There are very few albums across any genre that stand the
test of time better than 93 ‘Til Infinity, the classic debut
record from the Hieroglyphics crew’s very own Souls of
Mischief. In an era where Gangsta Rap and G-Funk dominated the West Coast Rap scene, Souls broke ground on a
completely unique and thoroughly west coast sound.
While the Dr. Dre’s and the Snoop Doggs were garnering
much of the mainstream attention, Souls were quietly
forging a charismatic, critically acclaimed, and cohesively
shaped record that when categorized, sounded much
closer to A Tribe Called Quest than N.W.A. The sound of
their debut is characteristic of the distinct style explored by
the collective, including a rhyme scheme based on internal
rhyme and beats centered around a live bass and obscure
jazz and funk samples.
93 ‘Til Infinity was propelled into success by its title track
and lead single, which reached #32 on the Billboard Hot
100. It also featured singles “That’s When Ya Lost” and
“Never No More” which also reached the Hot Rap Singles.
In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s
100 Best Rap Albums of All Time.
Considered by many to be a text book “slept-on” classic
Rap record, 93 ‘Til Infinity has only grown better with
age. The album simply defines the Hiero golden age with
a sound that would later be fine tuned with strong
releases from MCs Del The Funkee Homosapien, Casual
and Pep Love.
It takes some serious bravado to name your album 93 ‘Til
Infinity, but certainly the goal of creating a Hip Hop “classic” must have been on the collective minds of group
members A-Plus, Tajai, Opio, and Phesto when recording
this landmark moment in Hip Hop history. It’s true, even
seventeen years after the album’s initial release many
people are still discovering it, and with this re-mastered
reissue on double vinyl, fans all over the world will once
again discover the brilliance that 93 ‘Til Infinity delivers and
will continue to deliver beyond infinity.