During the late 1990s, there were numerous compilation albums that boasted the prominence of the top rap crews. There was Dr. Dre Presents: The Aftermath, Rawkus’ Soundbombing and Lyricist Lounge series, Funkmaster Flex’s Mixtapes, Nas & Ill Will Records Presents QB's Finest, and the Ruff Ryders Ryde or Die Vol. 1 are just a few of the LPs dropped by rap collectives. Of all of the compilation albums released during the era, one of the most slept-on was Violator: The Album.

As one of the most influential brands in the industry, Violator was founded as an artist management company in 1996 by savvy powerbrokers Mona Scott and the late Chris Lighty. Specializing in guiding the careers of some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B, the influential company had star-studded clientele including LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, Missy Elliot, Mya, 50 Cent, and Mobb Deep. Riding the wave of the company’s success, Scott and Lighty established Violator Records with Violator: The Album as the label’s first project.

Released on August 10, 1999, in conjunction with Def Jam Records, Violator: The Album features appearances by Cam’ron, Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Mobb Deep, Ja Rule, Hot Boys, Noreaga, Fat Joe, Big Pun, 8 Ball, and Cam’ron. Along with production duties helmed by Swizz Beatz, Q-Tip, Havoc, The Beatnuts, DJ Scratch, and Diamond D.

After A Tribe Called Quest, one of hip-hop’s seminal groups, broke up in 1998 following the release of their album The Love Movement, Q-Tip announced his arrival as a solo artist with “Vivrant Thing”, the album’s lead single. Using a sample loop of Barry White and The Love Unlimited Orchestra’s “I Wanna Stay” Tip made a club-banger that got tons of airplay on BET and MTV with an iconic video directed by the legendary Hype Williams. Detailing his pursuit of a particular woman, Q-Tip rapped, “Gettin' back to my MC status/All the willy that I kick make the other n-ggas mad as/Movin' to your town and situation/Shorty thought she subtle, but she really was blatant when she/Shook her thing and violated/Now these wolf-like thoughts are formulated.”

Peaking at 26 on the Billboard 100 and number seven on the main Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart, “Vivrant Thing” was unquestionably one of hottest songs of the summer.

Mysoone, currently known for his social justice advocacy, was one of the most promising rappers coming out of New York in 1999. His presence is felt throughout the iconic album with two top-tier solo songs, “The Truth” and “Nobody.” On “Do What Playas Do,”  he shares the mic with Ma$e and 8 Ball.

Other standout tracks include Mobb Deep’s “Nobody Likes Me”, The Beatnuts’ “Beatnuts Forever”, “Heavyweights” featuring Fat Joe, Big Pun, and 8 Ball, and the Swizz Beatz produced posse-cut “Violators.”

Another facet of the project that makes it special is the foreshadowing of the dominance of southern rap. 8 Ball appears on two tracks and the Hot Boys (Juvenile, B.G., Lil Wayne, and Young Turk) bring the Cash Money vibes on “Who Can I Trust?” with Cormega.

A product of its time, the lengthy album clocks in at an hour and 14 minutes and boasts 20 tracks, showcasing the diverse artists of the Violator brand. Commercially successful, the LP debuted at the number eight spot on the Billboard 200, the number one spot on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and was certified gold, a major success as rap music continued to expand across the globe.

25 years later, Violator: The Album stands out among the other compilation projects of its day because of the number of high-profile artists, up and coming rappers, and the diversity of its sound.