The Hip Hop Thread

[bruhnaldo]

the fucking Cam - Come Home With Me plaque is at 10k for fuck sake

[SincereTheRebel]

Times must be hard. He is selling an aaliyah plaque. He was fucking her when she went down in her plane crash.

[CJay]

New Chance last night on Colbert. It's a bit sleepy until the last verse.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soC7DtJXMC8

[Max Power]

This softly spoken God is nice rap is very bad imo. Chance has talent but if that's the route he's going down permanently I really cba.

The Rapsody album is quite good on first listen.

[Alex]

It would appear the WestsideDOOM "project" is only two songs long.

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

:moop:

Also, DOOM has inexplicably just axed that "Missing Notebook" series (which was just old, leftover stuff as far as I could tell anyway) that he was doing with Adult Swim mid-way through too. He's such a fucking chancer. Part of me wishes he would just fuck off and officially retire now.

[CJay]

Anyone listening to Dissect? It's a podcast series of deep dives into great hip hop album. Series 1 was To Pimp A Butterfly and Series 2 is My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It's pretty great - definitely recommend giving the Kanye stuff a listen. The first three episodes are a broad overview of Kanye's life and music up to releasing MBDTF. The host really knows his stuff, and every track gets it's own 30-40 minute episode! :drool:

Haven't listened to Series 1, but my brother says it's great too.

https://dissectpodcast.com

[phonics]

It would appear the WestsideDOOM "project" is only two songs long.

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

:moop:

Also, DOOM has inexplicably just axed that "Missing Notebook" series (which was just old, leftover stuff as far as I could tell anyway) that he was doing with Adult Swim mid-way through too. He's such a fucking chancer. Part of me wishes he would just fuck off and officially retire now.

MF Grimm is now the best MF.

[phonics]

I fucking love Discover Weekly, the amount of random bangers it throws up is incredible.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVR-qOXDBgo

[Bernanke]

Future x Young Thug project out. :drool:

[Alex]

The new Conway mixtape, "More Steroids", is great.

http://www.datpiff.com/Conway-More-Steroids-mixtape.866938.html

I really like this guy. The whole Griselda camp are pretty good but he's easily my favourite. They've managed to not be ruined by that Shady Records deal yet either. Hopefully they can keep that up.

Maybe it's my age starting to show through but I've missed this kind of tough-guy, East Coast rap. It really hits the spot.

[phonics]

The new Conway mixtape, "More Steroids", is great.

http://www.datpiff.com/Conway-More-Steroids-mixtape.866938.html

I really like this guy. The whole Griselda camp are pretty good but he's easily my favourite. They've managed to not be ruined by that Shady Records deal yet either. Hopefully they can keep that up.

Maybe it's my age starting to show through but I've missed this kind of tough-guy, East Coast rap. It really hits the spot.

I've been listening to a lot of Torae for the same reason.

[Offshore Toon]

How are people feeling the new Wu-Tang? It was better than I expected. Meth and Red massively stood out, though, so I really want another Blackout!

[Reg]

I quite like it on first impressions, and those guys do stand out, but I can understand some review calling it a 'bargain bin Wu joint'. To put it more kindly it's quite a nice homage to classic Wu.

[phonics]

There's some awful lines on this but it hits me every time


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1x-2eZ5e8E

[Offshore Toon]

I quite like it on first impressions, and those guys do stand out, but I can understand some review calling it a 'bargain bin Wu joint'. To put it more kindly it's quite a nice homage to classic Wu.
There are a few tracks where the beats sound like lullaby rejects, and the overall production is lacking ideas and feels cheap. They should do whatever RZA did in that basement with the flooding to make Tical sound raw.

[Baz]

Are there any good, regularly-updated, current/upcoming hot hip-hop Spotify playlists?

[phonics]

'Doin Me' by Trinidad James popped up on my Discover Weekly and it's weirdly good.

[SincereTheRebel]

So a long standing debate was in discussion with my team last night. Which song has the best opening lines/intro? I always refer back the songs below with Take It In Blood being my favourite. What is yours? Not from my list below, just your own personal favourites.

Hit Em Up - 2 Pac




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41qC3w3UUkU



Eminem - Lose Yourself




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Yhyp-_hX2s




Nas - Take It In Blood




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLJeKCA8Iq4



NWA - Striaght Outta Compton




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMZi25Pq3T8

[phonics]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxAxL29iRKQ

'Hoes talk about they wanna dance. Bitch, I don't dance. My dick don't event fit in the club.'

[wullie]

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

[Waffdon]

Meek is in the jail. What a shambles.

[Baz]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/20/article-2730169-20A72EFE00000578-293_634x554.jpg

[Alex]

Best opening lines is a good one. Wullie's choice is one of the first that springs to mind. Biggie and Chuck D are the two best emcees when it comes to delivering memorable opening lines, I would say. Early Nas was very good at it too.

Public Enemy - Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM5_6js19eM)

"I got a letter from the government the other day, I opened and read it, it said they were SUCKERS" :cool:

LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vimZj8HW0Kg)

"Don't call it a comeback, I've been for years"

Mobb Deep - Survival of the Fittest (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIq4UTgqDAc)

"There's a war going on outside, no man is safe from....."

Main Source - Live at the Barbeque (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmCWfJAPwbA) (or Nas - The Genesis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhv5Wv5ehnA), if you prefer)

"Streets disciple, my raps are trifle, I shoot slugs from my brain just like a rifle!"

[nsd]

If we're going for actual opening lines, rather than opening voice-over skit then it has to be Deck on Triumph.

I bomb atomically
Socrates' philosophies and hypotheses
Can't define how I be droppin' these mockeries

In fact, whether we're going for lines or voice overs, it still has to be Triumph.

[Alex]

There's a new Killa Cam tape out!

http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/45375/camron-the-program.html

[Bernanke]

Richard Flair Drip is on constant repeat right now.

Metro and Offset dominating.

[Bernanke]

https://vimeo.com/14961446

7 years since MBDTF.

[CJay]

https://vimeo.com/14961446

7 years since MBDTF.

Plugging Dissect Podcast (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dissect-a-serialized-music-podcast/id1143845868?mt=2) again. This guy is really doing MBDTF justice.

[Alex]

Seven years, shit. I'm not sure I've heard anything since where I've instantly thought "this is a classic". It's a landmark record, for sure. I actually re-bought it on vinyl just a couple of weeks ago. They had made it into some completely unnecessary, three-vinyl set, but still, it was nice to revisit it

[Mazuuurk]

On Opening lines, if we're talking the actual rapping, I'll nominate Lost Ones from Lauryn Hill.

[Offshore Toon]

Cyhi album is pretty good. Nu Africa is a banger.

Also, winter and Pusha T go together so well. Walking in the dark to Nosetalgia. :drool:

[Bernanke]

When I was ten, back when nine ounces had got you ten
And nine times out of ten, niggas don't pay attention
And when there's tension in the air, nines come with extensions

:cool:

[SincereTheRebel]

Disapointed with this jadakiss and fab collaboration. Its got a few hits on it. The intro and Nightmares aint as bad being the standouts after one listen.

[Offshore Toon]

Rapsody album very good. Power is such a banger. #UnexpectedKendrick

[nsd]

Disapointed with this jadakiss and fab collaboration. Its got a few hits on it. The intro and Nightmares aint as bad being the standouts after one listen.

What did you expect from two washed up punchline rappers who have barely been relevant since the early 00s? Don't get me wrong, I still listen to Fab every now and then, but even in his prime he was never the kind of artist who could hold your attention throughout an entire album.

[Alex]

What did you expect from two washed up punchline rappers who have barely been relevant since the early 00s? Don't get me wrong, I still listen to Fab every now and then, but even in his prime he was never the kind of artist who could hold your attention throughout an entire album.


This, pretty much.

Fab enjoys a status that he's never even come close to earning. He had potential in spades at one point, and the occasional genuine moment of greatness, but he's discography is crushingly disappointing. None of it has any real replay value.

