# 2,757
Buckwild Diggin’ In The Crates (Rare Studio Masters 1993-1997) European gold double vinyl (2007, 2017)
To most hip-hop heads, 1993-1997 would be considered the best era for rap. You can say your era is great because you lived through it. We understand. We’re guilty of the same sentiment. Any era has its’ good and bad apples. It’s the law of averages. But compare what we had in the Nineties to what we have now. Mumble rappers? Spitters with limited vocabulary? Now we have talentless bags of Skittles with criminal records building their hype instead of their records? You, as a hip-hop fan, are older and wiser. Your favorite artists, who when played on the radio, had more substance, conciousness, and reputation. They took a backseat to undeserved hype for undeserving artists who made a quick dollar and a quicker fall-off. Or, are we focusing on the wrong things? All questions and answers have value because to each his or her own, but one producer-artist you can’t get wrong is Buckwild.
Look at who he worked with during the span this release gave you. Nas, Artifacts, Funkdoobiest, Guru, Kool Keith, Brand Nubian, Alkoholiks, Rakim, and his fellow D.I.T.C. members Lord Finesse, Showbiz, A.G., and Big L. Definitely more. Chances are you had rhymesayers who had that verbal talent, the skills, personality, and reputation as hip-hop loyalists. These aritsts wanted their page in the history books and to do that they brought the best to the table and elevated quality rap in the process. Buckwild had an eye and ear for all of it and you see why he chose to work with the greats because he wanted to be and do the same. How? His production skills was without gimmicks or games. He oftentimes mixed sharp boom-bap rhythms and paired it with sentimental soul samples that fit in relation with the artists. All during a time when creative freedom and real ruggedness was the true focus and not riches, drug-selling, and endless online reporting; Those things his clients didn’t give a shit about selling. Now you know why we put the golden-era artists over the ones you have now?
Ten years after the double-disc release, the Smoke On label properly re-issued Diggin’ In The Crates on double gold vinyl. They couldn’t find a better color to evaluate his resume or talent. Who cares if it’s now selling for double the price? It’s worth every penny.
