Philaflava.com ::

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 1:30 pm**

25 years old today. Straight classic!

I go back and forth on which is my favorite Gang Starr album, but here today I am going to make my personal claim that this is my favorite.

I used to listen to this tape over and over. The production was so vast and compelling, albeit it minimal in most cases. The samples were just so ill.

Guru was never a top tier MC, but he was always one of my favorites. RIP

If aliens came to earth and asked me what Hip Hop sounded like, this is def an album I would use to show them.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 1:48 pm**

pradadon wrote: Guru was never a top tier MC, but he was always one of my favorites. RIP

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 2:10 pm**

This was Guru at his best , imo.
"No shame in my game" in particular has always been my favorite rhymes he ever kicked.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 2:26 pm**

The Illest Brother is the best Gangstarr song IMO

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 2:31 pm**

Blockhead wrote:This was Guru at his best , imo.
"No shame in my game" in particular has always been my favorite rhymes he ever kicked.

"no shame in my game" is absolutely incredible. Simply put, it's just the epitome of a perfect song.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 2:37 pm**

Probably my least favourite Gang Starr album but I put that down to hearing it after I bought Hard To Earn, and also getting it on single vinyl and it sounding like shit.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 3:07 pm**

I love the memories I have from that album, my 2nd fav Gangstarr album. I remember seeing advertisements on the corner of 125th and Broadway when Take It Personal was circulating as a single, then the summer vibe when DWYCK had the streets of NYC on smash blasting out of cars plus the heavy video show rotation it got. Its's crazy to think how mysterious Primo seemed back then as a talented DJ who mostly played the background as compared to now when he's so talkative in interviews and renowned.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 3:12 pm**

step one wrote:Probably my least favourite Gang Starr album but I put that down to hearing it after I bought Hard To Earn, and also getting it on single vinyl and it sounding like shit.

I do agree that Hard To Earn is better than Daily Operation.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 4:10 pm**

fatboybrandon wrote:Its's crazy to think how mysterious Primo seemed back then as a talented DJ who mostly played the background as compared to now when he's so talkative in interviews and renowned.

It was after this that he started working with other artists a lot more, partly because Guru went and did Jazzmatazz but also because I imagine more people wanted his beats after Daily Operation (I appreciate why people like it, it's just a bit to sparse and lo-fi for me)

In 93-94 Premier did joints for KRS, Biggie, Big Daddy Kane, Mobb Deep, Shyheim, Fat Joe, Das EFX, Nas, Jeru, MOP, Group Home and probably a few more. That's a fucking insane run before you even consider how many are legit classics.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 4:31 pm**

I love Hard To Earn of course but I prefer Daily Operation. Like Brandon said the vibe in NY in the summer of 92 was so ill. So maybe it is more memories to me than anything. The samples used on this album are just so buttery and Guru just had the ill style. Daily just stood out so much to me and didn't sound like anything at the time.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 4:45 pm**

IMO Hard To Earn was the only Gangstarr album to come out while Primo was in his absolute prime

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 4:55 pm**

Well his prime was 94-96, so yeah. But the production on Moment and even most of The Ownerz was real nice.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 5:09 pm**

pradadon wrote:I love Hard To Earn of course but I prefer Daily Operation. Like Brandon said the vibe in NY in the summer of 92 was so ill. So maybe it is more memories to me than anything. The samples used on this album are just so buttery and Guru just had the ill style. Daily just stood out so much to me and didn't sound like anything at the time.

Context and timing is everything. Like I said, I heard it well after it was released so it didn't make as much sense to me. It's the same reason people who heard Illmatic after IWW prefer IWW I think. I know people who prefer Forever to 36 Chambers for the same reason. Have to draw the line at the one youtube comment I saw ages ago where some dude was saying Lethal Injection was Cube's best album

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 6:08 pm**

GUCCI CONDOMS wrote:
step one wrote:Probably my least favourite Gang Starr album but I put that down to hearing it after I bought Hard To Earn, and also getting it on single vinyl and it sounding like shit.
I do agree that Hard To Earn is better than Daily Operation.

agree

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2017 9:56 pm**

step into the arena is so far and away their best record its not even funny but daily operation would be a strong second if not for the utter embarrassment of its recording level which makes it borderline unlistenable

Posted: **Sat May 06, 2017 1:02 am**

The beats on hard to earn are amazing but I felt Guru took a step back, rapping wise on that one AKA "The jazzmatazz effect".