Jada is quite similar in my opinion. For all the "top 5 dead or alive" nonsense, again, his body of work is poor. The first couple of albums were OK, as was the Lox stuff, but it hasn't aged well at all.

I'm just not sure why I'm suddenly meant to be excited at the prospect of them teaming up.

[AyDee]

If anyone wants an album by an unknown artist then Arshad Goods' "Black Sunday" is pretty dope. Most the songs on the album have sub 1,000 plays on Spotify but it's worth a listen.

[Offshore Toon]

If somebody else knows about an artist then I'm not interested tbh.

[Alex]

I've noticed, in my general internet reading, that it's "list season" again, so what are people thinking for their favourites of 2017? I feel like I've not posted as much/enough this year, which wasn't intentional, I just don't think it's been a particularly great year for rap. Not bad, just one of my least favourites in recent years.

I got a bit sidetracked from new stuff after buying the record player and spending a LOT of time re-aqquiring older stuff too. I still did get through my fair share of new stuff though, so in the spirit of posting more I've made an attempt at a top ten:

#10 - Starlito & Don Trip - Step Brothers Three

Probably my favourite instalment of the series that these two have put out. I used to follow a lot of Starlito's solo stuff earlier in his career but I stopped. There was too much of it, and once he got with Don Trip it became clear that's what he should be focussing on. Yeah 5X is such a fucking tune, one of my absolute favourite tracks of the year.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjbW9EphPQk

#9 - Sean Price - Imperius Rex

You know what you’re getting with Sean P, to the point where even his half baked, leftover rhymes (which, not to be mean, a lot of these clearly are) sound great over the right kind of beats, and some of the beats on this thing are insane. Probably the Hip-Hop death that hit me the hardest of the last few years, so it was good to have something new.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKWYjwDSw2Y

#8 - Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy

Fair play to the guy, I’d written him off as something of a juvenile idiot, but he showed a lot of growth and maturity on this one. Easily the best thing that he, or any of his Odd Future offshoots for that matter (that whole thing has NOT aged well, and I was a huge fan at the time), ever put out.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM6hzeFchgI

#7 Armand Hammer - Rome

The pairing of these two (Billy Woods and Elucid) was a stroke of genius. Their first album together was great and this one might be a little better. It’s not as long for starters, it’s a much tighter piece of work. Really dense, wordy Hip-Hop over cool beats. It sounds very East Coast, but in a refreshing, modern way. I sort of see it as a continuation of what Def Jux were doing back in the day, before that whole thing went south. The whole Backwoodz movement really carries on that tradition in fact, and definitely doesn't get the props in deserves in that respect.


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

#6 - Roc Marciano - Rosebudd's Revenge

Just more of the same from Roc really. You know what you’re getting with this guy, poetic thuggery, essentially! He rhymes about doing really over the top, illegal shit so eloquently, it's like high society gangster rap or something.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2biUcMjb-UM

#5 Ghostpoet - Dark Days + Canapés

Arguably not even a Hip-Hop album, because he’s gone increasingly R&B (although that tag doesn’t really fit either) and rock with each release, but this is definitely the best album this guy has released to date, in my opinion. Quite a dark and contemplative record. I couldn’t stop listening to it when it dropped. Nice to have a UK guy flying the flag too.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak7hqJYk6Yk

#4 - Vince Stapes - Big Fish Theory

This kid is really fucking talented and a smart guy to boot, if you ask me. He’s sort of made a dance album here that’s still totally Hip-Hop, it exists in both worlds. The first time I heard it I was “I’m not sure what he’s doing here, but it’s brilliant”, which is a feeling that I wish I had more often. Also, Juicy J's "I was up late night balling, counting up hundreds by the thousands!" has to be the hook of the year.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_88Pm-8Pmc

#3 - Jonwayne - Rap Album Two

I got this guys first album (which was, surprisingly, titled Rap Album One) because he was buzzing on Stones Throw at the time and thought it was OK, but it was kind of like he was playing at Hip-Hop, almost a little bit of a novelty, big Hippy-looking white dude from LA with a the deep voice who rhymes. This one is his proper arrival though. It’s brilliant, really surprised me. He left Stones Throw (possibly was dropped actually), I think started his own label and just came through the other side a whole lot better and made a fantastic album. The whole thing has a very sincere tone. He raps a lot about the stuff he’s gone through in the last few years, personal upheaval, struggles with addiction, but it never sounds "poor me" or put on. I would really recommend listening to it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaPYuwjL-dI

#2 - Billy Woods - Known Unknowns

Aside from Kendrick, this guy has probably been my favourite, current emcee for a while now. His style is like nothing else. It’s really off kilter and wordy but smart as fuck, and he picks his beats brilliantly. I think my favourite line on this album, he says at one point “Chekov put Jay’s tech on Nas’ dresser”, I fucking lost it the first time I heard that, it was so clever. I can’t think of another emcee who would come up with something like that.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csb_wX0DfCk

#1 - Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

Had to be really, right? I felt like it was a really hard-hitting, much more straight up Hip-Hop reaction to To Pimp a Butterfly, and all the cross-over love it got. Not that I have anything against TPAB, it’s his best work and the defining rap album of the last few years if you ask me. But I got a definite “this is was I do, fuck off if you don’t like it” vibe from DAMN. Right down to the pissed off look on his face on the cover. He’s so far ahead of the rest of that pack at this point that it’s frightening. "GOD" is probably my favourite rap tune of the year too.


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

[nsd]

Rap Album One is Jonwayne's third album. I'd have to think and re-listen to a few before putting together a proper list, but it'd probably include a number of the same on yours - Armand Hammer, Billy Woods, Kendrick, Jonwayne, Roc Marci. I'd probably have to include Cunninlynguists too because I'm a huge CL stan.

[Offshore Toon]

I need to check out that Billy Woods bloke then. Appreciate your list, Alex. I won't be doing my own, though, as I don't think I could name ten hip hop albums I've listened to. Rapsody would be in my top 10, though. We'll surely have BROCKHAMPTON and RTJ albums this year, won't we? Real dip in quality considering we had Tribe and Danny put out some of their best work last year.

[AyDee]

I only realised when doing this list that both Tribe and De la Soul albums were late last year and not this year.

Starlito & Don Trip - Step Brothers Three
SZA - Ctrl
NxWorries - Yes Lawd!
Kendrick - DAMN
Joey Purp - iiiDrops
Joey Bada$$ - All-Amerikkan Bada$$
Oddisse - The Iceberg
Rapsody - Laila's Wisdom
Milo - Who Told You To Think??!!?!?!?!

Quick look at my spotify only throws these albums up, so would agree it's a been a weak year, although I've not really listened to a few big albums yet. Doubt I'll be playing many of this year's albums in a few years time.

[wullie]

Kendrick album is probably my favourite of the year of any kind, but otherwise I've only really liked Vince Staples and Big Boi, which would round out my top 3.

[Max Power]

Really liked both BROCKHAMPTON albums, Big K.R.I.T's 4eva is a Mighty Long Time and Open Mike Eagle's Brick Body Kids Still Daydream in addition to some of the obvious already mentioned ones like Kendrick and Tyler. A few ones I missed on your lists I will check out as well.

[nsd]

Forgot all about Open Mike Eagle. Wasn't 4:44 this year too?

[Alex]

Forgot all about Open Mike Eagle. Wasn't 4:44 this year too?

It was. :moop:

What the fuck's the matter with me? That's easily top five. I was just playing it again last weekend too.

[Alex]

Rap Album One is Jonwayne's third album. I'd have to think and re-listen to a few before putting together a proper list, but it'd probably include a number of the same on yours - Armand Hammer, Billy Woods, Kendrick, Jonwayne, Roc Marci. I'd probably have to include Cunninlynguists too because I'm a huge CL stan.

Yeah, fair play, you're right. I always forget about his instrumental stuff.

The new CL kind of passed me for some reason. I played it a few times, but I just wasn't particularly taken with it. Which is odd, because I've historically been a big fan. I should maybe revisit that one. I think the rollout was a factor, like I'd heard about half of it in the EP's they put out, so I maybe didn't give it the proper attention it deserved.

