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Until the age of 18 I mainly listened to german, especially Berlin-Underground-Hip Hop, which had it's best days from 1998 to 2004. I didn't need any other stuff at that time, I wouldn't even have touched a tape or cd from a german rapper comin out of another city, ne need for US-rap. It was a magical time, after years of isolation and stagnation, MCs out of Berlin were the first to hit punchlines. They were the first one who talked about street issues, growing up in projects, taking drugs an fukin bitches, doin dirt. That were the things the youth of Berlin wanted to listen, not that esotheric-, vegetable-, we all love each other-rap. Strangely, but Rap evolved quiet slow, while other citys like Hamburg or Stuttgart already had a structured scene with videos on MTV and major deals, Berlin only were famous for Techno (now it's again likely but much bigger and got out of control, long story). With 'Kool Savas' and 'Taktloss', forming the group WestBerlinMaskulin (WBM) and their second LP 'Battlekings' released 1999, things began to change. Both of them rapped about ordinary things and rhymed like no one before in german hip hop. To be exact, they fronted the whole rest of germany by hitting far below the belt: calling them fags and pussys, parent-rich and mannerly crawlers who don't know what Hip Hop is. Therefore they used inhuman, homosexism, misogynic and brutal lyrics which led to indexing of their first album. 'Kool Savas' also released about that time his first solo stuff like the single 'LMS' (engl.: SMD) which, due to the extreme sexiest lyrics, got indexed .The same happened to his first solo-EP "Warum Rappst Du?" (engl.: 'Why Are You Raping?'). But that, the American Hip Hop Head will prolly know it from your PA-EC-initiation, pushed his name and WBM even more. Although he already was gaining to this time increasingly recognitions w/o the indexing. After that the tapes circulated in the whole fukin town, it felt like there is developing somethin. After Kool Savas nearly single-handedly revolutionized and turned it upside down, many other Berlin-Crews started to do their own German Hip Hop. With the direction they showed and a whole new genre Savas and Taktloss designed finally a real huge, fascinating, fresh and unique Hip Hop Underground scene grew up very fast in Berlin. Artists like 'Die Sekte' (Rhymon Simon, Sido, Calle, B-Tight, Vokalmatador), 'Frauenarzt', 'King Orgasmus One', MC Basstard and the rest of the whole BC-crew (Berlin Crime) 'MachOne' and 'Akte', 'MOR' mit Fumanschu, Fler and Bushido etc. came up with their own interpretations of 'Berlin-Rap' but it were all kind of the same spirit. Berlin post-millennial had the best Hip-Hop-Acts in Germany and Rappers from other citys got more and more ignorated. We were or felt like Kings, everywhere outside Berlin you met a Hip-Hop-Guy they truly acted humble as soon they got that you're a Berlin Original Hip Hop Crack. It was a good time, it felt awesome to be a Berliner, it made you proud beyond the whole issue of WW2, splitting of the city, the status of capitol and most populus and largest city in germany. Like Hip Hop still declining in the USA, especially in the birthplace New York City and the Eastcoast, since 2002 i would say, the same thing happened and happen in Berlin. Thats why I try to give you with this playlist a taste of the glory days of Berlin if you don't know it. For all my fellow Berlin townsmen who grew up alike me with Berlin Untergrund, I hope and wish the list can give you at least a little bit of the old times for a few minutes or hours. PEACE!