The Intelligent Hip Hop/ Rap Discussion Thread

[Elo the Blue]

Any DOOM fans here besides Dilla?

[Ak3mi]

Originally Posted by ttdestroy

Snoop used to be so hardcore......Now he's just kinda meh, I mean have you heard his lyrics on that katy perry song?

To make money you have to market your product or in this case music. Snoop will always have his awesome songs and his mainstream songs, just be glad he isnt dead like Big L, Big Pun or tupac ect

[SilentKnight]

Originally Posted by Elo the Blue

Any DOOM fans here besides Dilla?

I am a fan of DOOM
He's got real quirky lyricism.

As of late I've been listening to Wax, Herbal T, Dumbfoundead, Iron Solomon, Soul Khan, and TheSaurus

[Elo the Blue]

Originally Posted by SilentKnight

I am a fan of DOOM
He's got real quirky lyricism.

As of late I've been listening to Wax, Herbal T, Dumbfoundead, Iron Solomon, Soul Khan, and TheSaurus

Agreed. He's real original.

[dasrune]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFECxYH_SuY#
nice little cut scenes from the golgo 13 movie as added bonus

[Ak3mi]

Nice too see that Dr.Dre is back making tunes after being retired as a rapper for a long time.. I wonder what brought him back :P "points at justin bieber"

[Asuras]

Here to voice my own opinion.

I don't know about you people, but I am really disliking the average hip-hop/rap artist/band on the radio nowadays. All of them seem unintelligent, unimaginative, unoriginal, and unexciting. The songs they play always seem to have the same beat, same premise (drugs, women, clubs, gangs). They don't even sound good, being so heavily edited using software and electronics. How many of these guys can actually sing without a program? It really feels like this industry has been falling off the edge. Certainly, there are still plenty of people who enjoy it, otherwise it wouldn't be so popular, but I for one am impressed no more.

Back in the days when each artist had his or her own voice, one I could distinguish; those were good times. now, I don't even know who the hell is singing, and when my younger brother clarifies, I still haven't even heard of them. Honestly, it seems like there's a new song every week, horrible as the last. For Christ's sake, one of Ushers songs can be created by simply melding Garage Band pre-set tunes! Talk about a lack of talent? What was he thinking?!

I want to see someone arrive with a voice, an imagination, and some smarts.
Again. This is all opinion. I don't know if any of you others share similar beliefs, but these are my thoughts on todays genre.
I'd love to hear others.

[Elo the Blue]

Asuras, I'd say most would agree with everything you said and that's why this topic is titled what it is. Mainstream hip hop for the most part is quite simply garbage.

On another note, anyone heard of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All? I only discovered them last week but am now a big fan.

[xl_Legit_lx]

Yeah I dislike most mainstream but the songs coming from G.O.O.D Music nowadays, I like how they are mixing it up. Newer generation rappers, up and coming, J.Cole (Not from the label) and Big Sean are promising, in my opinion. However, if anything, check out "Looking for Trouble", it's a great single...really shows their talent.

Pusha T (G.O.O.D Music) is also amazing, with his new single "My God". It's basically just great that he's doing his own thing, because he does have talent and great punchlines. I can't wait for "Fear of God".

Also, if your looking for something different, Joe Budden (He's on Dre's label Aftermath, I believe, with Slaughterhouse) , great story-teller talks about a lot of dark themes and such, coming from addiction, suicide, fight with god et cetera. I'd recommend "Pray for Me", "Three Sides to a Story", "Dear Diary" and "No Idea".

Nonetheless, I'm liking the talent from G.O.O.D Music, really refreshing and different...from the Lil Waynes and shit from Young Money, Bad Boy, and the South Rap Scene. It's blah.

Also The Game has come out with mixtapes (Also from Aftermath), really good songs, reinventing the West Coast rap scene. Check out Purp & Patron Mixtape!

-Legit

[Elo the Blue]

I've really gained an appreciation for Jay Electronica over the past few days. The guy is truly one of the better lyricists in the game.

[Ak3mi]

If anyone is looking for some really nice beats with a good lyrical assassin ontop of them just look for Mos Def Black On Both Sides its a old album now, but still got me listening to it.