[Offshore Toon]

I'll back up Jay and OME too. The latter is touring in March and has a Brighton date. :cool:

Billy Woods is so good too. Great shout, Alex.

[nsd]

Yeah, fair play, you're right. I always forget about his instrumental stuff.

The new CL kind of passed me for some reason. I played it a few times, but I just wasn't particularly taken with it. Which is odd, because I've historically been a big fan. I should maybe revisit that one. I think the rollout was a factor, like I'd heard about half of it in the EP's they put out, so I maybe didn't give it the proper attention it deserved.

Yeah I did feel the same about the EPs, it didn't feel like we were getting a new album really. I do like the album a lot, there are some real vintage Kno beats on there, but I feel like it's their weakest effort to date. But they do have a ridiculously strong discography, so it's not bad by any means.

[Bernanke]

All I know is that XO TOUR Llif3 is song of the year.

And if I wanted to be a bit more serious, Crew is song of the year.

You don't hold rank.

[AyDee]

+1 for the Open Mike Eagle love-in. His album passed me by but it's class. Not heard much of his stuff before, this his best album to date or is his other stuff good too? He's put out a fair few albums.

[phonics]

I could listen to the Ziggy Starfish hook all day. There's something that feels like walking into hip-hop gigs in total grot holes while I was semi-touring with mates in Uni.

[nsd]

+1 for the Open Mike Eagle love-in. His album passed me by but it's class. Not heard much of his stuff before, this his best album to date or is his other stuff good too? He's put out a fair few albums.

Dark Comedy is fantastic

[phonics]

Was going through some stuff while decorating and found my old french hip-hop mixtapes :drool:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV3HDGBHkBc

[Waffdon]

Arose is incredible.

[Waffdon]

Arose is incredible.

Can’t beki I listened to this song before the full album. Castle leading onto Arose. Oh my days

[Bernanke]

Saturation 3 is out and it's probably the most cohesive and consistent out of all 3 Brockhampton albums. This:

Saturation I - June 9, 2017
Saturation II - August 25, 2017
Saturation III - December 15, 2017

Is just complete insanity. All three albums are 7+/10, and even in 6 months they've shown progress in how they mesh together as a collective. In terms of quality vs. productivity, I don't think there's been anything like it in hip-hop ever.

Looking forward to wherever they go next.

https://media.giphy.com/media/l1J3ToMWViUJa38oE/giphy.gif

[phonics]

The drum fills on the new N.E.R.D. album are fantastic. It's an enjoyable thing.

[Alex]

Vic Spencer's new album is well worth a look. It's one of those "pay what you want" deals too, so you can download it for free if you like. It's a collaboration with a guy called SonnyJim who does all the beats, raps a bit and, as far as I can tell, is English. I've not heard anything else by him though.

https://daupe.bandcamp.com/album/spencer-for-higher

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbsSCJEP7oo

How can you deny Thugger anymore. :dance:

[Baz]

Last night Nas performed Illmatic in its entirety with a live orchestra. :drool: It was live on PBS too so go find it.

[Bernanke]

So the Black Panther-soundtrack is basically a new Kendrick-album.

It's good. As someone who didn't really care for DAMN. (7/10), this might edge it for me.

[Reg]

RZA and Mathematics on 6 Music tonight, 7-9pm.


Expect some vintage Wu beats, funk and soul from artists such as Syl Johnson, Fred Wesley and Lyn Collins and some new artists that they're championing at the moment. There's also a chance to hear an exclusive track, created on the spot in the studio, featuring Chicago rapper Reverend Willie Burke and electronic duo Parisi.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09qv941
https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/bbc_6music

[phonics]

KANE ON TINY DESK

#HYPE

https://www.npr.org/event/music/585836082/big-daddy-kane-tiny-desk-concert

[Bob Sacamano]

A lot of new albums recently only managed to listen to the new Skyzoo which is great as per but Nipsey, Jericho Jackson (Elzhi & Khrysis), Black Milk, OC, Evidence are all about to be listened to over the weekend.

Age Of LUNA album is worth checking out too even though they're basically Hawk House


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHtjhowLyi4

Plus this Italian track is :alan:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1IJ2x8gV9E

[Alex]

There has been a glut of new releases recently, you're right. Which is good, because it's been a slow fucking start to the year. I like the new Evidence one. More of the same really. You know what you're getting with that guy, and it's rarely disappointing. He's cut down on the album length a bit on this one too, which I'm nearly always in favour of. He's not, and probably never will be, a mind blowing emcee, but he always gets the job done and, most importantly, is great at picking beats.

I've only given Skyzoo the one listen, but I really need to devote some time to that over the next few weeks. I really like him, but he's an emcee whose lyrics I really have to sit and unwrap. His records take a lot of time to unfold for me sometimes. I was playing that last one with Apollo Brown for months and even towards the end still noticing things and thinking "oh shit, that's what he said/meant there". He's a seriously underrated writer, one of the very best around I would say.

I'm really liking Jericho Jackson too. That was always going to be a winner for me. I love Khrysis, I rate him on par with 9th on a regular day, and better than him when he's firing on all cylinders, which he often is. And Elzhi is just a very talented emcee. Similar to Skyzoo I suppose, in that he's got a style the rewards multiple listens, but his rhymes tend to jump out at me more immediately. He's quite obviously better at the craft than 98% of his peers, it's just evident when you hear him.

Black Milk, Nipsey Hussle and OC I still need to get around to. Black Milk is probably top of the pile in terms of urgency there, to be honest. I'm really interested in that Nipsey record too though. Mick Jenkins released a new EP today too, which is probably going to be worth a few spins.

[Alex]

969217033178148865

:drool:

[Bob Sacamano]

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

Rittz :nodd:

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPTlvQ1Zet0

https://media.giphy.com/media/125WvQGXcUfEBy/giphy.gif

[Alex]

This took me more time than I would like to admit to complete. :D

http://www.complex.com/music/2018/03/kanye-west-songs-bracket-going-viral/

https://e.snmc.io/lk/o/w/ce785588172c99c0bc7ad38cbaa50e8e/6910241.jpg

[Baz]

What won? And could you have picked it at the start?

[Alex]

Power ended up as the winner. Not a total foregone conclusion though, there were definitely a few tough calls along the way. I feel bad for Blood On The Leaves, which got unfairly dumped out in the first round because they put it up against Runaway. It would probably have made it all the way to the semis if it was in the "North West" bracket! :nono:

Seriously though, I spent basically an entire evening on this. :D

http://i66.tinypic.com/23kr7sm.jpg

[Alex]

Moment of Truth turned 20 over the weekend!

http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2018/03/dj-premier-interview-gang-starr-moment-of-truth-album/

Best Gang Starr album, I would say. Which is no small achievement in a catalogue that strong. I would also say it's Premier at his absolute peak, and his best overall collection of beats. "Above the Clouds" and "JFK 2 LAX" in particular are something else.

[Alex]

Has anybody watched any of that new Rapture documentary series on Netflix? It looks kind of promising, it's an eight-parter and every episodes focusses on a different figure in Hip-Hop. The subject selection is all over the place though. The first one is about Logic and, although is starts off quite well, as it goes on it just reiterates what an absolute drip he is. Such a fucking try-hard cornball.

[Baz]

^...Who cancels gigs in 48 hours notice for being too tired.

I used to be his number one fan too (and the two(?) Sinatra mixtapes still bang, especially “Nasty” :drool: ) but his albums have been over the top lame - and G-Eazy stole his voice and made him completely irrelevant - and he can eat a dick for cancelling his show, prick.

I’ll probably end up watching the series though. :gs: Looking forward to the A Boogie & Dave East one’s most cos I feel like I already know enough about Nas, 2 Chainz, Rapsody, TI & Just Blaze. Plus A Boogie is a serious guilty pleasure.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cGpLc-G20E

[Baz]

Also, and I’ve wondered this for a long time now: Why the hell has God’s Plan been so successful? It’s probably the most boring Drake song ever, yet it’s his highest grossing single.

