In early November, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) hosted Clas/sick Hip-Hop: 1993 Edition, a night of live music featuring over 20 MCs performing new takes on hop-hop hits from 1993, with live instrumentation arranged by two notable Bay Area composers—JooWan Kim and Kev Choice. The year’s importance was twofold: not only did YBCA first open its doors in 1993, but hip-hop itself saw serious successes, both artistically and commercially, that led to the form becoming a part of the mainstream.
Songs that were performed include Snoop Dogg’s “Gin And Juice,” Digable Planets’ “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat),” and many others. Read a statement from the curator of the event, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, here. (Also, we asked Joseph to pick his Top 5 hip-hop songs from 1993, which you can read here.)
Enjoyed that? Watch this performance, by Ensemble Mik Nawooj, of the Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M.” from that same night.
