November 7, 1995 was a heavyweight day — GZA's Liquid Swords and Goodie Mob's Soul Food landed on the same date, six years after Que...
November 7, 1995 was a heavyweight day — GZA's Liquid Swords and Goodie Mob's Soul Food landed on the same date, six years after Queen Latifah and the Jungle Brothers both dropped in 1989. Add The Pharcyde in 2000 and you have one of the deepest single days on the calendar. Here is the full day.
1. GZA — Liquid Swords (1995)
On November 7, 1995, the GZA released his second solo album, Liquid Swords — the head of the Wu-Tang's Voltron, recorded in RZA's basement with RZA producing the whole record and every Clan member passing through. The chessboard cover, "4th Chamber," "Cold World," the title track — one of the most formative concept albums hip hop ever produced.
Listen: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=GZA+Liquid+Swords&tag=CharlesParis-20 (paid link) #ad
2. Goodie Mob — Soul Food (1995)
Same day, same year, down in Atlanta: Goodie Mob stepped on the scene with their debut album, Soul Food, on November 7, 1995. The second Dungeon Family release, produced by Organized Noize — CeeLo, Big Gipp, Khujo and T-Mo coining "dirty south" and taking it gold, with "Cell Therapy" leading the way. The South had something to say, and this was the proof.
Listen: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Goodie+Mob+Soul+Food&tag=CharlesParis-20 (paid link) #ad
3. Queen Latifah — All Hail the Queen (1989)
Six years earlier, on November 7, 1989, Queen Latifah released her debut album, All Hail the Queen. The Queen came in with a crown and a message — "Ladies First" with Monie Love, "Wrath of My Madness" — and set the standard for every woman MC who followed. Royalty from day one.
Listen: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Queen+Latifah+All+Hail+the+Queen&tag=CharlesParis-20 (paid link) #ad
4. Jungle Brothers — Done by the Forces of Nature (1989)
Also on November 7, 1989, the Jungle Brothers released their second studio album, Done by the Forces of Nature — Native Tongues family, with KRS-One, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest all passing through. A year after their debut opened the door for conscious, Afrocentric rap, the Jungle Brothers walked all the way through it.
Listen: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Jungle+Brothers+Done+by+the+Forces+of+Nature&tag=CharlesParis-20 (paid link) #ad
5. The Pharcyde — Plain Rap (2000)
And on November 7, 2000, The Pharcyde released their third studio album, Plain Rap, through Delicious Vinyl. A quieter, later chapter from the Bizarre Ride crew — it logged in at No. 8 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart, proof the group was still standing on their own terms five years after Labcabincalifornia.
Listen: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Pharcyde+Plain+Rap&tag=CharlesParis-20 (paid link) #ad
We also remember C-Knight of The Dove Shack, lost on November 7, 2023.
OVER TIME GRIND • @SupplyTheWork • @ParisEighty
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