40oz. to Freedom

Sublime’s defiant, DIY-driven debut paved the way for Southern California’s ‘90s ska-punk explosion. Via a bong-fuelled mix of languorous riddims, rocksteady madness, and slick hip-hop samples, the Long Beach dwellers forged a soundtrack for insouciant rebellion. They display loose morals on the skanky “Smoke Two Joints,” share tales of hookups on the stripped-down “Waiting for My Ruca,” and celebrate debauchery over supple reggae basslines in “Badfish”—all in all, an unruly mission statement for a rowdy counterculture.