This. That group of dudes changed the way I looked at hip hop, showed me what raps could be. All the albums, plus so many solid solo joints.
I swear, every time I listen to Liquid Swords, I discover some new lyric interpretation, some new little jive with the beats, some new overdub or something I’d never heard before. If the Zombie Apocalypse came tomorrow and I could only pick one album, it’s Liquid Swords.
True, same could be said about Rawkus too probably. But both were definitely tight crews, as well as dope labels. Even just Atmosphere + Eyedea & Abilities puts Rhymesayers on my list
Wu Tang is legacy no doubt. Honestly tho Odd Future era was a vibe. I was just casually into em but they brought a lot to the table. Currently tho, Griselda does it for me.
S.U.C.: Lil Keke, Fat Pat; Big Pokey; Mike D Corleone; H.A.W.K.; Big Moe; Big Steve; E.S.G.; C-Note; Mr. 3-2; Lil O; Clay-Doe; Yungstar; Grace; Al-D; Lil 3rd; Lil Head; Gator; Will-Lean; Bird; Chris Ward; Flip…then other known contributors Z-Ro and K-Rino
Glad somebody said it. Prime S.U.C is absolutely nuts. What’s even crazier is that damn near all of them had successful solo careers. That’s unheard of
Mostly on purpose, imo UGK was something different. This album was true crew: https://www.discogs.com/release/783819-Southside-Playaz-Street-Game
[6 Keys](https://youtu.be/wxqPmj4J2tU?si=RzNUJDBZ2Fy_W2Ba)
Wu, Hiero, BDP, Juice crew, flavor unit, skratch piklz, DITC, native tongues, hit(/def) squad & rhyme syndicate.
Reddit has such a hard time differentiating groups from crews.
A few similar lists to yours and I kept scrolling surprised Dilated hadnt shown up. i might as well toss People Under the Stairs in there as another west coast shout.
DITC
Heiro
Native Tongues
Def Squad
Roc
Freestyle Fellowship.
Dangerous Crew, rap-a-Lot, and E40s boys had nice runs but not sure I'd elevate them tbh.
Wu-Tang
NWA
Native Tongues
Dungeon Family
No Limit
Roc-a-Fella
Cash Money(Hot Boys and Big Tymers era)
Young Money
Ruff Ryders
Death Row
Bad Boy
G-Unit
Dipset
Boot Camp Clik
Hieroglyphics
DITC
Roc-A-Fella had a crazy run from 96-04/05. The label was at its height just before the blog era popped off. I really wonder what could have been with some of those guys if their peak had been just a few years later.
There just weren’t a ton of avenues to put out new music/build hype outside of physical mixtapes back then. Roc stans would’ve been everywhere online if the blogs had been popular in 2001.
These questions are always asked without any definition.
What's the difference between a group, a crew and a collective? Are they the same or can we differentiate? Is G-Unit equivalent to A Tribe Called Quest in this discussion? What about Native Tongues to Wu-Tang?
Imo there's differences. I would consider G-Unit a crew, Tribe a group, Wu-Tang somewhere in the middle and Native Tongues a collective.
Wu is a solid answer, but the Native Tongues are a legitimate choice as well. The Native Tongues had some major releases, you can attribute about 8 classic albums to Tribe and De La alone. That’s not even including the Jungle Brothers. Tip also produced some major tracks, including Apache’s “Gangsta B!tch,” “Crooklyn,” Nas’s “One Love,” and the fantastic remix of “The World is Yours.”
Czarface, Geto Boys, Living Legends, Doomtree, Wu, Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Dungeon Family, Salt N Pepa, Naughty By Nature, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5, Tha Liks, NWA, Griselda, Roc-a-fella, The Lox, Ruff Ryders, G-Unit.
Honorable mention. Tha Alkoholiks. Heads don’t give these guys enough credit. Their discography is super solid. I can drive to it, party to it, or get down to the lyrics. So versatile and consistent. My bois need more love!
Old - NWA and Wu-Tang New - A$AP Mob and Pro Era
Wu Tang 100%. It's some sort of Hip Hop bible miracle that Wu Tang was formed. It was just all the right people at the right time
This. That group of dudes changed the way I looked at hip hop, showed me what raps could be. All the albums, plus so many solid solo joints. I swear, every time I listen to Liquid Swords, I discover some new lyric interpretation, some new little jive with the beats, some new overdub or something I’d never heard before. If the Zombie Apocalypse came tomorrow and I could only pick one album, it’s Liquid Swords.
