Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Loved this. Not quite 8 five though. 4.9
This was so bland and unmemorable. It's not even that I don't like this type of music, but these songs were particularly boring and faceless to me.
Not bad but not my style either.
I have no comments for or against. I don't know!
This is my 4th album on a 6 hour flight so I might be in the wrong headspace but this felt empty. Definitely too long, some ok samples and beats but pretty one dimensional and boring. I want to like him because Boston has so few famous rappers, but this didn’t do much for me.
Cliche millennial take: There’s a unique feeling about enjoying an art (like rap) in its original form when you usually get a product that evolved so far beyond of where it started that you no longer identify with it. I’ll get on the record and say again, I SHOCKINGLY enjoy hearing the lyrics of rap songs, grooving to samples (love the kool and the gang in Take a Rest) and relaxing to a fairly basic meter (in every single song). Sue me 🤣 it didn’t get old over 18 tracks Like corn on the cob or margherita pizza, the basics can be fantastic. Loved The Meaning Of A Name
Maybe one or two fun ones but overall pretty corny. Lovesick does not sound very gangstarr
Some good samples and well put together. None of the lyrics are overly offensive, although it's always difficult to undertand most of them so I mainly bass hip-hop reviews on the rhythm of voice and overally sound quality. And this was generally ok.
Too much hip hop this past week
Solid East Coast hip hop, just as God intended! Classic 1 DJ + 1 MC setup in the vein of Boogie Down Productions, Eric B & Rakim and Pete Rock & CL Smooth. Can't go wrong with that!!! My basic take on these guys has always been that DJ Premier outshines Guru a little - hell, I'd like a chance to spit some bars over these beats - but I have no complaints. I'll take this all day long over any of that left coast nonsense!
I don't think I've ever heard anything by this duo, and I'm glad I can now finally say I have. There's shades of De La Soul and other members of the Native Toungues collective, but Guru's lyrics and delivery are often a cut above the others, while DJ Premier's old-school scratches and samples are equally impressive. It's also fun to have so much jazz interwoven in the smooth and laid-back tracks, although by the midpoint I was wishing there was a little more variety in the songs. My favorites were probably most of their singles, especially "Step in the arena" (with a fun video), "Who's gonna take the weight?", "Take a rest" and "Just to get a rep", as well as a few others like "Here today, gone tomorrow" and the final track "The meaning of the name". A very solid semi-debut for a relatively long-lasting duo (although sad to see that Guru died of a heart attack in 2010).
The music is awesome and though some of the rap isn't too inventive in lyrics or intonation, the interplay with the music is really really good.
Why? Why is this on here?
Astounding verbal fluidity over sampled music.
Enjoyed the laidback beats and delivery
I really like this album. This is the kind of stuff that got me into hip- hop, it’s musical, funky, jazzy at times with vgood lyrics and isn’t all about guns n hoes! 4.2
It's fine. Nice old school hip hop but nothing to get me excited really.
I'm in perhaps probably the worst-luck-trough in my run with the generator so far at #420. It's been about a week of albums that range from unlistenable chores to just making me want to quit altogether. This was just okay, it's probably 2.5 if that was allowed. I'm just tired. This is just okay hiphop for the time. I appreciate that it had no skits and no over-the-top homophobia or misogyny. That makes it so much better than most other rap albums of this era. I didn't find it to be essential listening for me.
Makes me realize I kind of missed that late 80s early 90s hip-hop. Quite likable.
Better than expected.
None of the hip hop and rap albums this challenge has thrown at me has made me rethink my previous ambivalence in the slightest. The Lovesick song is ok, I was familiar with a more uptempo version than the one on the album, which I much preferred.
This can get categorized under East Coast rap that I find interesting.
buen disco, muy de swag ah
For the genre, this is pretty good. But still can’t see myself wanting to come back for repeat listens.
I'm usually not a fan of older hip hop, but Step in the Arena has soul to it.
What a pleasant surprise this album is!
*No music, just rap
HipHop? Nö!
This is surprisingly good. Probably because its early rap and the nasty stuff was still to come.
An album I had never heard of before, but its inclusion on this list certainly means it's incredibly influential. I enjoyed it well enough, but there wasn't enough to merit 4 stars in my opinion.
One of the better rap albums on this list. It's intelligent, articulate, and less focused on gangster bona fides, misogyny, and violence. These guys had something to say, said it with conviction and purpose, and they earn the swagger. Not a secret that rap isn't my genre but this was entertaining all the way through.
Guru's lyrics are alright, cant fault his delivery at all, but what really stands out here is DJ Premier's production and sampling. A true jazz rap album in a lot of ways, and I also love not shying away from more mellow hip hop on tracks like Love Sick and Precisely the Right Rhymes. Really good boom bap
There's some really nice textures and backings here, and Guru's flow is undeniable in that East-Cost way, but there's a dwindling energy that sort of slows until it grinds to a halt half way through this album. If any of these songs appeared on shuffle, it would be very well-received, but I wouldn't listen to this album all at once again.
Repetitivo e ideal para dejar de fondo while scrapbooking 2/5
East coast hip-hop.
I liked it and I liked the vibe!
cool old Skool I love old school hip hop and “Step in the Arena” is true to hip-hop origins. So much so it would sit well on the old Eletcro albums - even if it’s 5 years later . Odd that this was released at the same time as some OG rap albums like O.G by Ice mutherfucking T . Feels closer to De la Soul or even Dream Warriors than anything else - but not quite daisy Age. Heavy scratching , great beats as a Form of Intelligence
Not a big rap fan but wasn’t too bad!
listened in the studio, not on headphones at work, so different environment than usual. it was fine. unobtrusive background music. nothing really stood out.
There were only 3 or 4 albums in this genre in 1991 that sounded even remotely close to this. We were entering the time of gangsta rap in those days, and the albums that weren't that were "look how much money I have, how dangerous I am, and how much women like me," were really simplistic and samey, OR they were radio friendly fluff. This was so different that had I heard this in 1991 instead of something that got insane amounts of radio play (Chubb Rock or Heavy D, for example), I'm almost positive this would have turned me off pedestrian rap and made me insufferable for...years, probably. More so than I already was, I guess. Anyway, this is good shit. Great flow, beats, and turntables. My tastes have evolved since 1991, and I think Gang Star can be credited for pushing rap in the direction where my taste now lies ⭐⭐⭐.51
This is #day727 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's another record from the Golden Age of hip-hop. Bring it on any day. I'd never heard this one before, though Gang Starr's name certainly rang a bell. Released 35 years ago, this record still holds up. Funky, jazzy, laid-back East Coast hip-hop at its finest. Nothing more to add. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day728.
Gillar det!
Man saknar ju hookar här när man har outkasts hittighet färskt i minnet. Drar ju ner betyget lite, även om jag gillar Gang starr. Beatsen är funkiga och jag älskar Gurus tillbakadragna stil. Men den gör sig ännu bättre i hans soloprojekt jazzmatazz, som är den mysigaste hiphop som gjorts. 3,8/5?
Jag var tvungen att lyssna på Gang Starr. Kan inte kännas mer hip-hop än så här för Dino. Är ganska ball men ah de är också rätt jävla bjäring. Stark tvåa!
