The Hip Hop Thread

[Baz]

Anyone else think Remy Ma is killing it lately?RIP Nicki Minaj (https://genius.com/11411179) :cry:

[Max Power]

Future - Sorry

Song of the year

Like that Quelle Chris album guys check it out

[Bernanke]

Future - Sorry

Song of the year

Like that Quelle Chris album guys check it out

Actually preferring FUTURE to HNDRXX.

I was down and out, and I remember this
It's gon' hurt my soul just to reminisce
Gotta understand what I represent
You know what I mean to the game

Feds did a sweep

https://media.giphy.com/media/3o72EVSffJnSga9mKI/giphy.gif

[Max Power]

I prefer HNDRXX but I generally prefer the slower, more melodic Future songs. Both are way too long and have way too much filler though. Almost all his albums are too long, just focus on making a proper 14 track project.

[Bernanke]

Yep, outside of DS2 almost all projects have been "keep 4-8 songs and throw away the rest".

Fresh Air off of HNDRXX is a beaut.

[Spammer]

This might have already been mentioned but there's a cracking documentary series on Netflex about the development of Hip Hop. 'Hip Hop Evolution' I think it's called. It's four episodes of 45 mins each, well worth a gander :thbup:

[phonics]

I've come round to most popular rap music but I will never understand Future or any of the million rip offs he's spawned.

[Alex]

This might have already been mentioned but there's a cracking documentary series on Netflex about the development of Hip Hop. 'Hip Hop Evolution' I think it's called. It's four episodes of 45 mins each, well worth a gander :thbup:

I would second this. I watched it a couple of weeks ago, it's very good. :thbup:

Their selection of people to interview was spot on. They could have easily made another five or six episodes though, and I hope they do. The West Coast and gangster rap seemed like a really weird, abrupt way to end it.

[Spammer]

I would second this. I watched it a couple of weeks ago, it's very good. :thbup:

Their selection of people to interview was spot on. They could have easily made another five or six episodes though, and I hope they do. The West Coast and gangster rap seemed like a really weird, abrupt way to end it.

Yeah I was more interested in the early stuff myself as I prefer it to modern stuff anyway, so it was right up my street.

This (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cant-Stop-Wont-History-Generation/dp/0091912210/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488410785&sr=8-1&keywords=cant+stop+wont+stop) is worth a read if you liked that too. I haven't finished all of it yet - of the big 'uns he's only covered Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa and is just getting on to Grandmaster Flash so far - but it covers similar ground to the documentary as it also talks about the culture, the social context and all that stuff, although the book obviously goes into a lot more detail. Well worth checking out.

[Baz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiFHmhXqlUw

:D So many awful lyrics.

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCqLR5svy9Y

Wow.

[Offshore Toon]

Stormzy is such a bellend.

[Baz]

He's a beast.

Album of the year so far.

[Offshore Toon]

I just can't figure out how he developed so much hype off so little. He's not bad, don't get me wrong, but he's also not good. Crisp delivery and a few good punchlines, but what really seems to have made the difference is Functions On The Low, a beat that's been around for years and isn't even his.

Saying that, I haven't listened to the album yet so he may have lived up to expectations.

[Offshore Toon]

Just making my way through Future's HISTORIC BACK-TO-BACK NUMBER 1 ALBUMS and:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIx0ZdcTFXI

:cool:

[Baz]

Lots of DMX on the radio today. Got me worried he'd died. He has not.

[Offshore Toon]

If DMX could die he'd be dead by now. Rrrrrrr.

[Offshore Toon]

Stormzy's album is actually pretty good. He's reverted back to r'n'b for the most part instead of trying to act like the big man, which suits him a lot more.

Not from the album, but one of his best tracks:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6z858LulWk

[Baz]

Glad you like it. :thbup:

Drake's probably taken album of the year with "More Life," but we knew that'd happen right? DL (https://mirrorace.com/m/dceJ)

[Offshore Toon]

When has Drake ever had album of the year?

[Baz]

2011.

[Offshore Toon]

After a quick Google there are plenty better, but Section.80 came out in 2011. C'mon.

[Alex]

I would say 2013 is the closest he has come, Nothing Was the Same was a legitimately brilliant record. But the first Run the Jewels was probably the best album of that year, and you had Yeezus as well.

He's definitely been in the conversation on at least a couple of occasions though. Baz is right in saying that Take Care was absolutely up there with the best of 2011. But I do love Drake, so I'm not exactly impartial. I thought, regardless of some of the more negative feedback, that Views was great. I've got More Life, but haven't listened to it yet. I've been awaiting it very eagerly though.

[Bernanke]

2011.

XXX was 2011. Come on son.

[phonics]

Danny Browns worst album.

[Offshore Toon]

Its always fun when Phonics tries to out-hipster the hipsters.

[phonics]

Hybrid Forever is just a better album, sorry.

edit: Oh I forgot about Old. Second worst.

[Bernanke]

Danny Browns worst album.

Nah.

It's one of like 5-6 albums that I would call modern classics.

This decade:
MBDTF
XXX
GKMC
TPAB
Flockaveli
Pilot Talk

[phonics]

Wacka Flocka does not get in any list labelled classic.

[Offshore Toon]

Beastie Boys and Shabazz Palaces were also 2011.

[Bernanke]

Was that Lese Majesty or the one before it? I haven't revisited either in a while, I should.

[Offshore Toon]

It was Black Up, the one before it.

[Waffdon]

Glow :drool:

[Manc]

More life is more than decent.

Glow comfortably the worst track.

[Waffdon]

Gimp.

[Bernanke]

https://twitter.com/fashearlymusic/status/844282552965873664

I wasn't ready for this.

[Offshore Toon]

Chase a check, never chase a bitch. :cool:

Mask Off is one of five songs from Future's two albums that are worth saving.

[Bernanke]

https://www.instagram.com/kendricklamar/

https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2017/03/23/09/iv.jpg

:|

[wullie]

That's two things I've seen today that I want immediately, this is the other

http://pitchfork-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/content/SlickRick_booktop.jpg
http://pitchfork-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/content/SlickRick_book-open1.jpg
http://pitchfork-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/content/SlickRick_-book-open-2.jpg
http://pitchfork-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/content/SlickRick_bundle2.jpg

[Offshore Toon]

Kendrick a Led Zeppelin fan or what?

