The Hip Hop/Rap Thread - Part 1

[MadVillainy]

T.I's last album was pretty weak. Trouble Man was pretty dope. Definitely wont call him the best to come out the south (besides Outkast) when there's Scarface, Killer Mike, and Bun B.

Bun B is my vote for the most underappreciated MC of all time. He's never done a wack verse. Always elevates any song with him on it

Love TI though. He was one of the first rappers I listened to. 24s man.

 

[MadVillainy]

Kendrick dropped a song called. "Blacker the Berry". It's great.
Enjoy

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Anyone know the name of the first song in the below link?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh0xLLmO9HA

I can't tell if you are serious or not. Harlem Shake by Baauer.

The Marshall Mathers LP and Eminem Show are so good that I almost don't particularly care if Eminem keeps coming out with new stuff.

I agree with the MMLP, but I prefer Slim Shady LP over Em Show by a large margin. Not that EM show isn't good, I just don't consider it in the same league as the other two. imho.

 

[CrypticOne]

Kendrick dropped a song called. "Blacker the Berry". It's great.
Enjoy

Yep. Dope track.

Kirk Knight also dropped today. If you like PRO ERA, check it out. I think its better than the KDot track, personally.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

The new Lupe Fiasco album is really good. And that's coming from someone who isn't huge on hip-hop, and generally just finds 2-3 "gems" in the genre per year.

hip hop criticism can be very... critical. if you're not huge into hip hop, do you know how the music is broken and what is considered good & bad?

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

hip hop criticism can be very... critical. if you're not huge into hip hop, do you know how the music is broken and what is considered good & bad?

I think people also just assume, or it is of their opinion that all art is completelysubjective. And either don't know, or are willfully ignorant to the fact that most, if not all art forms, have some objectivity to them.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

I think people also just assume, or it is of their opinion that all art is completelysubjective. And either don't know, or are willfully ignorant to the fact that most, if not all art forms, have some objectivity to them.

I think the problem is you'll never get everyone to agree on a guideline/uniformity/form of objectivity. and this isn't limited to just music.

I see it a lot in the video game forums right here on SHH.. one can say playstation has the best games, and to that i would agree, but it is still just an opinion... if you profess as fact, other people like me will agree but those that don't will obviously disagree, and if the disagreements continue people will start to get irritated.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

I think the problem is you'll never get everyone to agree on a guideline/uniformity/form of objectivity. and this isn't limited to just music.

I see it a lot in the video game forums right here on SHH.. one can say playstation has the best games, and to that i would agree, but it is still just an opinion... if you profess as fact, other people like me will agree but those that don't will obviously disagree, and if the disagreements continue people will start to get irritated.

That's the biggest problem right there for sure. But I think some semblance of agreement of what is objective can be reached, or just understood since they already do exist.

There is some difference between what people like, and what can be quantified as good/bad.

 

[Zantera]

Opinions are always gonna be subjective. I don't really have any pet peeves with rap as an artform or hip hop as a style, but a lot of albums doesn't do it for me, either for lyrical purposes, the image of the music or just really boring beats that only functions as a backdrop to the lyrics. But then out of the blue I sometimes come across hiphop albums that seems to break the mold and go outside of the box. Maybe provide more interesting ideas with the music and beats, or more interesting lyrics. A few examples of this in the last few years would be Kendrick Lamar, Run the Jewels, El-P, Death Grips, Cunninlynguists, and most recently Lupe Fiasco.

I don't consider myself a biased person. I like good music, and I think every genre has good and bad stuff.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

That's the biggest problem right there for sure. But I think some semblance of agreement of what is objective can be reached, or just understood since they already do exist.

There is some difference between what people like, and what can be quantified as good/bad.

I hope you're right pal. But given that new generations of people's ears are being fed the current generation's music, I think they're standards will mentally be diluted from what it once was, or should've been consistently.

Opinions are always gonna be subjective. I don't really have any pet peeves with rap as an artform or hip hop as a style, but a lot of albums doesn't do it for me, either for lyrical purposes, the image of the music or just really boring beats that only functions as a backdrop to the lyrics. But then out of the blue I sometimes come across hiphop albums that seems to break the mold and go outside of the box. Maybe provide more interesting ideas with the music and beats, or more interesting lyrics. A few examples of this in the last few years would be Kendrick Lamar, Run the Jewels, El-P, Death Grips, Cunninlynguists, and most recently Lupe Fiasco.

