Gang Starr
Hard To Earn

THE REVIEW

When talking about hip hop, one of the first names that comes to mind for an average listener of the genre is GangStarr. Yes, because – regardless of what anyone might say – Guru & DJ Premier are true pillars of contemporary black music.
On the scene since as far back as '89 (their debut, "No More Mr. Nice Guy," dates back to that year), the marvelous duo, despite achieving sales and public success, has always remained consistent in their artistic and musical choices, never selling out with bland and disappointing records, but rather, representing true hip hop 100%.
In 1994, they released what is unanimously considered their greatest masterpiece, "Hard To Earn," undoubtedly one of the best rap albums of all time. After the magnificent "Daily Operation" and Guru's solo project "Jazzmatazz," it seemed difficult to do better, but GangStarr were born to impress and manage to outdo themselves, gifting all their fans an extraordinary album from start to finish.

Premier produces the entire album with his typical sparse and essential style, laying down his best beats ever, Guru supplies the rhymes, and the result is devastating: 19 powerful tracks, among which the dark and reflective "Code Of The Streets," "Brainstorm," the more laid-back "Planet," the magnificent triptych "Speak Ya Clout" (3 devastating tracks for 3 different MCs: Jeru The Damaja, Lil Dap from Group Home, and Guru, spine-tingling!!), the legendary "Mass Appeal," and the concluding "Comin' For Datazz" stand out.
And not that the other tracks are any worse; on the contrary, the album's level is truly high throughout its duration.

In short, "Hard To Earn" is an album to own without ifs and buts, one of the highest peaks reached in the history of rap and black music in general, which, 10 years later, continues to amaze: GangStarr is synonymous with quality; a quality that will not see any decline in the following years, as their (few) detractors hoped, but rather, will be confirmed with great albums like "Moment Of Truth" and the recent "The Ownerz," that have inscribed them in legend, a legend that, hopefully, can repeat itself once more.