That's not hip hop. Public enemy, naughty by nature, 2pac/biggie, Miami bass, Bay Area rap, Nas/AZ etc
My opinion's always been that music started to get really good in the mid-60's but went to shit in the mid-70's. It had a resurgence in the early-to-mid 90's, and ever since then, with the confluence of music media options, it's really lacked a definite identity, for better or worse.
Agree with NOVoodoo. I'd say from about late 1963 (British invasion) for the next 10 years or so. So much new music now seems like it was produced by computers (probably was). Then I think of how the Beatles and early Stones had essentially no technology. Just talent.
It's a milquetoast and bullshit answer, but there is something from every decade of music that I just love. I think I come closest to NOVoodoo and crandc.
Funny I was going to post the 65-75 decade when I first read the title of this thread. Instead I'll just agree with you.
1965-1975. Easily the most creative decade of music in America. Oddly, most of the different musical periods in the previous century actually started and ended in the middle of the decades, 25-35, 35-45, 45-55, 55-65, 65-75, 75-85, 85-95.
I always say that the best decade for music was the 60s, which lasted from 1955 to 1975. The peak of that long decade was the British invasion short decade of 1963 to about 1968. Oldies stations don't play the 60s, only the 70s.
How bout that. A new article on this very subject. http://www.npr.org/2013/07/30/207021967/on-the-road-to-rock-excess-why-the-60s-ended-in-1973