The Smithsonian released a 129-song track list to their rap anthology, showing the genre's evolution over the past 4 decades
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
"The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap" features 129 songs from the last four decades.
The anthology will be paired with a 300-page book featuring relevant essays and pieces.
The anthology will be released on August 20.
The Smithsonian released the track list for its anthology of rap and hip hop on Monday, traveling through four decades of the genre. "The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap" is set for release on August 20. It's split into nine discs, which will encapsulate four decades-worth of hip hop and rap into 129 songs.
In an announcement made by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the Smithsonian Insititute said that the goal of the anthology was to tell "the story of a defining era of music 'of, by, and for the people.'" The article also described it as a "first-of-its-kind multimedia collection chronicling the growth of the music and culture from the parks of the Bronx to solidifying a reach that spans the globe."
This is the Smithsonian Folkway Recordings' third anthology, following "Anthology of American Folk Music" (1953) and "Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology" (2011).
The anthology, which is a partnership between Smithsonian Folkway Recordings and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is paired with a 300-page book, designed by Cey Adams, the founding creative director of Def Jam Recordings. The book will feature essays and photos. The entire project centers on the evolution of rap and hip hop.
Those involved in the selection and curation process were: rappers MC Lyte and Chuck D; the artist Questlove; scholars Jeff Chang and Mark Anthony Neal; and early Def Jam executives Bill Adler and Bill Stephney.
The anthology features monumental songs in hip-hop from giants like NWA, MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Sugarhill Gang, Public Enemy, Salt-N-Pepa, and more. It captures an excellent mix of new and old - and for some, it's also a solid mix of familiar and unfamiliar tracks.
While the Bronx is known as the birthplace of hip-hop, as this anthology indicates, some argue that "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang is the pioneering hip-hop song (Disc 1, Track 2), it's also important to note that some point to Gil Scott-Heron as the "Godfather of Rap." Though Heron preferred the label "bluesologist," his work has been referenced or sampled by industry giants like Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, and Common, and Queen Latifah. His song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is featured in Jay Electronica's song "Exhibit C" (Disc 9, Track 9), but his original work is not included in the anthology.
Find the official trailer and track list to The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap below.
Track List
DISC: 1
Fatback - King Tim III
Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
The Sequence - Funk You Up
Kurtis Blow - The Breaks
Funky Four +1 - That's the Joint
Spoonie Gee Feat. the Sequence - Monster Jam
Treacherous Three - The Body Rock
Blondie - Rapture
Grandmaster Flash - The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel
Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock
DISC: 2
Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - the Message
The Fearless Four - Rockin It
Cold Crush Brothers - Punk Rock Rap
Herbie Hancock - Rockit
Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force - Looking for the Perfect Beat
Run-DMC - It's Like That
Whodini - Friends
Cold Crush Brothers - Fresh, Fly, Wild & Bold
T. La Rock - It's Yours
The World's Famous Supreme Team - Hey! DJ
Newcleus - Jam on It
Utfo - Roxanne, Roxanne
DISC: 3
Roxanne Shanté - Roxanne's Revenge
Fat Boys - Fat Boys
Doug E. Fresh & MC Ricky D - la Di Da Di
LL Cool J - I Can't Live Without My Radio
Schoolly D - P.S.K. 'What Does It Mean?'
