Kwest Tha Madd Lad loves hip-hop. It’s clear speaking to him for even the briefest amount of time that he has an undeniable zeal for the music, and an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre. People often believe artists who recorded during the ’80s and ’90s are bitter about hip-hop’s current state of affairs, but the Queens, New York emcee looks at the contemporary landscape and sees a lot to be excited about.

Kwest’s career as an emcee on a major label was characterized by starts and stops. He was signed to Rick Rubin’s American Recordings in the early ‘90s, and recorded what would be his first album, the aptly titled This Is My First Album, throughout ‘92 and ‘93. However, the completed album sat on American’s shelves until it was finally released in the spring of 1996.

If the album had been released in 1994 as originally planned, it would have fit in perfectly with the hip-hop paradigm that year. But American Recordings dragging its feet killed a bunch of the album’s momentum. Kwest still got some shine, famously appearing on the cover of Rap Pages. Both Kwest and the album are appreciated by hip-hop heads in the know, as his quirky humor and lyrical bona fides deservedly drew critical acclaim.