Not only did Philly hip hop in the 90s build upon the stylistic growth and evolution that it enjoyed in the 80s, but the 90s also set a clear path for the music’s future with many young artists making significant breakthroughs in the 2000s.
This dynamic would play out here in Philadelphia as well with a handful of artists turning out major label releases while the majority recorded for small indie labels like IQ and Ragz To Riches, while playing local venues like Dances and The Fake Haus, and selling their own vinyl, cassettes, and CDs independently. During this period, a thriving underground scene grew beneath (really parallel to) rap’s campaign of mainstream pop cultural dominance. As new superstars emerged from cities and neighborhoods around the country, the 90s saw rap music’s profitability and global reach increase exponentially. The 1990s were a defining decade for hip-hop both as a mass cultural movement and a vast commercial enterprise. *This article was originally published on November 28, 2022.