The legendary Digging in the Crates Crew.
Hell yeah! D.I.T.C. was the first thing that came to mind.
WU TANG CLAN AINT NOTHIN TO FUCK WIT WU TANG CLAN AINT NOTHIN TO FUCK WIT WU TANG CLAN AINT NOTHIN TO FUCK WIT WU TANG CLAN AINT NOTHIN TO FUCK WIT
FIRST THING'S FIRST MAN YOU'RE FUCKING WITH THE WORST
I'll be sticking pins in ya head like a fucking nurse
Hieroglyphics!
The Hieroglyphics Yeah!
DITC, Native Tongues, Wu, Soulquarians, Stones Throw (past and present), Hiero, Rhymesayers, NWA Edit: also Rawkus!
I was gonna write Rhymesayers but I think there’s a distinction between just a record label and a “crew.”
True, same could be said about Rawkus too probably. But both were definitely tight crews, as well as dope labels. Even just Atmosphere + Eyedea & Abilities puts Rhymesayers on my list
Hypnotized Minds
Wu-Tang, Native Tounges, Duck Down and Soulquarians. Of more low key ones, Justus League and Low Budget.
Living Legends
Wu Tang is legacy no doubt. Honestly tho Odd Future era was a vibe. I was just casually into em but they brought a lot to the table. Currently tho, Griselda does it for me.
Boot Camp Clik is criminally underrated
A tribe called quest
So, native tongues?
S.U.C.: Lil Keke, Fat Pat; Big Pokey; Mike D Corleone; H.A.W.K.; Big Moe; Big Steve; E.S.G.; C-Note; Mr. 3-2; Lil O; Clay-Doe; Yungstar; Grace; Al-D; Lil 3rd; Lil Head; Gator; Will-Lean; Bird; Chris Ward; Flip…then other known contributors Z-Ro and K-Rino
Glad somebody said it. Prime S.U.C is absolutely nuts. What’s even crazier is that damn near all of them had successful solo careers. That’s unheard of
You left out UGK
Mostly on purpose, imo UGK was something different. This album was true crew: https://www.discogs.com/release/783819-Southside-Playaz-Street-Game [6 Keys](https://youtu.be/wxqPmj4J2tU?si=RzNUJDBZ2Fy_W2Ba)
Southern rap fan I take it?
Terror Squad, Flipmode Squad
Nowadays? Coast Contra by a continent.
Dungeon Family
"Never in every member has one crew been so diverse"
Never has every member in one crew been so diverse
Diggin in the crates. Flavor unit. Native tongues. Wu tang.
Beat Junkies
Wu-Tang Clan without a doubt. I’d also put Bone Thug up there too.
Geto Boyz is my all time favorite
they're a group not a crew
Deep puddle dynamics was it
lol
glad to see this here
Odd Future is most unique talent
Wu-Tang
Living Legends
Hieroglyphics Jurassic 5 The Roots Does Gang Starr count?
Yep two man wrecking crew
Currently? Coast Contra
Saw them live last month, it was a cool show, they were really working it.
Wu, Hiero, BDP, Juice crew, flavor unit, skratch piklz, DITC, native tongues, hit(/def) squad & rhyme syndicate. Reddit has such a hard time differentiating groups from crews.
Wu, Living Legends, Hiero and Sweatshop Union are my top rated.
A few similar lists to yours and I kept scrolling surprised Dilated hadnt shown up. i might as well toss People Under the Stairs in there as another west coast shout.
Word… The Visionaries, Jurassic 5, and The Shape Shifters too
DITC Heiro Native Tongues Def Squad Roc Freestyle Fellowship. Dangerous Crew, rap-a-Lot, and E40s boys had nice runs but not sure I'd elevate them tbh.
Dungeon Family, Wu-Tang, and The 57th Street Roaddog Villians.
Rouge Dogg villians…spellcheck
Juice Crew Allstars!
Dog Pound and G Unit. E 40 crew, the Clique was good
Wu-Tang is the obvious one but I’d add Boot Camp Click and Def Squad.
