Ty Burna's All Hip Hop Thread

[Ty Burna]

3. Why has everything got to be one or the other?

I mean, I know we all compare things and that's fine but it just gets annoying. Why do you have to like either old or new school rap, why can't you just appreciate both for what they are. I know were not going to get another Pac, but back then we never had a Kanye, I don't see why it's got to be one or the other, just seems like people are so stuck in their ways that they are unwilling to give anything a chance. Can anyone explain it?

I'll give it a shot. I think what it is is that the old school cats grew up with the lyricism of a 2pac or a Wu Tang Clan, and back then we didn't exactly have the access to artists like we do nowadays. You take a look at artists like Drake who hasn't even released a full retail album yet, and they're getting Grammy nominations. I realize the Grammy's don't mean shit nowadays, but it's ridiculous to think about other hip hop artists who have been in the game for almost 20 years, a full catalog of albums to choose from, and not even get a sniff at such an award. At least to me it seems like the focus moved away from the MC to the producer's beat. As long as you have a popular "hot" beat nowadays, you can get a single. You could repeat the chorus over and over again and never actually have any meaning to the song, and hit #1 on the charts.

Now take that, and compare it to Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers) by the Wu Tang Clan. The RZA used beats that sound minimalist compared to today's beats and it also had a raw gritty sound. The beats were used mostly to keep the MC's in focus on the rhythm of the song and flow to it. The purpose for this was to allow the MC's lyrics and flow to shine on the track, rather than the beat taking away from them. This is the biggest difference between then, and now. Then it was about making a beat to complement the MC. Now it's about making a beat that just sounds good but doesn't complement what the MC wants to do on the track. It's about making a club beat now, and that's all there is to it anymore. This is what bothers me the most. It isn't about the artist's lyrical and flowing abilities that's the main focus of the music anymore. It's about if the track can sell and the beat is good enough to get it onto heavy rotation at clubs and radios. It's borderline techno slowed down. That's what it sounds like to me nowadays.

Now, why do we choose sides? I'm not sure to be honest. It's a matter of personal opinion for each person and it seems like a majority of opinions are either with the new hip hop completely, or with the old school hip hop completely. There aren't many that are in that middle ground. And even then, a lot of us find new artists that we enjoy. Me for instance, I"m big on Houston rap and underground artists. They aren't from the old school but I enjoy their sound and play them as much as my hip hop classics. X, JMT and others are huge Kid Cudi fans, and I know they're all old school hip hop heads. It's all preference in the end, and for some reason, when it comes to old versus new, there are real strong opinions going both ways.

 

[jmt225]

In honor of T's new sig, I thought I'd make a post praising my favorite member from Bone Thugs in Harmony, Layzie Bone, aka L-Burna.

His first solo album, Thug by Nature, is one of my favorite rap albums of all time, and in my opinion it's the best solo album to come from any member of Bone. I remember the first time I popped that bad boy it, Carole of the Bones played and you're just like holy shit this is going to be epic. I always dug that melody for some reason. And man oh man.... when it cuts off, you get hit with this:

[YOUTUBE]ArjQEK26qWI[/YOUTUBE]​

If that shit doesn't pump you up, then nothing ever will.

But the whole album is filled with tracks like that. No bling crap (which was REALLY popular at the time), no love or bitches or anything like that; just real shit.

Unfortunately, while he's had some other solo work I've dug, I never came to love anything from him or Bone like I did Thug by Nature. It's such a great album, and I'll never forget listening to it for the first time, in my room, by myself and disappearing into Layzie's World.

 

[Ty Burna]

In honor of T's new sig, I thought I'd make a post praising my favorite member from Bone Thugs in Harmony, Layzie Bone, aka L-Burna.

Much appreciation jmt, and L-Burna is actually my favorite member of Bone Thugs as well, I just think Krayzie is the more talented artist on the mic.

His first solo album, Thug by Nature, is one of my favorite rap albums of all time, and in my opinion it's the best solo album to come from any member of Bone. I remember the first time I popped that bad boy it, Carole of the Bones played and you're just like holy shit this is going to be epic. I always dug that melody for some reason. And man oh man.... when it cuts off, you get hit with this

Easily my favorite Layzie Bone CD, as far as favorite solo CD from one of the five true thugs from the double glock, it's basically a three way tie between L-Burna' "Thug By Nature", Bizzy Bone's "Heaven'z Movie", and Krayzie Bone's "Thug Mentality 1999". Honestly I can't choose which of those is my favorite, as I love them all. But getting back to Thug By Nature, this is one of those CD's that I can pop in, and listen from start to finish. You start off with Carole of Bones which is just fucking awesome, then you go into Battlefield which is a uptempo fight song. Some of my other favorites off that CD include:

"Connecting The Plots" Featuring WC - Just an awesome song and the duo of Layzie and WC play well off each other's verses, and come on, it's WC.

