As a special birthday present, we let Virgil Solis handle the RH Radio this week. Check out his classic selections below and why he picked’em.
The Notorious B.I.G: “The What” Feat. Method Man (Ready To Die)
Why I Like It: I remember the first time I heard Biggie, I was in Jr. high school and I was running late to school. I missed the bus so I had to walk there. I was passing the HS and one of my older brother’s friends, Frank, saw me and as he was driving by he told me he would give me a ride. When I hoped in his car he was playing Biggies ‘s Ready To Die on cassette and right a way I was like, ‘damn!! What’s that?’ “The What” was playing and that was the moment I was like, ‘this is the dopiest ish I have ever heard.’ Ever since then I never stopped listening. RIP BIGGIE
Common: “I Used To Love H.E.R” (Resurrection)
Why I Like It: What can you say that hasn’t already been said in Chicago about Common’s Resurrection album. It’s a Hip Hop classic and will always rep Chi in the early 90’s. This is one of the first songs I heard that I was so intrigued by the concept and multi layers of the song. I remember watching the Box and seeing this song come on and we would all stop to just vibe to it. My older brother put me on to Common but it was when he used to go by Common Sense. I remember my brother telling me a story where Common was in concert and he had punched a fan cause he threw something at him on stage. That’s was the f**k Ice Cube Common…lol
Gang Star: “Above The Clouds” Feat. Inspectah Deck (Moment Of Truth)
Why I Like It: This album has a very personal meaning to me cause it got me through a lot in life when I was a teenager. I had this album always playing on discman, no matter the time, I could listen to this album. Guru’s monotone style and lyrics over Primo beats was just so ILL!!!! I was a huge Wu head growing up, so hearing Guru and Inspectah on the same track was so crazy to me. Two of my favorite Mc’ killing a primo beat. This song just inspired me to be creative and be above the clouds.
A Tribe Called Quest: “Steve Bilko (Stir It Up)” (Midnight Marauders)
Why I Like It: This was the second track on Midnight Marauders so I would always go straight to it. That beginning ways always was my ish, Phife and Tip just really rapped like this is what Hip-Hop is about. From all of the Tribe albums this one was the one I played the most. Just Pure Classic Hip Hop.
Raekwon: “Incarcerated Scarfaces” (Only Built 4 Cuban Links)
Why I Like It: As I mentioned before, I was a super Wu head growing up. I had everything from their solo albums to the extended family ish. This album though is my fav of the solo albums. Raekwon was always my favorite Wu member and my second was Ghostface. It starts with an audio clip from John Woo’s “The Killler”, which was my one of mine and my brother’s favorite movies growing up. This album was just so ill from beginning to end that you can listen to it and not get tired of it. It was crazy to me to met Raekwon first in Austin, then when he came to the RH offices when RTC killed this ill ass interview with him at 10 am. We shut everything down and we all watched it live and it was just history in the RH story.
Lost Boyz: “Renee” (Legal Drug Money)
Why I Like It: Man, Lost Boys was so NY… I remember watching this video as a shorty on MTV Raps and running from the other room to see it. I always thought it was such a good story like they took you through a short movie. At that age I didn’t understand some of the things he was talking about but I remember I couldn’t stop watching or listening.
Cypress Hill: “Latin Lingo” (Cypress Hill)
Why I Like It: Man this album is one of the best through and through, almost every song on it was a single. Even though I think B-Real is one of the dopest rappers, “Latin Lingo” was more about Sen Dog. I remember that my brother had this on tape he would keep them all in a shoe box. When he would not be home I would sit there and listen to Cypress on a walkman.
Fugees: “Fu-Gee-La” (The Score)
Why I Like It: Man one of the best Hip-Hop groups ever, Lauryn Hill to me is the best Female rapper to every touch a mic. This album is so incredible, top 5 best Hip Hop albums to me. Wyclef did a great job on overseeing this project and who can deny Lauryn’s talent? Pras to me had my fav verse, though he was always under Clef’s and Lauryn’s shadow, but he shines on this one.
Black Star: “Respiration” (Black Star)
Why I Like It: Come on. This is just a pure classic, especially when it starts with an audio clip from “Style Wars”. When Black Star came out it was a rebirth of the dope duo group. We all have been waiting for the second album from Black Star as both Talib and Mos have dropped classic albums on their own, but together they just made iconic music. Then you have Common on this, which made it an instant classic. What really touches me about this song is that I actually made a whole photography project based off of this song. I shot landscape shots of the city around 4/5 am when you can hear the city breathing. I would wake up early some days to go to school or work and I remember being on the “EL” platform by myself waiting for the train and listening to this song and feeling the city breathing. It felt like I was the only one up and this song just expressed that to me being in tone with the city on an internal level.
Wu-Tang-Clan: “Triumph” (Wu Tang Forever)
Why I Like It: Damn!!! So this track is my s**t!!!! I love all of these songs, but this is probably one of my top 3 favorite songs of all time. What I love about this is that everyone goes in and no one disappoints. I use to lived a couple blocks from my HS my freshmen/sophomore years so I would listen to this song from the moment I walked out of my door and it would take me the length of this song to get to my locker. 5:38 secs…
The Roots: “Respond React” (Illadelph Halflife)
Why I Like It: This was actually the first Roots album I bought, roots were a big part of me going to concerts. I think over my life time I have seen them at least 20 times…not exaggerating. I always felt Black Thought never got his dues as one of the best MC’s in the game, period. This track just reminds me of that classic Roots feel.
Big Pun: “Dream Shatterer” (Capitol Punishment)
?Why I Like It: One of my favorite rappers of all time, right under Big and Jay. It was tough to pick a song off of this album cause they’re all so ILL. I chose this one though cause he just goes so hard on some straight up rapping ass rapper ish. The beat is soo illy and he merks it. RIP Big Pun.
Jay-Z: “Coming of Age” Feat. Memphis Bleek (Reasonable Doubt)?CLASSIC that’s all I can really say, one of the greatest rap albums o ever be made. Why I really love this song cause my brother and I would listening to this all the time. I always felt like I was Bleek in this song and my brother was Jay. He would always school me on some ish and I always felt like damn I would do anything for this guy. On some straight up Brother ish from all of our ups and downs he is my the guy I look up to the most and I respect. So this song is dedciated to my true brother Omar, thank you for everything you have made me a better man in life.
Nas: “N.Y. State of Mind” (Illmatic)
Why I Like It: CLASSIC that is all.
OutKast: “Elevators (Me and You)” (ATLiens)?
Why I Like It: This track is ill cause it makes me remember being a sophomore in HS chilling with my dude Kane. He had just moved up from Tennessee and he was always singing this song. I always thought it was dope, and the video was so sick. This was also when I really listened to how dope Dre and Big Boi really were. Innovators and so creative. They never followed anyone’s rules just made classic music.