Somewhere between Puff Daddy and Soulja Boy, I lost track of hip hop.  I still prefer older school conscious rap, like the Native Tongues collective (A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, etc.) and Public Enemy.

That’s why I was so pleased to rediscover these all-star hip hop confabs from back in the day (thanks, Stereogum!). I mean, where else would you see members of NWA playing nice with Young MC and Ice-T other than in the West Coast Rap All-Stars jam, “We’re all in the same gang”?  Or, to quote Stereogum:

This is the first time I’ve listened to MC Hammer, Tone Loc and the Digital Underground in one sitting since my Bar Mitzvah

I think I still prefer the Stop the Violence epic, “Self-Destruction,” though — mostly because the two D’s, Kool Moe and Chuck, with their basso profundo delivery, can pretty much make me believe anything they’re saying. I go to work, indeed.  As the PE take fades out, I’m pretty sure Terminator X’s glasses/goggles are completely askew (check yourself before you wreck yourself at 5:46).  Awesome!

Kick it with conscience below (geographically from east to west):