I don't consider myself a biased person. I like good music, and I think every genre has good and bad stuff.

of course. "opinion" and "subjectivity" are synonymous. I have my opinions too but I like to think I'm not biased. Or I try not to be. It's difficult though honestly because these celebrities' personalities sometimes get in my way of my opinion of their work.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Opinions are always gonna be subjective.

I don't consider myself a biased person. I like good music, and I think every genre has good and bad stuff.

Of course, but music is more than just an opinion. I am speaking more to the objective building blocks of art, be it music, literature, movies and so on. Just because someone doesn't like say, The Godfather, doesn't mean that that movie isn't one of the most important, and well made films there is. Sure, a person's opinion may be, "I don't like it", but that subjectivity doesn't change the objectivity that The Godfather, is an excellently well made film.

I'll admit I am biased, but all it usually does is give me delusions that I will, or do like something until I come to my senses.

I hope you're right pal. But given that new generations of people's ears are being fed the current generation's music, I think they're standards will mentally be diluted from what it once was, or should've been consistently.

of course. "opinion" and "subjectivity" are synonymous. I have my opinions too but I like to think I'm not biased. Or I try not to be. It's difficult though honestly because these celebrities' personalities sometimes get in my way of my opinion of their work.

I don't think it's a matter of me being right per se. After many discussions, with friend's that know a lot more about music, and film than I do. I've just come to understand the difference between art having both subjective and objective parts to them.

Imho however, I don't think many people know, or can tell the difference.

 

[GoodYoung]

That new Kendrick Lamar track

Classic album incoming

 

[Flint Marko]

I truly don't like Drake. I've been trying to give him a chance because i have several friends that love him but I just can't get into it. He can rap alright but his production is so flat and stake in so many songs only his, I just heard 6 God and how bout now and both of the tracks sound so hollow and empty with him yelling over it. It's really unimpressive to me, if he's trying to go for minimalism it isn't working.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

T.I's last album was pretty weak. Trouble Man was pretty dope. Definitely wont call him the best to come out the south (besides Outkast) when there's Scarface, Killer Mike, and Bun B.

Bun B is my vote for the most underappreciated MC of all time. He's never done a wack verse. Always elevates any song with him on it

Love TI though. He was one of the first rappers I listened to. 24s man.

I used to be a diehard T.I. since I'm Serious and I gave up on him after Paper Trail.Plus the whole Iggy nonsense made me want to listen to him even less.

 

[MadVillainy]

I truly don't like Drake. I've been trying to give him a chance because i have several friends that love him but I just can't get into it. He can rap alright but his production is so flat and stake in so many songs only his, I just heard 6 God and how bout now and both of the tracks sound so hollow and empty with him yelling over it. It's really unimpressive to me, if he's trying to go for minimalism it isn't working.

Drake is the most overrated. People swear up and down that he's the best out. And every hip hop publication is on his nuts.
He has verses and songs I like and Im not saying he doesnt have talent. Far from that. He's also influential

But he's very overrated and not that good. I dont like his hazy production/songs that much. I want Im Goin In, Who Do You Love, Versace Drake. That's the Drake I like.

I used to be a diehard T.I. since I'm Serious and I gave up on him after Paper Trail.Plus the whole Iggy nonsense made me want to listen to him even less.

Did you listen to/like Trouble Man?

 

[Flint Marko]

T.I's last album was pretty weak. Trouble Man was pretty dope. Definitely wont call him the best to come out the south (besides Outkast) when there's Scarface, Killer Mike, and Bun B.

Bun B is my vote for the most underappreciated MC of all time. He's never done a wack verse. Always elevates any song with him on it

Love TI though. He was one of the first rappers I listened to. 24s man.

I've never loved Scarface, but you do bring up two solid contenders IMO with Killer Mike and Bun B.
I've actually never listened to Bun all that much though, I used to own a lot of UGK records and I loved some of their songs but I can't say I've really followed him.

I can't tell if you are serious or not. Harlem Shake by Baauer.



I agree with the MMLP, but I prefer Slim Shady LP over Em Show by a large margin. Not that EM show isn't good, I just don't consider it in the same league as the other two. imho.

I love the Slim Shady LP, don't get me wrong, but it's definitely got a more lower-budget, unrefined edge to it that makes it stand out from the rest of his work. Some would argue, and I'd agree to an extent, that that is where Eminem thrives, but I think that approach culminated in the MMLP and I really don't think he'll ever top that album.
The way I characterize that is that when I'm listening to the MMLP, I can listen to it all the way through without skipping any songs. I can't do the same for SSLP, as I've never really loved "my fault" and "if I had", and a few others that I can't remember off the top of my head. There are some in Eminem show that also not crazy about, but only like one or two.

