Stylish hip-hop! A roundup of classic albums in Western jazzy hip-hop
Even among music lovers, there are probably many people who, based on a vague image, feel something like, “Hip-hop—or rather rap—isn’t really my thing…” Of course everyone has their likes and dislikes, but if you change your point of entry, you might be surprised to find yourself getting into it.
With that hope in mind, this article focuses on overseas “jazzy hip-hop”! As the name suggests, it’s hip-hop influenced by jazz—generally called “jazz rap” abroad—a subgenre of hip-hop that blossomed in the 1990s.
Even if you’re not into hip-hop, please enjoy these classic albums with stylish tracks and grooves that are easy to listen to and will get your heart dancing!
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Stylish Hip-Hop! A roundup of classic Western Jazzy Hip-Hop albums (21–30)
Betty (Get Money)Yung Gravy
Rapper Yung Gravy, who’s gained popularity for his unique style.
He’s known for striking sample choices you don’t usually hear in mainstream hip-hop.
Among his tracks, the one I especially recommend is Betty (Get Money).
It’s a pop-leaning hip-hop song that samples Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up, and its appeal lies more in the overall package than in pure rapping skill.
It’s hip-hop that anyone can sing along to as long as they know the English lyrics, so be sure to check it out.
My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz StyleDream Warriors
With a name that really makes an impact, those well-versed in horror films might be reminded of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.
Formed in Toronto, Canada in 1988, Dream Warriors are known for helping fuel the rise of jazzy hip-hop in the 1990s.
They started as a duo, expanded in their middle period to a four-piece with a DJ and additional members, and later returned to a duo.
The album featured here, And Now the Legacy Begins, is their landmark debut released in 1991.
It became a bigger hit in the UK than in their native Canada and earned high praise from critics.
The most famous track on the album, My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style, boldly interpolates the Quincy Jones classic Soul Bossa Nova—the theme from the Austin Powers series and a tune familiar in Japan from commercials—making it a classic among classics.
Other highlights include Wash Your Face in My Sink, which samples Count Basie’s Hang On Sloopy, and the title track, which draws from Tom Tom Club’s much-sampled Genius of Love, among many cuts that skillfully and tastefully reconstruct sources from jazz to funk into their own sound.
If you’re interested in the hip-hop of the so-called Golden Age, this is a must-check.
Take You TherePete Rock & CL Smooth
They only released two original albums, yet with those two works they became one of the most influential duos in hip-hop history: Pete Rock & C.L.
Smooth.
The unit paired Pete Rock—now a hugely popular producer—with C.L.
Smooth, whose rap style blends rigor and elegance.
As mentioned at the start, they disbanded after leaving those two albums, but they’ve maintained a good relationship, with C.L.
guesting on Pete’s projects and the two occasionally reuniting for live performances.
Both of their albums are hard to rank over the other, but in terms of overall completeness, let me highlight their second and final album, 1994’s The Main Ingredient.
It’s an undisputed hip-hop classic, and its ultra-refined sound is nothing short of art.
Pete famously said he “puts soul into loops,” and the exquisite balance between the assertive drums and the top-line elements showcases a near-miraculous touch, yielding richly jazzy and soulful tracks.
This is a record best enjoyed not by cherry-picking individual songs, but by immersing yourself in the album’s mood from the first track to the last.
Always ShineRobert Glasper
Since the 2000s, one of the most important figures freely moving between jazz, hip-hop, soul, and R&B has undoubtedly been Robert Glasper.
Having played piano in church from a young age and grown up with jazz, gospel, and blues, Glasper also deepened his ties with talents in hip-hop and neo-soul, pursuing a liberated path from the outset as a bridge between the two worlds.
Debuting as a jazz pianist on the storied Blue Note label, Glasper released Black Radio in 2012 under the Robert Glasper Experiment.
The album both won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album the following year and reached No.
1 on Billboard’s Jazz chart, a work that fully blossomed his crossover sensibility.
Unlike the traditional approach of hip-hop artists sampling classic jazz numbers, Black Radio features live instrumentation with guests drawn from across genres, marking a true new dawn for Black music in the 2010s.
The original tracks are outstanding, and the covers are exceptional as well—especially the closing rendition of Nirvana’s iconic Smells Like Teen Spirit, which has become a live favorite frequently performed at Glasper’s shows.
In conclusion
As mentioned at the beginning, even if you’re not interested in hip-hop or have felt intimidated by it, many of you were probably surprised when you actually listened to the works introduced this time.
Since it’s sometimes used as stylish café BGM in a lounge-music kind of way, you may have already heard it without realizing.
Why not use jazzy hip-hop as a stepping stone to step into the world of hip-hop?