Knäcker
Sagde mig ikke noget
7/10
I tend dread the hip hop records that were pre-1996 much less than the more recent ones. While I still would not consider them good music or particularly enjoy them even a little, at least they aren't (usually...) so bad that I can't stand to listen to them. And there was no AutoTune then so that's always a plus. The lyrics are usually much less offensive and every now and then there might even be something in one song that approaches real music. This album falls into that category. I don't like it but it isn't full of misogyny, homophobia, abject violence, rape, and all other manner of things that for some reason are just standard for most hip hop from the late 90s on. I wouldn't listen to this again, I didn't really enjoy listening to it today, but at least as far as hip hop goes it wasn't too bad. Much too long but +1 star for being the only hip hop album I know of to stick in a Star Trek reference. 2/5
Great beats Premier was awesome The Guru had sick rhymes and a a great flow
I will always, always be on board with a hip hop album that starts with a demonstration of why the MC is the best and you can't match his bars Even more so if the quality keeps up for the whole album with tight flow and bars
Was kind of bored by the pseudo-mystical “Knowledge’ musings on the first few tracks, but the album really gets going on ‘Check The Technique’ and everything after. Good stuff.
Hypnotic, cool. It didn't necessarily stand out to me among others in the genre, but it was an easy listen.
DJ Premier is incredible, silky flows from Guru
3.5
Dj premier!!
I’m a big fan of this duo but admittedly this is their least impressive work as it’s their first. Still a solid album maybe a little long 7/10
I bet this was important when it came out, but it’s pretty punchless now.
Mittwoch 09.09.2026 Im UG der philologischen Bibliothek durchgeskippt, konnte musikalisch nicht viel mit anfangen, lyrics aber geil
favs: step in the arena just to get a rep say your prayers rating 0.7/5
Solid early hip hop album
Okay, so rap and hip hop are still a blind spot, but this is pretty good. Nice production; great beats; inventive, fluent rhyming; there are certainly worse ways to spend some time.
Good album.
Yep, pretty good. It’s no 3 Feet High and Rising but it’s got some great samples, bass, and rhymes. I played it twice and enjoyed it even more the second time.
Sighed when I saw it as today’s album, still gave it a couple of tracks, but then gave up. Samey and repetitive, and the lyrics come too fast to really be able to hear, understand or appreciate them. I’m sure some people like it. Not for me.
Not generally into hip hop but this is alright.
Bra. Jag gillar Gang Starr och detta album innehåller flera av de låtar jag verkligen gillar. Exempelvis Step in the arena, Just to get a rep, Check the technique och så vidare. Älskar Guru och hans rap. Sorgligt att han gick bort alldeles för tidigt. Återigen blir jag tillbakakastad till 90-talet och jag klagar inte!
I unironically love the line “you puny Protozoa” and I think it’s emblematic of the rest of this album. It’s earnest both in its intensity and its humor. I kind of expected this be an awkward middleground between 80s and 90s hiphop, but it’s more like a transition fossil than a chimera.
super enjoyable early hip hop with lots of respect given to jazz legends
Alr8ght album. The production was nice but some of the bars were kind of eh. Not my favorite rap album from here. The Meaning Of The Name and What You Want This Time? were my standouts. 5.3/10
I liked this but there was something lacking in each song. I don't know if it was lyrically but it was definitely musically on others. Samples either didn't hit or didn't work. Grand Puba - I Like It played automatically after the album finished and I found it so much more rounded and fun to listen to. I wouldn't turn this off but I think I'd be hard pressed to listening to it again or buying it. 3/5.
Guru y Premier son dos figuras esencilaes del Hip-Hop y diría que de la música de finales de siglo. Jazzmatazz y las producciones de Premier a parte, Gang Starr hicieron discos magistrales y Step in the arena, junto al debut No More Mr. Nice Guy, es uno de ellos. Fusionan Jazz -rap y hip-hop (a mi me gustaban más Digable planets) pero estos neoyorkinos arrasaron y dejaron tras de sí una legión de admiradores. Su influencia es enorme, lástima que no crearan tanta escuela en eso de hacer discos de menos de una hora, este son 50 minutos, y sin rellenos absurdos. Lovesick es la mejor y más conocida de este disco pero otras como Form of intelligence, step in the arena, Execution of a Chump (No More Mr. Nice Guy Pt. 2) etc lo convierten en una imperecedera joya. Tal vez la parte entre Who's Gonna Take the Weight? y Beyond Comprehension sea la única pega del disco.
#416/1001. This might be a classic, but it is basically the same song over and over, just change the sample and the lyrics. The tempo is the same, the rap style is the same, the groove. Nothing wrong with those but I had really hard time trying to stay alert with this one.
*1991. Hip hop. *This was a delight to run to. Slow, easy to understand lyrics (which I have come to learn is a feature of East Coast hip hop). *The rhymes are fun - usually pretty simple, but clever or just a good time. Anyone who can deliver "Make like a camper and take a hike" in a way that sounds cool gets at least 4 stars. RATING - 7.5/10
Step In the Arena by Gang Starr captures the sound of hip hop just before gangsta rap came to dominate the genre—a time I remember well from my high school years. The beats are smooth, the sampling is excellent, and there’s an easy confidence to the production that makes it an enjoyable listen. Did I like it? For the most part, yes. That said, hip hop has never been a genre I naturally gravitate toward, so while I can certainly appreciate what Gang Starr was doing here, this will probably end up being a one-and-done listen for me.
This is standard 90s hip-hop. Nothing amazing.
This too is showing its age, but how amazing that all my favourite threads of hip hop begin life in this album. The lyricism, the samples, the humour. Brilliant.
Good
Decently mixed, decent lyrics, not a bad early 90's rap album.
Old school hip hop which sounds dated. It might
I went into this thinking that I only knew Step in the Arena, but, so far, most of this album is very familiar to me. I'm not a fan of the turntable work on Who's Gonna Take the Weight, but the lyrics remind me of Public Enemy in content and substance. The beats are not complex, deferring to the DJ and supporting him. The level of performance seems to degrade from that track onward, with a few later stand outs. Still giving great messages. Street Ministry is brief, reminding me of the speed of punk rock songs, favorably. Great lyrics, focused and minimal turntablism and good beats.
I love rap and hip-hop, but this wasn't one of the better examples for me. Pretty cool instrumentals, but wasn't sure about the lyrical flow in places.
Me gusta porque es rap pero tiene algo de jazz
not my kind but enjoyed it.
Liked this; interesting and fun throughout. Fave was Take the Weight.
I feel like I never would’ve found this one on my own. Great listen good clean rap easy to listen to.
I didn’t know people were rhyming whole sentences in 1991. This is an early high-water mark for hip hop.
So exciting to hear hip-hop moving out of the 80s into something that still sounds fresh today. High four stars.
It's good to be a gang star
They tended to sound quite similar to me on a first listen. I’m sure there’s a lot to appreciate in this genre, but I don’t think I understand it well enough yet.
Gangstarr is cool. Prefer the album Jazzamatazz.