I used to be a diehard T.I. since I'm Serious and I gave up on him after Paper Trail.Plus the whole Iggy nonsense made me want to listen to him even less.

I still say King is the peak of Atlanta rap, I truly don't know if that album has been topped in my honest opinion.
Also I might have to turn in my hip hop cred right here, but I actually don't hate Iggy.

Drake is the most overrated. People swear up and down that he's the best out. And every hip hop publication is on his nuts.
He has verses and songs I like and Im not saying he doesnt have talent. Far from that. He's also influential

But he's very overrated and not that good. I dont like his hazy production/songs that much. I want Im Goin In, Who Do You Love, Versace Drake. That's the Drake I like.



Did you listen to/like Trouble Man?

We agree on Drake, I really don't understand the hype.
What're your thoughts on Juicy J/Three 6 Mafia?

 

[MadVillainy]

We agree on Drake, I really don't understand the hype.
What're your thoughts on Juicy J/Three 6 Mafia?

I understand why people who are attracted to men like Drake. He's a handsome guy who raps about "sensitive" things a lot of the time. His albums as rap projects are decent as r&B projects their mediocre. But whatever


3 6 are okay. Im not super in them. I havent listened to their albums but from what Ive heard I like them.
Juicy J is alright. I think he keeps appearing on songs he has no business on though like Dark Horse and those new songs by Usher and Ne-Yo

 

[Warhammer]

I truly don't like Drake. I've been trying to give him a chance because i have several friends that love him but I just can't get into it. He can rap alright but his production is so flat and stake in so many songs only his, I just heard 6 God and how bout now and both of the tracks sound so hollow and empty with him yelling over it. It's really unimpressive to me, if he's trying to go for minimalism it isn't working.

I loved So Far Gone. I love just about every song on that mixtape. Thank Me Later is a solid album for me. I thought Take Care was eh. I'm not a fan of the album honestly except for two or three singles. Then I really started to fall off of liking Drake aside from a few featured tracks.

 

[MadVillainy]

I loved So Far Gone. I love just about every song on that mixtape. Thank Me Later is a solid album for me. I thought Take Care was eh. I'm not a fan of the album honestly except for two or three singles. Then I really started to fall off of liking Drake aside from a few featured tracks.

That's basically where I stand. He's not bad at all just not this brilliant artist they make him out to be.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

\
Did you listen to/like Trouble Man?

Nah.I haven't listened to T.I. album since Paper Trai.l

I still say King is the peak of Atlanta rap, I truly don't know if that album has been topped in my honest opinion.
Also I might have to turn in my hip hop cred right here, but I actually don't hate Iggy.

Weirdly enough I thought that was okay.I only really enjoyed the first 2 albums and Paper Trail.I brought the rest out of loyalty,and I really can't stand Iggy,but to each it's own.

 

[Warhammer]

That's basically where I stand. He's not bad at all just not this brilliant artist they make him out to be.

Oh yeah, especially nowadays. The same people already putting him on Hip-Hop's Mount Rushmore when in 2011 should not be doing it now. Not at all.

 

[MadVillainy]

Nah.I haven't listened to T.I. album since Paper Trai.l


Weirdly enough I thought that was okay.I only really enjoyed the first 2 albums and Paper Trail.I brought the rest out of loyalty,and I really can't stand Iggy,but to each it's own.

You should try Trouble Man. It's not King worthy but it is still a good entry in his discography.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

I might give it a try.

 

[Flint Marko]

I understand why people who are attracted to men like Drake. He's a handsome guy who raps about "sensitive" things a lot of the time. His albums as rap projects are decent as r&B projects their mediocre. But whatever


3 6 are okay. Im not super in them. I havent listened to their albums but from what Ive heard I like them.
Juicy J is alright. I think he keeps appearing on songs he has no business on though like Dark Horse and those new songs by Usher and Ne-Yo

Them and N.W.A. were the first rap groups I got introduced to at a pretty young age, so I think that heavily influenced my taste in the future.
I'll always love Juicy though, no matter how many songs he does with Miley and Katy.

 

[MadVillainy]

Them and N.W.A. were the first rap groups I got introduced to at a pretty young age, so I think that heavily influenced my taste in the future.
I'll always love Juicy though, no matter how many songs he does with Miley and Katy.

I actually think 23 was a really fun party song.

It's funny how Miley's dabble in hip hop culture seems to be (knock on wood) done. For like 2 years she was all "Look, Im not Hannah Montana! I'm edgy! I hang with black people! Twerk!" And now she's back to being her regular self