Rap's New Generation
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Album Summary
Rap's New Generation arrived in 1988 riding the crest of a wave that was reshaping music from the ground up — a compilation that gathered some of the freshest voices hustling through the indie rap circuit at a time when the culture was exploding out of the boroughs and block parties and into the national consciousness. Released as a showcase vehicle for emerging talent, this kind of comp was the lifeblood of the late-80s rap underground, giving young MCs a vinyl platform when major labels were still sleeping on the genre's commercial power. The album's nine tracks — spread across both sides of the wax — reflect the raw, unfiltered energy of street-level hip-hop production in '88, a year that stands as one of the most fertile and consequential in the music's history.
Reception
- As an independent compilation aimed at underground rap audiences, Rap's New Generation did not chart on mainstream pop or R&B charts, circulating primarily through specialty record shops and regional rap retail networks.
- Critical documentation of this release is sparse, as the late-80s indie rap compilation format was rarely covered by mainstream music press, leaving its reception largely within the oral tradition of collectors and crate-diggers.
Significance
- Rap's New Generation stands as a time capsule of 1988 hip-hop's independent ecosystem, representing the grassroots compilation format that kept the culture moving forward before major label infrastructure fully embraced the genre.
- The album's tracklist — spanning street anthems, bravado showcases, and genre-playful cuts like 'Crazy About Cars' and 'How's Everybody Feelin'?' — reflects the stylistic diversity that defined late-80s rap before commercial pressures pushed the sound toward rigid formulas.
- As a document of rap's new generation in its most literal sense, the record captures the moment when a younger wave of MCs was actively wrestling the mic away from the first generation, asserting ownership over a culture that was about to change the entire music industry forever.
Tracklist
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A1 The Assassin —
4:57
-
A2 I'm A Pioneer —
4:32
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A3 In '88 —
4:53
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A4 How's Everybody Feelin'? —
4:45
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A5 Crazy About Cars —
4:48
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B1 Five Fingers Of Death, Part I —
4:58
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B2 The Composer —
4:48
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B3 I'm In Control —
4:58
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B4 Cold Get Wild —
4:32
Artist Details
Here's the thing about Various, baby — this artist burst onto the 1980s rock scene like a force of nature, blending raw energy with a sound that was somehow both timeless and perfectly of its era. Various carved out a reputation for delivering tracks that hit you right in the chest, the kind of music that made you pull over your car just to let the song breathe. With a catalog that speaks for itself, Various remains one of the most compelling figures to come out of that decade of big hair, bigger riffs, and even bigger feelings.