Boggles my mind. Plus the best bit is ruined in the video (“she said do you love me...”) cos he has a crowd sing it. :thbdn: Oh maybe it was cos he finally made a music video again?!

[Spikey M]

Because you could push out a tricky shit over a ‘drill’ beat and make the top 10.

[Bernanke]

Cardi B actually dropped a legit album, no joke. :confused:

[Baz]

Surprising if true.

I bet every track has a feature. :sick:

Only 7 out of 13 tracks feature someone else. Track 13 features one of my wives (SZA) so all good. Will give it a listen.

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwAnH6PLimo

He keeps delivering. The way he uses his voice in the hook is so good.

[Mazuuurk]

He sounds as if he's been castrated, and Nicki Minaj sounds like she's not had enough of Jersey housewife drama in her life.

Ridiculous.

[phonics]

Total garbage as usual.

[igor_balis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pZ6K9SBtNA

[Baz]

Kanye’s 7 song album is coming June 1; Kanye x Cudi album "Kids See Ghost" coming June 8

[Offshore Toon]

Been playing MBDTF loads this week then that's announced. There were pictures of him with Nas a month or so ago, weren't there? Kanye. :drool:

[phonics]

The new J Cole album is like all the people who ever called him boring made a parody album.

[CJay]

In Brackets he suggests that you should be able to use an app to decide what your tax money goes towards. :cab:

It feels like he’s trying to sound like Kendrick.

[phonics]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HY5r_4xrEA

Still bangs.

[Baz]

Lift Yourself is out on kanyewest.com

Hopefully it’s not one of the seven.

Kanye doing his best to spoil my birthday (in June) but I know my boy Drake will make up for it.

[CJay]

Did you listen to it...

[Baz]

Did you listen to it...Course I did. Expected nothing less.

He's also dropped "Ye Vs. The People" feat TI now. Ehhh, again, hopefully it's not one of the seven. :sick:

[Baz]

https://youtu.be/VYOjWnS4cMY

[Baz]

994595851006771200

Good stuff.

Soz Waffdon.

EDIT: Oh you can still listen to it, the songs just won't be promoted in playlists. That's good, I guess.

[Lewis]

https://youtu.be/VYOjWnS4cMY

What am I missing with this? It's shit.

[Baz]

What am I missing with this? It's shit.I dunno why it's made such an impact. The timing is good, I suppose, but when isn't America a shambles? The song is fairly trite but I enjoyed reading about the little details (https://genius.com/Childish-gambino-this-is-america-lyrics) I didn't automatically pick up on, and it certainly added to it. I'm far from blown away by it though.

Anyway, oh man I cannot stop listening to "Anybody" by Young Thug and Nicki Minaj. Such a good song.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwAnH6PLimo

He keeps delivering. The way he uses his voice in the hook is so good.

:thbup: I wish I'd listened to it when you posted it. I've missed out on it for weeks!


I also have newfound love for "Bop N Keep It Dippin" by Dizzee Rascal after randomly adding it to my monthly Spotify playlist. The video ('https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKIyifsHerE') is mega-cringe. Song fucking goes hard though, I love it.

[Bob Sacamano]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HY5r_4xrEA

Still bangs.

So true, I really don't enjoy the last couple of Black Milk albums, they're just boring.

I remember watching a video where he said he dosent like his early work and it makes him cringe but I prefer it, popular demand is my favourite album easily.


https://youtu.be/PJ368VF47Xo

:cool:

[Lewis]

I dunno why it's made such an impact. The timing is good, I suppose, but when isn't America a shambles? The song is fairly trite but I enjoyed reading about the little details (https://genius.com/Childish-gambino-this-is-america-lyrics) I didn't automatically pick up on, and it certainly added to it. I'm far from blown away by it though.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wcVIUCdu3o

Improvement.

[Bernanke]

Yeah the video is worth it just for that remake. It's uncanny how well it works.

[Baz]

https://soundcloud.com/tracy1k/tracy-lil-uzi-vert-like-a-farmer-remix-rod-gren8

^Along with "Champion" by Nav ft Travis Scott is taking over the parts of the internet I look at.

:drool:

[Bernanke]

Yeehaw finna pick up your daughter.

[Bernanke]

The Kanye-production on this new Pusha is... incredible.

Goddamnit.

[wullie]

I saw he announced it on Wednesday but didn't believe it'd actually be out, so does this mean all the Kanye stuff is going to be released when he actually said it would be? Surely a first.

[Bernanke]

Yeah, I'm still skeptical about us getting 5 projects 5 Fridays in a row.

[Max Power]

He certainly seems hard at work. He references recent 'events' re. MAGA on this and the Travis Scott song so I think he might be true to his word.


Really like Daytona, never get tired of Pusha's coke talk. Infrared an early highlight. Gonna check out the new A$AP Rocky now.

[Bernanke]

The Skepta-track on A$AP is legit.

[bruhnaldo]

Listen to A$AP before Daytona because if you listen to Daytona first you're gonna hate the A$AP shit.

[Bernanke]

I CAME
I SAW
I CAME
I SAW

I need to listen to more Skepta.

[Baz]

I CAME
I SAW
I CAME
I SAW

I need to listen to more Skepta.He’s on the Playboi Carti album, which surprised me.

[Alex]

The beats on Daytona are fucking legit. I would personally move to America, get citizenship and vote Republican every four years without fail if I thought it would keep Kanye happy enough to maintain this sort of level.

[Max Power]

Listen to A$AP before Daytona because if you listen to Daytona first you're gonna hate the A$AP shit.

Ugh can't really get through it. I like Rocky but I'm not sure if its becuase its a baggy mess or I just miss the tight, concise Pusha album but I just can't get with it at the moment.

[Max Power]

And how Kanye is it to pay $85,000 for the rights to use Whitney Houston's crack addict bathroom as the cover art for Daytona?

[Bernanke]

Christ this Pusha T-response.

[CJay]

Can’t stop listening to The Games We Play. Sounds so good in the car in that weather. :rasta:

Pusha’s best work.

[Bernanke]

Man that line about his dad being a deadbeat then drake doing the same shit.

And the blackface pic.

I can't.

beef is best served like steak, well done

[Mazuuurk]

Christ this Pusha T-response.

Saw something on Twitter about that. Can you explain what it's all about?

[Bernanke]

Saw something on Twitter about that. Can you explain what it's all about?

It's a beef that's been simmering for a few years but stayed silent for a while until Push dropped his album last week. On Infrared:


The game's fucked up
Nigga’s beats is bangin', nigga, ya hooks did it
The lyric pennin' equal the Trumps winnin’
The bigger question is how the Russians did it
It was written like Nas, but it came from Quentin

So a few light bars about Drakes ghostwriting, calling him a sockpuppet etc.

Drake then dropped this:

https://soundcloud.com/octobersveryown/duppy-freestyle

https://genius.com/Drake-duppy-freestyle-lyrics

It's basically a full diss-track directed at Push, mentioning his fiancée among other things.

The Pusha came with this:


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

https://genius.com/a/pusha-t-claims-drake-has-a-secret-child-on-his-new-diss-track-the-story-of-adidon?utm_source=home_featured_stories

That's Drake in blackface, a picture Pusha somehow came over. And he claims Drake has an illegitimate child which is extra poignant given all Drake has been talking about the last few years is how angry he is because his dad left him.

Also a few bars about E-40 having MS. On a track dropped on World MS day.

[CJay]

Ruthless. Good luck coming back from that, Drake.

[phonics]

Clark Kent said no-one should ever go at Pusha T because he has verses on everyone and that was a couple years ago.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJi2gO8_Ldw

[Max Power]

Also, apparently 'Adidon' was the name of Drake's upcoming Adidas clothing line so that's over before it started :D

[Baz]

Drake’ll win.

Although I’ve not listened to Pusha’s response yet. :D

By the way it’s Noah 40 sheabib with MS, not e-40, and it’s a crying shame.