That Slick Rick book is so good.

[Offshore Toon]

https://soundcloud.com/twerkcentral3/kendrick-lamar-the-heart-part-4

New Kendrick.

[Max Power]

Killed it obviously.

Album dropping April 7th :drool:

[Reg]

Pretty cool. I hope the album isn't a total departure from the funk and jazz.

[Offshore Toon]

Kendrick really went in. Definitely some shots at Drake in there. His flow is ridiculous at times.

[Bernanke]

Ransom 2 is freaking amazing from Perfect Pints onward. Mike Will. :drool:

[Offshore Toon]

https://youtu.be/tvTRZJ-4EyI

Kendrick single. Fantastic.

[Max Power]

Great track. INCREDIBLE video.

As with all Kendrick first singles, it may look even better in context with the rest of the album. Where will it fit in the narrative? Wonder what the sound of the album will be?

[Bernanke]

I see a lot of hip-hop heads hating on the track. I don't get it, it BANGS.

[Offshore Toon]

Where?

[Bernanke]

Twitter and Reddit mostly. Lots of "video is amazing, track is meh".

[Offshore Toon]

Do you browse r/hiphopheads? From what I saw it was received really well, but I never delve too far into the comments.

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2KndsrFHp8

J'ai mon 9 milli' tout près donc c'est bon
J'ai mon 9 milli' tout près donc c'est bon
J'ai mon 9 milli' tout près donc c'est bon
J'ai mon 9 milli' tout près donc c'est bon

http://i.imgur.com/HrdMFRD.gif

[Offshore Toon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dONxX9rifs

Good verses from Push.

[Bernanke]

So, no Kendrick today? Listed as April 14th on Itunes.

TDE bottling yet another album release... Y'all got 'til April the 7th to get y'all shit together (for a pre-order).

[Alex]

Yeah, that was very disappointing wasn't it? I've got the day off work, for fucks sake. Not specifically for that reason obviously, but it would have been nice!

I guess I'll give the new Joey Bada$$ a few spins instead.

[CJay]

U2 are on it.

What.

[Offshore Toon]

I think the U2 feature is what Kendrick was warning us about. I just can't imagine it being good. This is the first time my faith in Kendrick has been tested.

[Max Power]

It'll just be a sample surely.

BADBADNOTGOOD, James Blake, Alchemist and 9th Wonder also credited :drool:

[Offshore Toon]

I'm expecting big things from the Blake collaboration.

[Bernanke]

Alchemist. :drool:

[Offshore Toon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow0dlCS2HH4

New Evidence.

[Offshore Toon]

https://twitter.com/kendricklamar/status/851740571932557314/photo/1

Album is called DAMN. The tracklist is pretty interesting. I assume Kendrick is going to put the world to rights. Then Rihanna and U2 features...

[Reg]

Intrigued by the Rihanna feature actually. The title is a bit underwhelming.

[Bernanke]

FEAR
GOD
DUCKWORTH

There's your theme.

[Offshore Toon]

New Joey is good, however Schoolboy on ROCKABYE BABY is :cool: :cool: :cool:.

https://soundcloud.com/joeybadass/rockabye-baby

[Offshore Toon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VUgVrFkofk

[Alex]

That album is growing on me more with every listen. I think the track with Schoolboy is my current favourite, as well.

[Bernanke]

It's DAMN good. Time will tell just how good.

[CJay]

Bought it right off the back HUMBLE. DNA sounds so good on decent speakers. :drool:

[Bernanke]

Yeah DNA is such a banger. DUCKWORTH is my favourite though.

[nsd]

Listened to it 4 times now, I think XXX is my favourite so far with LUST a close 2nd.

[Reg]

2 listens in so far and I've mixed feelings but there's definitely a lot to enjoy and some tracks that I'll play a lot. Feels another well crafted album and I always like artists that appreciate the album as a format.

Have you guys heard about the "Damnation" theory? http://www.theverge.com/2017/4/14/15300170/kendrick-lamar-new-album-damn-sunday-more-music-conspiracy

[Max Power]

Fucking amazing, I can't stop listening.

How do you begin to describe a song like XXX to someone who hasn't heard it yet? When those sirens hit :|

[CJay]

Loved it on first listen. The last 3 or 4 tracks are amazing. Can't wait to get home to listen to it again.

[Bernanke]

Having delved deeper into it, FEAR. is top 5 Kendrick.

[phonics]

It's proper, proper dull. Humble is the only song I like because it sounds like he's having fun.

Once again Section.80 wins.

[Bernanke]

http://i.imgur.com/GmjYiSd.png?1

Cultural event. :drool:

[Offshore Toon]

I've listened quite a few times now and I'd say half of the album is rather forgettable. Its all good, and at moments its incredible, but I guess it was always going to be difficult to follow up GKMC and TPAB. The middle bit on XXX. is brilliant, then DNA. and DUCKWORTH. are probably the next best. Its quite tricky to pick out single tracks, though, given the amount of beat switches.

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQZnOmDq_e8

:lol:

[CJay]

That's good. :D

[Offshore Toon]

Did anybody else think Arsenio Hall was a concert venue? I've just found out it was a person.

[wullie]

Prince Akeem of Zamunda's wingman too.

[Offshore Toon]

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17951792_10154326968347653_2307928316021716019_n.j pg?oh=66fb4ea3add710840f45c80ef141c27f&oe=597A86C6

:\

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiO_P9nyQjo

:dance:

[-james-]

As has been mentioned, DNA. is incredible. That last verse is the best I've heard in ages. That blown out bass is perfect.

[Offshore Toon]

Big Boi's new album will be called Boomiverse. New song with Jeezy and Killer Mike was supposed to be out a few hours ago.

[Mazuuurk]

I keep getting shit for this but I just don't get Kendrick Lamar. He's strictly average to me.

[Offshore Toon]

You can be forgiven for thinking he's average if all you've ever listened to is classic hip hop albums.

