The History of the Hip Hop Concept Album

Hip Hop or Rap, or whatever the hell you wanna call it these days, was relatively new when I was growing up. The early 90s sparked a creative advancement in hip hop content and production, but it would still be a few years before hip hop enthusiasts would get their first concept album.

In 1996, Kool Keith released the first hip hop concept album “Dr. Octagonecologyst” under the alter-ego Dr. Octagon. There’s some debate regarding the first classic rock concept album, but as far as hip hop is concerned, there’s no discussion. Dr. Octagonecologyst (say that 10 times fast in public) is the first hip hop concept album.

To be perfectly honest, I’m not a huge fan of this album. It’s bizarre, and that’s putting it mildly. The best way I can describe it is by calling it a sci-fi porno flick set to industrial rock hop. The album follows Dr. Octagon, an extraterrestrial, time-traveling gynecologist from Jupiter. As the album progresses, we learn more about Dr. Octagon’s backstory. The concept itself is pretty brilliant, but it’s not executed very well. It’s clear that the album has a theme, but the story is tied together by the skits more than the songs.

There have been a number of hip hop concept albums released since then, and most of them have done a much better job telling a complete story. Check out the Hip Hop Concept Albums sidebar on the right (below on mobile) for some of my favorites.

I can’t dive into all of them now, but there are two in particular I’d like to mention because they influenced our approach to “Grey Expectations.” The Roots “undun” and Cunninlynguists “A Piece of Strange”. Check out the articles below for more info on these two concept albums.

The Roots “undun”: The Hip Hop Concept Album that Starts Where the Story Ends

 
I’m a huge fan of The Roots and “undun” is one of their best albums in my opinion. It’s a concept album that follows the path of Redford Stevens. The name Redford Stevens is actually a nod to musician Sufjan Stevens, a Detroit native who’s known for releasing a series of concept albums using state names called the Fifty States Project. He’s only 48 states away from completion. 😉

Undun begins with Redford’s death and then proceeds in reverse-chronological order as he attempts to navigate through his poverty-ridden surroundings and make something of himself… even if that means accepting a life of crime. Check out the undun short film for more context.

As he nears his untimely death, Redford begins to look back on his life with regret, while also wondering if there’s anything he could have done different to change his path. It’s a question that’s left unanswered, and for good reason. We’ll never know the answer, just as we’ll never know in our real lives unless we figure out a way to travel back in time with Bill and Ted (I enjoyed “Face The Music” by the way) or a guardian angel let’s us see what would have happened a’la George Bailey in “It’s A Wonderful Life” … the best Christmas flick by a landslide if you ask me.

“undun” is an album that requires repeat visits. After critiquing his poor decision-making process, you start to analyze his options based on the cards he was dealt and the systemic oppression and environment that pushes him in certain directions. There’s a lot more meat to this album than the critics realized at the time, and I suggest you give it a listen if it’s not already part of your heavy rotation. 

A Strange Journey with the Cunninlynguists “A Piece of Strange”

After two successful indie releases (Will Rap For Food and SouthernUnderground), the Cunninlynguists released what is widely regarded as their finest work, the hip hop concept album “A Piece of Strange.”

It was APOS that really put them on the map and made them a household name overseas. It’s one of those albums that continues to resonate with fans due to its beautifully designed cover art, numerous characters, thought-provoking content and solid production. It’s an album that takes repeat listens to fully digest and is still considered one of the best hip hop concept albums to date.

It would take me too long to dissect the entire concept, but check out website What Is A Piece of Strange and this XXL interview with the band for a more detailed analysis. The short version is that it’s a story about the south with the main characters, played by Deacon and Natti, doing what they can to survive with little regard for the potential repercussions. The genius of the album is the way the underlying message of the Bible Belt’s hypocrisy is gradually unveiled.

Through the first 1/3 of the album, Natti and Deacon play stereotypical gangstas. They engage in criminal activity, drug use, and fornication… what many Christians would consider the devil’s work. The majority of these poor decisions are a result of their environment and their struggle to survive in the face of extreme adversity. Naturally, we begin to question how much of this behavior is environmental—a necessary evil if you will—and how much is a result of moral weakness and temptation’s lure.

But it’s the remainder of the album where things get interesting. Using guest appearances by Tonedeff, Immortal Technique, and others, we see that the individuals condemning these characters as despicable human beings are also engulfed in sin… judging others while using religion as a mask to hide their immorality.

It’s not a blatantly obvious concept on the surface, which makes it even more intriguing to those of us who appreciate good art. Kno’s production and clever use of instrumental interludes tie the story together brilliantly and give the project a cohesive vibe. The instrumentation feels very “live” despite heavily relying on samples, which to this day is still a key ingredient in Kno’s kitchen.

If you haven’t yet checked out “A Piece of Strange”, I suggest you do. To date, it is still one of the deepest and most highly regarded hip hop concept albums despite its release in 2006.