only
Ice Cube’s “AmeriKKKa’s Most..”
Brand Nubian’s “One For All”
LL’s “Mama Said..”
and BDP’s “Edutainment”

had albums in the same class that year (90).

“Dwick,” “Take It Personal,” and “I’m The Man,” notwithstanding,
DAILY OPERATION, albeit a damn good album, had too much gun play for my taste.
Guru sort of dumbed down to his audience.

Mtume, nitpicking aside, we knew what sampling was during the 20 century’s last
decade. Once Marley Marl "really" imposed his will on hip hop from 87 on, we were
clear.

In fact, the following year Biz Markie got sued out the wazoo by some old white dude
for “sampling” his tunes without authorization. The public and purists would forever
be educated.

     Mtume says:       

Nadir, slow down, man. Let me try to take this in order. First, if you’re making a ‘Great Rap Albums of 1990′ list, it has to be longer than that. 1990 was a banner year for the music. I can’t knock any of your selections, but what about PE’s Fear Of A Black Planet and ATCQ’s People’s Instinctive Travels? And what about the Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique? Still one of my favorite hip-hop LPs ever and certainly the best ever dropped by any of our melanin-challenged brethren.

Second, you’re going to boil down the Daily Operation album to three tracks? Some of Gang Starr’s best-ever material is on there: "Ex Girl To The Next Girl," "Soliloquy Of Chaos," "2 Deep," "No Shame In My Game," "Conspiracy." Damn, I could just put the whole track listing on here. There’s not a bad track on the LP. Not to mention that "Dwyck" isn’t on the Daily Operation album anyway. It was a b-side (don’t remember to which single) and later they added it to Hard To Earn as a bonus for people who didn’t buy 12"s. So essentially, you’re telling us that Daily Operation had two good songs on it? That’s silly. And, you’re talking about too much gunplay? "Soliloquy Of Chaos" is telling cats to chill with the gunplay so the hip-hop show can go on. "Conspiracy" is in a similar vein, lyrically. You need to pull out Daily Operation and listen again.

And last, I didn’t say we didn’t know what sampling was back then. (I can see how you thought that’s what I meant though. I could’ve phrased it better.) What I actually said was: "Back in the early Nineties though, the average fan had no idea what was a sample and what wasn’t." Meaning, you couldn’t tell when a DJ was looping something and when he wasn’t. We knew what loops were, we just couldn’t I.D. them all that easily. Nowadays, when I hear a sample, I just click over to one of the sample I.D. sites and, bam, there it is. Back then, I always had to wonder.
 

For the other driving Dark Lady sample, check out the lead track on Floria Purim’s ‘Open Your Eyes You Can Fly’.

The first 12" off the new LP [meaning, Daily Operation] literally blew fans away. "Take It Personal" was a much darker track than most were used to but it featured some ill ass lyrics from Mr. Guru. But in all honesty, it was "DWYCK" that was blowing this 12" up all over the country. Featuring a rediculous head-knoddin bounce track and a great cameo from Nice & Smooth, this was to be a much sought after 12" after those idiots at Chrysalis left "DWYCK" off the album…

BTW, I always assumed D.W.Y.C.K. was an acroynm for something. Anybody know for what?

Had a brain fart on Tribes first album,
a classic indeed.

As for your Daily Operation argument, I can’t hate on your reasoning.
I still prefer “Step” though.

Sorry about the “Dwick” reference, should’ve looked at the collection before I spoke.
“Paul’s Boutique” came out in 89, so I guess we’re even with the oops.

The Beastie’s classic second album single handedly changed the way producers used samples.

I pump that shit like deflated tires.

      Mtume says:       
Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique. Original release date: July 31, 1989.  

I don’t think “DWYCK” stood for anything, but I don’t remember what it’s supposed to mean (if anything).