Souls of Mischief

A landmark year for American hip-hop, 1993 saw the release of the very first albums by Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan, KRS-One, The Roots, and Mobb Deep. It was also, at a time when West Coast rap was dominated by Tupac and N.W.A, the year ’93 Til Infinity came out — the stunning debut album from a more underground California rap group: Souls of Mischief.

Affiliated with the Hieroglyphics crew and backed by Del the Funky Homosapien, the four Oakland MCs — Opio, Phesto, Tajai, and A-Plus — delivered a hip-hop record that comes close to a masterpiece. It features the title track, “93 ’til Infinity,” one of the most incredible songs ever produced in rap, with its ethereal instrumentation and sharp brass, built on samples drawn from different moments of the same track by jazz musician Billy Cobham, and driven by a beat perfectly suited to its theme: the art of just enjoying life. Never has a song, nor an album, been so aptly named. Because since 1993, and into eternity, this certified classic has lost none of its flavor.