[Offshore Toon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcQbKMf8vJo

I really like this track. The one with Adam Levine is a bit off, though.

[phonics]

That's an absolute banger.

[Offshore Toon]

I've been playing the shit out of Kill Jill. Big Boi. :cool:

[phonics]

His musical side and Andre 3000 turning up twice a year to destroy whoever gets him on a mic. Outkast really should have been the greatest ever.

[wullie]

I'm still waiting on their new album. If I wait long enough it has to happen, right?

Found that Slick Rick special edition in a shop, £45. Fuck Record Store Day.

[Reg]

Syd was good on Jools last week. 2 songs at 9:02 and 38:40 minutes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08ndszt/later-with-jools-holland-series-50-episode-2

[Alex]

I'm still waiting on their new album. If I wait long enough it has to happen, right?

Found that Slick Rick special edition in a shop, £45. Fuck Record Store Day.

Solid reasoning.

What does 3 Stacks actually do with himself now? You know, between the bi-annual "remember how good I am?" guest verses. The acting thing never went anywhere did it?

[Offshore Toon]

Whatever he's doing, he's come a long way from beating people up for arriving late to the studio.

[Reg]

Solid reasoning.

What does 3 Stacks actually do with himself now? You know, between the bi-annual "remember how good I am?" guest verses. The acting thing never went anywhere did it?
Played Jimi Hendrix.

Friends with Erykah Badu, father to their son.

Other than that I've no clue.

[Alex]

Maybe he's just still under Erykah's spell. Him and Jay Electronica both, neither of them can concentrate long enough to write more than a handful of verses a year because they get distracted and spend the rest of their time trying to think of ways they can get her back in the sack. Common seems to have escaped, they should both look to him for guidance. :D

[Offshore Toon]

The De La Soul track on Gorillaz' new album is so good.

[Bernanke]

For some really weird shit:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty3CqxVxvw0

https://anticon.bandcamp.com/album/a7pha

Up on Spotify as well. SICKED is kinda amazing.

[Mazuuurk]

You can be forgiven for thinking he's average if all you've ever listened to is classic hip hop albums.

I guess that's the case. It's not that I haven't tried more modern Hip-hop, I have lots of times but I just feel they lack these melodic, R&B-like qualities of the 90's and early 00's.

Rap these days is either A) A little too much auto-tune (Drake balances on a fine line here) or B) Trying to be "Old school" by trying to replicate more classics such as Illmatic in style. I'm pegging Kendrick Lamar in the latter category, but it's just not the same.

[Bernanke]

Newpaged by Maz being an old fart :moop:

[Mazuuurk]

The video you posted was absolute nonsense anyway. Good riddance.

[Offshore Toon]

I can't say Illmatic sprung to mind when listening to any of Kendrick's albums, but Nas did kinda set the blueprint for hip hop albums with Illmatic. Have you listened to Section.80?

[Mazuuurk]

I can't say Illmatic sprung to mind when listening to any of Kendrick's albums, but Nas did kinda set the blueprint for hip hop albums with Illmatic. Have you listened to Section.80?

Hmm no, I kinda gave up on Kendrick Lamar after everyone raved about his first album and I just didn't see it.

I gave all the songs a quick listen just now though (usually don't need more than 10-20 seconds of a song to determine whether it's good or not), and there didn't seem to be any good songs on it. The best one was Keishas Song, which was OK but not much more.


The "Illmatic" style is for me basically slow, minimalistic beats, minimalistic choruses & bridges, and little vocals. Basically mostly about the rapping itself. For me, good Hip Hop is just as much about the beats, the samplings and good choruses. So while Illmatic excelled at this style, Nas got better later on. Stillmatic is better.

Songs like "If I ruled the world", "Staring at the world through my rearview" and "Fu-gee-la" is the type of Hip Hop I like and almost noone seems to want to do that anymore.


I will admit though that looking at the rapping alone, not that many people are very good either. The flow is just off, and a lot of people do this super-stuttery style these days, they rap in "bursts" of 3-4 words which is weird (a bit like that Big Boi song you posted, which is absolute shite compared to his rapping on "Ms. Jackson" for instance).

[Offshore Toon]

Sounds like you're looking for r'n'b infused hip hop, so yeah, I don't think Kendrick is going to be up your street. I think you're looking for something very specific (rnb hook, straightforward flow) which hip hop has left behind as its evolved. No doubt there's still stuff out there for you, but I wouldn't bother too much with popular artists currently as they all veer towards trap.

[wullie]

I love that MTV Base era, late 90s-early 00s, all shiny suits, Hype Williams and guest verses.

I forgot all about this until recently, especially that one of them's called Brian


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UCY_U4QwqI

[Offshore Toon]

I can't tell if I only like Nelly because of nostalgia or not.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5qKNlcUwKs

Like, there's no way that's a bad song, right?

[wullie]

I stand by that entire album. Nellyville was too bloated though, lost interest quickly from there.

[Bernanke]

Ride Wit Me is an all time classic.

[Reg]

I gave all the songs a quick listen just now though (usually don't need more than 10-20 seconds of a song to determine whether it's good or not), and there didn't seem to be any good songs on it.
Really? Surely you'll never broaden your tastes if you don't give songs a chance. You must be missing out on so much music.

[Offshore Toon]

If you skip the intro then 10-20 seconds will give you a good idea of what the song is like. Its not the best way to go about it, but its probably more worthwhile than sitting through one or two songs and sacking off the album because you didn't like them.

[Mazuuurk]

If you skip the intro then 10-20 seconds will give you a good idea of what the song is like. Its not the best way to go about it, but its probably more worthwhile than sitting through one or two songs and sacking off the album because you didn't like them.

Yeah exactly. Its usually what I do to get a general idea of an album. If I hear something that sounds a bit interesting, I'll listen to enough of the song, or all of it, to get a better idea of it.

[phonics]

Not sure why but YouTube has started upping live music streams to me which seems highly illegal but incredibly useful.

Like this guy who just plays lofi/chill hip hop instrumentals to put on in the background while you work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrbrQhpvn8E

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhNqbe6QENY

Hook of the year right here.

[phonics]

These songs are genuinely starting to blend into each other.