Gang Starr does something that I wish a lot of rappers, and actually, many of the groups on this list would do - shorter songs. And that isn't because I didn't enjoy these - but - so many times, a long song just means repeating a chorus or a loop ad nauseam, instead of adding anything to the song. Gang Starr also totally avoids the 90s trap of insipid skits, which is quite welcome. The backing tracks are good overall, though I had to skip a few here because of incredibly annoying jazz horn samples or pitch-shifted bicycle bells. Argh. THREE STARS
Not bad but won’t listen to it again
pretty good hiphop album
Been a while since we had an actually good hip hop album Kinda surprised these guys never were more popular, there’s so much cool stuff going on. I think the architecture of their backing beats is much different than what was present in other early 90s east coast rap, but the jazzier more instrument driven beats work surprisingly well. While it doesn’t have that hypnotic feel that some other hip hop albums have it’s still really catchy and definitely something you can jam to. It definitely feels a bit more cerebral than someone like Biggie (who don’t get me wrong, I still like), with a lot less vulgarity and less violent subject matters, while still talking about important issues. I guess the biggest letdown for this one would probably have to be the lack of really clever wordplay that I expect in top tier hip hop. It’s not like the lyrics are slop or anything but comparing them to Wu-Tang or Kendrick and it falls a bit flat I don’t think this album was particularly special, but I thought it was really cool to see what almost feels like a different genre of hip hop at times. Even though it was on the long side I never got tired of it and absolutely makes me want to seek out more
I get a lot of heat for not giving hip hop a chance, so I gave this one two listend. The first time I listened really carefully. The second, I used it as background music while at work. I think that’s the listening experience Gang Starr had in mind when they made the album. Sadly, I got nothing from it. Just left me wondering “What am I missing? Am I having some sort of existential crisis around my inability to understand or appreciate why this is in anyway noteworthy?” Ok, I've pondered this some more, went back in for another go. So. Every track starts with a sample, a scratch and a beat, between two and four bars. Then in comes that soporific rapping, so low key as to be comatose. Then a scratch, repeat sampled riff. Then comes the once in a lifetime lyrics: "Listen, listen listen, I'll tell ya, my rhymes are like shelter" Really, gee thanks for that. Like....heavy man....word... Like, what is supposed to be good about this? It is the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over....again.
A fun trip down the lane of some more-classic hip-hop, but simultaneously kind of … one-note? … in its delivery.
This was okay. In general I feel like the hip hop on this list makes sense and deserves its place, but this was a miss for me. Not terrible, but I have a hard time understanding why this is considered significant. It’s not bad, just kind of forgettable, and there’s much better out there.
This is exactly how I like my hip hop. Smooth flow and top notch production. This is underrated, in my opinion.
Funky as fuck.
So incredibly dull, only liked the one song where it went like kitty kitty smth like that. But good samples and beats
good rap music, really enjoyed the energy
Was fine. Knew some of it from before but prefer other music in this genre/era.
I dunno ? Better than the one before but didn't particularly like it either
Not really into hip-hop
Could listen to this anytime in the background or just chilling
It feels typical-sounding but it's also pretty early so maybe it deserves some credit for setting trends, it's not the most varied of albums to listen to but it is pleasing and it's capable of mustering up some likeable charm when it wants
7.5 / 10
From the Vault #19 (January 18, 2026) Another daily hip-hop album to knock this genre off the block. It is with great pleasure that I can announce I'm officially in 1991. Nearly a decade of hip-hop albums covered in the span of two weeks. I'll be done with these hip-hop doohickeys in no time. Anyways, Gang Starr is a vaguely familiar name to me, though I can't imagine these guys are critic darlings - this is obviously gonna be gangsta rap. It's another. FUCKING. Hip-hop album with bloat up the arse. 1990 really was the year where the quality/quantity ratio of hip-hop fell off a cliff. It's not the worst as far as actual runtimes go, but 18 songs is just way too fucking many for one man to engage with. I can appreciate the bold decision to roll with a stripped-back sound, but it didn't culminate in anything which hooked me. All of the 1-2 minute tracks passed by without much notice, either. The vocals are appropriate for the genre but, once again, hip-hop just isn't for me. Book time. Hip-hop purists (i.e., minimalists). "It sounds raw as hell." Never thought I'd encounter such a line in a professional review. The album which established their formula. Wikipedia reveals that this album was well-received by critics, but only had a mild chart success. Gang Starr were pioneers in jazz rap. IGN of all publications said this was the best hip-hop album of all time. That's pretty funny. These guys don't seem to be big shots by any stretch of the imagination, though they do appear to be fairly-well-respected in the more niche circles of hip-hop. I respect that, and as a result I cosign this inclusion.
Completely fine
I enjoyed this album. The beats by dj premier were so classic. Having the 1990 album amerikkka's most wanted album followed so closely by this 1991 gang starr album was such an interesting contrast because in year they are very close but in sound very different! Gang starr is so east cost and the lack of violence and sexism makes it feel more timeless to me. Even though I've heard of the group I got them confused with black star and didn't know these tracks glad I could change that.
Boring. It was long and nothing stood out.
Best Track - "Take A Rest"
Didn't know this or these. Fine retro hip hop, a bit repetitive
Aight.
Lyrically powerful but monotone and dull as dishwater.
Very promising first album from guru and dj premier. Suffers a little from lack of identity. Later albums would prove to be more rewarding. This is full of wonderful little touchstones though.
This was okay. I had it on in the background but nothing really stood out to me.
killer vibes
Amerikaanse hiphop wel oke niet helemaal mijn stijl
Enjoyable. Hasn’t been my favorite of this era. I enjoyed the mellowness of it.
Nope.
Solid Gang Starr album, great beats from Premier
mmm bassy
Execution of a Chump, Check The Technique, As I Read My S-A, and The Meaning of the Name stood out. Great flow and lyrics. 4/5
The New York vibe I’m sitting on a pipe watching the rain people walk by man and step into the arena is that vibe. All the tracks meaning of a name it’s clear premo and guru knows what they are doing. God premo is the greatest dj to ever live and to hear him this great so young and he only got better. He got so good it’s amazing he has the golden touch. Nothing but the best and I love it forever genuinely. Yet I will never fully seek it out. I’m sorry premo forever and always your could have been if I cared enough’s biggest fan Knicks in 5
Wow, did I enjoy this album. I did not pay attention to the lyrics so will do so on future listens. Four stars
Really good album even if it kinda drags on. By the back half of the album it’s getting a little samey and the lyrics and flow aren’t as effective. Highs are high, the rest is only mediocre. 3.5.
Album title and cover put me straight off. And i wasn’t mistaken 1/5 10/6/26
First listen was meh, but I like it. The samples are symple but are DJ’d well with some cool expressive moments
I liked to vibe across some songs. It didn’t really do much for me.
I didn’t know this one. Shame on me! The songs are smart and distinctive. I can understand how this influenced the hip-hop to come. I’ll come back to this.
