VA - Soul in the Hole - Original Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture (1997)

The soundtrack album to a basketball documentary of the same name, this record serves as an ideal sampling of late-1990s hip-hop. The roster of primarily New York artists resemble a hoops all-star team with stellar contributions from artists like the Wu-Tang Clan, Big Punisher, Mobb Deep, Xzibit, and Common. It heartily satisfies with thick and funky tracks throughout, and when the Cocoa Brovas (formerly known as Smif N Wessun) deliver braggadocio-filled raps over a hypnotic, stabbing beat, you want to jump out on the court and join them.~ Review by Craig Robert Smith