Classics Discussion: Gang Starr

[Inspect Her Deck]

Ok so some of y'all will be familiar with a project I'm deciding to run. I made this thread: The Official 'Classic Album' Discussion Thread, trying to reach a conclusion as to what defines a classic album. After much discussion, I am running with this definition personally, so take it as you will when you consider your classic albums. But this definition in particular was most agreed upon.

Classic: 1. An album considered by consensus of the core hip hop community to be of the highest quality (doesn't have to be perfect or flawless, just an album that the consensus deems the shyt).
2. Assuming that condition 1 is met, is this an album that has stood the test of time amongst the core hip hop community? Is that an album still held in high regard, still referenced at least ten years after its release? By a consensus of the hip hop community?

Props to @mobbinfms for the definition and also for his help generally in helping me with ideas to create these threads.

So I'll be going through one artist per day, and I will list out all their discography or close to all of it until the year 2005, as we decided that an album needs at least 10 years of existence before it can be called a classic or not.

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To help bring even more attention to these threads, I'm gonna create a hashtag (again props to mobbinfms for the idea) and I urge you guys to click on the tag and click on the option to watch the tag.

Here it is: #coliclassics

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We got Gang Starr today.

Get voting.

I will be making a POLL. For each album I will present a YES or NO option so if you think that particular album is a classic, you click 'yes' on the poll for THAT album and vice-versa. The acceptance rate for an album to be deemed a CERTIFIED classic is 80%.

If you don't think an album is a classic, DO NOT LEAVE THE POLL BLANK. You vote NO for that album instead so at least we register your vote.

I will NOT count any comments in the thread as votes, you must use the poll. The comments section should be used for discussion only.

Tagging some mods:

@FreshAIG @That Singer Guy... @hustlemania @houston911 @SoulController

 

[Inspect Her Deck]

This is very tough

they have 4 genuine classic contenders: Step in the Arena, Daily Operation, Hard to Earn & Moment of Truth

I chose Moment of Truth but open to changing votes if necessary

#coliclassics

 

[Ashtrey]

Moment Of Truth.

 

[BmoreGorilla]

Only voted yes for Moment of Truth

 

[str8up]

I'm going with Step In The Arena, Daily Operation & Moment of Truth

Edit: And especially Step In The Arena, one of the illest albums ever for me

 

[g-ice]

nikkas is saying that Hard To Earn is not a classic now?

Miss me with that shyt!! Y'all buggin'!

 

[Inspect Her Deck]

nikkas is saying that Hard To Earn is not a classic now?

Miss me with that shyt!! Y'all buggin'!

what makes it a classic?

the reason I said potential for 4 is because they all have quality, but what else? what does Hard to Earn bring to the table?

for the record, HTE has more potential for classic than the previous two

 

[NasirJr]

Moment of Truth.
Every track with the exception of "The Mall" is great

 

[The Ruler 09]

Moment of Truth.
Every track with the exception of "The Mall" is great

This is how I feel, and even the verses on that aren't bad, just the hook seems out of place. Impeccable work on the album though.

 

[Inspect Her Deck]

What is the duo's best produced album?

Is it Moment of Truth? that's what I'm going for, although Premo was doing some crazy shyt from Step in the Arena onwards, using different styles each time.

Hard to Earn is when Premo became PREMO.

Top 5 songs for me:

1. Next Time (Moment of Truth)
2. Soliloquy of Chaos (Daily Operation)
3. Code of the Streets (Hard to Earn)
4. Above the Clouds (for obvious reasons; Moment of Truth; Rebel INS renegade)
5. Who's Gonna Take the Weight (Step in the Arena)

HM: Mass Appeal (Hard to Earn)

 

[daboywonder2002]

right now i can only vouch for Daily operation. I remember that album like it was yesterday. I just dont remember the other albums like that. I need to listen to those again to give an accurate judgement.

 

[str8up]

This is my favorite Gang Starr song right here

 

[Deltron]

MoT for sure, Step and DOp are personal favorites

 

[BmoreGorilla]

What is the duo's best produced album?

Is it Moment of Truth? that's what I'm going for, although Premo was doing some crazy shyt from Step in the Arena onwards, using different styles each time.

Hard to Earn is when Premo became PREMO.

Top 5 songs for me:

1. Next Time (Moment of Truth)
2. Soliloquy of Chaos (Daily Operation)
3. Code of the Streets (Hard to Earn)
4. Above the Clouds (for obvious reasons; Moment of Truth; Rebel INS renegade)
5. Who's Gonna Take the Weight (Step in the Arena)

HM: Mass Appeal (Hard to Earn)

There was classic production on all those albums. Guru was a great compliment to Premo but he was never an elite MC which is why I think they don't have more classics

 

[Inspect Her Deck]

There was classic production on all those albums. Guru was a great compliment to Premo but he was never an elite MC which is why I think they don't have more classics

no surprise that The Sun Rises in the East is probably better than any Gang Starr album. Jeru was on another level. But honestly speaking, I don't think Premo was consistently great on Step in or Daily Operation, and even elements of Hard to Earn sounded rough. He was more of an individual beat maker but on albums I can only think of two that back to front really SLAP: The Sun Rises and Moment of Truth. And perhaps Return of the Boom Bap as well...that was fire.