Number: 154 Date: 06/06/26 Artist: Gang Starr Album: Step In The Arena Year: 1991 Style: Conscious Hip-hop Familiarity: None (4) Rating: 4 Before: ======= Ugh, rap. Not looking forward to this. Basically the opposite of Horsegirl which I'm chillin to right now. Well, let's try to have an open mind. Maybe it will at least be interesting. If nothing else, maybe it will get me into an appropriate mindset for visiting the hood today as it's my day to feed the community cats at a seriously f'd up apartment complex. We have 4 feeding stations there so it's quite a process. I think for now, I'm gonna keep listening to Horsegirl. During: ======= OK, here goes nothin. Alright, not too bad, I guess more hip-hop than rap. I like the beat. So the title track Step In The Arena is up first, seems to be rapping about how great they are at rapping. Boring. Third track, I like the music, but am turned off by the subject matter. Rapping abut how great they are rapping. I'm a gonna turn the volume down now and work on my usual Saturday morning chores: reviewing trail cams from community cats feeding stations; checking all my accounts; paying bills, etc. But first, I think I'll get the grits started. If I'm making them from scratch, I prefer Quaker Old Fashioned Grits, definately not Jim Dandy's. Quaker makes some pretty decent instant grits as well. Any of the cheese ones are good but they do have a lot of salt and I need to watch my sodium intake. Anyways, back to the grits, I melt 2 tbsp of unsalted butter in a sauce pan and add 1/4 cup grits. Once the grits have absorbed the butter, I'll start adding water very gradually, 1/4 cup at a time, and simmer until all the water is absorbed before adding the next 1/4 cup or so. The total water intake should be approximately 2 cups +/- depending on how firm I want them. A general rule of thumb is a 4/1 ratio, water to grits, and 2/1 grits to butter. Actually, I prefer using low sodium chicken broth instead of water but I don't have any on hand. Need to add that to my shopping list. Done. So back to the grits, once all the water has been added, I'll start with the flavorings. Today it's a little Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning and a little garlic powder, That should do it. Next step is to top with a little cheese and eat them right away or simmer a little longer depending on how creamy you like them. That'll make more than enough for 2 people, if you're having the grits as a side dish. After : ======= I like the music, the lyrics do nothing for me. It works great as background hip-hop, if that's what you're in the mood for. Apparently, this album is considered an excellent representation of hip-hop and very important by a lot of folks though, so Ill give it high marks for suitability and impact, based on what other people who I assume know what they are talking about, are saying. 3 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 4 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4 composite rating
an album with top to bottom solid recordings from the early stages of rap music. A part of me thinks the lines get too belabored at points, but how mad can you be when flows like that probably weren't common in '91? It's always good, occasionally great, and historically fascinating... the shape of rap to come?
Step In The Arena - Gang Starr 1991 The album was a great, decent listen. Guru never fails to deliver with his smooth monotone voice, and DJ Premier’s production was absolutely top-tier. I especially liked the chopping of other notable rap songs for the hooks, which felt like a direct nod to what that generation was trying to achieve in hip-hop. The record holds up incredibly well across a deep tracklist, anchored by standout cuts like the title track 'Step In The Arena,' 'Form Of Intellect,' 'Who's Gonna Take The Weight?,' 'Check The Technique,' and 'Lovesick.' That momentum carries heavily into the second half with 'Take A Rest,' 'What You Want This Time?,' 'Street Ministry,' 'Precisely The Right Rhymes,' and 'The Meaning Of The Name.' While the LP wasn't quite strong enough all the way through to earn a perfect 5, it holds its ground firmly as a 4.
How have I managed to get 3 albums in a row that are all 50+ minutes from artists whose names start with G? What is even happening? Here we have Gang Starr's 1991 album Step in the Arena. It's good! Gang Starr aren't the most acclaimed hip-hop duo ever, but they're fairly acclaimed. They're important enough to be here. Now, unlike other hip-hop duos I've discussed like Outkast and... well, basically just Outkast, Gang Starr is not comprised of two rappers. Instead, we have a rapper/producer duo, which is also fairly common in hip-hop. On the mic, we have Guru, and he does a good job. His rapping style is pretty distinct. His voice is pretty relaxed and you can really feel each individual rhyme throughout the songs. I like his style. But behind the turntable, we have the one and only DJ Premier. This guy's a legend! He's worked with so many of the greatest rappers of all time. Nas, Kanye, Biggie, Jay-Z, the list goes on. Needless to say, his production on this album is great. It's got a nice blend of jazz rap and boom-bap. I enjoy it. The two members work very well together. The writing is fun and there really weren't any moments on the album that I feel have aged poorly. This is just a cool rap album. Apparently these guys have a few better albums, so I might want to check those out in the future, because this is still pretty good. It's not quite the peak of hip-hop, but it's a nice listen regardless. Light 4/5.
Decent rap shades of Tribe
Good rap beats
Excellent example of early 90s, socially-conscious hip hop. The lyrical style is till emblematic of the first generation of rap artists but you can hear the transitioning to the next generation in the way the messages are delivered. The beats are a little repetitive at times for me, which is my only knock against this.
Il y a dans ce projet fou des 1001 albums, des disques qui s'imposent comme des évidences, et Step In The Arena de Gang Starr fait indéniablement partie de cette catégorie. Sorti en 1991, année charnière où le hip-hop cherchait encore ses marques entre la fureur politique de la Côte Est et les prémices du raz-de-marée de l'Ouest. Step In The Arena est pour moi un gros 4 sur 5. Bon ce n'est pas le sans-faute absolu qui traverse les époques sans prendre une seule ride, mais bordel, quelle claque bien pensée ! On est face à un excellent album de rap, un vrai manifeste de rue qui refuse les concessions faciles et les jingles publicitaires. Le cœur de cette réussite, c'est cette alchimie unique entre DJ Premier et Guru, un binôme qui fonctionne avec la précision d'une horloge suisse de l'underground. Premier pose ici les fondations de ce qui va devenir le son new-yorkais par excellence, cette fameuse architecture boom-bap qui va hanter les ghettos pendant toute la décennie. Sa méthode est radicale : il puise dans le jazz et il découpe les cuivres au scalpel, il mutile les boucles de basse, il triture les samples poussiéreux pour en extraire une sève brute, lourde et incroyablement nerveuse. C'est une production minimaliste mais d'une intelligence rare, où chaque silence compte autant que le beat. Sur des morceaux phares comme "Who's Gonna Take The Weight" ou l'implacable "Just To Get A Rep", sa science du scratch et du découpage saute aux yeux et aux oreilles. C'est l'essence même du hip-hop : deux platines et un microphone. Mais si on veut être tout à fait honnête et objectif, c'est précisément à cause de la production que le disque ne décroche pas la note maximale. Car il faut bien l'avouer le son a, par moments, un peu vieilli. En le réécoutant avec le recul, certaines textures rythmiques sonnent un peu sèches, presque rigides, et la dynamique globale de l'enregistrement souffre parfois des limites technologiques de ce tout début des années 90. On sent la raideur des premiers échantillonneurs, ce manque de rondeur dans les basses et cette compression un peu primitive que Premier lui-même parviendra à transcender quelques années plus tard sur les albums suivants. Certains arrangements de claviers ou de petites boucles de transition portent la marque indélébile de leur époque, une patine vintage qui a son charme mais qui rappelle que le hip-hop a évolué à une vitesse folle juste après la sortie de cet opus. C'est le témoin d'un temps où l'on bricolait le futur avec les moyens du bord, ce qui donne au disque un côté parfois un peu rugueux et daté, mais qui n'enlève absolument rien à la superbe de sa structure globale. Heureusement, pour porter ces beats parfois un peu austères, il y a la présence monumentale de Guru. Ce mec possède une voix qui relève du miracle absolu, un flow monotone, presque clinique, mais doté d'une autorité naturelle tellement écrasante qu'il n'a jamais eu besoin de hurler ou de jouer les gros bras pour capter l'attention de l'auditeur. Sa diction est d'une clarté limpide, posée avec un calme olympien sur les cassures rythmiques de Premier. Lyricalement, c'est d'une maturité qui renvoie la majorité des rappeurs de l'époque à leurs cahiers de vacances. Guru évite avec brio le piège du prêchi-prêcha moralisateur tout en refusant de tomber dans la glorification stupide et stérile de la violence des gangs. Il observe la rue, il décrit la jungle urbaine, la perte des repères, les faux-semblants de l'industrie musicale et la quête obsessionnelle de respect avec une lucidité psychologique qui fait mouche à chaque ligne. C'est précisément pour ça que je parle d'une claque bien pensée : le contenu textuel est d'une intelligence rare, une chronique sociale fine et acérée qui refuse le spectaculaire pour privilégier le vrai. Ce contraste permanent entre la raideur passagère du son et l'intemporalité de l'interprétation, c'est toute la signature de Step In The Arena. Quand je traverse cet album aujourd'hui, je ne peux pas m'empêcher d'avoir un immense respect pour cette intégrité artistique totale. Gang Starr se foutait éperdument de plaire aux masses ou de passer en boucle sur les radios grand public ; ils faisaient de la musique pour les puristes, pour ceux qui ont le hip-hop tatoué sur l'âme. Et c'est cette rigueur morale et esthétique qui permet au disque de garder toute sa pertinence, malgré ses quelques rides sonores. C'est un album charnière, le chaînon manquant qui a prouvé que le rap de la Côte Est pouvait être à la fois sombre, jazzy, rigoureux et d'une efficacité redoutable pour faire bouger les têtes dans les clubs underground. Alors oui, la carrosserie sonore a pris quelques pocs, le mixage manque parfois de relief par rapport aux standards qui arriveront deux ou trois ans plus tard, mais le moteur sous le capot reste d'une puissance phénoménale. Un très gros 4 sur 5 pour cet album indispensable, une œuvre cérébrale et brute qui mérite amplement sa place dans notre Panthéon musical.
