WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.019 The Deep Dive. Unpacking 1997 hip -hop with Lost 00:00:04.019 --> 00:00:07.139 Boys' love, peace, and nappiness. Join us for 00:00:07.139 --> 00:00:10.220 a comprehensive deep dive into the 1997 hip -hop 00:00:10.220 --> 00:00:13.039 classic Love, Peace, and Nappiness by the Lost 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:15.240 Boys. Drawing directly from historical sources, 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:17.719 we analyze the album's unique production, its 00:00:17.719 --> 00:00:20.160 impressive chart -topping success, and the critically 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:22.620 acclaimed formula that blended live instrumentation 00:00:22.620 --> 00:00:25.420 with radio -friendly choruses. Discover how Universal 00:00:25.420 --> 00:00:28.359 Records, Mr. Cheeks, and Freaky Ta crafted a 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:30.859 gold -certified hit that defined the 90s rap 00:00:30.859 --> 00:00:33.869 era. Lost Boys, Love, Peace, and Nappiness, 1997 00:00:33.869 --> 00:00:37.049 Hip Hop, Mr. Cheeks, Freaky Ta, Rap Albums, Universal 00:00:37.049 --> 00:00:39.469 Records, 90s Hip Hop Music, East Coast Hip Hop. 00:00:39.570 --> 00:00:42.450 So think back to the summer of 1997. Oh yeah, 00:00:42.549 --> 00:00:44.789 a massive year. The music industry is going through 00:00:44.789 --> 00:00:48.909 this huge evolution. East Coast Hip Hop is transitioning 00:00:48.909 --> 00:00:51.170 from those gritty underground basement tapes 00:00:51.170 --> 00:00:54.530 into this highly polished global commercial force. 00:00:54.710 --> 00:00:56.670 It really was. You can see this incredible shift 00:00:56.670 --> 00:00:58.509 happening in real time if you look at the rap 00:00:58.509 --> 00:01:02.240 albums from that era. Exactly. And today, we're 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:04.420 taking a close look at what I think is a perfect 00:01:04.420 --> 00:01:07.299 time capsule of that exact moment. We're diving 00:01:07.299 --> 00:01:11.579 into the 1997 hip -hop classic Love, Peace, and 00:01:11.579 --> 00:01:13.900 Nappiness by the Lost Boys. Such a phenomenal 00:01:13.900 --> 00:01:16.840 year for 90s hip -hop music, you know. The industry 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:19.439 was actively rewriting the rules for what a hit 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:21.500 record sounded like. Yeah, they were. And the 00:01:21.500 --> 00:01:24.719 Lost Boys, specifically the core duo of Mr. Cheeks 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:26.980 and Freaky Ta, were at the absolute forefront 00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:29.500 of figuring out how to balance street credibility 00:01:29.500 --> 00:01:33.900 with undeniable, massive radio appeal. And to 00:01:33.900 --> 00:01:36.069 give you... the listener, the lay of the land 00:01:36.069 --> 00:01:39.069 for our exploration today. Every single fact, 00:01:39.170 --> 00:01:41.230 date, and detail we are pulling for you comes 00:01:41.230 --> 00:01:43.170 straight from the album's comprehensive Wikipedia 00:01:43.170 --> 00:01:45.189 page. Right. We took that source material and 00:01:45.189 --> 00:01:47.290 just extracted the essential takeaways. No filler. 00:01:47.409 --> 00:01:49.709 Just the fascinating mechanics of how Universal 00:01:49.709 --> 00:01:52.510 Records and this group crafted a gold -certified 00:01:52.510 --> 00:01:55.069 hit. Our mission today is to essentially reverse 00:01:55.069 --> 00:01:57.430 engineer that success. I love that. We're going 00:01:57.430 --> 00:01:59.750 to look closely at the album's massive collaborative 00:01:59.750 --> 00:02:02.349 network, their highly specific production choices, 00:02:02.650 --> 00:02:05.629 like their heavy reliance on live instrumentation, 00:02:05.650 --> 00:02:08.270 and how all of those elements translated into 00:02:08.270 --> 00:02:11.530 serious chart -topping power. We really want 00:02:11.530 --> 00:02:13.909 to understand the actual blueprint they used. 00:02:14.250 --> 00:02:15.889 Okay, let's unpack this. Let's start with the 00:02:15.889 --> 00:02:18.370 timeline. Because the speed at which this album 00:02:18.370 --> 00:02:21.289 came together is, frankly, pretty staggering. 