Which hip hop duo released the 1988 album By All Means Necessary?

Boogie Down Productions released the 1988 album By All Means Necessary.

The album was the group’s second studio release and followed Criminal Minded. After the 1987 death of Scott La Rock, KRS-One continued Boogie Down Productions with D-Nice and producer contributions from others. The record reflected that changed context through serious themes involving violence, survival, authority, and the responsibilities of a public artist.

Its title alludes to the phrase “by any means necessary,” associated with revolutionary political language. The album includes “My Philosophy,” a song in which KRS-One challenges trends he viewed as superficial and argues for hip hop’s intellectual and cultural importance. Boogie Down Productions are also central to the so-called Bridge Wars, a lyrical dispute with Queensbridge artists over the origins and identity of New York hip hop. By All Means Necessary is distinct from the group’s debut, Criminal Minded, released in 1987.