Classic early hip hop with simple beats and smooth, easy to understand rhymes. It's a little basic and low energy in today's context though.
Couldn't get into it.
Such a clear and eloquent presentation. It sounds older than it is but there are no gimmicks, no smokes to hide lack of skill. The whole thing works because of their bravado and strong execution.
I enjoyed this!
I can listen to this genre of hip-hop all day. Bonus points for the New Orleans Saints hat on the album cover.
Guru has such a unique voice and a magical flow. This is what I grew up on and the hip-hop that I love.
#147/1001 🇺🇸 Gang Starr were the first hip hop artists i saw live at Reading (1994) amongst a largely guitar based line up although Cypress Hill headlined that night. They left a good impression but i never looked them up further. This is a great record without the trappings of misoginy, guns and ego's that much of rap music is dominated by. Much like A Tribe Called Quest that i got a couple of days ago this contains strong, smart lyrics with great beats and some choice samples. Best tracks: Form of Intellect, Execution of a Chump, Take a Rest.
Typical style
Great, loved it. Hadn’t ever heard of them but a great record.
Previously unknown. Good listen.
That squealing on "Who's Gonna Take the Weight?" drove me insane. I am no rap pro, but the space and breath between lyrics felt off putting and disjointed to me. It's like he was reading a paper in front of the mic over feeling it and letting it flow on many tracks. Some of the lyrics are decent and others made me giggle with what he was putting together. It needed to up the BPM to keep the momentum. Coffee shop rap. Early 90's feel. They may have laid the groundwork for what was coming. Many beats on this record are similar to what I don't like about certain EDM genres. 2.7/5
Unlike Colton, I didn't like this album, but I am very perplexed why I liked the Tupac one and not this one? It might because it seems like these guys are just chilling and acting all tough. While Tupac seems like he had more passion and grit behind the sound? Interesting for sure. Also going through these two albums in the same day was a looot of rap for me.
Decent 90s rap… but just on in the background. Nothing jumped out as something I plan to revisit.. 2.4
I saw yet another hip hop album and prepared myself to be disappointed. I was very pleasantly surprised. This slaps. Some of the rhymes really tickled my brain. The backing tracks kept me interested, and I could always understand the lyrics (even if I wasn’t always listening closely). I can’t quite figure out why this one hit for me and others have been such duds. I want to revisit some of them later, especially where my score diverges from the consensus. 8/10 Most Excellent
This was a good album. Has that early 90s hip-hop sound that was prevalent in the day.
Good album, but it felt kind of flat. Guru had good flow, but it's all one speed and not a lot of modulation. The beats are awesome.
Is this the cult that formed around Ringo Starr after he narrated Thomas & Friends? If so... Mr Starkey, I'm disappointed. What happened to peace and love? The sound is standard golden-age hip-hop, maybe with slightly more palatable lyrics, but all in all nothing to get particularly excited about. The wonder of hearing that sort of lo-fi blurred backbeat – omnipresent in the genre – has long since worn off, and instead it's features like the piano and bassline in Execution Of A Chump that really stand out. The vocals, in just about every track, absolutely flop. Not that they're particularly bad... they're just the most bog-standard you could possibly get for hip-hop. The main rapper could be one of a thousand different anonymous, monotonous rappers of the era. If you're going to add a vocal and don't want to bother writing a melody, c'mon, give your delivery some oomph. There's a reason Eminem and Kanye and Kendrick ended up as successful as they are: there's real conviction, real humanity, behind the voice. The interludes – Name Tag, Game Plan, Street Ministry, and Say Your Prayers – are all completely pointless (possibly excluding Street Ministry, which at least has some cool instrumental melodies going on). Maybe I didn't pay enough attention to the album's lore or something. But I don't understand what these songs contribute to the album concept, or the musical themes, or anything really. Just because your producers gave you a spare minute or two to fill on the record, doesn't mean you should do so. The horns in Take A Rest, What You Want This Time?, and As I Read My S-A stand out positively. The other elements of those songs are nothing to write home about, but the harmonised trumpets? Now those are decent. Add more varied, less sample-sounding lines, sprinkle in a solo or two... then we're really talking. Unfortunately, this genre is sorely lacking in the brass solo department. The whole album feels flat and monotone as a result, even if some of the individual songs shine. Maybe I'm being too harsh. This makes for better music than most hip-hop from that time period. The vocal delivery gets on my nerves, but everything else is passable. 2/5 Key tracks: Step In The Arena, Execution Of A Chump, As I Read My S-A
Love 90s rap. I hadn’t listened to Gang Starr in 30 years.
First listen, thank you! Brilliant!
All sounded like one very long monotonous track, with the occasional record scratch.
Just not my thing. It's fine, but I'm not listening to it on my own. Super repetitive.
I struggle with old school hip hop. It is so dated by 2026 standards and it's hard to really appreciate it. Especially when the production of this era of hiphop is so grating to my ears. I don't like the scratching, or the repetitive beats, or the clumsy sampling. However, this album isn't annoying so that's at least a mark in its favor.
Wouldnt' listen agian. 2/5
YAHHA, but it aint bad, at all. 7/10
I'm surprised Dimery knows about this album. Solid choice--when Primo starts to really come into his own as one of the best producers of all time, and a defining producer of the New York sound to come in subsequent years. Despite that, both he and Guru haven't entirely hit their stride as I'd argue they do in Hard to Earn, but there are definitely strokes of genius here and in Daily Operation. Just to Get A Rep is probably the high point, as is the way too short Street Ministry. Check the Technique's samples and beat are nearly as good as Eric B's song of the same name in sheer funkiness. Even if I prefer Hard to Earn, Moment of Truth and even the Ownerz personally, I can definitely see why this album is kind of the lynch pin for Gang Starr's sound. It's also the taking off point for Premier, who went on to produce beats for basically everyone that mattered in East Coast hiphop scene (Biggie, Nas, Jay-Z, Fat Joe, Big L, Royce, AZ, Jeru, etc. etc. etc.). So maybe for me, compared to all Gang Starr albums, it's a 3/5 in terms of listenability. For overall impact though it's a 5/5, so I'll split the different at 4.
Really liked this one. Good beats, good flow. It’s very early 90s hip hop, but still feels fresh. On par with Arrested Development and Digable Planets. Precursor to trip hop, lounge and mushroom jazz. 4/5
An okay album, no real stand out songs.