00:02:21.509 --> 00:02:25.069 It really is. Love, Peace and Nappiness hit the 00:02:25.069 --> 00:02:29.310 shelves on June 17, 1997. Yeah. And to put that 00:02:29.310 --> 00:02:31.789 into proper context, this is the group's second 00:02:31.789 --> 00:02:34.330 studio album. Right, coming off a huge debut. 00:02:34.610 --> 00:02:37.810 Exactly. Their debut, Legal Drug Money, came 00:02:37.810 --> 00:02:41.069 out just the year prior in 1996. And their third 00:02:41.069 --> 00:02:45.330 album, LBIV Life, would drop in 1999. So this 00:02:45.330 --> 00:02:47.689 1997 release sits right in the middle, but it 00:02:47.689 --> 00:02:49.770 is coming incredibly hot on the heels of their 00:02:49.770 --> 00:02:52.409 debut. Yeah, that one year turnaround is a crucial 00:02:52.409 --> 00:02:54.889 piece of the puzzle, isn't it? Absolutely. A 00:02:54.889 --> 00:02:56.990 12 month gap between a debut and a sophomore 00:02:56.990 --> 00:02:59.270 album is a remarkably tight window, especially 00:02:59.270 --> 00:03:01.069 when you consider that they were likely touring, 00:03:01.129 --> 00:03:03.610 doing press and heavily promoting that first 00:03:03.610 --> 00:03:06.289 record at the exact same time. I can't even imagine 00:03:06.289 --> 00:03:08.289 this schedule. In the music industry during the 00:03:08.289 --> 00:03:11.969 late 90s, momentum dictated everything. You rarely 00:03:11.969 --> 00:03:14.289 had the luxury of disappearing for three years 00:03:14.289 --> 00:03:16.949 to isolate yourself and find a new sound. Out 00:03:16.949 --> 00:03:19.250 of sight, out of mind. Exactly. If you had the 00:03:19.250 --> 00:03:21.509 public's attention, you had an obligation to 00:03:21.509 --> 00:03:24.789 keep feeding them. So how does a group actually 00:03:24.789 --> 00:03:27.979 pull that off physically? The source notes that 00:03:27.979 --> 00:03:31.479 the recording sessions spanned across 1996 and 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:34.460 1997. Meaning they were practically back in the 00:03:34.460 --> 00:03:36.659 booth the minute their first album wrapped. Right. 00:03:36.759 --> 00:03:39.199 And the locations where they recorded are fascinating, 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:42.719 too. They split their time between Unique Recording 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:46.039 in New York, NY, and a place called the Honeycomb 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:48.840 Hideout in Brooklyn, NY. Such a great contrast 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:51.379 there. Just the names alone paint a vivid picture. 00:03:51.819 --> 00:03:54.120 Unique recording sounds very standard, high -end, 00:03:54.139 --> 00:03:58.020 industry tier. But Honeycomb Hideout? That sounds 00:03:58.020 --> 00:04:00.379 like a deeply personal, tucked -away creative 00:04:00.379 --> 00:04:03.580 sanctuary. What's fascinating here is how utilizing 00:04:03.580 --> 00:04:06.379 multiple studios with drastically different vibes 00:04:06.379 --> 00:04:09.060 reflects that relentless grind. Yeah, totally. 00:04:09.219 --> 00:04:11.800 Bouncing between a polished Manhattan facility 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:15.319 and a more secluded Brooklyn spot suggests they 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:17.879 were fitting recording sessions in wherever and 00:04:17.879 --> 00:04:20.740 whenever they possibly could. It's a real testament 00:04:20.740 --> 00:04:24.500 to the intense work ethic required to stay relevant 00:04:24.500 --> 00:04:27.040 in East Coast hip hop at that specific time. 