[Alex]

Jesus. That was ruthless. :|

How he ever thought that picture was a good idea is completely beyond me too. I say that as a fan as well, I've got a lot of time for Drakes music. I'm not sure what the fuck he was thinking with that though.

[Baz]

Never mind all that. Kanye’s album is actually gonna drop on Friday. It’s happening. There’s a listening party tomorrow and everything.

And it’ll probably be terrible.

[CJay]

Kanye’s album is meant to be amazing. A return to a more old school sound.

[Baz]

It better be.

I’ve read very contrasting opinions to what you’ve seen though. All I hear is trash trash trash.

[bruhnaldo]

The new Kanye

is solid. "Yikes" is my favorite track so far. A lot of it is like a love letter to Kim but it's still pretty good. It's only 27 minutes so it's pretty easy to digest in general. Beats are fire though.

[CJay]

Thoughts?

It's good, but not ground breaking, nor a throwback to any particular 'era'. Parts of it still sound like a demo, specifically Ghost Town.

Highlights are the last section of I Thought About Killing You, Wouldn't Leave, and No Mistakes - the production on the latter is so lush. I'm such a sucker for Charlie Wilson and Cudi's hooks. :drool:

I don't think there's anything to match the highs of TLOP (which was a bit hit and miss, in my opinion) Ultralight Beams, Real Friends, Waves, No More Parties In LA, etc.

[Baz]

It’s like an album off offcuts from TLOP, with some updated lyrics. And whoever heard Cudi’s singing on Ghost Town and thought it was good needs a hearing test.

[nsd]

Not too keen on the new Kanye. Listened to it twice and I've gone back to Daytona, which is just :drool:

[Reg]

I echo the thoughts in here on the new Kanye. There are parts of songs I really like but no complete tracks seem like potential long term go-to listens. The album as a whole seems a little unfocused/unfinished. The lyrics about the recent controversy etc suggest it have been made, or at least, finished in a hurry. The lyrics overall are some of his worst for sure. The best moments of the album are musical or where the lyrics are more there for the feel/vibe without the subject mattering much.

I'm not a big fan of Pusha and only know him from Kanye material really, but I like the new album a lot. The beats are really cool and I'm gonna have to look into the sample sources to see if there's some music I might love there. Although I find the lyrics and music don't match too well a lot of the time. It feels a little like it was, "Here's a cool verse section, and a cool hook" for pre-written verses. (From what I've read that's probably not the case.) Santeria being the main exception to that (the beat drop in the second half by the way :drool:).

Hopefully this short album idea becomes a trend after the recent history of bloated releases.

[Baz]

He did an interview where he said the album was made in a month. He did have another record made that took longer but he scrapped it entirely and started fresh.

The man's a joke. It's like a different Kanye West produced Daytona, compared to the one that did Ye. They're like chalk and cheese in terms of beats, production and overall quality.

I'm glad he's squashed the Drake/Pusha beef though, and didn't get involved.

[Baz]

"I can admit that after ye ended unceremoniously the third or fourth time, I put on “Family Business,” and I thought about the kid from Chicago who wanted to be the biggest rapper in the world, who now lives in an empty-looking concrete mansion in Calabasas, who has stopped trying."

:(

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/kanye-west-ye/

[phonics]

I would much rather 7 bangers on a fifteen track album than what's currently going on here.

[Baz]

I would much rather 7 bangers on a fifteen track album than what's currently going on here.How about a fifteen minute album, and an accompanying film?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOTebhPy04g

:nod:

[Alex]

The new Kanye is a strange one. I would have to put it down as his "weakest" project so far, but at the same time I don't really feel like I should compare it to the rest of his catalogue, it's such an oddity of a release. It's also still really good and something I know I will listen to a lot.

The fact that he's almost certainly made it in the space of the last few weeks is pretty astounding. I just wish that he had worked on it longer, because so often with it I get struck by the notion that I'm listening to the makings of a really amazing track that just hasn't quite come to fruition. "No Mistakes" is the best example of this. That has all the hallmarks of a classic all-time great Kanye track and it just ends after a couple of minutes.

"Ghost Town" is an absolute and legitimate tune though. That whole outro section ("I feel kind of FREE" etc.) is just fantastic. I'm really loving the artistic space he seems to be in an the minute too and I hope he stays productive. If nothing else, this has proved he can still absolutely bring it behind the boards, and I'm really excited about what he could produce if he continues down this path.

I also predict, influential figure that he has always been, that this whole series of releases is going to spark off a new trend of rappers copying him and dropping sub-thirty minute albums. I can just see it becoming a thing. Which I'm totally fine with.

Also, given that he seems to have completely stuck to his promised release schedule so far (it would seem the Cudi collaboration is definitely coming out on Friday), do you think that means we're actually going to get the 'Ye produced Nas album next week? :|

[Bernanke]

The artwork for Cudi x Ye is fantastic. The project has been in the works for a while as well, so it might really be legit.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/De-0gFFUcAArBac.jpg

Actually getting the Nas-album still seems like such a weird expectation to have so I'm just gonna ignore thinking about it for a week.

[bruhnaldo]

Kanye is gonna put more time in on other people's projects than he would his own (ironically).

I fully expect KSG to be one of the best albums of the past 5 years if not more. Kanye loves Cudi like family and they went thru all of that shit last year... the way Cudi has been treated by people (like Drake making fun of him for seeking mental help).... I think Kanye is about to bring some of the best production he's done in years.

When I think about how full-fledged the Daytona beats are I'm pretty excited for it.

The Nas record is going to be unbelievable I don't even want to think about it tbh.

[Baz]

Ahh man don’t be getting my hopes up for Kids See Ghosts. I’m doing my best to expect the worst so I can’t not be pleasantly surprised!

The album artwork is outstanding though.

[Waffdon]

Kid Cudi is the boy.

[Waffdon]

Reborn :drool:

Cudi’s humming :drool:

[Baz]

I’ve just had both albums on shuffle (and a bunch of other [better] songs) while painting and Kanye’s bits on KSG seem better than the majority of Ye. Pity they’ve got Cudi on them, really.

070 Shake is like a crap OG Justin Bieber. Hopefully she’ll be a flash in the pan, Dej Loaf style.

This is song of the year so far though:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7PS4gJe5Y4

:dance:

[Waffdon]

Put respect on Kudi’s name.

[Baz]

Put respect on Kudi’s name.I liked his A Kid Named Cudi tape when that came out. :sorry:

[Baz]

1005587873259802629

:cool:

[Bernanke]

I bought the vinyl of KSG smdh

£35 with shipping. At least it'll look amazing.

[Baz]

Take a dump on it. It'll be like Kid Cudi signed it.

[bruhnaldo]

Take a dump on it. It'll be like Kid Cudi signed it.

what a dumb thing to say

[Alex]

https://pitchfork.com/news/nas-announces-listening-party-for-new-album/

It's happening!

[Waffdon]

Patiently waiting. Kanye really is the greatest.

[SincereTheRebel]

It was ok. Cop shot the kid being an early standout.

[Baz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?ebc=ANyPxKqsTIW2DtK3nKHZyquDJhJ_xCHSa85YlUlP nlpK-bQcwdUOoNqOHv8wM7ig8-fCNeu6FIJbFo1cVFNAUVDjGGB108D21A&v=JG2BNbDa3TA

[Alex]

So, a Jay-Z and Beyonce surprise joint album now exists. :|

[Waffdon]

xxxtentacion shot in Miami. He looks dead in the videos going about :(

[bruhnaldo]

xxxtentacion shot in Miami. He looks dead in the videos going about :(

I'm praying it's fake (like all the other dumb shit he does). No bullet holes, no glass broken or anything... video conveniently with some random guy checking his pulse. Idk dude.

[Waffdon]

He’s dead :’(

[bruhnaldo]

Absolutely awful. I'm sad as fuck if i'm honest.