[Offshore Toon]

I'm not really a fan of GoldLink. His flow is monotonous and I can't help but think of that song where he mentions hitting his girlfriend (verse 1, line 5 (https://genius.com/Goldlink-sober-thoughts-lyrics)).

[CJay]

Enjoying Brother Ali's new album. Anyone listened to it yet? Very Atmosphere-esque at times. :drool:

[Offshore Toon]

Listened to the singles. Feels like he's lost any aggression he once had which is a huge shame.

[Max Power]

Ali's Five Fingers of Death is very good.

Weird character. He has talent but his projects are mostly boring. Picket Fence.

[Offshore Toon]

I think most of his work is excellent. His voice is amazing. Sometimes the beats let him down, but on some of his early albums his aggressive flow on those guitar loops. :drool:

[Alex]

The new Brother Ali seems quite good. I agree with Offshore and Max to an extent though, in that he's definitely a very talented bloke but he over plays the whole "man of the people/conscious poet" card to the point of it becoming boring at times. Sometimes you just want him to jump on some harder beats and really tear them apart. It's all a bit too mellow sometimes.

Ant, as a producer, is more than capable of giving him that too. Exhibit A:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le0k4ebJnyw

[Offshore Toon]

Incredible album, that. :drool:

[phonics]

This has such an obvious answer that it's really bothering me. Where is the guitar riff in this from originally?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMqb1E7VDGY

[CJay]

I don't think it was obvious. Found it pretty quickly though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=300&v=1-b2ZU5RkG4

http://www.whosampled.com/Bob-James/I-Want-to-Thank-You-(Very-Much)/

[Offshore Toon]

https://www.vevo.com/watch/danger-mouse/chase-me(music-from-the-motion-picture-baby-driver)-audio/USSM21700751

Danger Mouse ft. Run The Jewels & Big Boi - Chase Me

What a line up. :drool:

[Bernanke]

Vince Staples keeps being dope:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l9kzS_B7gg

[Offshore Toon]

Very much liked Brother Ali's new album. Really chilled and soulful, but that voice will always grab my attention.

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNx_3hNhCho&feature=youtu.be

:dance:

[Offshore Toon]

Big Boi's Boomiverse is pretty disappointing. The three stand-out tracks are the ones with Killer Mike on. I'll give it another spin later, though, 'cause I'm not sure 8am is the best time to judge a hip hop album.

[bruhnaldo]

So I've started the new Young Thug album, which is supposed to be more singing and less rapping.

The first two songs were pretty blah but I just hit a few gems in the middle. “She Wanna Party”, “Daddy’s Birthday”, and “Do U Love Me”

Like Offshore says though 8am isn't the best time to judge an album so maybe I just need a :drink: and a :rasta: to enjoy the first few a bit more.

[Offshore Toon]

I was a bit harsh on Boomiverse. Its good. It just doesn't have too much diversity so half an album passes and you've barely noticed.

[Alex]

Prodigy is dead. :|

http://uk.complex.com/music/2017/06/prodigy-dead-at-42

:cry:

[nsd]

What the fuck?

[Alex]

42 fucking years old. Jesus. I know he had suffered pretty much his entire life with sickle cell anaemia, which isn't a disease I know a whole lot about, but I know it can be quite serious. So I would guess it was something to do with that. He seemed really well in recent interviews though.

[Max Power]

Fucking hell. Definitely one of the greats. P in the mid 90s is almost as good as it gets.

[leedsrevolution]

Died like a true gangster, choking on an egg.

[Alex]

I was a bit harsh on Boomiverse. Its good. It just doesn't have too much diversity so half an album passes and you've barely noticed.

I agree that it's not bad, but not particularly great either. There are a handful of really cool tracks on there (I feel like "All Night" should be some sort of monster, summer hit single, but it almost certainly won't be), but the rest of it isn't particularly great. It's just a decent album overall, but you kind of want more than that from Big Boi.

Staples, on the other hand, has just dropped a really interesting record. I love that kid. He's smart, good on the mic and willing to take risks. Which is exactly the way it should be when you're 23 and on the top of your game, I suppose. He's basically eschewed any sort of traditional rap production and made a quasi-dance record that's still very much rooted in Hip-Hop, it's great. It's also only like thirty-five minutes long and devoid of any filler, which I'm all for.

[Alex]

Also, we haven't discussed that the man himself is returning with a new album on Friday. I'm not really sure what to expect from a Jay-Z record at this point. I mean obviously it's Jay, so I'm excited. He definitely still has it in the tank, I'm just not sure what a full length record sounds like from him at this point.

But I really hope it's not just some boring, thrown-together collection of rhymes about his ever-increasing collection of Basquiat originals or something. Or just some bullshit, last-ditch attempt at propping Tidal up. Just sell it to Apple, put the kids in daycare and get back in the studio properly man. For fucks sake.

[Reg]

What did you think of Magna Carta?

I thought he managed to pull off something new for that album so there's a decent chance he can avoid rehashing old sounds and lyrics, I reckon.

[Alex]

Yeah, I actually liked Magna Carta. It seemed to get a bit of stick but it was pretty good in my book. Mid-level Jay, he's made worse albums that that. I just worry that, lyrically, he might become a bit of a dullard in his old age. Saying that, he can still absolutely tear it up when he gets a nice guest spot to murder.

[Reg]

Yeah, I think there's probably more chance of his lyrics letting the beats down than vice versa. First time he's stuck to one producer for an entire album (http://www.spin.com/2017/06/jay-z-new-album-444-rumors/), apparently. No I.D.

[Max Power]

APPARENTLY there is a fair bit of personal stuff on there, fatherhood and the likes, which is promising. Would be good to get one more great (or at least good) Jay record before he becomes President or whatever.

[Alex]

Yeah, I read that No I.D. would be doing the whole thing, and that did make me happy. He's a brilliant, and vastly underrated, producer. He's generally very good at helming all, or the majority of, a project too. He's also responsible for one of my favourite, latter-day Jay-Z cuts as well. The "Success" track with Nas. Which I unfortunately can't link because none of his shit is on Youtube anymore.

[wullie]

Is it being released properly or just on Tidal or whatever he uses now? I still haven't bothered with Life of Pablo for that reason.