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:29.620 The cultural iron was hot and they were striking 00:04:29.620 --> 00:04:31.980 it continuously from multiple boroughs. That 00:04:31.980 --> 00:04:34.420 makes me wonder about the creative process under 00:04:34.420 --> 00:04:36.959 that kind of pressure. You would think a rushed 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:39.480 schedule might lead to just a carbon copy of 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:41.800 their first album to make a quick buck. You'd 00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:43.639 think so, but it seems like they were actually 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:46.079 taking the time to refine what made them successful 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:48.360 in the first place. They absolutely were. They 00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:50.819 were dialing in their specific sound rather than 00:04:50.819 --> 00:04:53.199 just repeating it. There is a highly insightful 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:55.220 quote from a review published in the Washington 00:04:55.220 --> 00:04:57.180 Post around the time of the album's release. 00:04:57.459 --> 00:04:59.600 Oh, right. The review about their chief rappers. 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:02.740 The reviewer highlighted Mr. Cheeks, whose real 00:05:02.740 --> 00:05:05.420 name is Terrence Kelly and Freaky Tom. Raymond 00:05:05.420 --> 00:05:08.180 Rodgers. The review specifically noted that on 00:05:08.180 --> 00:05:10.959 the second album the duo had their formula down 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:14.899 pat. Having a formula down pat is a pretty bold 00:05:14.899 --> 00:05:18.379 claim for a sophomore album. What exactly was 00:05:18.379 --> 00:05:21.139 this winning formula that the review was praising? 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:24.240 According to the piece it came down to two primary 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:27.379 interacting elements. First they were combining 00:05:27.379 --> 00:05:30.420 live instrumentation to create warmer grooves. 00:05:30.740 --> 00:05:32.879 Okay, warmer grooves. And second, they were pairing 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:36.079 those grooves with smoothly sung choruses to 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:39.240 deliver a more radio -friendly vibe. Let's break 00:05:39.240 --> 00:05:41.000 that down a bit for you listening, because bringing 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:43.199 live instrumentation into hip -hop during this 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:46.339 era was a very deliberate choice. It wasn't the 00:05:46.339 --> 00:05:48.699 standard at all. Right. Instead of thinking of 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:51.120 it like a simple recipe, consider it more like 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:53.459 the structure of a jazz band supporting a lead 00:05:53.459 --> 00:05:56.160 soloist, mixed with modern pop sensibilities. 00:05:56.379 --> 00:05:58.199 That's a great way to put it. In a lot of early 00:05:58.199 --> 00:06:01.430 90s rap, The standard practice was a DJ looping 00:06:01.430 --> 00:06:03.850 a digital sample and the MC rapping straight 00:06:03.850 --> 00:06:07.250 over that repetitive beat. It was raw and perfect 00:06:07.250 --> 00:06:09.470 for the underground. But here they are actively 00:06:09.470 --> 00:06:11.870 bringing live musicians into the studio space. 00:06:12.329 --> 00:06:15.310 Precisely. The album credits highlight specific 00:06:15.310 --> 00:06:18.209 musicians handling these duties. You have Avon 00:06:18.209 --> 00:06:20.490 Marshall and Stanley Brown playing keyboards 00:06:20.490 --> 00:06:23.470 alongside Alex Andino Jr. on guitar and bass. 00:06:23.899 --> 00:06:26.579 By bringing these live human elements into the 00:06:26.579 --> 00:06:28.879 mix, the music inherently breathes differently. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:32.560 It feels different. A live bass line has a distinct 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:35.959 swing, a different kind of warmth and imperfection 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:40.180 compared to a quantized, programmed synthesizer. 