Posted: **Sat May 06, 2017 1:34 am**

Yeh only the beats were elevated. Guru forgot to update his formulas.

Posted: **Sat May 06, 2017 10:17 am**

clark bent wrote:step into the arena is so far and away their best record its not even funny but daily operation would be a strong second if not for the utter embarrassment of its recording level which makes it borderline unlistenable

For me it's always been between Step and Daily. And on any given day I may have easily said Step is my favorite. I never had an issue with the recording level of Daily. I am not much of an audiophile. Especially when it comes to 90's East Coast Hip Hop.

Hard to Earn lacks a certain feeling of cohesion that the first two albums had. In my opinion, anyway. DWYCK and Now You're Mine have no business being on that record and although I like the song, Suckas Need Bodyguards seems off a bit as well. Maybe because Guru produced it, or maybe that's just in my head.

Hard to Earn also just has a bitterness about it that Guru and Preem admitted over the years. There is an underlying frustration that comes through that sometimes makes it that much better, and sometimes drags it down.

Posted: **Sat May 06, 2017 10:49 am**

Hard To Earn is where Preem went from jazzy samples to becoming a super producer and entering everyone's top 5 at the time, now probably top 1 or 2 for most. It was the start of the prime years and as much as there is great production on previous albums, Mass Appeal and Codes of The Street just pushed him to another level.

Posted: **Sat May 06, 2017 12:05 pm**

pradadon wrote:
clark bent wrote:step into the arena is so far and away their best record its not even funny but daily operation would be a strong second if not for the utter embarrassment of its recording level which makes it borderline unlistenable
For me it's always been between Step and Daily. And on any given day I may have easily said Step is my favorite. I never had an issue with the recording level of Daily. I am not much of an audiophile. Especially when it comes to 90's East Coast Hip Hop.

Hard to Earn lacks a certain feeling of cohesion that the first two albums had. In my opinion, anyway. DWYCK and Now You're Mine have no business being on that record and although I like the song, Suckas Need Bodyguards seems off a bit as well. Maybe because Guru produced it, or maybe that's just in my head.

Hard to Earn also just has a bitterness about it that Guru and Preem admitted over the years. There is an underlying frustration that comes through that sometimes makes it that much better, and sometimes drags it down.

hard to earn lacks that dusty feel that arena and daily op possessed...the production (not the beats) is a little too clean...not as drastic but its similar to the way 36 chambers and wu tang forever sound so different

of course this is all some major league nit picking going on...all three albums are certified classics and i while i far prefer step into the arena (its a top 5 all time album for me) i wouldnt argue against any of them being someones favorite

Posted: **Sat May 06, 2017 2:29 pm**

clark bent wrote:step into the arena is so far and away their best record its not even funny but daily operation would be a strong second if not for the utter embarrassment of its recording level which makes it borderline unlistenable

I remember feeling like Step In The Arena was mastered low in comparison to other albums I had in rotation at the time as well. Both remain my top 2 Gangstarr albums regardless though. I feel as Premier's sound evolved it called for the extra attention to levels and punch that followed in later albums.

Posted: **Sat May 06, 2017 7:27 pm**

Hard To Earn starts to feel like a Guru album that Premier produced if that makes any sense. Not that it wasn't still a Gang Starr album but you know.. I guess it is because he was (as stated above) starting out that real prime of his as producer for many artists. Come Clean was already out. KRS stuff, Das EFX remix etc.. Now all the sudden a Gang Starr album after a 2 year hiatus sounds different than the first two. That's where the lack of cohesion comes in. Again, if that makes any sense. Blunted thoughts..

Posted: **Sat May 20, 2017 8:06 pm**

I like skee lo

Posted: **Thu May 25, 2017 5:45 pm**

Having not grown up with either Daily Operation or Hard to Earn and listening to them both in their entirety for probably the first time that I can remember last week (inspired by the podcast), I enjoyed Daily Operation more as it seemed more cohesive to me on first listen. Obviously, the greatness of Mass Appeal and other standouts from Hard to Earn can't be denied though.

Full disclosure - I bought Moment of Truth, the Full Clip greatest hits comp and The Ownerz on CD when they came out and enjoyed all of those releases, just never went back to listen to their earlier albums in full.

Posted: **Wed Sep 18, 2019 1:56 pm**

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