[mugbull]

XXX was a fucking scumbag. Good riddance

[Max Power]

Kid was an absolute scumbag but doesn’t mean he deserve to be murdered in the street. God knows a lot of my favourite artists have done some questionable shit in the past.

Certainly had talent as well.

[Bernanke]

1008850582109503489

It would be better if he was locked up, but I can't say I feel this was a bad thing.

[phonics]

Fuck him, what a twat. Although my first reaction to this news was 'was he the rapist that kidnapped his girlfriend or the one with the stupid hair and face tats with the paedophile for a manager' turned out I was right on both counts.

[Waffdon]

He was a don regardless.

[phonics]

He was a mid-tier soundcloud rapper.

[Waffdon]

That’s normally your thing, too.

[Baz]

XXX was a fucking scumbag. Good riddance
+1

[Alex]

My exposure to his music was very limited (some of his early stuff and that album Kendrick endorsed, that was about it I think) and, based on what I read about him, he admittedly didn't seem like a very nice person, but the nasty undercurrent of people saying he "got what he deserved", or things of that nature, is just really unpleasant. We're talking about a 20 year old kid getting shot in the face here, and for what?

In the better part of two decades as a Hip-Hop fan a lot of fads and musical phases have come and gone, some of which have passed me be (the kind of music he made being a notable example I guess) but violence like this has, unfortunately, always been a sad constant. It's senseless, and there's never a cause to endorse it

[bruhnaldo]

He was a mid-tier soundcloud rapper.

His album went #1, he was probably one of if not the most important of the "soundcloud rappers" outside of maybe Uzi.

[Baz]

I wonder if anywhere’ll take bets on when 6ix9ine will suffer the same fate.

[phonics]

His album went #1, he was probably one of if not the most important of the "soundcloud rappers" outside of maybe Uzi.

Isn't #1 something pathetic like 10k sales?

edit: lol soundcloud rapper confirmed


XXXTentation's ?, received 159 million streams, though sold just 20,000 physical copies.

there are no important soundcloud rappers. they are soundcloud rappers, they are gum on your shoe.

[Alex]

The album charts are essentially meaningless to me these days. The whole streaming thing has just made them pointless and convoluted beyond belief.

[Alex]

God, I sound like an old man in that post. :D

[phonics]

The album charts are essentially meaningless to me these days. The whole streaming thing has just made them pointless and convoluted beyond belief.

Especially when Tidal are just traight up lying about their numbers.

[Alex]

Especially when Tidal are just traight up lying about their numbers.

They're so bold faced with that too. I can remember them releasing some ridiculous stats about the number of streams/new members they had racked up after The Life of Pablo dropped and just thinking "that's quite clearly not true". :D

[bruhnaldo]

Everyone cheering his death because he did fucked up shit at age 15 is kinda sad tbh. He had literally donated a ton of money to a battered women's shelter, was planning to do a charity function in Miami this weekend, and by all accounts had really turned his life around.

He died at 20 years old. So much time to continue turning his life around and do good with his money and fame.

I'm not saying what he did was right or condoning it, just wish we cared as much about being the first to condemn someone as we do about actually learning about their lives entirely and, maybe not understanding, but accepting that few of us are perfect and that we all deserve second chances to do right in our lives.

Had he been convicted and jailed for 20-30 years, that would have been just. Celebrating his death, not so much.

Lennon beat the shit out of women, admitted it in song, sang about wanting to kill a woman who potentially cheated on him... Did he deserve to die, too? Bowie fucked 15 year olds while his wife banged on the door trying to get in.

idk.

[mugbull]

John Lennon was a fucked up human being too. I can't respect his music as a result

[phonics]

First of all John Lennons a fucking dickhead. Fuck the prick.

Secondly,

"Few of us are perfect and we all deserve second chances."

I'm just going to leave a few timeline things here. Let's start in 2016

Late May: The first instance of domestic violence allegedly takes place. According to his ex-girlfriend’s testimony (https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/xxxtentacions-reported-victim-details-grim-pattern-of-abuse-in-testimony/), XXXTentacion threatened to penetrate her vagina with a “barbecue cleaner” or a “barbecue fork.”

Mid-July (approximately): The second incident of alleged domestic violence occurs. XXXTentation allegedly kicked, punched, tackled, and “stomped on” his ex-girlfriend, because he heard her singing another artist’s song, the testimony in Pitchfork states. He also threatened to “cut out,” her tongue, the victim said.

eptember 16: XXXTentacion agrees to house arrest, (https://www.scribd.com/document/338231858/House-Arrest-Agreement) and is released from jail. Soon after, he allegedly assaults his ex-girlfriend again after she confesses to sleeping with another man. According to her testimony, he put a knife to her throat, strangled her “a little bit,” and threatened to hit her with a glass bottle.

Early October: XXXTentaction’s ex-girlfriend finds out that she is pregnant with his child.


October 6–8: Over the course of two days, several instances of domestic violence allegedly take place. According to XXXTentacion’s ex-girlfriend’s testimony (https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/xxxtentacions-reported-victim-details-grim-pattern-of-abuse-in-testimony/), he threatened to kill her and her unborn child before elbowing, punching, and kicking her. When she asked other residents of the pair’s apartment to take her to the hospital, XXXTentacion refused to let her leave. She recalls him saying that she needed to wait until her face (which was severely beaten) had healed. XXXTentacion and his housemates then drive her to another apartment, where they leave her in a bedroom and confiscate her phone. She is trapped there for two days until, on October 8, she manages to escape and contact the police.

I see like 4 mistakes and multiple second chances in a like... 4 month period, two years ago and this is all before he starts being managed by a fucking paedophile.

Look if you want to stan for the complete asshole soundcloud rapper you do you, but trying to admonish other people for calling him a dickhead? Get the fuck out.

[bruhnaldo]

I'm just going to leave a few things here.

Late May: allegedly

[B]Mid-July (approximately): alleged

[B]September 16:allegedly

October 6–8: allegedly.

For the record I'm not saying he wasn't a dickhead and although I highlighted the "alleged" parts of all of those I'm sure there must be some semblance of truth in them. I totally get that.

But we're talking about a kid. When these other people did this shit they were adults who should've known better. XXX wasn't too young to know he wasn't doing wrong, I'm not trying to condone or make excuses for him. What I'm saying is that he would have to pay the piper for his own crimes eventually (and was still up for trial, i.e. why it's still all "alleged"(and apparently one ex of his had came out and said she made stuff up though i don't truthfully know which one.)

What I'm saying is nobody deserves to be gunned down like that at such a young age, especially considering it probably had nothing to do with his alleged crimes and all to do with the ignorant street mentality that plagues hip hop music.

Now, I obviously respect that you can call Lennon a dickhead at the same time. I have no qualms with your stance in particular if I'm being honest because you've shown a consistency in your thinking.

I just feel as if a lot of people will go off and talk about how Lennon, Bowie, etc. were all geniuses and great people and this and that but largely try to ignore their own atrocities. People only care about the negatives when it's convenient for them. The great tragedy of Lennon's death, how could someone shoot a man so into peace and love, etc. etc.... largely seems shameful when considering the reaction to X's murder.

X, by all recent accounts, was doing the utmost to turn his life around. A lot of his music had a positive message and apparently helped a lot of young people who were going thru/struggling with depression and things of that nature. That doesn't excuse what he (allegedly) did, but I don't feel comfortable with how some folks are seemingly happy about his demise knowing many of their favorite artists (like Eminem for example) rapped about and did the same type of abusive shit. I find it wildly hypocritical.

I just don't really understand why some people feel the need to remind everyone how "moral" they are in these instances. Do people get points for outwardly hating people who they've never met on the internet? Do they use those points for discounts somewhere? I truly just don't understand.

[phonics]

Yeah, who would go on moral crusades against people they've never met on the internet, bruhnaldo. Do I need to copy/paste spam that around the forum or have I suitably made my point?

[bruhnaldo]

So me expressing disappointment that people are so quick to cheer a man's death when they idolize others who have done basically the same thing is = people who rush to go online to cheer said man's death because they want everyone to know how morally sound they MUST be by doing so?