00:06:40.420 --> 00:06:44.120 It rounds out the sharp, abrasive edges of traditional 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:46.699 boom bap hip hop. And then you take those smoothly 00:06:46.699 --> 00:06:48.899 sung choruses and layer them right on top of 00:06:48.899 --> 00:06:51.860 those warm, live grooves. It is essentially borrowing 00:06:51.860 --> 00:06:54.980 the classic verse chorus verse structure of pop 00:06:54.980 --> 00:06:57.319 and R &B and injecting it straight into a rap 00:06:57.319 --> 00:07:00.220 album. You get the authentic street level lyricism 00:07:00.220 --> 00:07:02.939 from Mr. Cheeks and Freaky Todd during the verses, 00:07:03.100 --> 00:07:05.259 which ensures you don't alienate your core hip 00:07:05.259 --> 00:07:07.399 hop audience. But when the hook comes in, it's 00:07:07.399 --> 00:07:09.939 melodic, it's catchy. Suddenly the track is accessible 00:07:09.939 --> 00:07:11.740 to someone who might only listen to mainstream 00:07:11.740 --> 00:07:14.439 daytime radio. That calculated bridging of the 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:16.939 gap is exactly why the Washington Post characterized 00:07:16.939 --> 00:07:20.459 it as a radio -friendly vibe. It is a brilliant, 00:07:20.579 --> 00:07:23.939 delicate balancing act. They maintain their East 00:07:23.939 --> 00:07:27.079 Coast hip -hop credibility while making the sonic 00:07:27.079 --> 00:07:30.180 landscape lush and inviting enough to capture 00:07:30.180 --> 00:07:32.800 a massive crossover audience. It really was a 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:35.160 genius move. I want to pivot to the sheer scale 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:38.129 of the project. Because maintaining that delicate 00:07:38.129 --> 00:07:40.250 balance over the course of this particular album 00:07:40.250 --> 00:07:43.209 is a massive undertaking. Oh, absolutely. Love, 00:07:43.290 --> 00:07:45.810 peace, and nappiness is not a quick, breezy listen. 00:07:45.970 --> 00:07:48.550 We're talking about 16 tracks. That's a lot of 00:07:48.550 --> 00:07:50.889 material. From the opening intro all the way 00:07:50.889 --> 00:07:53.129 to the closing track, from my family to yours, 00:07:53.310 --> 00:07:56.370 dedication, the album clocks in at 68 minutes 00:07:56.370 --> 00:07:59.089 and 45 seconds. Over an hour of continuous music. 00:07:59.350 --> 00:08:01.670 In today's landscape of 25 -minute streaming 00:08:01.670 --> 00:08:04.709 records, an almost 70 -minute album feels like 00:08:04.709 --> 00:08:07.259 a towering epic. It requires an incredible amount 00:08:07.259 --> 00:08:10.240 of logistical and creative orchestration to sustain 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:13.060 that level of quality over an hour -plus runtime. 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:16.180 Especially on that tight schedule. Exactly. To 00:08:16.180 --> 00:08:18.639 execute that on the incredibly tight one -year 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:21.180 schedule we discussed earlier, you cannot rely 00:08:21.180 --> 00:08:23.339 on just one person making beats in a basement. 00:08:23.560 --> 00:08:26.060 You need an entire infrastructure supporting 00:08:26.060 --> 00:08:29.310 the artists. which completely explains the army 00:08:29.310 --> 00:08:31.810 of producers listed in the album's credits. It 00:08:31.810 --> 00:08:34.450 really does. This is not a situation where a 00:08:34.450 --> 00:08:37.129 single legendary producer is handling the entire 00:08:37.129 --> 00:08:40.070 sonic landscape. You have Charles Suit acting 00:08:40.070 --> 00:08:42.230 as both a producer and the executive producer 00:08:42.230 --> 00:08:45.509 for the project. And Bink. Right, Bink, who produced 00:08:45.509 --> 00:08:47.710 multiple tracks, including the crucial bookends 00:08:47.710 --> 00:08:50.490 of the album. Beyond them, you've got Butt -Maked, 00:08:50.690 --> 00:08:54.820 Tim Dogg, Easy Mo B, Ron Gee, Mr. Sex, Terrence 00:08:54.820 --> 00:08:58.200 Dudley, Glenn S .O .N. Fade, DJ Rob, Ike Lee 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:01.240 III, and Peto Jones. That is a massive committee 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:03.639 of sound architects working on one album. If 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:06.000 we connect this to the bigger picture, this extensive 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:09.080 list of producers signifies a major shift in 00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:10.980 how hip -hop albums were being constructed as 00:09:10.980 --> 00:09:13.480 the