08/19/08
Text: Nik Mercer
Stones Throw Records has long been the rap label that refuses to go completely hip-hop. Peanut Butter Wolf and company continually push the envelope and devise new and creative ways to bring more and more styles, genres, and sonic varieties into the mix (Wolf's 666, 777, and 888 mini-tours, anyone?)
The company just teamed up with N.W.A. founding member Arabian Prince for an anthology collection of the "supersonic" producer's early electro-rap works entitled Innovative Life. For those of us who are less informed of the man's importance and genius, this compilation—which features cuts spanning from 1984 through 1989—speaks it all. Arabian Prince practically birthed the East Coast vs. West Coast dynamic that has been both the plague and lifeblood of hip-hop since the 1980s. If you're looking for a valuable and somewhat educational look into the history of rap, then this Stones Throw release is completely worth your while.
