rhymin’
Big Daddy Kane — It’s a Big Daddy Thing
Donald D — Notorious
M.C. Lyte — Eyes on This
Biz Markie — The Biz Never Sleeps
Ice-T — The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech…Just Watch What You Say
Sir Mix-a-Lot — Seminar
Craig G — The Kingpin
D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince — And In This Corner…
Roxanne Shanté — Bad Sister
Freddie Foxxx — Freddie Foxxx Is Here
Jungle Brothers — Done By the Forces of Nature
Queen Latifah — All Hail the Queen
3rd Bass — The Cactus Album
Def Jef — Just a Poet With Soul
Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock — The Incredible Base
The New Style — Independent Leaders
Willie Dee — Controversy
Awesome Dre – You Can’t Hold Me Back
Three Times Dope – Original Stylin’
The Jaz ( Jaz O) – Word To The Jaz
Black Rock & Ron – Stop The World -
Public Enemy – “Fight The Power”
Stop The Violence Movement – “Self Destruction”
De La Soul – “Buddy”
The D.O.C. – “It’s Funky Enough”
Big Daddy Kane “Smooth Operator”
Special Ed – “I Got It Made”
Gang Starr – “Manifest”
Queen Latifah, Monie Love – “Ladies First”
Biz Markie – “Just A Friend”
BDP – “You Must Learn”
Digital Underground – “Doowutchyalike”
Beastie Boys – “Hey Ladies”
De La Soul – “Me, Myself & I”
Nice & Smooth – “Funky For You”
3rd Bass – “The Gas Face”
1989 NEWS
In January, the Arsenio Hall Show premiers, making more space for black artists on late night TV.
Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing releases in July
In October, the FBI sent a letter to Ruthless Records, admonishing N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton” – this led to widespread protests of NWA’s music, and backlash against rap, in general.
Rappers boycotted the 1989 Grammy awards, led by Def Jam Records
Galileo Spacecraft Launches in October, sent off to study Jupiter
The Cold War ends, and the Berlin Wall comes down
The Nintendo Game Boy is released in July
George Bush Sr. Becomes president
Source Magazine launches