decade progressed. Earlier in the 90s, you 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:15.620 might have had a single visionary producer crafting 00:09:15.620 --> 00:09:18.220 the entire cohesive sound of an album from front 00:09:18.220 --> 00:09:20.600 to back. But things were changing. Big time. 00:09:21.220 --> 00:09:24.720 As hip -hop evolved into a dominant, highly lucrative 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:27.679 commercial force, major labels like Universal 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:30.620 Records began adopting a more factory -style, 00:09:30.759 --> 00:09:34.139 A &R -driven approach to guarantee hits. Let's 00:09:34.139 --> 00:09:35.960 pause on that term A &R for a second just to 00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:37.500 make sure you, the listener, are on the same 00:09:37.500 --> 00:09:40.740 page. What does A &R actually mean in the context 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:42.779 of putting an album like this together? Sure. 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:46.090 A &R stands for Artists and Repertoire. You can 00:09:46.090 --> 00:09:48.450 think of them as the talent scouts, but also 00:09:48.450 --> 00:09:51.610 the high level project managers of a record label. 00:09:51.750 --> 00:09:53.809 The people pulling the strings? Yeah. Their primary 00:09:53.809 --> 00:09:56.230 job is to oversee the artistic and commercial 00:09:56.230 --> 00:09:58.990 development of the recording artists. In the 00:09:58.990 --> 00:10:02.429 context of a sprawling 16 track album, the A 00:10:02.429 --> 00:10:04.789 &R team serves as the connective tissue. They 00:10:04.789 --> 00:10:06.529 are the ones linking the Lost Boys with this 00:10:06.529 --> 00:10:09.450 massive roster of 10 different producers. Figuring 00:10:09.450 --> 00:10:11.690 out which beat works best for which specific 00:10:11.690 --> 00:10:14.669 song and ensuring that the final 68 minute product 00:10:14.669 --> 00:10:17.309 sounds like one cohesive statement rather than 00:10:17.309 --> 00:10:19.289 a disjointed mixtape. That makes total sense. 00:10:19.389 --> 00:10:21.110 They're essentially casting the album behind 00:10:21.110 --> 00:10:23.230 the scenes, making sure all the pieces fit the 00:10:23.230 --> 00:10:25.429 overarching vision. And speaking of casting, 00:10:25.629 --> 00:10:27.970 the guest features on this album are just as 00:10:27.970 --> 00:10:30.590 expansive and strategic as the producer list. 00:10:30.870 --> 00:10:33.809 Track number four, Beasts from the East, is a 00:10:33.809 --> 00:10:36.009 perfect example of this. Such a classic track. 00:10:36.309 --> 00:10:39.049 They managed to get Redmond, Cannabis, and A+. 00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:42.340 all on one single track for anyone following 00:10:42.340 --> 00:10:44.899 the genre at that time putting those three alongside 00:10:44.899 --> 00:10:49.000 the lost boys is a heavyweight lyrical sparring 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:51.360 match it is a tremendous lineup that serves a 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:53.700 very specific purpose while they were leaning 00:10:53.700 --> 00:10:56.500 heavily into smoothly sung choruses for radio 00:10:56.500 --> 00:10:59.870 play a track like Beasts from the East proves 00:10:59.870 --> 00:11:02.009 to the purists that they can still go bar for 00:11:02.009 --> 00:11:04.269 bar with some of the most respected lyricists 00:11:04.269 --> 00:11:06.250 in the game. And that spirit of collaboration 00:11:06.250 --> 00:11:08.769 extends throughout the entire tracklist. You 00:11:08.769 --> 00:11:11.409 have appearances from Queen's Most Wanted, Todd 00:11:11.409 --> 00:11:14.529 Black Pharaoh, King Kaiwani, Arian Pope. And 00:11:14.529 --> 00:11:17.110 even a foundational hip -hop pioneer like Lovebug 00:11:17.110 --> 00:11:19.570 Starsky dropping in on the track Games. When 00:11:19.570 --> 00:11:21.610 you lay it all out like that, it feels less like 00:11:21.610 --> 00:11:23.769 an isolated album made by two guys and more like 00:11:23.769 --> 00:11:26.440 a massive community event. That is exactly what 00:11:26.440 --> 00:11:29.360 these late 90s albums were