Another decent rap album - I'm just never really that enthused by rap.
Not really my kind of thing, but ok to listen to, I don't mind the odd rap track, but a whole album gets a bit samey
I'm beginning to think this entire 1001 albums thing is a psy-op designed to make me crazy. There is so much goddamn rap and hip-hop it's starting to make me angry. No wonder there are so many copies of this book available on eBay for cheap. I really thought this was going to open me up to all kinds of music that I hadn't discovered, but mostly it's just something to get through, like a colonoscopy. One star, no apologies. For the love of god, serve up something good.
This one just kicks man fuck I love this shit
I like the grooves and production, fantastic basslines throughout, but I feel like this doesn't quite get out of third gear. It reminded me a lot of De La Soul but the tracks themselves are less memorable. Listened to it twice, nodded along both times and enjoyed it enough but don't really remember any of it beyond the general overall vibe.
I can't seem to pay attention long enough to get much out of Rap, so my opinion is irrevelant. 2 stars or D.
This was probably unorthodox for its time. The beats at times are annoying but completely original. The flow could be likened MF Doom. Overall not bad but there were some terrible/cliche bars dotted all over the place.
This is solid hip hop with great beats and very interesting basslines. I didn't know this before, but I really enjoyed it. Liked Songs Added: Step In The Arena Execution Of A Chump Beyond Comprehension Lovesick Take A Rest Precisely The Right Rhymes
I liked the rhythm of this album. Really gave me Jurassic 5 vibes. Now I wanna listen to Jurassic 5, who I'm surprised are also on this list compared to all the garbage that's on here...
I stepped in the arena & didn’t wanna leave. I also think we should bring back calling people “chumps.” Idk if it’s worth listening to dozens of trash albums to get to a five star…but this was real good.
My favorite of the Monstars was Gang
Perhaps a little too underground for my liking. Ive never heard of this album though. Does this make me a fake hip hop fan?! Favorite song: Lovesick
I'm a big fan of early 90s hip-hop/rap so there is some personal bias here and we are probably starting off with 2 stars minimum. I can definitely hear what would inspire some of my favorites from right after this album (91) but I just dont connect with this one the same. Favorite track is Check the Technique.
Its not for me but the lyrics are quite fun
3,2/5
smoothie stop
very okay, kinda samey
Couldn't get through it, but what I heard didn't speak to me
"Forming a poetic mass over pathetic trash / Other writers are outclassed / Surpassed by the words and the wit" - Guru's "oratory gift is abundant" and DJ Premier's beats are classic ****
(4/7) idk if this was cool when it came out but it feels dorky today
til that this kind of rap is called boom bap. I like boom bap! this album was great! I've never heard it before but the beats were solid and I enjoyed listening to it. I'm not super into rap generally and I probably won't listen to it again
gimme dat old school
cant believe it took til now for me to realise that the dj premier from gta4's hip hop radio station is the same dj premier that was half of gang starr.... this one's good, the beats are still great, but the lyrical content feels like it got power crept hard by other east coast rappers barely a few years later. there's a lot of clever stuff in there but bars like "contrary to what i had wished/it seems that i've been dissed" feel like, cute? at this point? which kinda takes me outta it a bit. "who's gonna take the weight" and "just to get a rep" still fuck despite this tho, and as i said the production stands up no problem, with some great sampling and scratching throughout. i guess what i mean is it's like, i'd listen again for sure, and i'd enjoy it, but i'd be more likely to reach for stakes is high or somethin, yknow? it's good, but there's better now.
great lyrics an beats amazing album
engagé, bonne musique de fond mais j'écouterai pas au quotidien
This didn’t click with me, but I can see why it’s so important.
This is a group that I wasn't aware of at all. After reading some about them, I was more aware of them than I had realized. I really enjoyed this album. Lovestruck is great. I'll be listening to this in the future.
I'm so happy to find a Gang Starr album in the ranks. In my eyes, DJ Premier is a top 3 all time hip-hop producer. The quality and frequency of his output is second to none, he may only lack the impact of Dr. Dre, RZA or commercial appeal of Kanye and Pharrell, but he's just as good, equally recongnizable because of his scratching technique and always stands out whomever has the mic. RIP Guru, another top top rapper, always reminds me of Rakim but grittier. Strange that his was the album that was included in the list, but it's hard to pick which one would be the one to choose for a must listen, I'd say it's at least 2: Hard to Earn and Moment of Truth. But this album is just as good and shocking that they start their carrers with these high level songs. Execution of a Chump is one of my all time hip-hop favorite.
Pretty cool I guess. I’m not really into old rap music but it was still fine.
Some really cool beats especially for so early in the 90s.
I hadn't heard this at all! Very good stuff.
Step in the Arena delivers sharp lyricism, smooth production, and undeniable chemistry between Guru and DJ Premier, but several tracks blend together because of their similar pacing. Despite its influence, the album occasionally sacrifices variety, making the overall experience solid rather than consistently exceptional for repeated listening over time.
I really enjoyed this which I didnt expect as the past couple of rap albums on this list have been disappointing but this album seems raw yet considered and refined. Everything comes across cleanly and I like the lyrics
I'm no fan of the current Rap / Hip Hop music, and especially that obnoxious Gangsta Rap. This, on the other hand, is stuff that I can tolerate and sometimes even like. Crips beats, good samples, and fitting scratching musically, and rapping with a nice flow and lyrics that are not dumb, narcissistic, misogynistic, or just disgusting.
Pretty good stuff.
Mildly enjoyable, easy to listen to. Wouldn't be something I'd likely revisit, but I wouldn't walk out of a room because it was playing either.
I guess this is hugely influential/important (Apple Music compares it to Rubber Soul, uh, ok?), and I get it based on its release year, but it just seems kinda average-ish to me. Certainly not bad.
Super smooth, bass-heavy beats. Laid back, smart, cool rhymes. Just good old school hip hop, and I’m glad this album made this list.
3.1 me encanta el hip hop rap
Not my cup of tea. Too repetitive sounds and not my vibe
Not big on rap myself. The album is at least an easy listen.
I understand this is a classic hip hop album but imo a tribe called quest holds up better. Production is pretty sick though
Man, this is so whack. I give it a star for the title track - there were a lot game & fantasy terms in their lyrics, which I think is interesting for a rap song. And another star for track 7. "Check the Technique", as they used a sample from another song I like. I don't think this album is particular strong and I was asking me sometimes if this is serious or a parody, but it was also a very funny to listen to (for example "Lovesick" or "what you want this time").
I love my old-school hiphop. But here somehow the flow is missing. And the backingtracks suck from time to time. Listen to the first one, sounds like my farts after drinking too much Weißbier.
Never heard of Gang Starr before this. Not really a hip-hop person either — so take this with that caveat clearly on the table. I listened twice, which feels like a meaningful data point: something kept me coming back. I can't place it in context. I don't know where Guru's delivery sits relative to his peers, or what DJ Premier's production meant for the genre in 1991. What I can say is that it sounds purposeful and confident — like people who know exactly what they're doing. Whether I'm hearing greatness or competence, I genuinely can't tell. 3/5 — which in this case means: I think this is probably better than I'm equipped to judge, and I respected it more than I enjoyed it. Not a bad place to land.
