The Hip Hop/Rap Thread

Originally Posted by Night Phoenix

I tend to like almost all facets of rap today - both commercial and underground. Some cats out here like to disparage commercial acts, but sometimes I feel like people have a problem with these acts simply because they're popular. You know who I'm talking about - the so-called hip-hop 'purists' who only listen to cats like Aesop Rock, Necro, and Immortal Technique (among others). Nevermind that these cats don't have the kind of swagger or image to make it in the rap game even if they completely sold out and tried to make the same music say....Nelly makes.

Music is a business and when it's a business, businessmen are always going to cater to what sells - music that bangs in the clubs and that gets females dancing. Besides....I don't care who you are, if you can't enjoy a well-crafted club or party track you probably are a virgin.

At the end of the day, it's entertainment and there's gonna be different strokes for different folks.

Well to be truthfull, I'm more in rap for the sense of a story or some lyrical talent that someone can demonstrate. Not to see some one who can get there rims bigger then your rims and how there Grills only costed them 500 000 Dollars while little timmy at the dentists braces only costed 500. But really there are some good beats I find in mainstream but thats about it, No real talent from many MC's in main stream cept Nas. Although the way I see it, If someone likes it, Then they like it. I just don't feel that it's that great.

Lol, Basically I just added on to your last sentence.

Most amazing jew boots

Ahh, Some artists everyone here should peep is Binary Star, They're amazing and they give away they're first two albums for free, So if anyone wants here's the link:

http://www.subterraneousrecords.com/ww.html
http://www.subterraneousrecords.com/motu.html

Trust me there VERY iLL if you listen closely to there lyrics.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Ahh, MF Doom is iLL, MF Grimm is iLL, NAS Is iLL, Binary Star is iLL, Common is iLL, Big L is iLL, Immortal Technique is iLL, KRS-One is iLL, Jedi Mind Tricks are iLL, Common is iLL, Mathematik is iLL, Cormega is iLL.

Those rappers and many more are iLL, The way I see it Hip Hop's gone down hill and it still is. Apprently the new fad is listening to club music when your not even in a club. I don't understand the whole basis but for some reason meaningful music is gone and apparently wack music is the new basis of it all.

I really think if people were more open minded when it comes to underground (Which there not) Hip Hop would be more marketable when it comes to a rapper trying to his message across. Suprisingly the only recent rapper who has done something new with the rap game and hasn't be washed away based on the media's effect on main stream artists is Lupe Fiasco. Seriously Hip Hop has gone down as a community and as an art form.

Rap is alive, Just not how it should be. Anyone who doesn't understand what i'm saying listen to: I Used to love H.E.R. by Common.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Ahh, BUT, Listen to Immortal Technique, Or Pitch Black Or Jedi Mind tricks EVEN Mf Doom and MF Grimm or Even Binary Star. They ALL have ill beats.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Night Phoenix

I've heard all these people. To me, these people's beats suck the wang.

, Well I guess thats your opinion. I personally think they all have some of the best beats ever produced...

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Night Phoenix

A hot song is hot in all aspects - the beat is stellar, the rhymes are awe-inspiring, and the hook is absolutely infectious - you cannot get it out of your head.

There's a reason why a lot of emcees like MF Doom, Immortal Technique, and others will never see mainstream success: They make music that is almost intentionally dull, drab, and unlistenable to by the average consumer. From the beats to the rhymes to the hook, the songs these artists make are inherently weak.

And while you can fall back upon the 'it's just your opinion', you gotta realize that I'm pretty deeply entrenched in the music industry. I know what the fuck I'm talking about regarding this. It doesn't mean that these artists will have to dumb down their lyrics and make a carbon-copy club track on par with "Laffy Taffy" or "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It." It does, however, mean that they will have to step up their songwriting game.

For example - take the entire QN5 Music roster: Tonedeff, Pack FM, Cunninlynguists, Session, and a few others.

I know Tone personally and Deacon is one of the reasons I started spitting rhymes in the first place. I've heard unreleased material from these guys that if it ever got the mainstream exposure it would simply blow the fuck up.

But when it comes to putting out an album, what do these guys do? They go completely abstract. Tonedeff sabotages himself by putting out a song like "Politics" out as the first 'single' and wonders why he's 'slept on' by the music industry. Deacon and Kno proceed to release an album that is good, but has nothing that is marketable whatsoever - and despite the critical acclaim they receive, they really have nothing to show for it.

This is exactly what I'm talking about regarding these rappers - they either don't have the ability to create a song that appeals to anything other than a niche market or they refuse to in the name of 'art.'

