...:::::...::Real Hip-Hop:::...::.... 2015

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
Also although I've been hating on him for about two pages now I have a couple of bits from his tape burned into my brain such as

"Runnin - throughtha - streets with my WOES!"

"Word is I'm the shit BOI!"

"They scream out my failures and whisper my accomplishments"

He's never short of quotables is he? Part of that is just having the wit to come up with these phrases (n.b I mean like that third phrase) but its also knowing how to deliver them. I don't think he has any depth really but as shallow rappers go he's elite status.
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy

Here he is talking about being a canadian, black/Jewish rapper.

He comes across completely differently in interviews than on tracks. He doesn't seem like a nasty or arrogant person. I mean, this isn't a problem NECESSARILY, but its weird cos with most rappers their musical persona seems to be a magnification of their real personality. Interestingly, I think what listeners of rap music are looking for, besides a good flow, clever lyrics, "substance", is direct communication with a real person. There's a lot of lies being told and roles being played in rap music but 90% of the time (if not more) the rapper is assumed to be talking from THEIR perspective, in THEIR voice.

Maybe its too easy to compare Drake - the ex-actor - to an actor, but it seems like that's how he approaches rapping. Maybe this is how a LOT of rappers approach it. Its just more obvious with Drake cos his persona on record is partly that of a hardman and it ain't hard to tell he's a bit of a (using Lukas term for Clive martin) soft lad.

One rapper I think who's really broken with tradition in this respect is Kendrick, who can take on other people's perspectives in his raps, and who is speaking in a voice not wholly his own (if his own AT ALL) in " The Blacker The Berry".

It would be interesting to compile a list of empathetic rap songs like Nas's Second Childhood. Its quite rare for rappers to rap about other people, I think - its in the nature of rap to be combative and self-aggrandising.
 
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CrowleyHead

Well-known member
The Drake aka Jimmy rapping:

My little sister used to quote this whenever my dad asked her if she liked Drake.

In regards to Kendrick, he has the ability to use many voices and I think that's to his detriment. Because he doesn't have his own voice. I don't know who he's trying to be on "Blacker" because I've avoided listening to it more than required. I don't like a lot of things he's trying to do now. *shrug*
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
I think Kendrick has his own voice. I agree that sometimes its grating when he does a voice, though. I really didn't like "Blacker The Berry" at first but it becomes more powerful when you engage with what he's doing lyrically. Wasn't a fan of "I" much at all.

I was more thinking of him taking on the perspective of others e.g.
 

minikomi

pu1.pu2.wav.noi
I found this interview with 40 - drake's main producer and definitely a large part in his musical career - to be very enlightening on where he / drake / they are coming from.

 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
Will watch that, thanks.

Apparently Drake is now into Skepta and Wiley which means he will potentially be using London slang soon, at which point his cringe factor will fly through the roof.

(I guess it's already cringeworthy for americans in the south e.g. to hear non-southern rappers using their slang. Again this reminds me of the weirdness of listening to rap music from the UK. Perhaps the best one can hope for - for the most part - is to misunderstand it INTERESTINGLY)
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
Thanks for putting me onto this Pensado's Place series - loads of interviews on there, including Rodney Jerkins, Teddy Riley, Danja...
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
Maybe this year I will finally force myself to stop going on Reddit and/or PornHub for five minutes and become the super-producer I was born to be.

Unless I was born to be an obsessive forum abuser. :(
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
clint-eastwood-disgusted-gif.gif
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
Reporting back from trawling through Hot New Hip Hop

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9PuNXGfSy1U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Starlito feat. Young Dolph & Kevin Gates - Don't Do It (2015)

I need to check out Lito's album Black Sheep Don't Cry. This track is worth listening to for Gates's verse. (Also need to check out Luca Brasi 2, actually.)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iuqoS0NKaDk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Bankroll Fresh feat. T.I. - Dope Boy Shit (RMX) (2015)

This is notable for the off-kilter beat, seems a pretty unconventional rhythm to me, though presumably the bouncy drums hark back to Mannie Fresh productions for the Hot Boys et al.

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Royce Rizzy feat. Wiz Kalifah, IAMSU! & Curtis Williams - Hoe In You (2015)

Posted this in the autotune rap thread but why not post it here too? Zaytoven-esque production (wouldn't surprise me if it is Zay actually) and an infectious chorus. An incredible selection of awful haircuts on the cover, too.
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZzHkjBcFPQg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Young Buck - Count Me Out (2015)

The Young Buck mixtape is good but it's such generic trap music that nothing except this track really sticks out. This track sticks out cos he sings the chorus.

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G-Unit - I'm Grown (2015)

LMAO at Kidd Kidd playing piano in the video to this. Young Buck and Kidd Kidd are the only ones who have any business being on this beat really. Haven't listened to the whole EP yet but ''Choose One'' is more the classic east coast G-Unit sound.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UdbZ3YZw-Og" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

G-Unit - All About The Drug Money (2014)

This is one of my favourite tracks of last year and now they've re-released it with Troy Ave (who did the original track G-Unit covered :confused:) I've got a good excuse to post it in here. I wonder if the trap sound will become played out to the extent to which the sample-heavy east coast sound comes back into vogue in the next few years? I suppose it can't equal the club impact of yer MikeWillMadeIt's and yer Mustard's, but I find it a breath of fresh air at this point.
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ACAlBkfiTxQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Soulja Boy - Whippin' My Wrist (2015)

Nobody on HNHH can believe Soulja Boy is rapping so well on this. He's doing a Waka Flocka here by rapping over a hellacious trap beat in a double time flow. A bit of a banger actually.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1DS_yuZVDkI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Young Thug - Free Gucci (2015)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6LOxeu3XxkU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Young Thug - I Swear To God (2015)

Metro Boomin' on the first track, London on the Track on the second track. Looking forward to Metro Thuggin' coming out soon.
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3qlxrgG3R6Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Z-Ro - Miss My Mama (2015)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mEYFBRwRqmg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Big Sean - Stay Down (2015)

I have written a negative review of Big Sean's album cos to me he doesn't have any identity as a rapper, but it's actually a decent album with great production. Also feeling ''Play No Games'' (for the Ty Dolla/Chris Brown hook) and the Kanye-esque throwback ''Outro'', and definitely fucking with "I Don't Fuck With You", one of the better Mustard hits of last year.
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d87kwgz52qI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Spenzo feat. Bloody Jay - Choppa City (2015)

This one's sick. 808 mafia on production, beat definitely reminiscent of 'Danny Glover'. I dunno about 'post hop' but I like how these days rappers have got carte blanche to completely dispense with traditional flows and just shout and grunt a lot. Imagine playing this to a rap fan circa 1995 e.g. :confused:

Further evidence (though not as good), again produced by 808 mafia:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s6yqZURP6cs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Cash Out - We Ball (Blue Hunnids) (2015)
 
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