hip-hop, where to begin?
- Thread starter domtyler
- Start date
DonRuba said:
First off, I don't think all of it is great, I just don't think it's polite to say that I think such-and-such is shit when someone's taken the time to think about a recommendation. Sunday-school upbringing probly...
Musical background?!? First record bought aged 7 was House of Fun, Madness. Voice broke doing falsetto singalong to Liberian Girl, Michael Jackson. Then the acne years of The Police, Led Zepplin, The Smiths, The Pixies (saw them live) and related angsty rock. College led to erm... can't really remember but did buy a lot of jazz so Coltraine, Chet Baker, Miles etc..Oh and pulp and Blur and Bjork and Portishead and all that new good stuff. And since then I've bumbled along grumbling about Topofthepops becoming crap and how ringtones sell more than hit singles, the descent to fogeyism I guess.
Anyhow like I said I have heard some (very little) of this stuff before but not really listened to it, I think I had a slightly wrong idea of what the genre contained... I have pretty eclectic listening habits but up till now Hip-hop has been in my blind spot. I think this is probably the case for a lot of us - how much country and western do you listen to? Or did you hear a Garth Brooks song once and it spoiled the whole scene for you? (That's just a hypothetical, you might love C&W, you might even love Garth, I dunno.)
So that's the deal, I really wasn't yanking on chains when I asked for suggestions and almost all of the stuff I've listened to in the last few days has been new to me. My horizons have been widened again.
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Dubquixote
Submariner
doh, the drunken late night post strikes again and with it the requisite feeling of regret 
ok, madvillainy and doom are ok but i can't be bothered with def jux.
ok, madvillainy and doom are ok but i can't be bothered with def jux.
i can understand how you could not be bothered with alot of, if not most, of the stuff def jux put out. but funcrusher plus is an absolute hip hop classic and i find it hard to believe that any fan of hip hop would not like it.
the cold vein is also an awesome album, but i can understand how some people might not like this so much.
(yes i know funcrusher plus wasnt actually released on def jux)
the cold vein is also an awesome album, but i can understand how some people might not like this so much.
(yes i know funcrusher plus wasnt actually released on def jux)
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DavidD said:
Fantastic Damage was a total let down for me, long time Co Flo fan, first because of the muffled, muddy, shitty production, and second because of the meandering, directionless vocal performance. I mean I didn't expect catchy hooks or anything, just sum'n that delivers a punch, which this didn't.
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
gumdrops said:
I must say that for me too, Rakim never featured among my favourites. Just don't understand his legendary status - in fact (shoot me) I would go so far as to say that he can be a bit boring, on the (albeit rare) occasions that Eric B's beats are substandard.
Was interested to know opinions about the best rappers of all times from people on here. That is: the rappers who can enliven even mediocre material/beats. My ten (in no order)
Nas (circa Illmatic or Stillmatic)
Slick Rick
Big L
Missy Elliott
Eminem
Jay-Z
Ice Cube
Dizzee Rascal (again, shoot me, hip hop purists)
Bun-B
Ludacris
(and Kool G Rap as the eleventh)
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
Oh yeh, and re undie rap, not v ken on it myself, but you can't argue with tracks like 'Krazy Kings' from Funcr Plus
C
captain easychord
Guest
confucius said:
yeah i would agree that el-p's mcing on that album is almost universially unlistenable. listen to the instrumental version of the LP if you get the chance, it's SO much better honestly. all this texture in the production gets submerged by his relentless barking.
does no one quite like el-p's barrage of lyrics? i like the fact that not only is the production really messy (he actually said it was his version of the bomb squad's 'noise') and abrasive, he adds to it with the way he rhymes. i know he overdoes it, but hes not *totally* off meter or devoid of timing, hes just a bit too wordy. and as far as wordy rappers, id rather listen to el-p anyday than talib kweli
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
What's with the hate for Kweli? I thought some of the tracks off 'Reflection Eternal' were stunning.
baboon2004 said:
that album, 'quality', great. that was the best that late 90s hip hop had to offer. paving the way for newer stuff like immortal technique, some of the best of the 00s.
there's been some mad strange replies in this thread too; take everything you read in here with a grain of salt. people are pushin old school and new stuff and bashin both at the same time, not really recognizing the east/west/southern/mid-west sounds and the rest. just take your time, figure out the sounds you like, then look for similar artists.
Grievous Angel
Beast of Burden
Lovin this threaad. Big up domtyler for posting the question. I don't know 90% of what's been mentioned (I stopped after PE) and I think a big dl session is coming.
- sage francis is new england
mid-west i don't dig on as much but it started to get more notice back when nelly first came out and has gotten bigger since. they got their whole thing goin, they play with their accents a lot... 'err'body in the club get tipsy' and the rest. can't rec too many groups just cuz i mostly just hear it when i'm out and recognize the vibe/sound.
and kanye's mid-west himself.
mid-west i don't dig on as much but it started to get more notice back when nelly first came out and has gotten bigger since. they got their whole thing goin, they play with their accents a lot... 'err'body in the club get tipsy' and the rest. can't rec too many groups just cuz i mostly just hear it when i'm out and recognize the vibe/sound.
and kanye's mid-west himself.