The Hip Hop/Rap Thread

I hate the current situation of hip hop. The shit they put out and play on the radio is commercialized pop garbage. The whole genre has seemed to have been on a downward spiral ever since Biggie and 2Pac were murdered. However, I still enjoy listening to hip hop before this. There were so many great artists out back then, producing original material and going unnoticed by the majority of Americans.

There are a few saving graces for today's rap industry, though. As you mentioned, there are the Roots. They're a pretty unconventional hip hop band that just fucking rocks. Another one I love (and hold two uploaded albums, if anyone wants a listen) is Immortal Technique. His music is so great, and actually conveys a message. He also has a great range of songs. Some are politically fueled gangster raps, and others tell a story. Just a great rapper, overall.

Back in the day, however, there were so many more great rappers. Slick Rick is one of my favorites, as are Eric B. and Rakim. They weren't just the commercialized garbage of today that's giving hip hop a bad name; they made terrific music, with awesome beats, and great lyrics. Too bad this era appears to be over now.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

May I recommend, via Iwata's recommendation to the Music Exposure Club, Edan's Beuty and the Beat. Seriousley great, fresh sounding rap. He flows over a 60's psych-rock background, and the result is phenomenal. Everyone needs to check this out.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

So does Aesop Rock, and he's one of my favorite rappers of all time. Upload it somewhere, and I'll try it out.

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

Speaking of Mos Def, everyone here needs to go out and download (or buy!) his album Black on Both Sides. It's really an incredible album, filled to the brim with great songs. Ms. Fat Booty, although it may sound like a cliche, bad rap track, is one of the greatest songs he's ever put out. So yeah.

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

Originally Posted by knkwzrd

I was going to upload this for the Music Exposure Club, but I just found out the copy I got from a friend is missing two tracks. Instead, doing the untouchable Black Star album, also with Mos Def.

Man, I love that album, too. Kweli and Mos Def sound incredible together. The only track I don't like is their cover of Slick Rick's Children's Story. Just can't live up to the greatness that is the original.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Speaking of positivity...

Quote:

Pound for pound
I'm the most positive when I bust mine
The Zoo adds on like a plus sign
Addition, that's the key in the ignition
With no pause, I propel to pole position (Vroom!)
Ahead of the pack, light years ahead of the wack
I give a fiend a Good Book, instead of the crack
That's the gold mine, negativity can't hold mine
The black bear's headed for the gold mine (look out, look out)
And then I'm positive as Showtime
I make negative MC's switch styles in no time
They change teams, rhyme about kings and queens
Instead of how they sellin' work to fiends
Then I, switch thugs into soldiers
Those that have given up on God to praise J Hova (Damn!)
The rap Ice Age is over
And positivity protects the Z boulder boulder

[Chorus - Immortal Technique w/ Big Zoo ad-libs]
Yeah, you know how it goes, positivity, yeah
My opinion is solid ground but your a common hater
Splitting and dividing on numbers like a denominator
Third-eye navigator movements are necessary
Everything you see in videos is secondary
You need positivity like you need respect in jail
Because without balance you'll be making negative record sales
Neg-neg-negative record sales, ziga-zam, Technique, like this

[Verse 2 - Immortal Technique]
I jerk off inside books and give life to words
Leaving concepts stuck together you probably never heard (what?) [hahaha]
I love when people think I'm psychologically disturbed
Cause it means I overloaded their neurological nerves
Rappers try to serve me with disgusting incompetence
But I keep it positive with ultimate dominance
Meditating with Native Americans close to Providence
I speak to the spirits of ancestors at pow-wows
But rumor has it that you getting raped like Lil' Bow Wow
Now listen industry motherfuckers, don't get offended
Remember, that I'll bring an end to your pretender agenda
And render contenders dismembered, bend the fabric of time (what? what?)
And put your soul in a blender
You living a lie like thinking Jesus was born in December
Instead of catering to labels, something gotta give
I'll rip the electrons out your body and make you positive
I seen a lot of kids come and go with marketing gimmicks
Because without balance, you don't last more than a minute
This ain't a game, I'll beat the shit out you at the line of scrimmage
I rock shows in the ghetto, nigga you stuck in the village
I wanted to spit on the radio since I was eleven
But I can't afford the pay-ola for Hot 97's
So I make paper underground, and I'm soon to blow
Moving tapes like Biggie's ghost at Bad Boy studios
[Biggie - Hypnotize sample]

Sup Tech.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Everyone should check out Gnarls Barkley. It's a team effort by Dangermouse and Cee-Lo, and the result is incredible. It has a sort of psych-rock tinge to it that's just amazing. Their first single "Crazy" is already released, and their soon-to-be released album St. Elsewhere is available for download (illegally and maybe legally). Good stuff, which seems rarer and rarer nowadays.

Here's a little backround on them, and some of the amazing promo pictures they've taken.