designed to be. They 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:31.500 functioned as massive networking hubs for the 00:11:31.500 --> 00:11:33.500 industry. When you look closely at the liner 00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:36.000 notes, the traditional lines between the creative 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:38.639 side and the business side completely blur. Like 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:40.889 Charles Suit. Right. Charles Suit is producing 00:11:40.889 --> 00:11:43.730 tracks, but he is also executive producing the 00:11:43.730 --> 00:11:47.049 entire project. And Garfield Duncan. Yes. Garfield 00:11:47.049 --> 00:11:49.289 Duncan, who goes by the producer named Mr. Sex, 00:11:49.529 --> 00:11:53.029 is building beats, but he is also handling A 00:11:53.029 --> 00:11:55.330 &R and management duties. It's all connected. 00:11:55.629 --> 00:11:58.230 Cannabis is a feature vocalist, yet he is also 00:11:58.230 --> 00:12:01.370 credited in the management section. Even Alexandino 00:12:01.370 --> 00:12:03.750 Jr., the live musician we mentioned playing guitar 00:12:03.750 --> 00:12:06.769 and bass, is credited with management. It was 00:12:06.769 --> 00:12:09.820 a sprawling. deeply interconnected ecosystem 00:12:09.820 --> 00:12:13.279 where artists, producers, and managers were all 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:15.879 pushing simultaneously to elevate the collective 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:18.980 project. And that massive collective push paid 00:12:18.980 --> 00:12:21.759 off in a huge quantifiable way. Let's look at 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:24.259 the commercial reality of love, peace, and nappiness 00:12:24.259 --> 00:12:27.559 because the chart domination was immediate. When 00:12:27.559 --> 00:12:29.799 the album hit the shelves, it peaked at number 00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:32.639 nine on the Billboard 200. Out of every genre, 00:12:32.779 --> 00:12:35.059 every artist, and every album available in the 00:12:35.059 --> 00:12:37.240 country at that time, they cracked the top 10. 00:12:37.659 --> 00:12:39.679 And naturally, it performed even higher on the 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:42.000 genre specific charts, reaching number two on 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:44.740 the top R &B hip hop albums chart. But what is 00:12:44.740 --> 00:12:46.940 perhaps more impressive than its peak position 00:12:46.940 --> 00:12:50.039 is its undeniable longevity. Right. It didn't 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:52.019 just flash in the pan and fade away after a strong 00:12:52.019 --> 00:12:54.990 debut week. This album had serious staying power. 00:12:55.250 --> 00:12:57.509 It actually placed on the year end charts for 00:12:57.509 --> 00:13:01.149 1997. It hit number 189 on the Billboard 200 00:13:01.149 --> 00:13:04.429 year end chart and an impressive number 56 on 00:13:04.429 --> 00:13:07.090 the top R &B hip hop albums year end chart. That 00:13:07.090 --> 00:13:09.389 means months after its initial release, it was 00:13:09.389 --> 00:13:11.529 still moving significant units and dominating 00:13:11.529 --> 00:13:13.889 the cultural conversation. We also have a very 00:13:13.889 --> 00:13:16.710 clear, concrete data point that illustrates exactly 00:13:16.710 --> 00:13:19.759 how rapidly those units were moving. The Recording 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:23.120 Industry Association of America, the RIAA, officially 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:26.559 certified the album Gold on September 17, 1997. 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:29.899 Now, a gold certification signifies that 500 00:13:29.899 --> 00:13:32.779 ,000 physical units were shipped to stores. Since 00:13:32.779 --> 00:13:35.159 the album was released on June 17th, that means 00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:37.399 it took exactly three months to the day to move 00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:39.899 half a million copies. Half a million physical 00:13:39.899 --> 00:13:43.220 CDs and cassettes in 90 days. That is staggering 00:13:43.220 --> 00:13:45.840 momentum. A massive driver of that momentum can 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:48.059 be traced directly back to the album's lead single, 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:50.879 Me and My Crazy World. They released this single 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:54.659 on May 10th, 1997, giving it roughly a six -week 00:13:54.659 --> 00:13:57.460 runway to build hype. before the full album dropped. 