1999

Joey Bada$$が2012年にリリースした1stアルバム『1999』のアナログLPが再登場!!

2012年に発表されたJoey Bada$$の『1999』は、現代アンダーグラウンドRapの潮流を大きく塗り替えた決定的デビュー・ミックステープである。17歳だったJoey Bada$$は、90年代黄金期のHip Hopサウンドへ完璧なオマージュを捧げることで瞬く間に高い評価を獲得した。
代表曲『Waves』『Survival Tactics』『Snakes』をはじめ、Chuck Strangers、Lord Finesse、MF DOOM、J Dillaらがプロダクションで参加した全15曲を収録。さらにKirk Knight、CJ Fly、Nyck Caution、Rokamouth、Dessy Hinds、Dyemond Lewis、T'nah Apex、そして故Capital STEEZらPro Eraの面々が存在感を示しており、本作は同クルーの歴史を刻む重要なタイムカプセルだと言えよう。10年以上の歳月を経た今なお色褪せることのないクラシックである。

Joey Bada$$ landed on the map with 1999, a 2012 mixtape that immediately cast the young New Yorker, who was only 17 at the time, as a successor to his citys rap legacy, particularly following in the footsteps of emcees like Nas and Big L. Drawing heavily from the sound of hip-hops golden era, which ended around the time Bada$$ was born, the mixtape is steeped in jazzy samples and boom bap drum programming, resembling producers like Pete Rock and the Beatnuts in addition to directly sampling beats by the likes of J Dilla, Lord Finesse, and MF DOOM. He introduces his ambitions to "go global" over the calm, nimble bassline and swift, shuffling drums of "Waves," and his rhyme schemes seem to subtly grow more complex with each passing verse, yet he remains level-headed and focused. "FromdaTomb$" has a swinging beat, "Go Brooklyn" vocal chants, and Statik Selektahs DJ Premier-like scratching, which seem time-warped straight from 1993, but Bada$$ and guest rapper/producer Chuck Strangers effortlessly nail the sound, and it feels contemporary instead of retro. Taking a swipe at eccentric rapper and social media personality Lil B, the late Capital STEEZ (who was a fellow member of Bada$$s Pro Era crew) remarks "Tell the Based God dont quit his day job" on the more aggressive, militant "Survival Tactics." "Hardknock" features introspective lyrics about desiring a better life, set to slapping snares and eerie synths lifted from a 1998 track by Brit-rap pioneer Lewis Parker. The choppy DOOM beats of the playful "World Domination" and more introverted "Pennyroyal" are hard to resist, and of course the Dilla and Finesse tracks are supremely relaxing and sound timeless. The tape ends with "Third Eye Shit," a 12-minute posse cut showcasing the entire Pro Era lineup at the time. 1999 rightfully remains one of the most praised rap mixtapes of the 2010s. [1999 was released on vinyl and streaming services for the first time in 2018, with the instrumental for the song "Funky Ho$" altered due to sample clearance issues.] ~ Paul Simpson