Never got into HipHop, and this album certainly won't help. Many instrumentals are actually quite good, I like the beats and the Jazz samples. Would have enjoyed this more if it WAS only instrumental HipHop, because I hated the rapped verses. I generally don't pay much attention to lyrics, so I get why some of the appeal might be lost to me. But on the other hand, whenever I did listen to the lyrics, it was about why this guy was the coolest and that everyone else can suck it... yawn. 1,5/5 weak
Production and beats is 5 star (I mean, DJ Premier is on the hip-hop Mount Rushmore) while the flow is very good. The album is solid, but there wasn't any track that stood out. Best Tracks: Form of Intellect; Check the Technique; Just to Get a Rep
I liked this album more than I expected since Hip Hop can be a real hit or miss genre for me. There was some great flow to this album. Favorite Track - Lovesick Least Favorite Track - Beyond Comprehension ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
These guys really built their own formula that much of underground hip hop and rap followed after with. Still holds up today as a creative album that sounds good for vibing on the weekend or in the car. Loved it.
So this is one of those album from the 90s where they just talk, but I am more into the more melodic rap songs, so this was a bit meh for me. It was not too bad having it in the background while I was doing stuff though.
5 for premier”s production , 3 for guru”s occasionally expressionless delivery.
Bah oui, c'est très bien, on a l'impression d'être dans GTA. En voiture c'est encore mieux
Très honnête, j’aime beaucoup les samples et la voix - on a quelques chansons un peu longues, et globalement je pense que Moment Of Truth est meilleur, sauf qu'il n'est pas dans le classement, donc 4 quand même
This felt like very old school hip hop -- lots of scratching and rap. I'm not the biggest hip hop head so I never know how to rate these, but this I enjoyed. 4*
It's interesting that every beat starts off really good but quickly overstay their welcome with few switch-ups or breaks. Especially considering the tracks aren't particularly long. That in combination with Guru's unenthusiastic delivery means I'm not really impressed by this album.
Gang Starr é tipo Ringo Starr? Não sei. Não importa. Produção angelical pelo DJ Premier. Tudo é apoteótico, os samples, os scratches, tudo fantástico e rico. E pra acompanhar, os versos e flows de Guru são ótimos, é um disco difícil de ouvir parado. Som que te move. Disco perfeito no quesito técnico dos confins do gênero. Disco transitório, final da década de 80, início da década de 90, período crucial na história do Rap. Tudo ou nada pro gênero. E vejo o início dos anos 90 como uma espécie de ponto ideal pro gênero, já maduro suficiente para escapar das breguices tontas da década de 80, mas ainda antes da formação do Gangsta Rap e das armadilhas clássicas dos anos 90, como interlúdios desnecessários. O único defeito mesmo é a duração do álbum. Acho que chegando no final ele acaba causando um pouco de monotonia. Poderia ter sido encurtado levemente. Mas não é algo crítico. Ainda assim é um tremendo disco, gostei muito. 4/5
I didn't hate it
Not the biggest hip hop fan but enough to be surprised I haven't heard of these guys. The album is good but I think you need to be more ilof a fan to understand why someone would describe it as one of the all time greats. The rhymes and beats are good but they don't sound better than lots of other stuff that came out at the same time. But really, what do I know
Gang Starr may be the hip hop group with the biggest gap between how impressive I find their music and how much I enjoy it. Guru's flow is tight, his rhymes come in bunches; "spectator" / "slayed or" / "gladiator" is a particularly good trio. His lyrics are thoughtful and clever. DJ Premier's beats are layered, twinkly pianos and thumping drums. It's all very good, but it almost sounds clinical or sterile. None of the beats hit you hard or sound all that different. Songs are short on hooks. Guru's flow sounds tired after a while. Even at 50 minutes, almost short for a hip hop album, the album drags during the last few songs. From a technical perspective I only have good things to say about this, but it just doesnt have enough unique moments to work as an album.
90s hip hop. Landmark album. Very clean flows and production. Political and thoughtful old school rap.
Meh. Felt pretty generic.
Really enjoyed this. I was already familiar with Gang Starr, but I'd never listened to any of their albums front to back. Smooth rhymes and incredible production.
Never heard of these rappers, but enjoyed it. Reminds me of the Fresh Prince and MC 900 Ft Jesus.
No es mi estilo pero no me desagrado 2,5
Haven't heard of them. After the first few songs I thought it's gonna be the boring type of 90s rap but then the samples and beats got more interesting. So overall a rather nice experience 3/5
Hugely enjoyable hip hop. I almost didn’t want it to end. The shorter tracks feel like more than interludes. There’s a lo-fi quality to this that I really dig. Guru’s style is so relaxed and intelligent. Love the samples (California Soul by Marlena Shaw was a treat) and a superb variety of beats. Hoping for more Gang Starr soon.
fav songs: step in the arena who's gonna take the weight? what you want this time? jazzy, groove, conscious 70/100
This was pretty good! The rapping style makes it sounds older than it is, but that's not a bad thing. Very chill and easy to vibe to. "Step In the Arena" "Execution of a Chump" "Who's Gonna Take The Weight" and "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" were the standouts for me
It's okay, not really my thing
Not my thing for sure, but not terrible.
yeah this was fun to listen to, it's not something i would put on again but it was cool to hear
I don't listen to any hip-hop really, but i was pleasantly suprised by this album. Some of the beats were nice, such as on Who's Gonna Take the Weight? and Check the Technique. And the lyrics were decent. Unremarkable for me though. 3/5 Name Tag (Premier & The Guru) - Step In The Arena 6 Form of Intellect 6 Execution of a Chump 5 Who's Gonna Take The Weight 7 Beyond Comprehension 4 Check the Technique 8 Lovesick 6 Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 4 Game Plan 4 Take A Rest 6 What You Want This Time? 5 Street Ministry 5 Just to Get a Rep 4 Say Your Prayers 3 As I Read My S-A 5 Precisely The Right Rhymes 4 The Meaning of the Name 5
Love some old school hip hop
Really enjoyed this
Not a huge fan of rap. Didn’t finish the album.
algo parecido com o anterior só que bem mais superior no meu gosto, não escuto hip hop mas foi um album bem bom favs: form of intellect, check the technique, love sick
Not as good as they would be a few albums later but still great stuff here from Primo and Guru
Loved this one. Quintessential hip hop.
Some decent beats and songs but overall pretty repetitive and dull
This was a fun listen. The flowing so tight and the rhymes are insane. I’m starting to notice a trend, 90s rap and hip hop is king.
Shoutout the soundtrack of Skate 2, shoutout EA games for only doing one thing right and it’s licensing good music. I definitely had no grasp at the time on hip hop in the 90’s when I first played the game, but I didn’t need to know much to know this albums title track was really memorable. “Execution Of A Chump” is so full of swagger without coming off as trying too hard at all. Excellent, hypnotic beat. Methodical delivery of clever bar after clever bar. I think Gang Starr’s greatest quality here is how they so clearly don’t care about anything besides their craft. Nothing comes off as forced. MC Guru is locked in from front to back, DJ Premier manages to toe the line of making a beat thats punchy but never distracting (“Check The Technique” has a low end that blew my mind - no way this came out all the way back in 1991). “Take A Rest” is the only thing that sounds remotely dated and even that was base-level enjoyable. This project even manages to fly under the insanely high standard for misogyny that 90’s rap had. 4/5 it must’ve been frustrating trying to sound as smooth as these guys in the early/mid-90’s. A setting of the gold standard.
No my type of music
Brilliant!