Run-Dmc Feat. Aerosmith - Walk This Way
Beastie Boys - Paul Revere
Ultramagnetic MC's - Ego Tripping
Ice-T - 6 'N the Mornin'
Kool Moe Dee - How Ya Like Me Now
LL Cool J - I Need Love
Eric B Feat. Rakim - Eric B Is President
Mantronix - King of the Beats
DISC: 4
Stetsasonic Feat. the Rev. Jesse Jackson & Olatunji - A.F.R.I.C.A
Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - Parents Just Don't Understand
Audio Two - Top Billin'
MC Lyte - Lyte As a Rock
Big Daddy Kane - Raw
Marley Marl Feat. Master Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, & Big Daddy Kane - the Symphony
MC Lyte - I Cram to Understand U (Sam)
Tone LŌC - Wild Thing
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock - It Takes Two
Jungle Brothers - I'll House You
N.W.A. - F*** Tha Police
Public Enemy - Fight the Power
The Stop the Violence Movement - Self Destruction
Too Short - Life Is... Too Short
Slick Rick - Children's Story
3rd Bass - the Gas Face
DISC: 5
Queen Latifah Feat. Monie Love - Ladies First
Public Enemy - Bring the Noise
De la Soul - Me Myself and I
Biz Markie - Just a Friend
The D.O.C. - It's Funky Enough
2 Live Crew - Me So Horny
Digital Underground - the Humpty Dance
MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This
Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby
Brand Nubian - All for One
Geto Boys - Mind Playing Tricks on Me
A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario
Black Sheep - the Choice Is Yours
Salt-N-Pepa - Let's Talk About Sex
Yo-Yo Feat. Ice-Cube - Can't Play with My Yo-Yo
Naughty By Nature - O.P.P
DISC: 6
Dr. Dre Feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang
Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day
Sir Mix-A-Lot - Baby Got Back
Arrested Development - Tennessee
Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
House of Pain - Jump Around
Positive K - I Got a Man
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
UGK - Pocket Full of Stones
Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M
Cypress Hill - Insane in the Brain
The Pharcyde - Passin' Me By
Eightball & MJG - Comin Out Hard
Common Sense - I Used to Love H.E.R
Da Brat - Funkdafied
Nas - N.Y. State of Mind
Craig Mack Feat. the Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes - Flava in Your Ear
DISC: 7
Beastie Boys - Sabotage
The Notorious BIG - Juicy
Gang Starr Feat. Nice & Smooth - Dwyck
Warren G Feat. Nate Dogg - Regulate
Snoop Doggy Dogg - Murder Was the Case
E-40 Feat. Suga T - Sprinkle Me
Goodie Mob - Cell Therapy
Coolio Feat. L.V. - Gangsta's Paradise
2Pac - Dear Mama
Mobb Deep - Shook Ones, Part 2
Method Man Feat. Mary J. Blige - I'll Be There for You / You're All I Need to Get By
Foxy Brown Feat. Jay-Z - I'll Be
Lil Kim Feat. Puff Daddy - No Time
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Tha Crossroads
Wu-Tang Clan Feat. Cappadonna - Triumph
Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
Master P Feat. Silkk the Shocker, Mia X, Fiend - Make 'Em Say Uhh!
DISC: 8
Missy Elliot - the Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)
DMX - Ruff Ryders' Anthem
The Roots - the Next Movement
Mos Def - Mathematics
BG - Bling Bling
Dead Prez - Hip Hop
Eminem Feat. Dido - Stan
Outkast - Ms. Jackson
Nelly - Country Grammar (Hot Shit)
Ludacris Feat. Pharrell - Southern Hospitality
Nas - One Mic
50 Cent - in Da Club
Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz Feat. Ying Yang Twins - Get Low
DISC: 9
Talib Kweli - Black Girl Pain
Kanye West - Jesus Walks
Three 6 Mafia Feat. Young Buck, Eightball & MJG - Stay Fly
Rick Ross - Hustlin'
Lupe Fiasco Feat. Nikki Jean - Hip-Hop Saved My Life
Young Jezzy Feat. Nas - My President
David Banner Feat. Chris Brown & Yung Joc - Get Like Me
Lil Wayne Feat. Robin Thicke - Tie My Hands
Jay Electronica - Exhibit C
Nicki Minaj - Super Bass
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Feat. Wanz - Thrift Shop
J Cole Feat. TLC - Crooked Smile
Kanye West - Blood on the Leaves
Drake - Started from the Bottom
Watch the trailer to the anthology below:
Read the original article on Insider