[CJay]

Is it being released properly or just on Tidal or whatever he uses now? I still haven't bothered with Life of Pablo for that reason.

I think it's just Tidal.

Life of Pablo is available everywhere now, though.

[Bernanke]

It's kinda crazy that Gucci Mane dropped a better album than Vince Staples in 2017. :baz:

[phonics]

This Vince Staples album is boring and the drums are legitimately annoying.

[bruhnaldo]

Is it being released properly or just on Tidal or whatever he uses now? I still haven't bothered with Life of Pablo for that reason.

TLOP has been on all platforms since like the 2nd week it came out lol wtf

[wullie]

Streaming yeah, but I mean to buy. Unless I'm really no good at finding it.

[bruhnaldo]

There are no physical copies, no. You can buy it on iTunes for the price you'd pay for a month of Apple Music tho

[CJay]

Time to sign up for that free Tidal sub. Wasn't a fan of Magna Carta, but I'm hopeful for this one.

[Baz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUXX55WqYZs

A$AP Rocky goes hard.

Hopefully this album is nothing like Cherry Bomb and more like the other three. :yn:

[Bernanke]

Apparently Jay dropped a legit good album? No one can listen to it though since it's on Tidal...

[Baz]

http://i.imgur.com/K9QcuE4.jpg

[Max Power]

Thought I might as well take the free 30 day Tidal trial so I could listen to the new Jay at work today. Glad I did, it's his best album for 10 years. No I.D. killed it on production and thank God Jay isn't rapping about paintings and cars for 45 minutes. Lots of personal stuff, lots of self relfexion, lots of social commentary. Really good.

[Alex]

I really like it on first impression, too. No I.D. has indeed smashed it with the production. The title track is maybe my favourite beat, but it's very well produced on the whole. It feels, as it should, like one, cohesive project.

I agree regarding the lyrics too, the personal touch really works well for him and it's a welcome move away from that smug, slightly annoying, "I own art and shit" phase he seemed to be getting a bit bogged down with. Although you still get a fair serving of braggadocios, God MC-mode Jay, which obviously is great.

Case in point, "Bam", which is one of those "I'm putting you all on notice" tracks that he does so well and is definitely my early favourite. "I'll Bobby Shmurda anybody you heard of". :cool2:

Also, I'm really happy with the length of it. It must, I imagine, be his shortest album to date? I want to say by quite a distance too. Brevity is never something he's been great at, but he's definitely achieved that here and it's all the better for it.

In short; Hov. :hail:

[Max Power]

It's exactly the album a man of his age and standing should be making so cant help but applaud him for that.

Smile probably my early favourite but it's a really solid and compact project. The length is great, too many rap records recently pushing the hour mark for no reason.

[Alex]

It's exactly the album a man of his age and standing should be making so cant help but applaud him for that.

Smile probably my early favourite but it's a really solid and compact project. The length is great, too many rap records recently pushing the hour mark for no reason.

This is exactly it.

I think Hip-Hip is still such a relatively young genre that a lot people have a hard time getting on board with the idea of, if you will, middle-aged rap. It values things like youth and street credibility so highly that it's hard to reconcile the two things. But it's gotten to a point where it's happening now, and why wouldn't it? People don't just stop being creative when they reach a certain age.

What I like too is the really straight-forward, honest way that he talks on a lot of the subjects he's touching on. He's definitely made a big effort to strip away a lot of the ego and machismo. Not completely, which I'm glad about because you would always want Jay-Z to have that edge, but he's definitely making an effort to display that more grown-up side.

You mentioned "Smile", the bit on that track where he just really matter-of-factly mentions his Mum being a lesbian, and that he doesn't care, he's just happy that she's happy, is one of my favourite moments on the whole thing. It was actually a little bit shocking to me (in a nice way) to hear Jay-Z talk about something like that on record.

[Baz]

I'm already sick of Bam because the radio are rinsing it to death, but yeah that Bobby Shmurda line is ace.

[Offshore Toon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM7lw0Ovzq0

That's amazing.

[Alex]

It really is. The album is fucking fantastic. I think it might be the best thing he's done since The Black Album. I was going with best since American Gangster a few days ago, but I'm now thinking it may have surpassed that.

[Reg]

I'll add to the praise in here.

'Smile' is also an early fave of mine.

The production is really cool. Great balance of samples and original drums. The samples are really cleverly interwoven with everything else. I like the way Jay's vocals seem a separate entity to the beats, in terms of how it's recorded/mixed (not how they interact/reference each other, which is cool too.) I've nowhere near enough engineering knowledge to know what that is exactly, but for some reason it works on this album.

The lyrical content is surprising and refreshing. Good points about his age and what it should mean lyrically, Max/Alex.

Really enjoyed it so far. Just going for another listen now.

Oh, also maybe worth mentioning I'm not even a big Jay-Z fan. In fact 99 Problems and Renegade with Em are the only tracks I've listened to regularly. So this was a nice surprise.

edit- re. the vocals/beats mix thing - I think it's actually partly because on some tracks, like the title track, Jay is rapping less rigidly than someone would usually, it's a bit more like spoken word poetry than someone like (as an example) Ice Cube where his flow is more fixed to the drums.

[wullie]

That's definitely the best music video I've seen so far this year.

[Offshore Toon]

I know what you mean, Reg. On first listen it kinda felt like Jay was just coming in as he pleases, as if it were a lazy approach, but it's definitely rather complex in how he interacts with the beats. Even the production felt unpolished, but it works to create a mystique and almost historical depth. It's a great album. Anybody else thinking album of the year so far?

[Baz]

That OJ track always makes me want to listen to Blood On The Leaves and Be A Ni##er Too.

I agree with you lot though, it's a really good album. That song with Frank Ocean, man. :cool:

(Album of the year is Common Sense.)

[Bernanke]

(Album of the year is Common Sense.)

No lies detected.

[Baz]

Tyler The Creator's new album has leaked. :youpi:

[bruhnaldo]

Tyler The Creator's new album has leaked. :youpi:

And apparently he's all "IM GAY YA'LL" so that's interesting i guess.

