The Hip-Hop Thread

[Iconodule]

My favorite contemporary rapper would have to be Immortal Technique. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T22-lHISxOY

(warning: contains profanity)

[IsmiLiora]

Iconodule, Wikipedia begs to differ. 

[FormerReformer]

I like Aesop Rock, Mr Lif, El-P, Atmosphere, and anything produced by DJ Dangermouse.

If we go back to the '90s Wu Tang's Enter the 36 Chambers was probably one of the best albums of the 20th Century, but for the true pioneers in the field we can look no further than OutKast.  Consistent in quality from the get-go, ATLiens and Aquemini changed the game and put Southern rap on the map, then Stankonia raised the bar even higher.  Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is a musical feat without par in the annals of rap music, and Hey Ya was the ONLY good song on rock radio during the abysmal decade that was the 'Noughts.

[sainthieu]

"(warning: contains profanity)"

With all due respect: Are you kidding?

[IsmiLiora]

That video (I must admit I'm impressed with how he worded his lyrics) reminds me of my one weakness: Rage Against the Machine (the Battle of Los Angeles is one of my favorite CDs).

I don't know if I would count them as hip-hop...they're a weird mix of several genres.

I always try to make sure that I'm not listening to any anti-Christian music, but Rage is that one group that gets through the filter. I don't know why...I like the music too much, especially on a road trip with the top down on the car.

Agh!

ETA: The worst is that I absolutely do NOT agree with their politics. I'm a center-right, libertarian, whatever you want to call it. I basically disagree with almost every word they sing and yet I still listen to them. I don't get it. 

[orthonorm]

When Immortal Technique came out a handful of years back, his main strength was his freestyle. Probably my favorite track by him is Obnoxious.

Like or not Em, probably the best of the last 15. Had the chance to see that weird white boy coming up. Was at the now infamous Scribblejam where he got taken down. This was just before he blew up.

Most of the heads heard mixtapes with him on it, but to him in person was ridiculous. Juice though pulled off something off the flow that was unimaginable to pwn him or any person on the earth on that day.

The only place Em lacks, is voice.

From my life, touchstones. Obvious ones, cause no matter how we try to protest, the best float to the top:

Grandmaster Flash
Run DMC
Boogie Down Productions
Public Enemy
Geto Boys
Early Ice Cube (Death Certificate remains in terms of production and shear career turn around one of the greatest albums out there)
Dre (for his "production" or at least production supervision)
Kool Keith (toooo much to say about this guy, even back in Eletromagnetic MCs the guy was light years ahead of the game in terms of rhyme structure especially abandoning end rhyme for middle rhyme and assonance. His later work is just mind blowing)
Biggie (his freestyle like Em was also just sick, game changer in terms of syncopation, completely off-beat rhyme at times)
Jay-Z (not a big fan of his stuff, but in terms of freestyle and his early flow, no one could touch the ease with which he could float over any beat. Stupid charisma live.)
Em. (Arguably the best body of work. Greatest breath control ever. From subject matter, play on words, complex rhyme structure freestyle or written, charisma, on and on and on. He's latest stuff is just silly, but a testament to the fact the guy know how to make millions even when mediocre.)

Tons dropped off. All the stuff mentioned above is good. But seriously, when it comes to stuff that heads can listen to and also crossover, these are the best.

All but Kool Keith got what they deserved.

 

[Jetavan]

Universities across the nation have offered courses on hip-hop culture for several years, but the University of Arizona has decided to take its program further, adding the subject as as a concentration in its Africana Studies minor program.
....
Arizona students hoping for an easy minor of just sitting back and listening to Jay-Z probably shouldn’t enroll, Durand said.

The curriculum goes beyond the stereotypical gang and drug cultures to examine the movement’s intersection with politics, marketing, fashion and other academic disciplines.

[JamesR]

You guys are delusional if you think Nas and Eminem are the greatest lyricists.

Best rapper of all time--hands down--is Big Pun. He was the total package. Probably the most technically complex rapper of all time with excessive multisyllables, tongue twisters, internal rhyme patterns and a rapid-fire flow that could go over any beat and sound good. He even murked Nas on the song John Blaze. For a man as overweight as Pun was--weighing something like 698lbs at his time of death--he had remarkable breath control and charisma--I can't imagine how good it would be if he weren't as overweight.

He was also socially conscious in many of his songs--contrary to what most people think. Listen to Capital Punishment Medley, Wishful Thinking, his second verse on Boomerang and Parental Discretion (ft. Busta Rhymes).

"It's time
to call a world order where every
girl's your daughter, and priceless
as ices and pearls fresh out the water
I'm gonna get mine, either from crime or
through the Bible, whichever way, it better pay,
I'm feeling suicidal."
-Boomerang

[biro]

...

