Rap Essentials Volume One
title: "Rap Essentials Volume One" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1996-compilation-albums", "albums-produced-by-kardinal-offishall", "compilation-albums-by-canadian-artists", "emi-records-compilation-albums", "hip-hop-compilation-albums"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rap_Essentials_Volume_One" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Rap Essentials Volume One |
| type | compilation |
| artist | Various artists |
| cover | Rap Essentials1.jpg |
| released | 1996 |
| recorded | 1995–1996 |
| genre | Canadian hip hop |
| length | 46:40 |
| label | Beat Factory/EMI Canada |
| producer | DJ Kemo, Scam, Down To Erf, Kardinal Offishall, DRK, DJX, Swiff, DJ Luv, Kandu, Day, Kwajo Cinqo |
| next_title | Rap Essentials Volume Two |
| next_year | 1997 |
| :: |
| name = Rap Essentials Volume One | type = compilation | artist = Various artists | cover = Rap Essentials1.jpg | alt = | released = 1996 | recorded = 1995–1996 | venue = | studio = | genre = Canadian hip hop | length = 46:40 | label = Beat Factory/EMI Canada | producer = DJ Kemo, Scam, Down To Erf, Kardinal Offishall, DRK, DJX, Swiff, DJ Luv, Kandu, Day, Kwajo Cinqo | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = Rap Essentials Volume Two | next_year = 1997 Rap Essentials Volume One is a Canadian hip hop compilation album, released in 1996 on Beat Factory Music, and distributed by EMI Music Canada. It is considered a landmark hip-hop album, and it was very influential.
Three songs from the album—"Naughty Dread" by Kardinal Offishall, "Fitnredi" by Rascalz, and "Bright Lights, Big City" by Scales Empire—were nominated for Best Rap Recording at the 1997 Juno Awards. "Dear Hip Hop" by Dan-e-o is considered a Canadian hip-hop classic.
Music videos for "Dear Hip Hop", "Bright Lights, Big City", and "Sunlight" by Wio-K were put into rotation on MuchMusic.
Track listing
::data[format=table]
| # | Title | Performer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fitnredi" | Rascalz | DJ Kemo | 4:29 |
| 2. | "Boiling Point" | Concrete Mob | Scam | 3:17 |
| 3. | "Learn to Earn" | Down to Erf | Down to Erf | 3:25 |
| 4. | "Naughty Dread" | Kardinal Offishall | Kardinal Offishall | 4:24 |
| 5. | "No Lawz" | Black-I | DRK | 4:23 |
| 6. | "Sunlight" | Wio-K | DJX | 3:42 |
| 7. | "Who's Talking Weight (Remix)" | Red Life | Swiff | 3:46 |
| 8. | "Dear Hip Hop" | Dan-e-o | Scam | 3:24 |
| 9. | "Bright Lights, Big City" | Scales Empire | DJ Luv, Kandu (co-producer) | 4:00 |
| 10. | "Twenty One Years" | Choclair | Day | 4:17 |
| 11. | "Structure, Foundation (What's the Plan)" | Citizen Kane | Down to Erf | 3:14 |
| 12. | "U.L." | Ghetto Concept | Kwajo Cinqo | 4:24 |
| :: |
Samples
- "Learn to Earn" – Contains a sample of "Paid in Full" by Eric B. & Rakim
- "Naughty Dread" – Contains a sample of "Natty Dread" by Bob Marley & The Wailers
- "Dear Hip Hop" – Contains a sample of "The Look of Love" by Ramsey Lewis
- "Structure Foundation" – Contains a sample of "Salt Song" by Stanley Turrentine (1:56)
References
References
- Del Cowie, [https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/rap-essentials-at-20-the-album-that-put-90s-canadian-hip-hop-on-the-map-1.5054872 "Rap Essentials at 20: the album that put '90s Canadian hip-hop on the map"]. [[CBC Music]], December 5, 2016.
- link. (2009-11-01 ''Exclaim!''. Accessed on January 5, 2009.)
- [http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/1997/060597/music5.html M.A.D. reach Rap Essentials] {{webarchive. link. (2007-08-16 ''Montreal Mirror''. Accessed on January 5, 2009.)
- Shawn Ohler, "Bum rap: Canadian rappers want some respect". ''[[Edmonton Journal]]'', March 8, 1997.
- Artists. Dan-e-o] {{webarchive. link. (2005-02-11 MuchMusic. Accessed on January 5, 2009.)
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::