Right now the mainstream of hip hop has no passion in it, and the people who are making the songs are just in it for the fame or money. I do have to say people like 50 Cent and Nelly made there choices to go hip hop mainstream cause they have "done there part in the underground scene" as they like to say. I would mention Eminem and his activity but he has fustrated me beyond this universe with his recent albums. Hehe. Peace

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by Ak3mi

If anyone is looking for some really nice beats with a good lyrical assassin ontop of them just look for Mos Def Black On Both Sides its a old album now, but still got me listening to it.

Right now the mainstream of hip hop has no passion in it, and the people who are making the songs are just in it for the fame or money. I do have to say people like 50 Cent and Nelly made there choices to go hip hop mainstream cause they have "done there part in the underground scene" as they like to say. I would mention Eminem and his activity but he has fustrated me beyond this universe with his recent albums. Hehe. Peace

Yeah I love that album Iv listened to black on both sides so many times Its definitely one of the best If you like that you should hear blackstar
since when was nelly underground?
I need someone to recommended me some real good hip hop
is there any new artists who put have put out some killer stuff?

[Dilla]

New artists? Try J. Cole, The Cool Kids, Pac Div, Big K.R.I.T. and The Black Sunn. All of them have only been around since 2005 or later. PM or VM me for specific recs.

I have some recs that aren't 'new' per say, but they are post-2000 and still sound very fresh.

Snippets from a previous conversation:

Originally Posted by Dilla

From Madvillian, right? I would suggest to you check out his other albums, Operation: Doomsday & Mmm.. Food. Not only does he rap, but those are his own beats as well. Take Me to Your Leader has awesome beats, but mostly other underground rappers rapping on them, including my favorite hip-hop instrumental of all-time.

Originally Posted by Dilla

I think you should try Blackalicious from Cali, especially Blazing Arrow and Nia. Gift of Gab (the vocalist of the group) gives of an old-school feel with a fresh twist. Here's a sample.

Panacea from D.C. Their rhymes consist of light-hearted subjects, but Raw Poetic's rhyming skill is ridiculous. I have three of their albums and can play all of them all the way through. Here's a sample.

For a more gangsta rap rec, I have Elzhi from Detroit and he's probably my favorite artist at this moment. If you know the group Slum Village, he was the guy that replaced Dilla. His sound can be considered a bit more mainstream than the other recs, but his multi-syllable rhyme schemes and double entendre rhymes are 10 ten times better than his counterparts. His album The Preface was critically acclaimed by his peers and considered one of the best albums of 2008. Here's a sample. He has a free mixtape out called 'The Leftovers Unmixedtape', be sure to check that out of you like his stuff. He's coming out with mixtape called Elmatic where he is going to rap over beats from Nas' classic Illmatic album. I'm drooling.

Originally Posted by Dilla

'Sup, dude. I'll just leave this here:

Forever Famicon

I gotta say that Panacea and the entire Neosonix group are some of my favorite people in the industry right now (along with David Banner, active North Carolina-based MCs/producers, Elzhi, and Madlib). They are so small-time that K-Murdock (the producer) sends out the merchandise order from their website himself.

I have more, but once again, PM/VM for specific recs. I'm too lazy to dump them all now.

I have instrumental hip-hop album suggestions if anybody are interested in those as well. They're better than what they are perceived as.

Originally Posted by Elo the Blue

On another note, anyone heard of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All? I only discovered them last week but am now a big fan.

Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All? Funky name. Do you have a specific song to start from?

[Ak3mi]

Originally Posted by David Watts

since when was nelly underground?
I need someone to recommended me some real good hip hop
is there any new artists who put have put out some killer stuff?

Nelly was underground with one or two mixtapes in 1997 which were a lot like 50's mixtapes.

As for new hip hop try Vinnie paz/Celph titled really good hardcore hip hop. Vinnie paz has a great group called jedi mind tricks too which has two amazing albums. He also has a megagroup, somewhat like wu-tang clan, called army of the pharaohs. IMO are a great collabration of different flows and lyrics which makes them a unique group.