So no, these guys that are stuck in the underground are going to stay that way because they aren't complete as artists.

See your stuck in the fact that you see rap as a chance to make money and get your voice heard and then payed.

NOW, Rap was ALWAYS meant for self expression, Not expression of how I got head last night. Seriously, Immortal and MF Doom have something to say, There not selling them selves as a product to make money. They're selling them selves as a person. Saying they don't make hot songs becuase they want to touch on a topic is basically saying using an art and using it correctly is wrong.

Your basing your whole opinion on the sole fact of making money, Making money wise YES, Your right about everything your saying. The Essence of Emcee'ing wise your totally wrong. I guess the hip hop world would much rather listen to expressionless getting grillz style of music then actually take time and listen to the song for what it is.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Night Phoenix

Aesop Rock holds far more integrity as an emcee who can chain together sixteen syllable words endlessly and yet say not A GODDAMN THING AT ALL.

Weapon has a valid point, Everyone likes there own music.

BUT to say Aesop is pointless shows that you don't understand his lyrics. I just read the qoute in the sig and I have to say it's quite a feat among lyricists:

Quote:

"Just a little bruised in the back of the pews
Acting amused with a mask on them Vatican blues.
For in the eyes of the organization I was raised in
Aes is just another sinning brick in hell's basement."

That right there is COMPLEX as fuck, That Makes T.I. look like a down syndrome baby. BUT like Weapon said everyone has there own style of music, But to say Aesop Rock is pointless shows you don't understand what he's saying.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Night Phoenix

Dawg, you're crazy. T.I. shits on Aesop as a lyricist.

T.I. is the simplest of lyricists. T.I. knows nothing of the concepts in hip hop and if he does, He only knows the basics of rapping. I don't know if it's just me but any song i've heard of his he can barely keep his flow going and he can barely keep his overall interest level in anyone's attention. His hook's are terrible and his whole style is just made to sell.

Aesop, Shits all over T.I. he has it all the amazing complexity to the flow and everything I think your basing your opinions on him becuase of the beats. Fuck the beats, He's amazing with lyrics and how whole style is original.

Saying T.I. is a better lyricist clearly shows you lack the knowledge to understand the priciples and concepts of hip hop. ALTHOUGH it's ok to like T.I. better based on whatever you feel you like about him, But saying he's a better lyricist is just plain stupid.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Night Phoenix

Have you ever even LISTENED to a T.I. album?

I mean, I can only laugh when I read your post. I can't even take you seriously anymore. Aesop Rock is a fucking horrible emcee. Yeah, he's got some nice rhyme schemes and shit, but his delivery, flow, mic presence, production, and overall charisma and swagger are fucking pathetic.

Don't you dare try and pull this 'you don't understand the concepts of hip-hop' bullshit if you have the audacity to sit here and tell me Aesop Rock is better than T.I. in any aspect of the art.

No he is, I admit his delivery isn't the best but he's still better then T.I. Way better then T.I. And yes i've listened to my fair share of T.I. tracks and he's terrible.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Albino Cracker

I can't say much about T.I, the only songs of his I've heard are Rubberband Man, Bring em Out, What You Know? and maybe a few others. He's all right, I don't hate him but he's not my favorite.

Right now, I'm liking Tech N9NE a lot. The Roots and Binary Star are another two I want to get into; I haven't heard much of them but what I have heard was awesome. I also can't wait for Jurassic 5's new album, which I believe is being released July 25th.

There's also a local group called the Blue Scholars I like, which I doubt any of you have ever heard of unless you live in Washington.

I'm a HUGE Binary Star fan, BUT the only problem with Binary Star is they split up awhile ago. There first two CD's are available free for download. Jurassic 5 is pretty sick too.

Double Post:

Quote:

Fastlane, Monster Zero, No snakes alive and The Fine Print are some dam fine rap tunes.

Anyone else hip to this CD? If not, give it a listen, you won't be sorry.

I've heard some tracks off this CD and it's pretty sick from what i've heard. MF Doom is definatly an underground favourite in my opinion.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I agree, Nas' beat selection on his last album was awful. Also, I think his lyrics weren't as good as they once were on his previous outings.

On another note, I've been really enjoying a Halifax artist "Ghettosocks". When I first heard of him I thought he was going to be some sort of stupid artist but I've come to enjoy him. His style reminds me of Kool G Rap's multis with MF Doom's eccentric flavor, his myspace is:
MySpace.com - GHETTOSOCKS! - Halifax, CA - www.myspace.com/ghettosocks

He has a video, "Step to a T-Rex":
YouTube - Ghettosocks - Step To A T-Rex

How ya doing, buddy?