The Intelligent Hip Hop/ Rap Discussion Thread

[King Lycan]

AHHHHH CRANKKSSSS

[Sinfully Naomi]

Originally Posted by SilentKnight

Basically someone who listens solely to the underground to an over-zealous degree and exercises extreme bias against the mainstream.

In context it usually refers to a collective of people who act like they have touched upon everything there is to hip hop culture simply by delving into the independent labels, when in fact they haven't even gone so far as to trace rap music back to its roots and humble beginnings.

Either way, it's not a term for newcomers to worry about. Just listen to what you find appealing (be it Sage Francis, Deltron, etc.) and move on to mainstream or whatever when you're ready. Keep an open mind to suggestions and don't dismiss them before you've given them a shot.

Oh, I see. Well, I don't think I exercise extreme bias against mainstream.... mostly because I don't know what's mainstream, and what's not. Nevertheless, I just don't happen to understand it, and I don't really have a will to learn about it. Im my opinion, it's not that great, but it's only an opinion. =/

[Shadow Raven 91]

Originally Posted by SilentKnight

Basically someone who listens solely to the underground to an over-zealous degree and exercises extreme bias against the mainstream.

In context it usually refers to a collective of people who act like they have touched upon everything there is to hip hop culture simply by delving into the independent labels, when in fact they haven't even gone so far as to trace rap music back to its roots and humble beginnings.

Either way, it's not a term for newcomers to worry about. Just listen to what you find appealing (be it Sage Francis, Deltron, etc.) and move on to mainstream or whatever when you're ready. Keep an open mind to suggestions and don't dismiss them before you've given them a shot.

Never heard that term before. When I first discovered the indy-hiphop scene i was definitely headed down that road as you can probably tell by my posts a year or so before. I do understand the cultural impact mainstream hiphop artist have had on the culture. I never liked Tupac or Snoop. i consider them talented and respect their legacies but would never purposely listen to their music. Honestly i cant stand when some one disses everything rappers like lil wayne do just because of who they are. I personally hate his guts but the man has obviously shown he is capable of a clever rhyme time to time. He probably dumbs his stuff way down for his target audience

Believe it or not intelligent hip-hop is not an oxymoron. Some very intelligent-poetic music has be dropped in the last year or even months. Sadly you really have to look for it.

[mg1942]

Originally Posted by King Lycan

AHHHHH CRANKKSSSS

damn son that's raw as hell!

That piece sounded like a prototype of what's to be the mainstream in the 2000s.

[Dilla]

Originally Posted by gencbiba

I don't like backpackers...

I don't mind most backpackers, as long as they don't start a rant on how much a particular rapper sold out *cough*Lupe Fiasco*cough* becuase he went mainstream after I mentioned liking a song of his that I heard on the radio.

Hell, I heard grumblings of Immortal Technique, of all people, selling out simply because he may have had a low budget music video for "Dance with the Devil". Now, that's just bogus.

Originally Posted by Sinfully Naomi

Oh, I see. Well, I don't think I exercise extreme bias against mainstream.... mostly because I don't know what's mainstream, and what's not. Nevertheless, I just don't happen to understand it, and I don't really have a will to learn about it. Im my opinion, it's not that great, but it's only an opinion. =/

Mainstream basically is what you see on TV or hear on Power radio stations. In other words, commercialized for the most part. There are exceptions, many people still consider Black Star underground, even as individuals.

Not exactly hard to figure out.

Originally Posted by Sinfully Naomi

Wait. I don't really understand the title of this. And.... there's intelligent hip hop/rap? O.o

Yes, yes there is, but I believe that "The Quality Hip Hop/Rap Discussion" or simply "The Rap Discussion Thread" would have probably been fine. SilentKing probably thought that you would have your normal rap bashing to the nth degree otherwise, justified or not. People have been civil for the most part.

Originally Posted by Shadow Raven 91

I personally hate his guts but the man has obviously shown he is capable of a clever rhyme time to time. He probably dumbs his stuff way down for his target audience.

Lil' Wayne is actually a rather intelligent guy, it would be easier to see if you could understand what the hell he saying half the time.

I lol hard when I heard that Plies of all people of all was a working nurse before he started in the biz. That's just hilarious.

[gencbiba]

I know a backpacker and sometimes he's way too ignorant. I love how Big L suddenly became "underground" after he died and DMX is loved by backpackers as well. Last time I checked Big L was pretty much mainstream and DMX has always been a mainstream rapper with incredible skills.