[Alex]

Releasing an album called "Flower Boy" certainly does seem like a very Tyler-esque way of coming out of the closet. He's one guy who I have a lot of trouble separating his music from his persona, to be honest. I find him quite annoying as a person.

[Baz]

Releasing an album called "Flower Boy" certainly does seem like a very Tyler-esque way of coming out of the closet. He's one guy who I have a lot of trouble separating his music from his persona, to be honest. I find him quite annoying as a person.I love him. Full title is Scum Fuck Flower Boy.

[phonics]

There's no good Odd Future content.

[Alex]

Does Odd Future, as a collective, even really exist anymore? I remember thinking it was really exciting at the time but it hasn't aged well at all. I think this is my issue with Tyler, too often he just comes across as this annoying fucking man-child. Not a bad producer by any means though.

I do think Earl is genuinely quite talented. I don't mind Domo Genesis either. He's not an incredible emcee or anything, but he can make pretty straight-forward, ejoyable rap music. His tape with Alchemist a few years ago was cool, and he released a new one really recently (like within the last month) that I quite enjoyed.

[Baz]

I really really like his Wolf album. And the Earl debut track EARL still bangs.

Frank Ocean's albums have been good too.

[Baz]

Hare Squead - Flowers (https://nippyspace.com/v/532595) :rotate:

[Reg]

Anyone heard the new Tyler then?

Going back to 4:44 - on reflection I like tracks 1-5 quite a lot more than the rest. Caught Their Eyes is probably my favourite, I love the Nina Simone. One of the best choruses too.

[Alex]

That OJ track always makes me want to listen to Blood On The Leaves and Be A Ni##er Too.

I agree with you lot though, it's a really good album. That song with Frank Ocean, man. :cool:

(Album of the year is Common Sense.)

I've just listened to this, it's good. I'll definitely be going back for more. I like the mixture of different styles he brings to it.

[Alex]

http://static.stereogum.com/uploads/2017/07/Missy-Elliott-Supa-Dupa-Fly-1499804632.jpg

Twenty years old!

http://www.thefader.com/2017/07/14/missy-elliott-supa-dupa-fly-interview-20-years

Such a fun record. It's aged fantastically as well, Timbaland's production on it still sounds fresh as fuck.

[Baz]

I've just listened to this, it's good. I'll definitely be going back for more. I like the mixture of different styles he brings to it.Yeah, I really like it.

Has anyone watched The Defiant Ones? Four parter on HBO.


"The Defiant Ones" examines the partnership between Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre - one the son of a Brooklyn longshoreman, the other straight out of Compton - and their leading roles in a chain of transformative events in contemporary culture.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6958022/

I've not yet, but definitely will.

[Alex]

Yeah, I watched that last week Baz. It's pretty good. Iovine is quite an interesting bloke. Strange, but interesting. The way their two stories come together is pretty cool.

[Baz]

I can't quite believe it myself but Dizzee Rascal's album is in contention for album of the year.

[Offshore Toon]

Aye, its very good. Some of the grimier tracks on there are :drool:.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O0Spn2eaSk

[Offshore Toon]

This popped up on Spotify and I'm feeeeeeeeeling it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlAxvyd2ZFw

[Reg]

I've been enjoying Arrested Development lately. I've loved People Everyday (and the Sly song it's based off) and Mr Wendal for a while, and it seems they've got plenty of other tracks worth listening to.

I had my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify this week and this popped up: (I think you'll recognise some of it. :cool:)


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

Anyone got any favourite samples/interpolations, or stories of recognising an original version / discovering an artist you didn't know?

[Alex]

Tyler's album actually is really good. Fair play to him, he's got to be applauded for the growth.

What else have people been enjoying recently? I've recently made the (potentially financially ruinous) decision to buy a record player. Early mid-life crisis perhaps, but as a consequence I've been listening to mostly old stuff as I've been re-buying it on vinyl, so I feel like I'm off the pace a bit.

[Offshore Toon]

https://open.spotify.com/track/28HIbdg5wN3tAauT6dimWi

This popped up and I liked it. Turns out it's produced by Kaytranada.

[Greg]

I've been liking Brockhampton - Saturation recently. Bit of an Odd Future vibe.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMZZUyos1kI

[nsd]

Yeah I've been listening to Brockhampton a bit recently. Amine's album is surprisingly good too (with a Nelly feature in 2017!)

[Bob Sacamano]

Apathy & O.C. are dropping an album soon :drool:

It will probably be a let down like most of Ap's recent work but I live in hope. Though this was fucking great;


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Hru6QOeEgY

[Offshore Toon]

I thought Brockhampton was a bit shit. So much hype but it was just boring. Maybe its like Odd Future and suits a certain demographic.

[Offshore Toon]

Brockhampton have really grown on me. A couple of tracks pulled me back in and now I'm a fan. Some of the beats are amazing. Apart from that, I'm digging the new Action Bronson, the new Wu-Tang single is really good, Sean Price's posthumous album bangs (especially that posse cut with the Wu guys) and the Apollo Brown & Planet Asia album is nice and smooth. Its been a good hip hop day.

[Bernanke]

The Brockhampton craze reminds me so much of when OF blew up.

[Baz]

Who's their Earl "holy fuck have you seen this "EARL" video?" Sweatshirt, then? I'll get into him majorly and hope he doesn't become a stoner bum and goes from A-grade rapper to slow & bumbling deep voiced crapper.

[Offshore Toon]

I don't know any of them individually yet. Odd Future got big off the back of Yonkers, didn't they? They were always more of a collection of individual artists than an actual rap group.

[Baz]

Nah there was enough buzz from Bastard (Tyler's first album) and EARL (title track from Earl's first album) that the blow-up was inevitable, which came before Yonkers. When Frank Ocean dropped Novacane not long after Yonkers came out (about a month apart, at most, I reckon), every OF fanboy (oh hai) sorta felt that track would have propelled them to the level that Yonkers did, had it not already happened.

It's depressing how it all just fizzled out. :(

[Baz]

Okay I've downloaded all 49 BROCKHAMPTON tracks I could find. Will make a playlist and shuffle it in the car. Excited!

