Original Flavor: Pioneers of 1990s Hip-Hop

Original Flavor was an American hip-hop group from New York City that emerged in the early 1990s. While they achieved moderate chart success, their lasting legacy is as the launching pad for one of hip-hop's most influential producers and executives.

Early career

The group formed in Brooklyn, New York in the late 1980s, originally consisting of MCs Ski and Drayz. Their early demos caught the attention of a young, ambitious producer from the neighborhood named Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie. This connection proved pivotal, as D-Dot's production and business acumen would shape their sound and career path.

Breakthrough

Original Flavor's breakthrough came with their 1993 debut album, This Is How It Is, released on Mercury/PolyGram Records. The album's lead single, Can I Get Open, became a notable hit, receiving heavy rotation on MTV and peaking at number 14 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart. This visibility established the group as a fresh voice in the East Coast hip-hop scene.

Key tracks

Can I Get Open — This was the group's biggest commercial single, driven by a catchy horn sample and a memorable music video.

Here We Go — Another single from their debut, it showcased the smooth, jazz-influenced production style that defined their sound.

All That — This track highlighted the group's lyrical chemistry and further solidified their presence on hip-hop radio in 1993.

Following their debut, the group released their second and final album, Beyond Flavor, in 1994. While it maintained their signature sound, the hip-hop landscape was shifting rapidly. The group's most significant impact was arguably behind the scenes, as D-Dot's career trajectory soared.

Producer D-Dot, alongside his partner Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, became a foundational force at Bad Boy Records. Under the moniker The Madd Rapper, D-Dot produced massive hits for The Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e, and Puff Daddy, shaping the "Bad Boy sound" of the mid-to-late 1990s. Original Flavor's story is thus a key chapter in hip-hop history, representing the incubator for major industry talent.

Fans of the smooth, sample-based New York hip-hop of the early 1990s should also explore Main Source, known for their classic album Breaking Atoms. The jazzy vibes of A Tribe Called Quest share a similar musical sophistication. For another group that launched a superstar producer, listen to The Ummah, the collective featuring Q-Tip and the late J Dilla. The streetwise style of Black Sheep also complements the era's aesthetic.

Original Flavor's music remains a staple on classic hip-hop radio stations and dedicated online radio streams that celebrate the golden era. Their tracks are frequently featured in blocks highlighting early '90s rap and the foundational sounds of East Coast hip-hop.

You can hear the influential hip-hop of Original Flavor on radio stations featured on our website. Listeners can discover their classic tracks and the era they helped define by exploring the classic hip-hop and dedicated 90s stations available on onairium.com.