[Sinfully Naomi]

Originally Posted by Dilla

Mainstream basically is what you see on TV or hear on Power radio stations. In other words, commercialized for the most part. There are exceptions, many people still consider Black Star underground, even as individuals.

Not exactly hard to figure out.

Yes, yes there is, but I believe that "The Quality Hip Hop/Rap Discussion" or simply "The Rap Discussion Thread" would have probably been fine. SilentKing probably thought that you would have your normal rap bashing to the nth degree otherwise, justified or not. People have been civil for the most part.

I feel like I lost I.Q. points from not knowing that.... I thought it was like a certain style from each artist that just happens to be similar(flow, ect.) And all of the rappers just got put into a certain gourp that just happened to be called mainstream, oh well.

So the word "intelligent" was just put there as a failsafe to say: "No n00bish bashing comments, or anything like that" I understand.

I'm nto really here to bash any hip hop or anything. I just wished to state my opinion on it, and tell that I prefer the older style of rap to the newer style.

[Nosauz]

all I have to says is "i'm on a boat"

[mg1942]

^ "I'm on a boat!"

That's kinda catchy, just like other anime songs that I stumbled upon .

[Sinfully Naomi]

I laughed at how T-Pain was an echo for everything he said like "Muthaf**ka" XD

[Dilla]

Ha, I discovered where those gifs with the dancing guys in animal suits came from!

It's DJ Format and Jurassic 5. Pretty cool song, too.

[mg1942]

Originally Posted by Sinfully Naomi

I laughed at how T-Pain was an echo for everything he said like "Muthaf**ka" XD

yep

Sorry man but even I think Soulja Boy has redeeming talent... just listen to his latest song "Kiss Me Thru The Phone."

[Shadow Kira01]

I don't like rap but Lotus Juice is an exception because of Trinity Soul and P3.

[SilentKnight]

Interesting thought
I think we should make a playlist/compilation for the rap skeptics/haters/etc. to check out and introduce them into the genre.
So everybody put down say.....4 suggestions? 2 Underground/Indie and another 2 mainstream

Artist - Track title

Jedi Mind Tricks - Uncommon Valor (A Vietnam Story)
Immortal Technique - Dance With The Devil

Common - I Have A Dream
Talib Kweli - Beautiful Struggle

[Dilla]

Since you aimed at the more 'conscious'(as people like to call it) stuff SilentKnight, I'll post some less so, but still tasteful.

Underground:
Hieroglyphic - Make Your Move (9th Wonder Remix)
J Dilla, Blu, Jontel - Sun in My Face

Mainstream:
Nas - 2nd Childhood
Outkast - Ms. Jackson

Just cuz I'm fanboy:
J Dilla: Nothing Like This<---More about the beat and video over lyrics.

[Shadow Raven 91]

Underground

Killah Priest - Profits of Man

Aesop Rock & C-Rayz Walz - Bent Life

Mainstream

GZA - Liquid Swords

kanye West - Stronger (minus kanye's lyrics)

ps. Excellent picks SilentKnight, R A The Rugged Mans's verse on uncommon valor was the illest verse i have ever heard. Should definantly go down in music history

[KimmyChan]

I don't mind some hip-hop, and only v.rarely SOME, but I can't stand rap I'm afarid

[Westlo]

Man gave Big Pun's first album a spin lately for the first time in while, he rhymed multis so effortlessly.

[KimmyChan]

My boyfriend's the one who's completely and utterly into rap & hip hop

His CD tower is practically full to bursting with them, especially Tupac, his fave

[SilentKnight]

Originally Posted by KimmyChan

My boyfriend's the one who's completely and utterly into rap & hip hop

His CD tower is practically full to bursting with them, especially Tupac, his fave

You should try offsetting that Tupac collection with some Lupe Fiasco or some Sage Francis or some Common.
Btw, I should mention that your concept of hip hop and rap is misinformed. Hip-Hop is a cultural movement, so I believe what you mean is that you enjoy select sub-categories of rap, take for example....conscious, political, etc. and can't stand others.

On a different note, perhaps we should categorize the suggestions so that I can organize different lists for people to browse through and expand upon.
My forte is pretty much cerebral/conscious rappers, so I'll let you guys list your best recommendations from your respective categories.

Btw, I thought there was some forum rule about linking to songs or something, so I didn't link any of my recommendations.