A Clockwork Orange



Wayne's World



Freddy and Jason

ps. If anyone has any desktop size pics of them, it would be greatly appreciated

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Night Phoenix

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

Seriously, you seem to be infatuated with the mainstream trend of re-using old beats over, and over, and over again. Tech and MF Doom have some of the most innovative sounds I have ever heard in rap, and actually put some effort into making themselves stand out from the bunch. Honestly, I couldn't even tell a lot of these popular rappers apart, most of the time.

Most amazing jew boots

I think Tech said it best,

Quote:

So if your message ain't shit, fuck the records you sold
Cause if you go platinum, it's got nothing to do with luck
It just means that a million people are stupid as fuck

Jam it back in, in the dark.

NP, can you honestly tell me T.I. (and whoever the hell else is making these "hot" tracks) has any lyrical talent at all?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

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.

You're so right. This is much better.

Originally Posted by T.I. - What You Know?

Aye..aye..aye..aye..aye..
What you know about that?
What you know about that?
What you know about that?
Aye...
don’t you know I got
key by the three when I chirp shawty chirp back
Louis nap sack
where I hold'n all tha work at

What you know about that?
What you know about that?
What you know about that?
I know all about that

Loaded 44s on the low where the cheese at
Fresh off the jet to the Jects where the G’s at

What you know about that?
What you know about that?
Hey what you know about that?
Hey I know all about that

See me in ya city sittin pretty kno I'm shining dawg
Ridin wid a couple Latin brawds and a china doll
And you kno how we ball
Aye..
Ridin in shiny cars
Aye..
Walk in designer malls
Aye..
Buy everything we saw
You know about me dogg
Don’t talk about me dogg
And if you doubt me dogg
You better out me dogg
I'm throwed off slightly bro
Don’t wanna fight me bro
I'm fast as lightning bro ya better use ya Nike’s bro
Know you don’t like me cause
Yo bitch most likely does
She see me on them dubs
In front of every club
I be on dro I’m buzzed
Give every ho a hug
Niggaz don’t show me mugs
Cause you don’t know me cuz

Aye...
don’t you know I got
key by the three when I chirp shawty chirp back
Louis nap sack
where I hold'n all tha work at

What you know about that?
What you know about that?
What you know about that?
I know all about that

Loaded 44s on the low where the cheese at
Fresh off the jet to the Jects where the G’s at

What you know about that?
What you know about that?
Hey what you know about that?
Hey I know all about that

Candy on the '64
Leather guts and fish bowl
50 on the pinky ring just to make my fist glow
Ya bitches get low
Because I get dough
So what? I'm rich ho
I still pull a-kick-do' (kick ya door down)
What you talking shit fo’?
gotta run and hit fo’?
Got you a yellin and I thought you put out a gun hit fo
But you’s a scary dude
Believed by very few
Just keep it very cool
Or we will bury you
See all that attitude’s, unnecessary dude
You never carry tools not even square, he cube
You got these people fooled, who see you on the tube
Whatever try the crew, they’ll see you on the news

Aye...
don’t you know I got
key by the three when I chirp shawty chirp back
Louis nap sack
where I hold'n all tha work at

What you know about that?
What you know about that?
What you know about that?
I know all about that

Loaded 44s on the low where the cheese at
Fresh off the jet to the Jects where the G’s at

What you know about that?
What you know about that?
Hey what you know about that?
Hey I know all about that

Fresh off the jet to the block
Burn a rubber with a top-pop
I’ll pop and bust a shot and tell em stop and make the block hot
Ya label got got
Cuz you are not hot
I got the top spot
And it will not stop
A video or not that will bust it to the glock stop
Drag ya out that Bentley Coupe and take it to the chop shop
Partner, we got ya'll
If it may pop off
I’ll answer the question “Will I get ya block knocked off?”
And what it is bro
Look I'll kill ya, bro
I’m in your hood, if you a gangsta what you hid for?
Somebody better get bro for he get sent for
You say you wanna squash it what you still talkin shit for?

Aye...
don’t you know I got
key by the three when I chirp shawty chirp back
Louis nap sack
where I hold'n all tha work at

What you know about that?
What you know about that?
What you know about that?
I know all about that

Loaded 44s on the low where the cheese at
Fresh off the jet to the Jects where the G’s at

What you know about that?
What you know about that?
Hey what you know about that?
Hey I know all about that

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

Originally Posted by Lady Miyomi

Capo, is that seriously a song? I'm scared to even listen to it...

#1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sup America?

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

Originally Posted by DarkLink2135

Well, actually I was kind of talking shit about it. But I really do geniuinely believe hip-hop is talentless, see reasons in previous posts. I don't care if you like it or not, sure, it's another genre of music, I just don't believe it takes much talent to make a hip-hop song.

But like someone else said, it's possible I have my definitions mixed up. I don't listen to either hip-hop or rap enough to really genuinely be able to tell them apart in most situations. Hip-hop I just see as over-simplified rap, in the most basic sense. But maybe it's the other way around, and hip-hop is the genre with the few songs that I actually do like.

Ok then. Let's see you try to make a quality rap album.

I was speaking idiomatically.