"How Long Will It Last" - A song about struggle, it talks about reaching the top and struggling to keep that top spot.

"Still The Greatest" - How could you not get pumped up by this song? It makes you want to go get into a fight and knock someone out to this song.

"Thug By Nature" - Excellent song, Layzie's harmonizing works quite well on this track.

"Listen" - This song definitely hits home for me. The first time I heard it I was in the state of mind where I just said: "Fuck everyone I'll roll on my own". This song brought me back into a better mood.

If that shit doesn't pump you up, then nothing ever will.

Agreed.

But the whole album is filled with tracks like that. No bling crap (which was REALLY popular at the time), no love or bitches or anything like that; just real shit.

See this is my only real big issue with Layzie, other than recycling lyrics, is that in his later albums he's prone to falling into the trap of following trends on certain tracks. I understand that he's just experimenting, but he needs to just stick with what brought him to the game.

Unfortunately, while he's had some other solo work I've dug, I never came to love anything from him or Bone like I did Thug by Nature. It's such a great album, and I'll never forget listening to it for the first time, in my room, by myself and disappearing into Layzie's World.

Thug By Nature is easily his best solo album, there is no questioning that. I did dig his second album "It's Not A Game". It has the track "Midwest Invasion" with Twista and shows off the speed of both. It does recycle a couple songs from Thug By Nature, but I can't argue against that. Not necessarily solo albums, but his album with Bizzy Bone "Bone Brothers" was fucking fantastic as well. Then you have his collaboration album with Young Noble in "Thug Brothers" which was very solid and was a little more serious toned.

Layzie Bone has always been one of my favorites, and when he's not fucking with his style he releases excellent music on his own. However one more downfall I must speak on here, is that he often times includes Mo Thugs a little too much. He's tried shoving Caz down his fans throats, and Caz can't rap his way out of a paper bag. Mo Thugs is the shit, but let's have an actual Mo Thugs album instead of a Mo Thugs album with Layzie sporadic apppearances and put Layzie's name on the album. The Mo Thugs albums are spectacular, especially the first ones. How about a Mo Thug/Thugline collabo on an album? I would dig that for sure.

 

[Ty Burna]

Well we never got around to doing our Best Album of the Year awards it seems, so I'm gonna go ahead and do something to that affect in the hip hop thread. Based off Meta Critic, the top 5 rated albums on 2009 were:

1. Raekwon - "Only Built For Cuban Linx Pt. II

Metacritic score: 88

Personal Thoughts: A great followup to a hip hop classic, Raekwon brought it once again with this album. Although not quite as good as the first Cuban Linx album, it's difficult to match greatness, but this came damn close to it. A worthy sequel and showed that artists from Wu Tang like Raekwon are still some of the top dogs in the hip hop industry.

2. Brother Ali - "The Truth Is Here" [EP]

Metacritic Score: 86

Personal Thoughts: Many people don't know who Brother Ali is, but the dude is pretty sick on the mic. This album is by far his best he's ever released, and I'm glad to say it came from underground label Rhymesayers. IF you're a big fan of underground hip hop in the vein of Sage Francis, Atmosphere, or Murs, you'll dig Brother Ali. This is an EP so it's not a full length album, but he does have a full length album called "Us" he released this year as well.

3. UGK - "UGK 4 Life"

Metacritic Score: 84

The final album from the southern hip hop legends UGK. I think this album was a fitting way for UGK to end, and for me really showed how much we're gonna miss Pimp C as an artist. Bun B was at his usual excellence on this album, and it's sad that this is the final UGK album. A must have.

Note: There are a few that actually rated higher than the next few albums, but I haven't had a chance to listen to them so I'm not sure how good they are. Also included is the mentioned Brother Ali album "us". These include:

DJ Quik and Kurupt - "Blaqkout" Metacritic Score: 83
The Alchemist - "Chemical Warfare" Metacritic Score: 83
Solillaquists Of Sound - "No More Heroes" Metacritic Score: 83
Bike for Three! - "More Heart Than Brains" Metacritic Score: 82
J Dilla - "Jay Stay Paid" Metacritic Score: 81

4. Mos Def - "The Ecstatic"

Metacritic Score: 81

Ah yes, a lyrical mastermind, Mos Def's Ecstatic was an awesome album, one of the few that I actually went and purchased off iTunes the moment it came out. If you've heard a Mos Def album before, you know what you're getting. A smooth flow and lyrical command on the mic over some smoothed out beats. This album was also nominated for a Grammy.