[John]

Listened to a fair bit of Run The Jewels lately. How the Dickens did it take Killer Mike so long to get 'big'? I don't listen to a great deal of hip hop, but I'd have him as comfortably the best contemporary rapper.

[wullie]

Should have happened in 2001 after this alone


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udmTfK6_aM8

[Offshore Toon]

I think his verse on that is pretty crap. Flip Flop Rock, though: :drool:

[Baz]

Lil Wayne in hospital with his epilepsy. Get well soon, Tune.

[phonics]

Listened to a fair bit of Run The Jewels lately. How the Dickens did it take Killer Mike so long to get 'big'? I don't listen to a great deal of hip hop, but I'd have him as comfortably the best contemporary rapper.

Because being good doesn't mean being big

'Everybody want to talk about who this and who that
Who the realest and who wack, or who white or who black
Critics want to mention that they miss when hip hop was rappin'
Motherfucker, if you did, then Killer Mike'd be platinum'

Meanwhile, I'm back on my Eyedea & Abilities bullshit.

[Alex]

Listened to a fair bit of Run The Jewels lately. How the Dickens did it take Killer Mike so long to get 'big'? I don't listen to a great deal of hip hop, but I'd have him as comfortably the best contemporary rapper.

I suppose, to echo what Phonics said, it's very much a "right place, right time" thing with rappers sometimes. People in the Hip-Hop community like to attach a shit load of value to the notion of "real Hip-Hop" and claim that there's very little of it left, whilst simultaneously ignoring, both critically and financially, the shit load of it that there is out there.

It's weird that Run the Jewels is the thing that finally put him over the top though. Not that it isn't great, because they're amazing, it's just that if you'd told me ten years ago a sustained collaboration between El-P and Killer Mike would give the pair of them far more visibility than they've had in their entire careers up to that point I would never have believed you.

The notion of them even working together was quite strange to me when it was first announced until it actually happened, at which point it was like "Mike should only ever rap over El-P beats for the rest of his life". They genuinely seem to be best mates now too, which is nice.

[John]

I suppose, to echo what Phonics said, it's very much a "right place, right time" thing with rappers sometimes. People in the Hip-Hop community like to attach a shit load of value to the notion of "real Hip-Hop" and claim that there's very little of it left, whilst simultaneously ignoring, both critically and financially, the shit load of it that there is out there.

It's weird that Run the Jewels is the thing that finally put him over the top though. Not that it isn't great, because they're amazing, it's just that if you'd told me ten years ago a sustained collaboration between El-P and Killer Mike would give the pair of them far more visibility than they've had in their entire careers up to that point I would never have believed you.

The notion of them even working together was quite strange to me when it was first announced until it actually happened, at which point it was like "Mike should only ever rap over El-P beats for the rest of his life". They genuinely seem to be best mates now too, which is nice.

Killer Mike was working with Outkast at the height of their popularity, so his lack of attention can't just be down to not having been in the right rooms with the right people.

I understand that being good doesn't necessarily lead to being popular/successful, that notion isn't unique to rap music, but generally speaking if you're the best there is in your chosen field then you'll rise to the top on a somewhat accelerated schedule. I did some reading and found out that apparently his reluctance to drop the 'Killer' from his name set him back a fair bit, but that can't be the whole deal.

I suppose what I was wondering is if there's some dynamic that is unique to rap music which helps explain how it's taken him so long to break out.

[Reg]

I'd guess it's partly because hip-hop has been shifting away from political lyrics - and lyrics in general, it's more about melody - and fans crave a counter to that in albums from people like RTJ and Kendrick.

[Alex]

http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2017/09/westside-gunn-mf-doom-project/

Well, shit. Westside Gunn and DOOM are apparently releasing a project together in the somewhat near future.


The project, which seems to be called WESTSIDEDOOM, is apparently produced entirely by Alchemist and Griselda’s in-house producer Daringer (who we named one of rap’s 30 essential producers of 2016), so expect lots of dusty drums and soul loops.

Alchemist and Daringer on the beats too? Consider my interest piqued. Although obviously the release date of any proposed DOOM collaborative project has to be taken with a pinch of salt. I'm looking at you, "Swift & Changeable".

[Alex]

https://images.rapgenius.com/5nwpswdxush14g3hd83ex8m79.1000x896x1.jpg

Ten fucking years old!

One of those records that takes me back to exact time of it's release whenever I hear it. Still my personal favourite Kanye album, even though MBDTF is the definitely the better artistic achievement. Graduation just has a lot more sentimental value for me. It's also a classic in it's own right musically, of course.

Jesus. This news has made me feel fucking ancient.

[Max Power]

Similar vivid memories for me as it was the summer I left school. Also feeling old :|

[Alex]

I know, right? I guess I will have been in my second year of university. Maybe it's just rose tinted glasses, but I remember that summer being absolutely beautiful, and it still being really hot when that album dropped in September, and buying it and just immediately knowing that is was a classic the first time I heard it.

[Max Power]

Everyday was a barbecue with Champion playing...

Remember it leaking really early for a major release. Think I was spinning some garbage clean rip for like a week.

[Alex]

Remember the big showdown he had with 50 over who was going to sell more records? :D

50 lost, and I believe still sold about 700k in his first week!

[Reg]

Is there anyone in hip-hop who has successfully evolved as much from album to album as Kanye?

[wullie]

Flashing Lights is my favourite from that album, takes me right back to what I'm depressed to realise is a whole decade ago.

[John]

Which album was Gold Digger on? There was a club in Glasgow which tended to play commercial rap for half the night then commercial dance music for the other half - Destiny for the Glasgow lot - and that song immediately evokes the smell of Sambuca for me.

[Alex]

Gold Digger was on Late Registration, the album prior to Graduation. It conjures up similarly hellish nightclub memories for me too John, now you mention it. I'd forgotten just how inescapable that song was the time, it was fucking everywhere.

[nsd]

Late Registration is definitely my favourite Kanye album. I remember checking online every hour for a leak, back when things would leak months in advance.

[phonics]

Gold Digger was on Late Registration, the album prior to Graduation. It conjures up similarly hellish nightclub memories for me too John, now you mention it. I'd forgotten just how inescapable that song was the time, it was fucking everywhere.