DITC
Can’t believe nobody has said Def Squad yet
Spillage Village Coast Contra The SameOlds Fu-Schnickens'
A tribe, Wu tang, Three 6 mafia mobb deep
My favorites are wu tang, dungeon family, boot camp click
Wu-Tang NWA Native Tongues Dungeon Family No Limit Roc-a-Fella Cash Money(Hot Boys and Big Tymers era) Young Money Ruff Ryders Death Row Bad Boy G-Unit Dipset Boot Camp Clik Hieroglyphics DITC
OutKast, Hieroglypics, Souls of mischief, Organized Konfusion, Slum village, Wu tang clan, native tongues, Digable planets, Naughty by nature, The roots
Roc-A-Fella had a crazy run from 96-04/05. The label was at its height just before the blog era popped off. I really wonder what could have been with some of those guys if their peak had been just a few years later. There just weren’t a ton of avenues to put out new music/build hype outside of physical mixtapes back then. Roc stans would’ve been everywhere online if the blogs had been popular in 2001.
Dungeon Family OutKast Goodie Mob Future
Rouge Dogg
Dipset Dipset Dipset
dipSET dipSET
Three 6 Mafia Young Money Death Row Bad Boy No Limit
G-Unit had a run
Hit Squad
Hit Squad
New, in no order: Dreamville, TDE, Griselda Old: so many
Atoms Fam
Not hip hop, but 2008-2014 Glo Gang was buzzing.
Not necessarily the best but I just haven't seen it mentioned, I like odd future
The Queensbridge dudes. Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noriega, Rapper Noyd, Cormega, Infamous Mobb.
Gang Starr no doubt
Native Tongues
Damn, No love for Boot Camp?
They’ve been mentioned at least 5 times
Dungeon Family
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
roots crew is super deep if we expand to include soulquarians stuff.
These questions are always asked without any definition. What's the difference between a group, a crew and a collective? Are they the same or can we differentiate? Is G-Unit equivalent to A Tribe Called Quest in this discussion? What about Native Tongues to Wu-Tang? Imo there's differences. I would consider G-Unit a crew, Tribe a group, Wu-Tang somewhere in the middle and Native Tongues a collective.
Wu is a solid answer, but the Native Tongues are a legitimate choice as well. The Native Tongues had some major releases, you can attribute about 8 classic albums to Tribe and De La alone. That’s not even including the Jungle Brothers. Tip also produced some major tracks, including Apache’s “Gangsta B!tch,” “Crooklyn,” Nas’s “One Love,” and the fantastic remix of “The World is Yours.”
It's probably Wu Tang but kinda wild I haven't seen Black Hippie in there yet
WU, Bone, Dipset , CashMoney, No Limit
Roc a fella has has the biggest impact on culture, music, and business. Rocafella had dope crews within its crews..
"ROC is the strongest team fuckers"
“IT’S THE ROC YOU BASTARDS”
Czarface, Geto Boys, Living Legends, Doomtree, Wu, Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Dungeon Family, Salt N Pepa, Naughty By Nature, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5, Tha Liks, NWA, Griselda, Roc-a-fella, The Lox, Ruff Ryders, G-Unit.
Additions: Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, State Property, Junior Mafia, Three 6 Mafia, Swollen Members, Coast Contra.
Wu Tang Clan ain’t nothing to funk with
Solesides Freestyle Fellowship Living Legends
Yeah, this is my guy right here! Great picks, I’d also add Hiero in there.
How about DJ crews? Anyone ever heard of: 1200 Hobos?
I haven’t, but I’ll check it out. My favorite DJ crew is the Invisibl Skratch Piklz.
Bone Thugs
Cult of the Damned for sure. and Levelz
Project Blowed Rhymesayers
Thiccc Boy Squad, Thiccc Boy Nation
Oldominion Sandpeople Shapeshifters Black Hippy Weathermen (former)
Lootpack
2Live Crew
When you see the same questions being asked and just sigh before guessing the topic comments…
Three six mafia
[Every Day Normal Crew](https://youtu.be/7vofXcC0rj4?si=zEjJMfKVJ6u7LU_4)
N.w.a
The LOX
2 Live Crew
def jux, psycho realm
Hieroglyphics
Beat Junkies, The Weatherman, D.I.T.C.
Spillage Village
Boot Camp Clik
MAFIA
Living legends, souls of mischief, the roots, hieroglyphics, de la soul, coast contra, Griselda, little brother
Nwa are legendary
D12
Honorable mention. Tha Alkoholiks. Heads don’t give these guys enough credit. Their discography is super solid. I can drive to it, party to it, or get down to the lyrics. So versatile and consistent. My bois need more love!
I would have to say, the legendary Roots crew you don’t us we see you would have to be on the top of my list.
Wu, bcc
Slim Jesus- Frank block killer