Hip-Hop Circa 1989

2009 marks the 20-year anniversary for some historical releases in the world of Hip-Hop. Not only did De La Soul debut with "3 Feet High and Rising," but we also heard the talents of 3rd Bass and The D.O.C. on their first full-length releases.

The production of rap music had recently evolved, thanks in part to the Emu SP-1200 sampling drum machine, and the releases of 1989 would make music lawyers heads spin (and not due to break-dancing). The Beastie Boys' "Paul's Boutique" has so many samples, I'm pretty sure it has yet to be fully reverse-engineered. Fortunately, you can hear the sample-rich production better than ever while listening to a beautifully remastered 20th anniversary edition.

Do any other artists have anniversary releases planned? I don't know. I'd love to hear "The Cactus Album" or "3 Feet High and Rising" remastered, but I won't hold my breath.

I've compiled the following list of 1989 releases. If I'm missing any, please let me know.

• Antoinette - "Who's the Boss"
• Awesome Dre' & Hard Core Committee - "You Can't Hold Me Back"
• Beastie Boys - "Paul's Boutique"
• Beastie Boys - "Love American Style EP"
• Big Daddy Kane - "It's a Big Daddy Thing"
• The Diabolical Biz Markie - "The Biz Never Sleeps"
• Black & White - "Don't Know Yet"
• Ron C - "C Ya"
• Chubb Rock & Howie Tee - "And the Winner Is..."
• Company B - "Gotta Dance - "1989 - "Pop/Rock
• Criminal Element Orchestra - "Locked Up - "1989 - "Pop/Rock
• Willie Dee - "Controversy"
• De La Soul - "3 Feet High and Rising"
• Def Jef - "Just a Poet with Soul"
• Divine Styler - "Word Power"
• D.J. Chuck Chillout & Kool Chip - "Masters of the Rhythm"
• The D.O.C. - "No One Can Do It Better"
• Dr. Ease & D.J. Mix - "Put Your Mind & Body at Ease"
• Doctor Ice - "Mic Stalker"
• EPMD - "Unfinished Business"
• The Fat Boys - "On and On"
• Fresh Celeste - "Fresh Celeste"
• Full Force - "Smoove"
• Craig G - "The Kingpin"
• Gang Starr - "No More Mr. Nice Guy"
• Hipsway - "Scratch the Surface"
• Hostyle - "Get Off"
• Hustle Z & M.C. - "Show Me Yours and"
• Ice Cream Tee - "Can't Hold Back"
• Ice-T - "I'm Your Pusher"
• The Jaz - "A Word to the Jaz"
• Just-Ice - "The Desolate One"
• K-9 Posse - "K-9 Posse"
• KC Flightt - "In Flightt"
• King Sun - "XL"
• Kings of Pressure - "Slang Teacher"
• Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - "Road to the Riches
• Kool Rock Jay & D.J. Slice - "Tales from the Dope Side"
• Kool Skool - "Kool Skool"
• Kwamé the Boy Genius - "Kwamé the Boy Genius: Featuring a New Beginning
• LL Cool J - "Walking with a Panther"
• Magnetic Force - "12-52-365"
• MC Ade - "How Much Can You Take"
• MC Ade - "Just Sumthin' to Do"
• MC Hammer - "They Put Me in Mix"
• M.C. Rell - "Into the Future"
• MC Sergio - "Making a Killin'"
• MC Shy D - "Don't Sweat Me"
• MC Twist - "Comin' through Like Warriors"
• Mellow Man Ace - "Escape From Havana"
• Merlin - "Merlin"
• Ms. Melodie - "Diva"
• Nemesis - "To Hell and Back"
• Nice & Smooth - "Nice & Smooth"
• Nu-Sounds - "Mackin'"
• N.W.A. - "Express Yourself " [12" Single]
• N.W.A. - "Boyz-N-The-Hood"
• Posse NFX - "Black or Ya White"
• Public Enemy - "Fight the Power"
• Public Enemy - "Welcome to the Terrordome" [Vinyl Single]
• Queen Latifah - "All Hail the Queen"
• Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I. - "A Shade of Red"
• The "R" (Renard with No Regard) - "Going for Gold"
• Roxanne Shanté - "Bad Sister"
• Salt-N-Pepa - "A Blitz of Salt-N-Pepa Hits: The Hits Remixed"
• Schoolly D - "Am I Black Enough for You?"
• Sir Mix-A-Lot - "Seminar"
• Special Ed - "Youngest in Charge"
• Steady B - "Going Steady"
• Stop the Violence Movement - "Self Destruction"
• Tony Tee - "Time to Get Phy"
• 3rd Bass - "The Cactus Album"
• Three Times Dope - "Original Stylin'"
• Twenty Eighth St. Crew - "I Need a Rhythm"
• Too Short - "Born to Mack"
• Too $hort - "Life Is...Too Short"
• Twin Hype - "Twin Hype"
• 2 Live Crew - "As Nasty as They Wanna Be"
• 2 Live Crew - "As Clean as They Wanna Be"
• U.T.F.O. - "Doin' It!"
• The Wee Papa Girls - "The Beat, The Rhyme, The Noise"
• Wrecks-N-Effect - "Wrecks-N-Effect"
• X Clan - "Heed the Word of the Brother"
• X Clan - "Raise the Flag"
• Young MC - "Stone Cold Rhymin'"