Grandmaster Flash
Run DMC
Boogie Down Productions
Public Enemy
Geto Boys
Early Ice Cube (Death Certificate remains in terms of production and shear career turn around one of the greatest albums out there)
Dre (for his "production" or at least production supervision)
Kool Keith (toooo much to say about this guy, even back in Eletromagnetic MCs the guy was light years ahead of the game in terms of rhyme structure especially abandoning end rhyme for middle rhyme and assonance. His later work is just mind blowing)
Biggie (his freestyle like Em was also just sick, game changer in terms of syncopation, completely off-beat rhyme at times)
Jay-Z (not a big fan of his stuff, but in terms of freestyle and his early flow, no one could touch the ease with which he could float over any beat. Stupid charisma live.)
Em. (Arguably the best body of work. Greatest breath control ever. From subject matter, play on words, complex rhyme structure freestyle or written, charisma, on and on and on. He's latest stuff is just silly, but a testament to the fact the guy know how to make millions even when mediocre.)

Tons dropped off. All the stuff mentioned above is good. But seriously, when it comes to stuff that heads can listen to and also crossover, these are the best.

All but Kool Keith got what they deserved.

 

KRS-One.

That is all.

[orthonorm]

You guys are delusional if you think Nas and Eminem are the greatest lyricists.

Best rapper of all time--hands down--is Big Pun. He was the total package. Probably the most technically complex rapper of all time with excessive multisyllables, tongue twisters, internal rhyme patterns and a rapid-fire flow that could go over any beat and sound good. He even murked Nas on the song John Blaze. For a man as overweight as Pun was--weighing something like 698lbs at his time of death--he had remarkable breath control and charisma--I can't imagine how good it would be if he weren't as overweight.

He was also socially conscious in many of his songs--contrary to what most people think. Listen to Capital Punishment Medley, Wishful Thinking, his second verse on Boomerang and Parental Discretion (ft. Busta Rhymes).

"It's time
to call a world order where every
girl's your daughter, and priceless
as ices and pearls fresh out the water
I'm gonna get mine, either from crime or
through the Bible, whichever way, it better pay,
I'm feeling suicidal."
-Boomerang

Sorry kiddo. Come back around when you have listened to tens of thousands of hours and seen hundreds of hours of live shows.

You are going to have to invent a time machine. I was born into this and lived through it.

Let me know when you find who is better than Em who has enormous crossover. There ain't.

And that was my main point other than listing some touchstones for folks who just want a primer of what is relatively accessible, influential, and has held up and hadn't gotten the proper attention IIRC in the thread.

I mean people bringing up Rage Against the Machine? Or irrelevant "world" rap?

Next time we talk, I'll do RAtM's entire body of work in about 32 seconds. Can do it in about 12, but I do get carried away.

[orthonorm]

Uh, Master P is one of the most brilliant hip hop artists and entrepreneurs around. Don't you know that he is the reason that people can actually make money in hip hop because he revolutionized the idea of artists recording on their own labels? His song "bout it bout it" from 1996 was a real classic.

Anastasios

James,

Read this.

Don't laugh. I dare you.

But I've probably listened to 'Bout it, 'Bout it 72^8 times though . . .

[JamesR]

Let me know when you find who is better than Em who has enormous crossover. There ain't.

What exactly is "crossover"? The ability to appeal to a wider audience? If that's the case, then you got a point because Em can appeal to almost everyone. The only other rapper with an arguably larger crossover than Em was Tupac--however, he lacked the technical skill. Pun is one of the only rappers I could think of with superior technical skill to Em--yet, for the most part, he never fully attained mainstream fame and appeal--admittedly, partially due to his premature death.

[JamesR]

Uh, Master P is one of the most brilliant hip hop artists and entrepreneurs around. Don't you know that he is the reason that people can actually make money in hip hop because he revolutionized the idea of artists recording on their own labels? His song "bout it bout it" from 1996 was a real classic.

Uh, in a sense the commercialization of hip-hop is probably what killed it. Due to the commercialization, the element of skill and originality has died out in favor of just trying to appeal to the "casual listeners" in hopes of getting more money--and oftentimes, the "casual listeners" do not care about talent or skill at all, but just want something fun that they could bump at the club.

Hence the West Coast (as much as I hate to admit it)'s coming into hip-hop....Death Row Records was probably the worst thing to ever happen to hip-hop. Let's face it, most West Coast artists--no matter how famous they may be such as Snoop and Dre--are pure garbage from a technical level. The only reason they are famous is because they can appeal to pop listeners.

This is why the East Coast will always reign supreme to me. They may not have very much commercial appeal other than Biggie Smalls, but they are still probably some of the most skilled rappers out there. Another good place for true talented hip-hop is the Midwest.

[Achronos]

Back to this threa when I'm of post moderation.

I just picked up the Chess boxset of GZA's Liquid Swords.

[Achronos]

Been listening to this too:

[Achronos]

And this:

[Asteriktos]

Back to this threa when I'm of post moderation.

I just picked up the Chess boxset of GZA's Liquid Swords.

You shall never be off post moderation! Mwahahahaha!

[JamesR]

So according to my aunt and uncle in a drunken fit of rage, Stevie Wonder had the very first rap song there ever was with his "Master Blaster" and that all of these new rappers are FOS singing their "monkey" (they're somewhat racist) music.

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