On this day in 1993, Blastmaster KRS-One stepped out on his own and released his first solo album, Return of the Boom Bap, marking a powerful new chapter in the legacy of Boogie Down Productions.

When people talk about traditional New York hip-hop as being “boom-bap,” it's a reference to drums that thud at a level which could crushes skulls in every measure. The title track from blastmaster ...