You know how they say that the Golden Age of Hip-Hop was the years (approx) 1988 - 1993? Well the Golden Era of Yay Area (da Bay mayn) hip-hop would have been a lil later, namely 1991-1997 a time when major labels and big indies (when they still had money and duplicated CDRs were not even an option) were signing Bay Area artists left, right, and center. It was when  the Luniz (signed to Noo Trybe/Virgin) released their classic "I Got 5 On It" and the even sicker remix featuring Shock G, Richie Rich, and E40 etc. Check the remix video here and if you like these videos, this is just part one of a new series showcasing classic Yay Area Rap videos. Add comments, complaints, feedback below. And be warned that some contain explicit language or images!


And let's not forget the (explicit) Dru Down song "Pimp of the Year" from his first major album -  the one that introduced a young unknown duo called The Luniz (originally Luni Tunz). This is the nasty album version video of "Pimp of the Year" not be confused with the cleaned up and remade for radio "Mack of the Year" - Hence explicit warning!!!!!!!!!!

 
Up next is a video that my boy Chris made for my man Khayree back in the day for the late great Andre Hicks (aka Mac Dre) for his superdope track "California Livin" - one of those classic Yay Area joints that never ages or that I get tired of hearing. Like most West Coast rap videos shot at the time the luxory home scenes were not shot at Mac Dre's crib (he lived in da Crestside of the V-town) which was some rich guy's backyard out in Dublin or somewhere borrowed for the afternoon.. Note this AMOEBLOGGER  appears in this video - dancing by the pool scene. Hint: I'm the white guy :)


Another early classic Yay Area era ol skool track and video is the timeless dank anthem RBL Posse's "Dont Gimme No Bammer" a great video that got hardly any airplay outside of the show that I did on Soulbeat back in the day. Note that at the time - back in the early nineties Bay Area radio gave no love to Bay Area rap. I worked on WILD 107 at the time on the hip-hop show and I remember that the only way to get RBL on commercial radio back then was via the radio commercial produced by In-A-Minute Records for the album "A Lesson To Be Learned" and track/.single "Dont Gimme No Bammer" - Consequently fans hungry to hear RBL would jam the phone lines requesting the 60 second commercial. This video clip of "Bammer" is the street version with curses. So explicit warning!!!!!!



And finally video #5 in the VIDEOS FROM DA YAY AREA'S GOLDEN ERA PART ONE is from the Filmoe's Rappin 4-Tay and the his first huge hit single "Playaz Club" - which like Dru Down's "Pimp of the year" was such a runaway underground indie label Bay hit that it got snapped up soonfter by a major label. In the case of Dru Down it was Relativity. In Rappin 4-Tay's case it was Chrysalis/EMI who - via Tay's manager Frankie J, signed the Frisco artist.