Also Snowgoons are very good, got one album out which is not as good as the ones above, because its more mainstream but still good. And then La Coka Nostra which are brilliant just like jedi mind tricks and army of the pharaohs.

But if you know your hip hop, you probably have heard of them or heard of a track done by them, or done by a individual in that group.

Defiently try out Jedi mind tricks and army of the pharaohs awesome tunes.

[David Watts]

Ak3mi: huh I didnt know that
yeah Iv listened to all of those groups though I only heard a couple of songs from La Coka Nostra
Dilla: Thanks man Ill try and check them out

[Elo the Blue]

Originally Posted by Ak3mi

If anyone is looking for some really nice beats with a good lyrical assassin ontop of them just look for Mos Def Black On Both Sides its a old album now, but still got me listening to it.

Mos is my favorite MC primarily because of BOBS. Phenomenal album.

Originally Posted by Dilla

Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All? Funky name. Do you have a specific song to start from?

They're Wu-Tang-like in the amount of people in the group and the different mix-tapes. This track has two of the better lyricists(Hodgy Beats and Tyler the Creator) in the group rapping.

F*** the Police

[oompa loompa]

Nice to see some Mos Def fans in here XD

Speaking of generally popular and 'mainstream' rap.. I don't know if I agree. While a lot of the stuff that is produced these days is garbage-ish, a lot of the most famous (albeit older) albums are some of the best.

Listened to Illmatic today after ages. If only he had kept making albums like that

[Dilla]

Hip-hop is more than just lyrics, it gets on my nerves when everyone uses conscious hip-hop as a one-stop bulletin for what makes 'real' hip-hop.

(This isn't in reply to all those Mos Def lovers out there, I like him too. Just a general comment.)

Originally Posted by oompa loompa

Speaking of generally popular and 'mainstream' rap.. I don't know if I agree. While a lot of the stuff that is produced these days is garbage-ish, a lot of the most famous (albeit older) albums are some of the best.

Though most of my favorite rappers are 'underground', I don't consider myself a backpacker and there are plenty of current mainstream rappers I like. I'm not claiming them to be lyrical geniuses or anything like that, but I like them none-the-less. Like David Banner, Ludacris, T.I. (with his stupid ass) for examples. Hell, my only complaint of Banner's collab with 9th Wonder was that it was too damn short.

For the slobbering over Andre 3000, it was Big Boi that dropped one of the better albums of last year.

[David Watts]

Hip Hop is such a complex genre thats why I probably love it so much
Im a big fan of Nate doggs stuff I like how he will have a couple typical g funk stuff and then it will suddenly switch to a real introspective song
allot of times I like an artist because of their voice
I really like Sadat x and Tash because they have such a distinct voice

[Elo the Blue]

Originally Posted by Dilla

Hip-hop is more than just lyrics, it gets on my nerves when everyone uses conscious hip-hop as a one-stop bulletin for what makes 'real' hip-hop.

(This isn't in reply to all those Mos Def lovers out there, I like him too. Just a general comment.)Though most of my favorite rappers are 'underground', I don't consider myself a backpacker and there are plenty of current mainstream rappers I like. I'm not claiming them to be lyrical geniuses or anything like that, but I like them none-the-less. Like David Banner, Ludacris, T.I. (with his stupid ass) for examples. Hell, my only complaint of Banner's collab with 9th Wonder was that it was too damn short.

For the slobbering over Andre 3000, it was Big Boi that dropped one of the better albums of last year.

I agree with you on liking mainstream artists.

I feel a big reason quality lyricists are so highly regarded these days is because of how generic and simple the lyrics of many mainstream MCs have become.

It's much easier easier for the average fan to note the differences between rappers like Canibus and Fat Joe than it is to contrast producers like Khaled and Premo.

Speaking specifically about 3000 and Big Boi, I feel the latter doesn't get his due because he comes off like your average rapper but is much more complex and witty with his rhymes. 3000's random but impressive appearances going back to '07 are what has people excited to see what can do now.

I like to steer clear of the "real hip hop" talk because at the end of the day, it comes down to perception.