Calm down, there are zero Artifacts beats on this compilation.
The following twenty-one rap beats from the nineties are not the biggest, the best or the most memorable, but they all hold sway with me for one reason or another and provide a suitable soyundtrack for your steering or commuting pleasure.
Download: A Salute To 90s Rap Instrumentals
Track listing:
01 ‘For My Pa’ – Godfather Don
AWB sleigh bells win again.
02 ‘Ain’t No Love’ [Instrumental] – Real Live
It’s all about the strings.
03 ‘Trife Life’ [Instrumental] – Mobb Deep
Sounds like this was recorded next to a construction site, which makes it Industrial Rap, technically.
04 ‘Nuttin Move But Da Money’ [Instrumental] – Smif-N-Wessun
Da Beatminerz at the height of their powers with this white label gold.
05 ‘Straight Jacket’ [Instrumental] – The Beatnuts
Best rap song to feature the sound of running water. The song before this is in second place.
06 ‘True Confessions’ [Instrumental] – Tragedy Khadafi and Iman THUG
You sang beautifully just now.
07 ‘Boom Biddy Bye Bye’ [Instrumental] – Cypress Hill
The hook on this is incredible.
08 ‘Suspended in Time’ [Instrumental] – Group Home
Seagulls are the fifth element of rap, cos they’re gully, money.
09 ‘Sally Got A One Track Mind’ [Instrumental] – Diamond D
When you listen to the record he filtered and sped-up to make this masterpiece, you realise that D Squared is one the best to ever do it. Still don’t know where he got those strings from either…
10 ‘Thief’s Theme’ [Instrumental] – Jigmastas
Spinna combines vibes and loud drums to excellent effect.
11 ‘All Black’ [Instrumental] – Big L
This Finesse beat is so mean that you might have to punch yourself in the face just to calm down.
12 ‘Illegal Life’ [Instrumental] – Capone N Noreaga feat. Tragedy Khadafi
Actually sounds like it was recorded in the trenches of the Gulf War.
13 ‘Genuine’ [Instrumental] – Triflicts
Vibraphone like woah.
14 ‘Hityawitdat’ [Instrumental] – Lootpack
Early Madlib utilizes the most creative use of a Busta Rhymes hook I’ve yet to hear.
15 ‘Last Dayz’ [Instrumental] – Onyx
The production on their second LP was as nasty as a warm bottle of Champale, which is a good thing.
16 ‘Get Down’ [Instrumental] – MF Grimm
The most sombre club record ever, hence the remix on the b-side.
17 ‘Father Time’ [Instrumental] – Saukrates
Canadian dry.
18 ‘Crimes and Friends’ [Instrumental] – N.O.T.S. Click
Sounds like a broken down old arcade machine on it’s last legs.
19 ‘True and Livin’ [Instrumental] – Lord Finesse
LF showcases his ear for the eerily melodic and crispy snares.
20 ‘The Phat Kat Ride’ [Instrumental] – Masta Ace Incorporated
Fender (Rhodes) bender.
21 ‘All Night’ [Instrumental] – Xperado
Top five use of the Steve Miller Band.1
- The others being ‘Nobody Beats The Biz,’Essays on BDPism,”Gangster of Love’ and ‘Hellraiser.’ [↩]
Got barz for this sheet init.
Good work Rob.
.ZIP is missing track 14
Does anyone remember the Nubian Crackers them cats had beats for days
Shadez of Brooklyn — Change
The East Flatbush Project — Tried by 12
La the Darkman — As the World Turnz
A Tribe Called Quest — Spirits
Black Moon — Niguz Talk Shit
Slum Village — The Look of Love
High & Mighty — The Meaning
Bad Meets Evil — Scary Movies
Supreme thanks for this compilation. I cant front tho Artifacts “Wrong side of the tracks” is still one of my favorite beats from the 90’s on the strength of when the horn loop goes into that crazy ass bass line
@King Timeo
The Nubian Crackers had the ill break records…
That Smif-N-Wessun joint, best joint Beatminerz ever did…
@Jay: Thanks, just fixed it.
Onyx 2nd album overlooked by most
Good shit, Robbie. I like your choices.
I have every one of those Nubian Crackers Vinyl releases. That was my shit in three early-mid 90s.
Cheers Robbie. I would add epmd you’re a customer to the Miller band samples, but perhaps that’s nostalgia talking!
Shhhhh! You guys, be careful. Nubian Crackers were affiliated with the Artifacts.
I can’t believe you left out Who Shot Ya…or Money Power Respect.
^^
“Not the biggest the best or the most memorable”
You really need to hear Who Shot Ya again?
Hey man, why the Artifacts diss ? Thought they where liked around here…
@PL: No shots, just a disclaimer to avoid anyone complaining about ‘misleading header images.’
@Robbie: All Black is in my top 10 instrumentals of all time. There’s a track-by-track breakdown of LODP&D on hip-hopisn’tdead in which the reviewer called All Black, and I quote, meh.
That made me want to punch myself in the face.
I could listen to the boom biddy bye bye instro for hours. Beautiful!
Sally is amazing too.
Great choices on this one. I would’ve chosen Up Against The Wall getaway car mix instead of Suspended in Time, but it’s still cool as hell.
I’ll never know why that Smif n Wessun was not on the album, though…