Rap Essentials Volume One
{{Infobox album
| 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.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. It is considered a landmark hip-hop album, and it was very influential.[http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid1=75&csid2=778&fid1=4464 Kardinal Offishall - Man on Fire] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091101182156/http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid1=75&csid2=778&fid1=4464 |date=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|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070816143315/http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/1997/060597/music5.html |date=2007-08-16 }} Montreal Mirror. Accessed on January 5, 2009.
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.Shawn Ohler, "Bum rap: Canadian rappers want some respect". Edmonton Journal, March 8, 1997. "Dear Hip Hop" by Dan-e-o is considered a Canadian hip-hop classic.[http://www.muchmusic.com/music/artists/bio.asp?artist=1143 MuchMusic.com | Artists | Dan-e-o] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050211105201/http://www.muchmusic.com/music/artists/bio.asp?artist=1143 |date=2005-02-11 }} MuchMusic. Accessed on January 5, 2009.
Music videos for "Dear Hip Hop", "Bright Lights, Big City", and "Sunlight" by Wio-K were put into rotation on MuchMusic.
Track listing
| class="wikitable" |
| #
! Title ! Performer(s) ! Producer(s) ! Length |
|---|
| 1.
|"Fitnredi" |4:29 |
| 2.
|"Boiling Point" |Concrete Mob |Scam |3:17 |
| 3.
|"Learn to Earn" |Down to Erf |Down to Erf |3:25 |
| 4.
|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 |3:46 |
| 8.
|"Dear Hip Hop" |Scam |3:24 |
| 9.
|"Bright Lights, Big City" |DJ Luv, Kandu (co-producer) |4:00 |
| 10.
|"Twenty One Years" |Day |4:17 |
| 11.
|"Structure, Foundation (What's the Plan)" |Down to Erf |3:14 |
| 12.
|"U.L." |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)