00:13:57.850 --> 00:14:00.230 When you look at exactly where the single charted, 00:14:00.269 --> 00:14:02.750 you see the ultimate proof of that Washington 00:14:02.750 --> 00:14:04.889 Post formula we were talking about earlier. The 00:14:04.889 --> 00:14:07.129 chart performance of Me and My Crazy World is 00:14:07.129 --> 00:14:09.769 essentially a perfect cross section of their 00:14:09.769 --> 00:14:13.029 diverse listener base. It reached number 52 on 00:14:13.029 --> 00:14:15.490 the Billboard Hot 100, which indicates a very 00:14:15.490 --> 00:14:18.570 healthy mainstream pop presence. Within their 00:14:18.570 --> 00:14:21.950 core demographics, it hit number 23 on the Hot 00:14:21.950 --> 00:14:25.090 R &B Hip Hop Singles and Tracks chart and an 00:14:25.090 --> 00:14:27.129 impressive number five on the Hot Rap Singles. 00:14:27.149 --> 00:14:30.029 Strong numbers all around. But wait, here's where 00:14:30.029 --> 00:14:32.429 it gets really interesting. This hip hop track 00:14:32.429 --> 00:14:35.169 by an East Coast rap group also charted on the 00:14:35.169 --> 00:14:37.610 hot dance music maxi single sales chart. And 00:14:37.610 --> 00:14:39.970 it didn't just barely scrape the bottom. No, 00:14:40.070 --> 00:14:43.570 it peaked at number 17. Now, for anyone who might 00:14:43.570 --> 00:14:45.769 not remember the physical media landscape of 00:14:45.769 --> 00:14:49.269 the 90s, what exactly is a maxi single and why 00:14:49.269 --> 00:14:51.690 does charting there matter so much? This raises 00:14:51.690 --> 00:14:54.169 an important question about how music was physically 00:14:54.169 --> 00:14:56.929 consumed and distributed back then. A maxi single 00:14:56.929 --> 00:14:59.889 was an extended physical release, usually on 00:14:59.889 --> 00:15:03.429 a 12 -inch vinyl record or a CD. It contained 00:15:03.429 --> 00:15:06.230 the main radio version of a song, along with 00:15:06.230 --> 00:15:09.049 various remixes, extended cuts, acapellas, or 00:15:09.049 --> 00:15:11.330 instrumental versions. They were heavily utilized 00:15:11.330 --> 00:15:13.909 by club DJs who needed longer, more flexible 00:15:13.909 --> 00:15:16.759 tracks to mix live. The fact that a rap song 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:19.700 like Me and My Crazy World hit number 17 on a 00:15:19.700 --> 00:15:22.100 chart dedicated to dance music and maxi singles 00:15:22.100 --> 00:15:24.919 is incredibly telling. It means people weren't 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:27.279 just listening to it in their cars. Club DJs 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:29.139 were actively buying it to keep the dance floors 00:15:29.139 --> 00:15:31.940 moving right alongside dedicated house and dance 00:15:31.940 --> 00:15:34.379 tracks. Precisely. It perfectly validates everything 00:15:34.379 --> 00:15:36.580 we have unpacked today. By anchoring their music 00:15:36.580 --> 00:15:38.519 with that live instrumentation and those smooth 00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:41.299 choruses, they didn't just make a rap song. They 00:15:41.299 --> 00:15:43.799 engineered a versatile, highly functional record 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:46.279 that completely crossed. genre boundaries. The 00:15:46.279 --> 00:15:48.259 hip -hop purists were buying it for the lyrical 00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:51.159 verses, the R &B fans connected with the warm 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:54.799 melodic choruses, and the club DJs were spinning 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:57.600 the physical maxi single to dictate the energy 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:01.019 