[Baz]

Tbf as much as I disliked him, I wouldn’t say I was glad he was dead. I didn’t know him. Celebrity deaths (almost) never make me feel anything, but for him if I had to decide between happy and sad I guess I’d chose happy purely because from the stories I’ve heard he wasn’t a very nice person.
I can understand people being sad though especially if they like his music cos there’ll be no truly new stuff.

[Baz]

I thought I was fairly out of touch but having just seen the 2018 XXL Freshman list I now think otherwise.

Stefflon Don is on there, which really surprised me. She's fucking mega tbf, in more ways than one. :drool:

Also good on there are Wifisfuneral, Trippie Redd, and Smokepurpp. The latter of which seems to have been around for ages but really really hasn't. Drake single-handedly got Blocboy JB on there too, thanks to the feature blowing his single up.

Never heard of Ski Mask The Slump God, YBN Nahmir, J.I.D or Lil Skies though. Also never listened to Lil Pump but noticed he's on at Leeds Festival. :sick:

Biggest surprise is Denzel Curry not being on there. If he's not on 2019 something's up.

[nsd]

Been listening to this album so much since it came out. I can never get enough of that grimy New York sound :drool:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KioAtPLg4c

The whole Griselda camp are probably my favourites out right now. I'd love a Gunn/Conway/Benny album produced by Roc Marci or Daringer. Although this one isn't as good as FLYGOD and the mixing is iffy on a few tracks, and sometimes the adlibs grate a bit.

[Baz]

Denzel Curry is so good.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKAv7eOK2dg

TA1300 could be AOTY.

He's in Manchester in December but it's on a goddamn Wednesday. :moop:

[Alex]

I just listened to The Imperial for the first time the other day, actually. I've never actually paid him that much attention. I bought that Nostalgic 64 (?) record when it first came out and sort of drifted away from him after that. Anything else I should be looking out for?

[bruhnaldo]

Biggest surprise is Denzel Curry not being on there. If he's not on 2019 something's up.

Denzel was 2016 XXL Freshman Class

[Baz]

I just listened to The Imperial for the first time the other day, actually. I've never actually paid him that much attention. I bought that Nostalgic 64 (?) record when it first came out and sort of drifted away from him after that. Anything else I should be looking out for?It sounds like you're more qualified than me to answer your own question. :D Planet Shrooms (second half of 32 Zel) is probably worth a listen. (It starts with the Big Rube track) Smoke 2049 is smoooooth.

Imperial is the best though. What did you think of it?


Denzel was 2016 XXL Freshman Classlol I should really research stuff sometimes.

[Alex]

Imperial is the best though. What did you think of it?

Pretty impressed with it. Looks like he has something new out at the end of the month? Hopped back on the bandwagon at just the right time!

[Baz]

Pretty impressed with it. Looks like he has something new out at the end of the month? Hopped back on the bandwagon at just the right time!Haha you were well on the bandwagon before me, I think. Yeah TA13OO is the new album. There’s been three songs released from it so far (Percs is my favourite) and I like that they’ve all been a bit different, so it should be a good mix of songs. It’s a three-part album, apparently, so being released over three days but I’ll probably just wait until day three and listen to it all. There’s been a few teasers/snippets/live performances but I’d rather wait for the full project.

There’s a Flying Lotus produced track featuring Goldlink, callled Black Balloons, which should be good. Or maybe the Elliott Smith-ness of the title is swaying me. :baz:

[nsd]

Pretty impressed with the new Denzel album. I've never really given him a proper listen before, I think I had him down (completely unfairly) as some kind of generic southern Migos-esque mumble-trap so I just never really bothered. The Fantano review swayed me and I'm quite enjoying Taboo.

[Baz]

Pretty impressed with the new Denzel album. I've never really given him a proper listen before, I think I had him down (completely unfairly) as some kind of generic southern Migos-esque mumble-trap so I just never really bothered. The Fantano review swayed me and I'm quite enjoying Taboo.He's actually quite the opposite, isn't he? his delivery is sometimes almost too clear that it can sound strange. It reminds me of the type of CD you buy for £3 outside of rap gigs from rappers trying to make a name for themselves, and most of it is just very fast talking with no real flow over some crappy looped beat.

I'm not saying Denzel Curry's like that, mind you. I really rate Taboo. Percs and Sumo are still great; Super Saiyan Superman is probably my favourite track, and reluctantly I'm a massive fan of Cash Maniac.

[bruhnaldo]

I was about to say what the fuck are you on about but then i read the second paragraph

[phonics]

The new Anderson Paak video is very good.


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

[SincereTheRebel]

Hey


https://youtu.be/hCzdUNTKapY

[Bob Sacamano]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmR0CmB88K8

PNL back at it :nodd:

And for some reason S-Pion (PNL affiliate) has a monkey in a Leeds top in his video. Two worlds I never expected to collide.:|


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIxWHDp6QtU

[leedsrevolution]

Made a lofi hip hop chill album.

https://electricsheep42.bandcamp.com/releases

[leedsrevolution]

Can also be litstened to on Spotify and YouTube.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/52VLqHXZjk0GtsvTkjFDr0?si=FvkfHmqfTgadkwiVIkrIuQ

https://electricsheep42.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_msL4BAZ_sZ6ZYsqnqE1c-g6gWsjpGz4YI

[Waffdon]

Eminem dropping an album and firing shots at everyone and their Mother without any prior warning has made this a beautiful day.

[Bernanke]

It's fucking terrible throughout. He should grow up and stop talking about "raping the alphabet".

[Baz]

Hopsin’s video response to being named on a track was probably better than the entire album. He was sooooo excited.

[Baz]

[https://i.imgur.com/Y4UJTRS.png
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https://i.imgur.com/2vcaUpB.png

[bruhnaldo]

Someone found the Coli ?

[SincereTheRebel]

It's fucking terrible throughout. He should grow up and stop talking about "raping the alphabet".

Hova is the only one of the old elite who transitions extremely well in this era.

[Bob Sacamano]

Awful news about Mac Miller.

Haven't really checked got him since Good AM which was great.

Just running through a little of swimming and it sounds excellent. He really figured this music thing out


https://youtu.be/6B3YwcjQ_bU

:drool: :(

[Bernanke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqIyH_9uaOQ

:wub:

[Shindig]

I listened to Liquid Swords for the first time the other day. It's really good.

[phonics]

I listened to Liquid Swords for the first time the other day. It's really good.

I saw GZA perform Liquid Swords in full in Bristol a few weeks ago. It was the worst show I've been to in years.

[five time]

No Carter 5 love? Kendrick's verse on Mona Lisa is the hardest thing I've heard all year.

Logic's album is surprisingly good as well.

[Baz]

I’m waiting for a good time to give it a proper listen; not sure when that’ll be. I don’t think it’ll ever live up to my hopes. How’s the song with Nicki Minaj?

This week I’ve been listening to The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest, after hearing it had its 27th birthday recently. It’s almost like one entire song split into tracks, and it’s quality. Phife Dawg, man. So raw. Buggin’ Out is probably my favourite track.


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

I also caught up with the Eminem/MGK beef. Man, Eminem is done! Killshot is WHACK. Machine Gun Kelly absolutely murdered him and Em came back with that?! Jeez. I think this part was when I finally realised Eminem is done and will never ever release anything worth listening to ever again:


oh shoot, that was three albums ago
What do you know? Oops
Know your facts before you come at me, lil' goof

I mean, seriously? :cab:

Then MGK getting the Killshort artwork printed on a T-shirt and wearing it at his next live show? RIP, Marshall.

[John]

Then MGK getting the Killshort artwork printed on a T-shirt and wearing it at his next live show? RIP, Marshall.

Someone else's live show, and he was apparently booed off stage.

[Shindig]

I saw GZA perform Liquid Swords in full in Bristol a few weeks ago. It was the worst show I've been to in years.

That's the risk you run with live hip-hop. Especially the Wu Tang as they all try to do each other's lines. At once.

