Step in the Arena

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Step in the Arena is the second album by Gang Starr, released on January 15, 1991 by Chrysalis Records. It is the record where DJ Premier’s chopped, jazz-soaked production and Guru’s monotone wisdom locked into the partnership that defined New York boom bap.

The story

The duo’s route to Chrysalis ran through Spike Lee, who gave Guru a poem by Lolis Eric Elie that became “Jazz Thing.” Recorded at Calliope Productions in New York and Firehouse and Such-A-Sound in Brooklyn, the album produced the singles “Just to Get a Rep,” “Take a Rest,” “Lovesick,” the title track and “Who’s Gonna Take the Weight?”

Sound and production

DJ Premier and Guru built tight loops from jazz and soul records, with Premier’s scratched hooks becoming a signature of the sound.

Charts and certifications

Step in the Arena peaked at No. 121 on the Billboard 200 and No. 19 on the R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart.

Legacy

IGN named it the greatest hip hop album of all time in 2007, and it appears in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.