of the room. Hitting the rap, R &B, pop, and 00:16:01.019 --> 00:16:03.639 dance charts all at the exact same time is the 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:06.159 ultimate proof that their formula was absolutely 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:08.580 bulletproof. It really is. They engineered the 00:16:08.580 --> 00:16:11.500 perfect sonic skeleton key that unlocked every 00:16:11.500 --> 00:16:14.659 single door in the music industry in 1997. When 00:16:14.659 --> 00:16:16.500 you step back and look at the whole picture, 00:16:16.779 --> 00:16:20.159 love, peace, and nappiness is so much more than 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:23.279 just a successful sophomore album. It is a masterclass 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:25.919 in industry hustle. You take a group with an 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:28.500 undeniable work ethic, grinding out back -to 00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:30.919 -back albums across multiple studios in a single 00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:33.679 year. You surround them with a massive A &R -driven 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:36.100 network of top -tier producers and legendary 00:16:36.100 --> 00:16:38.620 guest artists. And most importantly, you apply 00:16:38.620 --> 00:16:41.120 that brilliant formula of live instrumentation 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:43.799 and melodic choruses. to seamlessly bridge the 00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:46.080 gap between street level hip hop and mainstream 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:48.620 radio. The result is a cultural moment that shifts 00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:51.120 500 ,000 units in three months. So what does 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:53.279 this all mean? It leaves us with a fascinating 00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:55.440 thread to pull on regarding the music we all 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:58.700 consume today. The Lost Boys proved decisively 00:16:58.700 --> 00:17:03.919 in 1997 that blending live, warm, organic instrumentation 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:06.799 with catchy pop structures in a hip hop context 00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:09.680 is a guaranteed way to capture a massive, highly 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:11.859 diverse audience. It's a formula that still works. 00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:14.500 I would challenge you to think about the top 00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:17.039 -charting rap or pop rap songs of this current 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:19.319 year. How much of the music you listen to right 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:22.160 now still secretly relies on this exact same 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:24.299 blueprint to get stuck in your head? That's a 00:17:24.299 --> 00:17:26.539 great point. The next time you hear a massive 00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:28.859 crossover hit on your playlist, listen closely 00:17:28.859 --> 00:17:31.839 for that specific mix of underlying organic instruments 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:34.599 supporting those smooth, undeniable choruses. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:36.759 You might just be hearing the lingering legacy 00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:39.740 of that 1997 radio -friendly vibe still working 00:17:39.740 --> 00:17:42.450 its magic on your ears today. A fantastic piece 00:17:42.450 --> 00:17:44.609 of musical history to keep in mind the next time 00:17:44.609 --> 00:17:46.750 you hit play. Thank you so much for joining us 00:17:46.750 --> 00:17:48.730 on this deep dive into the Lost Boys and the 00:17:48.730 --> 00:17:51.390 mechanics of a true 90s hip -hop classic. Keep 00:17:51.390 --> 00:17:53.430 questioning what you hear, and we will catch 00:17:53.430 --> 00:17:54.490 you on the next exploration.