Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
WordNet
n. the most dedicated and intensely loyal nucleus of a group or movement
Wikipedia
Hard Core is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil' Kim. It was released on November 12, 1996, by Undeas Recordings and Big Beat Records. After having a success with the hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. and their album Conspiracy (1995), Kim began working on her solo album with The Notorious B.I.G. serving as the executive producer. She collaborated with a number of producers, such as Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, Stevie J., David "Ski" Willis and Jermaine Dupri, among others. Other rappers, including Jay Z, Lil' Cease and Puff Daddy were featured on the album. Recording for the album took place from 1995 to 1996, mainly at The Hit Factory studio, in New York City.
The album was notable for its overt raunchy sexual tone and Kim's lyrical delivery, which was praised by music critics. Hard Core debuted at number 11 on the US Billboard 200, and number 3 on the Billboards Top R&B Albums, selling 78,000 copies in its first week, and reached the top ten of the Canadian Albums Chart. In the United States, Hard Core was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and is considered by many a classic hip hop album.
Hard Core is the first solo album released by former Streetheart & Loverboy lead guitarist, founder, and main songwriter, Paul Dean from 1989. The lead-off track, "Sword & Stone" was demoed by Kiss for their Crazy Nights album in 1987, and later additionally recorded by the German Rockers, Bonfire in 1989 for the film Shocker and accompanying soundtrack. The Bryan Adams-penned "Draw the Line" was originally recorded by Ted Nugent with Brian Howe on lead vocals in 1984 on his Penetrator album.
Hard Core (also known as Hard Core 2K14) is the third mixtape by American recording artist Lil' Kim, released on September 11, 2014 by I.R.S Records. The mixtape was first announced on July 26, 2013, and originally had a release date of October 31, 2013, but was pushed back due to Jones' pregnancy.
Usage examples of "hard core".
He collected the hard core of the Peacekeepers and 'anointed' them, saying they were his 'messengers of peace.
Not all of them, of course, but enough, a hard core that turned to crime.
The evidence wasn't exactly hard core, but it was enough for the judge to put him away for fifty years.
And the astronauts: the hard core of them, the big-boned, blue-eyed WASPs of the earliest recruitment rounds, many of them greying now, few of them still active, but still fit and tanned and with faces like craggy lunar rock.