Zack: Ah, the Golden Age of hip-hop. Truly a great time for rap music. It’s too bad that the list overlooks some of the greatest of that era (no Rakim or Big Daddy Kane or KRS-One? Seriously!?), but at least they got this one right. Afrika Bambaataa is so crucial to hip-hop culture alone that he merits a place on the list. And then you consider his impact on music and you realize that he probably should have his face immortalized on a hip-hop Mt. Rushmore or something. Of course, Mr. Bambaataa is primarily a DJ, so he had to assemble a team of rappers worthy of the opportunity to rhyme over his funky, electro beats. Enter the Soulsonic Force, a group of emcees so talented that they’ve been called the Power Rangers of rap. Well, I made that last sentence up, but still. Planet Rock is a legendary album by a legendary artist whose impact on the game has been massive, but still underappreciated.
Favorite Tracks: Who You Funkin’ With; Planet Rock; Renegades of Funk
Emily: As our loyal readers know, I’m pretty fond of the funk. Those same readers would know that I am ever-so-slowly being converted to hip-hop fandom. Those two interests collided upon listening to Afrika Bambaataa’s Planet Rock. This was my first foray into old-school hip-hop, and I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting into. What I found was another transitional album (two in a row! Whoaaaa!) that incorporates elements of the past with a futuristic look forward. Bambaataa fuses African rhythms with funky beats, and then layers his hip-hop stylings on top. Add in a few badass guitars and shout-outs to the Zulu Nation, and you end up with something great. Afrika Bambaataa may not be as well known as the Sugar Hill Gang or Run-DMC, but he’s clearly influential in his own right.
Favorite Tracks: Looking for the Perfect Beat; Planet Rock; Frantic Situation
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