I lived with someone in halls who thought of himself as a bit of a DnB DJ but he only had like 5 records, one of them a remix of Gold Digger. So when I wasn't getting it in the club, I was getting that.

[wullie]

Shout out for 808s

[phonics]

I hated 808s for years and then went through a bad breakup and drank too much and started enjoying it. I'm not sure 'Yeah it's a good album if you're in severe emotional distress' is a ringing endorsement but that's all I've got.

It's also a lot subtler autotune then 99% of mainstream stuff these days which helps.

[wullie]

I think it hooked me quicker than most of his regular albums, sounded like nothing else at the time too whereas now it sounds like everything. I can only listen to it in winter though for some reason, it's the weirdest Christmas album on my playlist.

[Bernanke]

Graduation is my favourite Kanye-album, easily. Mostly because I was 15 when it dropped and it was the first one I heard in full.

Champion.

http://www.kanyetothe.com/forum/Smileys/default/beSFiXF.png

I Wonder.

http://www.kanyetothe.com/forum/Smileys/default/beSFiXF.png http://www.kanyetothe.com/forum/Smileys/default/beSFiXF.png

Flashing Lights.

http://www.kanyetothe.com/forum/Smileys/default/beSFiXF.pnghttp://www.kanyetothe.com/forum/Smileys/default/beSFiXF.pnghttp://www.kanyetothe.com/forum/Smileys/default/beSFiXF.png

[CJay]

All about Everything I Am. :drool:

[Bernanke]

I usually dislike Coldplay, but Homecoming is :drool:

[Waffdon]

1. College Dropout
2. MBDTF
3. Graduation
4. Late Registration
5. TLOP
6. WTT
7. 808's
8. Yeezus

That was tough. Yeezus still has a few beauties in it.

[Alex]

1. Graduation
2. MBDTF
3. The College Dropout
4. 808s and Heartbreak
5. Yeezus
6. Late Registration
7. Watch the Throne
8. The Life of Pablo

Very tough. Every single one of those album has, at time or another, been pretty much the only thing I've played for days, or sometimes even weeks, on end. It really is an incredible discography when you sit down and think about it.

[wullie]

MBDTF
College Dropout
808s
Graduation
Yeezus
Late Registration
WTT
Pablo

[Baz]

Wow people really rated MBDTF so highly? I really liked three of the singles but could take or leave the rest.

My opinion is probably void though because a) my favourite Kanye song is Big Brother and b) my favourite album is 808s.

Pablo sucks so bad I wouldn't even rank it at all, and I could only name one or two songs from yeezus off the top of my head.

[phonics]

Yeezus is genuinely one of the worst albums from a major artist I normally enjoy. And I've listened to Blink 182s recent output.

[Max Power]

Same as Wullie but Pablo over WTT. WTT hasn't aged well at all imo, and I wasn't wild about it on release.

[wullie]

I should probably omit Pablo, it's my default last pick because it's the only one I've still not listened to thoroughly.

[Alex]

I thought Pablo has some really excellent stuff on it. It was just all over the place, and the rollout was horrendous.

[Bernanke]

WTT is his worst one, if we count it.

[phonics]

All of the Lights is still an absolute banger.

[Baz]

I don’t think he’ll ever make a good single again.

I still think people are trolling me when they say they like Fade and (I know it wasn’t a single but) Ultralight Beam. Gospel shite.

[SincereTheRebel]

I stopped listening to kanye in full, after graduation.

[phonics]

I don’t think he’ll ever make a good single again.

I still think people are trolling me when they say they like Fade and (I know it wasn’t a single but) Ultralight Beam. Gospel shite.

The best song on there is FML.

[Bernanke]

Hating on ULB. :nuts:

[phonics]

Hating on ULB. :nuts:

It's really quite dull once you get past the gospel stuff.

[Alex]

All of the Lights is still an absolute banger.

Fantastic tune. I was always a bit surprised it didn't go on to be a huge single, I remember first hearing the album and thinking that it had "number one" written all over it.

[Alex]

I don’t think he’ll ever make a good single again.

I still think people are trolling me when they say they like Fade and (I know it wasn’t a single but) Ultralight Beam. Gospel shite.

Ultralight Beam is ace. Top tier Kanye, in my opinion, and the Chance verse is a legit all-timer for me. I agree that Fade was shit though.

[wullie]

Runaway is probably my no.1 overall.

[Bernanke]

It probably varies over time, but I'd put I Wonder as my no. 1.

[Mazuuurk]

All of the Lights here, I think, closely followed by Flashing Lights and Monster.

Though Cold is high up there with "get pumped" tracks I like listening to during a workout or something like that, along with Da Rockwilder and various French rap tracks.

[bruhnaldo]

I don’t think he’ll ever make a good single again.

I still think people are trolling me when they say they like Fade and (I know it wasn’t a single but) Ultralight Beam. Gospel shite.

Fade is fucking awesome and was even better at the Saint Pablo Tour when I went back2back nights in Miami :)

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYcIaKpqE1k

Thugger is so freaking good.

[phonics]

Garbage.

[Bernanke]

https://i2.wp.com/dickiebheeonthestreetz.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/pace.gif

[phonics]

The only passable thing he's done is that hook on 'Mixtape' outside of that, he's the perfect example of everything that's wrong with modern rap.

[SincereTheRebel]

Dame is selling his boot collection

http://www.xxlmag.com/lifestyle/2017/09/dame-dash-is-selling-his-sneaker-collection-on-ebay/
https://amp.solecollector.com/news/2017/09/dame-dash-selling-sneaker-collection/
https://www.ebay.com/usr/shoezeum?_trksid=p2047675.l2559&rmvSB=true

Air force ones are huge on your feet. They are horrible.

[SincereTheRebel]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. He is seling plaques too. A Cam plaque. Im done.

[bruhnaldo]

damn! I want the Cam plaque then what!

Sidenote: he's selling a pair of Jordan Neymars that I have. Be interested to see what those fetch (though I actually wear mine)

edit: damn me and Dame apparently wear the same size too 10.5, maybe i need to snag a pair.