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Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group originally comprised of KRS-One, D Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from an alternative name for The Bronx, one of the five boroughs of New York City. The group pioneered the fusion of dancehall reggae and hip hop music and their debut LP Criminal Minded contained frank descriptions of life in the South Bronx of the late 80s thus setting the stage for what would eventually become gangsta rap.
By All Means Necessary is the second album from hip hop group Boogie Down Productions, released May 10, 1988, on Jive Records. After the murder of DJ/Producer Scott La Rock in 1987, MC KRS-One moved away from the violence that dominated their debut Criminal Minded and began to write socially conscious songs, while using the moniker "The Teacher". As of September 25, 1989, the album has been certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America.[3] The album cover with KRS-One and the title reference Malcolm X.
Many themes, which surface a minimalist production accompanied by hard-hitting drum beats, cover social issues that include government and police corruption, safe sex, government involvement in the drug trade, and violence in the hip hop community. The album is widely seen as one of, if not, the first politically conscious efforts in hip-hop. Allmusic.com described the album as "a landmark of political rap" and Rolling Stone praised its social commentary.[4] Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone wrote that "Over irresistible beats provided by his BDP cohorts, KRS delivers the word on the drug trade, AIDS and violence – three forces that threaten to destroy minority communities".[5] In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Hip-Hop Albums of All Time. [6]