5. Method Man and Redman - "Blackout! 2"

Metacritic Score: 79

Ah yes, another sequel to an excellent album, Blackout! was a great album a number of years ago that brought singles like Da Rockwilder to the scene. Again not quite as good as the first go around like Raekwon's Cuban Linx, but it still has it's share of excellent tracks such as City lights featuring Bun B. A very solid album.

A couple other notables are:

Q-Tip - "Kamaal The Abstract" Metacritic Score: 79
Wale - "Attention Deficit" Metacritic Score: 78

One thing I've noticed from doing this, is that you don't see any of the commercially successful albums on this list. So what does this mean exactly? Is actual talent in hip hop getting passed over for club music? I tend to think it is, but it's difficult to say. These scores are based on what music critics think, not exactly what fans think.

Luckily we ARE the fans, so what is your top 5 albums of 2009 in Hip Hop? Anything from this list you have heard, haven't heard, or are interested in checking out now? Later on I'll share my top 5 albums and I"m looking forward to seeing all of y'all's choices.

 

[Super Crazy]

Hey, there's honorable mention for Wale. I picked up that album, and I picked up OB4CLII. Both were good albums. The only thing that bothered me was that Wale's album had a lot of female oriented songs. Now I'm a more recent fan of his, so I'm not sure if that's his style.

Either way, I find Wale's album to be a true nod to old school hip hop. The beats are very mellow and he raps about real life things. My favorite song is TV in the Radio. My favorite song from OB4CLII is Surgical Gloves.

My favorite album of this year though, hmmm, I'd have to say Jadakiss' The Last Kiss. I just overall enjoy Jadakiss. My favorite tracks from that album are Deathwish and The Who's Real Ruff Ryder's remix, also Somethin' Else.

What about you Ty? What's your favorite album from this past year?

 

[X]

Hip-hop album of the year for me is a toss-up between Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Part II and Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon. On one hand you have the mighty Raekwon, a living legend who put out his best album in nearly a decade in his follow-up to Cuban Linx, and on the other you have the hot newcomer who's been setting the underground on fire in Kid Cudi. I know some people aren't into him, but the guy has got one of the most insane flows I've ever heard, and I'd consider "Soundtrack 2 My Life" to be the best hip-hop single of the entire year, easily.

Really either of those two albums would be deserving of the honor IMO.

Oh and an honorable mention to Jay-Z. Yeah, I know, he's overrated as fuck and he hasn't been very good for the last few years, but Empire State of Mind will likely go down as one of his very best songs. It's hard not to feel epic when listening to that one.

 

[Super Crazy]

Hip-hop album of the year for me is a toss-up between Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Part II and Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon. On one hand you have the mighty Raekwon, a living legend who put out his best album in nearly a decade in his follow-up to Cuban Linx, and on the other you have the hot newcomer who's been setting the underground on fire in Kid Cudi. I know some people aren't into him, but the guy has got one of the most insane flows I've ever heard, and I'd consider "Soundtrack 2 My Life" to be the best hip-hop single of the entire year, easily.

Really either of those two albums would be deserving of the honor IMO.

Oh and an honorable mention to Jay-Z. Yeah, I know, he's overrated as fuck and he hasn't been very good for the last few years, but Empire State of Mind will likely go down as one of his very best songs. It's hard not to feel epic when listening to that one.

I have to agree with you. Soundtrack 2 My Life is such a good song. Cudi's use of his real life is refreshing to me, as is his whole entire album. It's definitely different and out there, but it's so good. I can't wait for his next album to come out.

I have to agree with you about Empire State of Mind. Having been born and raised just outside of New York City and living in New York up until I moved to Canada, I feel so good when I hear that song. It reminds me to be proud of where I'm from. Jay Z's album was pretty good aside from this track too. I just wish Brooklyn We Go Hard or whatever the proper title is, had made it onto his album, that song was a hit.

 

[Ty Burna]

Man there's a lot of albums in 2009 that I really enjoyed. It's hard to really choose one as my hip hop album of the year. So I think you know what this calls for, a list of course!

Felt 3 - "A Tribute to Rosie Perez" - Awesome album, it seems that whenever Murs and Slug get together to make a Felt album, it's always oozing with awesome tracks. This album is no different, and the whole album was produced by Aesop Rock. Murs, Slug, and Aesop Rock!?!? Hell yes.

Krayzie Bone - "The Fixtape Vol. 2" - Not technically an album, it is a mixtape but fuck it it's close enough. It's Krayzie Bone, it's Krayzie Bone showing motherfuckers what to properly do with popular beats, and it's Krayzie Bone putting his own spin on songs. Epic fucking mixtape.

UGK - "UGK 4 Life" - I touched on this on my previous post, but this was one of my favorite Southern Hip hop albums by far. Actually fuck it, this was my favorite album from the South. Pimp C and Bun B tore up this album. RIP Pimp C.

