The Strength of the Sophomore LP in the Golden Era of Hip Hop Music:
It's A Bigger and Deffer Thing
Back on track in my new home with a fully working internet package, surrounded by fewer boxes and able to find a majority of everyday household objects (but alas, still no sign of either of my two pairs of slippers, so here I sit in open-toed sandals, my toenails exposed to the brunt of the harsh autumnal environment as the draughts sneak through the gaps in the floorboards), I bring you the return of the regular Thursday article. I appreciate your patience, subscribers! This week’s Thursday article is connected to the sophomore LP in hip hop, and its subtle value in shifting the weight of rap music.
The idea of the ‘sophomore album’ as a phenomena is a curious one. For those of us in Europe weaned on post-punk, synth-pop, early indie, British ska, reggae, and brought up on electro and rap, the notion of ‘sophomore’ was an alien language. For us, follow-ups to debuts were, well, follow-ups, or second albums, even though the term began during the late 17th century as part of the culture at English universities (notably Oxford and Cambridge) before becoming part of everyday speak in the United States. Something further about the term sophomore over the term second, is that somehow, it feels more weighted. Perhaps this is to do with sophomore’s being in the thick of something – the second year of study at university, for example – there is more to come. Perhaps the release of the sophomore album does more than attempt to affirm the reputation and standing of the debut, but also raises a level of expectation within the fanbase of the artist’s third, fourth and however many further albums. And this, is where the crux of the argument starts for this article.
In the general critique of popular music, there have been many instances of sophomore albums not living up to expectations. Hootie and The Blowfish’s Fairweather Johnson (1996), Weezer’s Pinkerton (1996) and Meat Loaf’s Dead Ringer (1981) were deflating in terms of both sales and critique, and in the rap world the same can be said about Nas’ It Was Written (1996), Black Sheep’s Non Fiction (1994), and Raekwon’s Immobilarity (1999).
However, I want to focus not on the critically negative position of sophomore albums, but on their beauty, and also the way in which they can enhance our experience and reflection on debuts, how they illustrate a maturity of sound and approach to song writing and music making, and how they promote a sense of anticipation for future work.