The Hip-Hop Thread

SinisterMinisterX

Illuminatus
Staff member
About time we had one. Perhaps not a general favorite among metalheads, but I know there are hip-hop fans here.

Best documentary I've ever seen about rap: The Art of Rap, made by Ice-T. Part 1 Part 2

What's great about that doc is that Ice-T approaches it from the musician's POV. It's about how great rappers write their rhymes and developed their flow. Includes freestyles by most of the rappers interviewed. I was especially impressed with Kool Moe Dee:


Here's one of his older songs. Great stuff.

 
Okay, so I'm definitely a hip-hop n00b. I remember I played the sh*t out of the Beastie Boys, Eminem and the Wu Tang Clan some time ago.

I hate everything resembling hip-hop on the radio today, because, honestly, whether it's Pit Bull or Flo Rida, it's pretty much unlistenable to me.

I have listened to Fear of a Black Planet and I probably missed something. It was very monotone and I don't understand the popularity. I mean, I know Public Enemy are praised for the production, that oppresive sound, well, that's good, but otherwise I don't get the appeal.

I've heard an album by Biggie and it was good, but I still don't understand the "genius" label.

And that's pretty much everything so far. Ever since I've moved more into metal/prog/classical, I don't think I even heard a hip-hop song in the last year and a half at least.
 
Interesting. Cool to see so many oldies in there. Via a fragment of this doc, I just learned that the actual performer in The Message is not Grandmaster Flash himself, but Grandmaster Melle Mel and Duke Bootee. :)
 
I like hiphop but I'd call myself a hiphop n00b as well because I only recently got into hiphop. I only ever play the classic albums and even by that there are quite a few I haven't heard.

Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan is one of my favorite albums of all time. To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar is the best album I've heard this year. (Granted I haven't heard much)
 
I hate everything resembling hip-hop on the radio today, because, honestly, whether it's Pit Bull or Flo Rida, it's pretty much unlistenable to me.

Don't go to the radio for hip-hop. Most real hip-hop is not on the radio. That's the same as thinking Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Metallica etc is all there is to the genre of"metal".

I have listened to a lot of hip-hop and still do when I'm in the mood. I have friends who listen to like 90% hip-hop so I get a lot of stuff that way too...

Just yesterday I discovered this tune. Really nice summer-y vibe. Like going out walking around the block on a summer day. They are definitely worthy of being categorized as being among the better duos in hip-hop. Catchy and positive lyrics too.

 
As a matter of fact when it comes to Hip-Hop on the radio I like how Dead Prez puts it:

Nigga, don't think these record deals gon' feed your seeds
And pay your bills, because they not
MCs get a little bit of love and think they hot
Talkin' 'bout how much money they got all y'all records sound the same
I'm sick of that fake thug, R&B-rap scenario, all day on the radio
Same scenes in the video, monotonous material
Y'all don't here me though
These record labels slang our tapes like dope
You can be next in line and signed and still be writing rhymes and broke
You would rather have a Lexus or justice, a dream or some substance?
A Beamer, a necklace, or freedom
Still a nigga like me don't playa-hate, I just stay awake
This real hip-hop and it don't stop


 
I mentioned radio more in the way I might come across it. I'm usually not searching for hip hop all that much, so there you go. Whether it's Pitbull or Wiz Khalifa, I usually change the station.
 
I like Hip Hop a lot. It's not a genre I know extremely well, just albums/artists that I've had recommended to me by friends and on the internet, so there's a lot of classics I've missed. I'm probably more familiar with newer stuff.

To Pimp A Butterfly is by far my favorite album this year too. It's a masterpiece. Maybe the first album I've heard that has had a ton of hype with it that I felt actually lived up to the hype.
 
Here's one of his older songs. Great stuff.

[/QUOTE]

Very nice! :) How about some LL Cool J, from way wayyyy before "Mama Said Knock You Out"..This is from 1985 :)

 
Here's one of his older songs. Great stuff.

I entirely agree! :p

I acknowledge his skill, but I've always thought LL was overrated as a rapper. That drum machine in the track you posted drives me nuts. I find his rhymes and flow to be less creative than Kool Moe Dee.

But, if you wanna take LL as a pop artist - songs like "Goin' Back to Cali" or "Doin' It" - he's much better.
 
Interesting. Cool to see so many oldies in there. Via a fragment of this doc, I just learned that the actual performer in The Message is not Grandmaster Flash himself, but Grandmaster Melle Mel and Duke Bootee. :)

There's actually two rappers on that song. Melle Mel opens and closes, but Duke Bootee does a bunch of the second verse. Check out the video:


Of course, Melle Mel is the one known for the chorus.
 
I was never a Big Daddy Kane fan, but that's because his hair cracks me up. Those flattops that were popular around that time always looked silly to me. Kane's not the worst, though... anyone remember Kid-n-Play?


That one is pop, not hip-hop, IMO. I've never heard any modern rapper mention them as any kind of influence. Flo Rida of the 80s.

As for Kane's music, it's OK. I'd put him below Kool Moe Dee but above LL Cool J.
 
A further statement of pop vs hip-hop: Fresh Prince was never hip-hop. I don't care how much he tries to look and sound hard. He's pop.

That doesn't mean that he can't lay down a mean rap, though....
 
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