[Waffdon]

I’m waiting for a good time to give it a proper listen; not sure when that’ll be. I don’t think it’ll ever live up to my hopes. How’s the song with Nicki Minaj?

This week I’ve been listening to The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest, after hearing it had its 27th birthday recently. It’s almost like one entire song split into tracks, and it’s quality. Phife Dawg, man. So raw. Buggin’ Out is probably my favourite track.


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

I also caught up with the Eminem/MGK beef. Man, Eminem is done! Killshot is WHACK. Machine Gun Kelly absolutely murdered him and Em came back with that?! Jeez. I think this part was when I finally realised Eminem is done and will never ever release anything worth listening to ever again:



I mean, seriously? :cab:

Then MGK getting the Killshort artwork printed on a T-shirt and wearing it at his next live show? RIP, Marshall.

You’re drunk.

[Baz]

Someone else's live showJust because he was supporting someone? He still performed live.

[John]

But the vast majority weren't there to see him. It's a distinction worth making.

[Spikey M]

Just because he was supporting someone? He still performed live.

And got booed so much he couldn’t finish the song.

[Baz]

Eminem’s sucked since The Eminem Show, lets be honest.

[Alex]

Eminem’s sucked since The Eminem Show, lets be honest.

Yeah, I agree with that. The occasional "remember how well I can actually rap guys!" guest spot aside he can fuck off for me, because when it comes time to make an album he always reverts back to his default position of squandering his talent on juvenile, shock lyrical content and boring, bland production. I would also argue (and I'm possibly on my own here) that his earlier stuff hasn't aged particularly well either, and that he's never actually made a classic album.

Undeniably a very talented rapper though, which makes it all the more frustrating, because to hear him talk about Hip-Hop he's obviously a huge scholar of the genre, I just wish he reflect on that a little more and put his abilities to better use.

Obviously I sit here and type all this, but the guys probably worth several hundred million dollars at this point, so good for him I suppose.

[Waffdon]

I thought the album was pretty decent to be honest and that’s coming from a ‘mumble rap’ fanboy for XXX.

[Baz]

No Carter 5 love? Kendrick's verse on Mona Lisa is the hardest thing I've heard all year.

Logic's album is surprisingly good as well.Oh shit Mona Lisa. :drool:

[Baz]

Kanye We- uh, I mean Ye has delayed his album until Black Friday, so he can go to Africa to be inspired.

Man's a 100% joke.

[John]

He definitely thinks Black Friday is like Black History Month.

[bruhnaldo]

I listened to Liquid Swords for the first time the other day. It's really good.

wow i envy that you got to have this experience recently

[Bob Sacamano]

Vinnie Paz on Rogan was good, two worlds I didn't expect to collide.

Amusing to hear that they considered not bothering to press cds anymore and even tapes outsell them.

[nsd]

What is everyone's AOTY so far? 2018 has been stacked with great releases

[Baz]

Yeah 2018 has been ridiculous. :drool:

On The Rvn, Die Lit, Goodbye & Good Riddance, MUDBOY, Drip Harder, Black Panther, Invasuon Of Privacy, Beerbongs & Bentleys, Lifht Of Mine, Kids See Ghosts, Reckless, Daytona, Scorpion, TA13OO, Astroworld, Tha Carter V, so many great albums.

AOTY is probably Iridescence though.

[Magic]

Omg Skepta and Dizzee teamed up. :drool:

[Spikey M]

Keep up old man.

[Offshore Toon]

That Skepta and Dizzee track is bollocks. Wiley going off at them on Insta was a good laugh, though. Absolute nutjob.


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

[phonics]

Been listening to Brother Ali alot again recently. Out of all the Rhymesayers stuff, none of his seems to date itself.

[Baz]

1058217385755205632

[phonics]

The Ying Yang twins did it better.

[Offshore Toon]

https://open.spotify.com/album/4lS4VoFPUEibJzxjzTeosc

Any of you guys listen to this? The track with Ghost is so good.

[Baz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0yJusLmQIc

11:15 :drool:

Tyler The Creator never ceases to amaze me with his talent. Camp Flog Gnaw alone is outstanding, nevermind all his music.

#stan

EDIT: Just got to 911. Man, he loves it. So good to see.

[Waffdon]

Kids See Ghosts :cool:

[Baz]

I've not watched it yet but apparently Kanye was gassed. He is a bit of a fatty nowadays, I guess.

Good to hear he did some tracks from 808s!

[Waffdon]

Tyler was loving every minute of it.

[Offshore Toon]

On my second watch through of the KSG performance and its obviously amazing. Kanye fluffed some lines from the second half of KSG, but the first half was mad, then Welcome To Heartbreak and Pursuit Of Happiness. :drool: :drool: :drool: These two coming together ten years after I was obsessed with them to release some of their best stuff is just beautiful. It's been a while since I've wanted to go to a gig and sing every word back, but KSG would send me loopy.

[Offshore Toon]

I've also got a torrent, if anybody wants it, and I'm uploading it to Google Drive for my gimpy mates, which I can share too.

[Waffdon]

Hit me up, wee man.

[Offshore Toon]

Can I post it in here?

If so, here ye are, hen.

EDIT: Just read the rules and seen its not allowed. PM sent.

[Baz]

Share the wealth, saves me hunting.

[Baz]

Take Care is 7 today.

Happy birthday Drake. :happycry:

[Shindig]

I may embark on an MC Hammer binge.

[nsd]

New Benny the Butcher tape is so hard :drool:

https://open.spotify.com/album/5OsHMGOg6lRV9REoVxbcWA?si=IeOOUpjOTSuFxJTY4E67Ew

Also a new Dipset album dropped yesterday, and a separate JR Writer/40 Cal/Hell Rell tape where they're all salty at not being part of the Dipset record, apparently. I've not listened to either yet.

[Baz]

The Dipset record is practically just Jim Jones with the occasional Juelz and Cam bits, and there’s zero chemistry. Sad.

[Alex]

New Benny the Butcher tape is so hard :drool:

https://open.spotify.com/album/5OsHMGOg6lRV9REoVxbcWA?si=IeOOUpjOTSuFxJTY4E67Ew

Also a new Dipset album dropped yesterday, and a separate JR Writer/40 Cal/Hell Rell tape where they're all salty at not being part of the Dipset record, apparently. I've not listened to either yet.

:harold:

Silly bastards. They were never really that involved in the main group stuff anyway. But I did used to be a big JR Writer fan, to be fair to him.

I'll give the new Benny tape a go but, as much as I appreciate what they're doing, I think I might be slightly burnt out on the Griselda forumula at the minute. I'm actually a bit lost as to what I "want" out of Hip-Hop in general recently. For the first time in my life, this year, I've felt very out of touch with it. I must be getting old. :(

[nsd]

I'll give the new Benny tape a go but, as much as I appreciate what they're doing, I think I might be slightly burnt out on the Griselda forumula at the minute. I'm actually a bit lost as to what I "want" out of Hip-Hop in general recently. For the first time in my life, this year, I've felt very out of touch with it. I must be getting old. :(

I felt like this a few years back, I was really out of touch with what was out, and even now I'm really not into the predominant sound that's out right now, but with a little digging I'm still finding things I love and great new artists. Plus, I don't think I could ever get tired of that grimy New York sound so I can't really get enough of Griselda stuff.

[Offshore Toon]

Fetti was pretty awesome. For anybody wanting a dirtier sound, check out Trends & Boylan's new album.

[Baz]

I’m not even gonna post it because it’s so bad but Eminem has dug his own career grave.

[Waffdon]

KIDS SEE GHOST gets better with every listen. GOATS

[Offshore Toon]

Aye, it's a proper 10. There's a track for every mood and its Cudi and Ye at their best. 4th Dimension has to be track of the year too.

[Baz]

I like it.

Not so much live though. Ye didn’t even know the words. :facepalm:

[Offshore Toon]

The stage set up made up for Ye forgetting words. I thought it looked amazing. If it came over here I'd go to every London date.