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 led by Tupac and N.W.A, the year ’93 ’Til Infinity was released — the superb debut album from a more underground California rap group: Souls of Mischief.

Affiliated with the Hieroglyphics crew and supported 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 from samples taken from different sections of the same piece by jazz musician Billy Cobham, and driven by a beat perfectly suited to the song’s theme: the art of simply enjoying life. Never has a title — nor an album — been so fitting. Because since 1993, and into eternity, this certified classic has lost very little of its flavor.

If you want to know what it felt like to live in California in ’93, grab your ticket now.