This is the sound of Philadelphia in the late eighties, characterized by a restless, high-speed energy that feels both street-smart and intellectually playful. The production is anchored by the warm, gritty crunch of vintage samplers, layering classic funk breaks with unexpected jazz flourishes. It is music that demands your attention through its rhythmic complexity and sheer vocal dexterity.
What sets Three Times Dope apart is EST's unique 'Acknickulous' flow, a rapid-fire delivery filled with invented slang and internal rhyme schemes that predated the technical obsessions of the nineties. While their peers in New York were leaning into minimalism, this Philly trio embraced a more colorful, dense approach to both lyricism and beat construction.
Start with 'Original Stylin' to hear the group at their creative peak. It captures the transition from old school simplicity to the sophisticated wordplay that would define the next decade of hip-hop, all while maintaining a groove that works perfectly for a summer afternoon.
Three Times Dope was an American hip hop/rap group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania consisting of EST (Robert Waller), Chuck Nice (Walter Griggs) and Woody Wood (Duerwood Beale). 3xD, as they were called for short, were a part of the Hilltop Hustlers Crew (which also included Steady B, Cool C, Da Youngsta's and others). At first, they recorded under the name 3-D.
Shares boom bap, pop rap, conscious hip-hop (subgenres); sample based, lo fi, analog warmth (production style)
Shares sample based, lo fi, analog warmth (production style); boom bap, conscious hip-hop (subgenres)
Shares boom bap, conscious hip-hop, pop rap (subgenres); confident, playful, energetic (moods)
Shares boom bap, midwest hip hop, pop rap (subgenres); sample based, analog warmth, drum machine (production style)
Shares sample based, lo fi, analog warmth (production style); rap, nasal, harmonized (vocal style)
Shares boom bap, conscious hip-hop, pop rap (subgenres); confident, energetic, nostalgic (moods)
Shares sample based, lo fi, analog warmth (production style); boom bap, midwest hip hop, conscious hip-hop (subgenres)
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