This was ok. There's other groups from this era of hip hop that I would choose over this. It is interesting to kind of hear in this album a transition of styles from what was popular in the late 80's to the biggest groups in the Golden Era, but I don't think it's interesting enough to keep me coming back very often. 2.5/5
I didn't care much for this one. I know the focus is the lyrics, but I didn't really parse those, and without them, you just get songs with 3-4 second samples repeated ad infinitum. Not for me. 2/5
I like this
Enjoyed this quite a bit 4 stars
Music of its time, nothing more, nothing less, but closer to the middle of the road.
They say it’s one of the best hip-hop albums of all time. OK, now it’s official. I just can’t get into hip-hop. A barrage of words over the same old beats, over a words, over beats, over words, over beats. I suppose it’s all very meaningful. But musically, it bores me to death. Not my cup of tea. Definitely not my cup of tea.
Poetic, groovy and fierce. The arrogance is a bit much though
I liked all the record scratching
Rating: 4.5/5 Short Review: Sharp, focused, no wasted motion. DJ Premier’s beats are clean and gritty, Guru just glides over them. Feels like pure craft, nothing extra, nothing fake. Favorite Track: “Step in the Arena.” That beat is hypnotic, and Guru sounds completely in control. No flash, just authority.
Not sure I would enjoy this but I really did. Old school hip hop and not gangster rap
Great old school. 3.5/5
smooth, ill flows and a real sense of the time period
Get a Game Plan together and give this a listen. It might be Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, so Say Your Prayers that it sticks around.
Love the 90s beats. The same phrasing structure gets a bit old is all
This is what I hoped for from doing this. Finding new artists that slap. Never heard of these guys until now. Must of added 4 songs to my liked. Great flow, always refreshing to have rappers not using fill curse words too. Definitely a fan of these guys now!
The rhyming and vocals are superb! The music at times almost has a jazz feel to it! Loved it!
Not Bad
One of the best voices in hip-hop, Guru. Love the blending of jazz and hip-hop. DJ Premier was working magic with the samples and mixing on this album. It is hard east coast hip-hop with socially conscious raps. It is very raw sounding with some goated songs and a few duds, could have been less songs.
Gaaaannggg Starrrrrrrrr🔥🔥
Funky but didn't excite me.
Fairly standard hip-hop from this era. Some of the sampling worked really nicely with the tracks, but this isn’t really my flavour of hip-hop so found it all a little samey.
I like that it's both socially concious and funny (most hip hop I've heard is one or the other at most, though it's admittedly not my usual genre). Great lyricism/rhyming, and not overloaded with skits and interludes like other hip hop albums on this list.
fucking skateboarding and eating hotdogs inside haunted mansion in your extremely wide pants typo stuff
This is a classic that I had never sat and listened to start-to-finish before. Glad I was able to change that today.
Before Illmatic made jazz-hop canonical and before East Coast boom bap was a brand, Gang Starr were laying the blueprint with Step into the Arena. DJ Premier and Guru’s second full-length, released in 1991, is a gritty, confident document of the era—built on dusty samples, tight drums, and streetwise wisdom delivered with a steady hand. Guru’s famously flat, monotone flow is a defining texture here—not showy, not overly emotive, but deliberate and precise. It gives the album a meditative calm, even when the beats crackle with energy. Premier, still perfecting his signature style, laces the project with jazzy loops, horn stabs, and occasional forays into rock samples. It's a crate-digger’s playground, wrapped in the hard-knock ethos of golden-age New York. Highlights include the title track, where a familiar sample (later reworked on 2Pac’s “I Get Around”) rides smooth horn accents as Guru flexes with easy confidence. “Execution of a Chump” juxtaposes a moody, piano-driven beat with gangster bravado, creating an oddly hypnotic dissonance. “Check the Technique” comes in heavier, its aggressive drums propelling Guru’s most animated performance. And “What You Want This Time?” is all swagger, powered by a sharp horn loop and no-nonsense lyrical dismissals. It’s not Gang Starr’s most refined work, but Step in the Arena is a street-level classic—raw, uncompromising, and deeply influential.
Jazz influenced early 90s hip hop checks all of my boxes. Not sure why I’ve never heard of this duo before. Worth the listen!
I'm pleasantly surprised by how good this one was. I'm not always a bit fan of early 90s hip hop and I have to confess that I expected some toxic masculinity here. But it's a solid album with some great beats. Nothing much more to say but I really liked this one.
It was a good hip-hop album. I don't think that I am the best judge for this album, but I think it was fun just not for me
Fun. A bit raw and a bit simple, but I understand why this is so influential.
Hi hum hip hop
Here today, gone tomorrow Take a rest Form of an intellect Check the technique Execution of a chump The meaning of the name As I read my s-a
The Good: Artist tells us straight up what he is… The Bad: What if the extra R in his last name stands for rape… The Ugly: Gangster Rape… Yes, I couldn’t come up with anything better than the above. No, I really didn’t try very hard… See if I care. Listened to this album while visiting the great country of Japan… I think I zoned out listening pretty fast.. hit the skip buttons and couldn’t wait to find out what the next album would… hoping it wouldn’t be a total disaster like this one. Did not like at all 1*
nope
5/10
Det e kanskje ikke ofte æ høre på nokka som i så stor grad rope tidlig 90-tallshiphop og som likevel interessere mæ i så liten grad? Det føltes for flinkt, og det føles som en rar innvending mot rap. Sikkert gøy for dem med særlige interesser innafor feltet, og på ingen måte dårlig, men i overkant langtekkelig og ikke spesielt interessant for mæ.
This has all the ingredients, great lyrics, really smooth and chilled out flow to the rapping as well. The turntabling (can that be a verb?) is really cool as well
There's nowt wrong with this but it did take me three listens to determine I have no determinable opinion on it
Guru and DJ Premier are always top tier hip hop.
Sort of a long listen, but DJ Premier's beats are really awesome, I just had a hard time hanging on towards the end.
Great stuff. Feels ahead of it's time.
Hadn't heard it before. Not a challenging listen, which is a plus is some ways, but on the other hand, it wasn't super provocative. Enjoyable though, and I would listen again. 3.5, rounding down.
5.5/10
This guy seems to think he's a lexicon devil
Great beats and interesting lyrics with an unfortunately boring delivery. 3.
Hip-hop has come a long way in 35 years. The performances are solid and the beats are great (I have a soft spot for this early-90s east coast sound), but there’s nothing that swept me off my feet so to speak. The flows are pretty firmly of their time. I enjoyed my listen fine but will probably not revisit.
Not bad, but not my favorite. Some great lines in the album but the overall tone of this felt lacking.
Preemo always comes correct. Love the beats, love Gurus lyricism. Kind of a cool old school version of Gang Starr. I'm not familiar with their earlier stuff but this was great. Not as many memorable tracks as I would have liked though. It's a tough decision, but I gotta give this a 3. Just not enough bangers. Every track was good enough, but none were standouts.
I liked this but it did feel like a generic rap album. It definitely feels like a progression from Run DMC. Definitely more moody.
Lo-fi beats to chill and study to. It was alright, didn't grab me particularly. Never heard of them before, but I wouldn't mind listening to another if it came up. Not particularly moved.
The album starts off with some of the best 90s hip-hop I've heard yet with interesting and engaging instrumentals. About a fourth in however, the quality dips and the tracks seem to drone on a little longer than necessary and can feel repetitive. Once you get to Lovesick though, the record sweeps back up and delivers some of the best lyricism and story telling from the decade I've ever heard. Slightly bumpy but great album with great talent.
This was fine, but not spectacular. Pretty typical stuff, sometimes catchy, sometimes repetitive