Raekwon - "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II" - Another classic Raekwon album, what more needs to be said?

Tech N9ne - "Sickology 101" and "K.O.D." - Man I know X hates Tech, blah blah blah I know. But fuck it, Tech was on top of his game this year, Sickology was an awesome album with appearances by Crooked I, Krayzie Bone, Chino XL etc. K.O.D. was the return of Tech N9ne's darker side, and man what a fucking twisted album. I loved both, and I can't leave either album off my favorites of 2009.

Slaughterhouse - "Slaughterhouse" - I think it was Big Sexy that pointed this album out to me, and man what a compilation of artists. A solid album all the way around, with one of my newer favorite artists in Crooked I.

I think that's a pretty good list for now. At the moment I can't think of any other albums from 2009. There's been actually a lot of great underground albums this year.

 

[Pimpin]

Damn there were some good albums that came out this year that I really enjoyed alot. It's not easy to pick my absolute favorite album of this year, so instead i'm just gonna make a list of the albums that stand out to me the most

1. Tech N9ne: "Sickology 101" & "K.O.D.": Tech upped his game this year as K.O.D & Sickology 101 were awesome albums. Ty already explained the main points of these two albums & damn these two albums are among my favorite albums this year because they were that damn good.

2. Raekwon: "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II": Damn this was a bad ass album. Raekwon was definitely on his game & this album was a classic for sure. I'm glad I picked this album up as it's a very very great album.

3. Slaughterhouse: "Slaughterhouse": What a great line up of artists in this group. I picked this album up on the day that it came out & the album itself did not disappoint me one bit. Slaughterhouse is definitely a solid album for sure.

4. UGK: "UGK 4 Life": The final UGK album was a hit for me. It still gets bumped on my iPod & everytime I listen to the album, I find it better & better with each listen. Everybody that was in on this album tore it up in a big way & it was a great way to end one of the greatest southern hip hop groups of all time. R.I.P. Pimp C.

 

[Ty Burna]

Hey y'all, just wanted to stop in at the hip hop thread, wish all y'all who have contributed to this thread a Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Kwanzaa, whatever you prefer to celebrate this time of year. When I started this thread I wasn't sure how well it would go over or how long it would continue getting posts in, but I've been very surprised at how far this thread has gone. It was even nominated for Best Thread of The Year and while it didn't get many votes, I'm still proud of it getting there. Y'all been awesome in this thread and I hope we continue keeping this thread going into the next year. Thank you guys.

Ight enough with the sappiness, what I wanna know now is, what's your most anticipated album in 2010?

This is an easy one for me, as I've been waiting patiently for Bone's new album Uni-5: The World's Enemy now for damn near 2 years at this point. It was supposed to be released earlier this year but got pushed back to this month, and yet again got pushed back now to March 2010. This is the first album in quite a number of years that all 5 members are together on the same album so I'm hoping big time that this album is well worth the wait. I know people are expecting the old E1999 style, but sadly they've moved away from that dark edge and are now on some completely other sound now. The singles I've heard them create for possibly being on the album have been fantastic, and the actual single See me Shine has a lot of promise as a feel good song. I hope this is a great album, I really do, the last couple albums have been good but not epic like their old stuff.

Hit the thread up homies, what are you waiting for come 2010?

 

[Pimpin]

Well I don't have just one album that i'm dying to get in 2010, but I will list the albums that I plan on getting in 2010.

Dr. Dre: Detox: From what i've read, Detox is gonna be coming out in 2010 (they also said it would come out in 2009, but it didn't). Well for one I hope it comes out this year as i've been wanting to hear some new Dr. Dre material for over a decade and I also wanna see just how good Dre's final album will be.

Eminem: Relapse 2: I always get every album that Eminem releases and Relapse 2 will be no different. With all the best stuff being on Relapse 2, it makes me anticipate for the album even more as I believe that the material will be stronger on this album.

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony: Uni-5: The World's Enemy: Just how much do I really need to say here? All 5 members together on the same album just makes you think on how great the album really can be. I don't know how good the album can be, but I have hope that it will be a great album.

Lupe Fiasco: Lasers: Lupe's a great rapper and all of his material have been a hit for me anyways. Lupe's past albums have given me some type of hope that this album will be good.

I don't have that much to elaborate on here as i'm kind've a bit lazy right now and my expectations for these albums aren't through the roof, but these four albums are the one's that i'm looking forward to purchasing in 2010 (well if Detox comes out in 2010 that is).

 

[Super Crazy]

I am looking forward to two albums, and two albums only. I am looking forward to Lupe Fiasco's Lasers, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's Uni-5. Ever since hearing Superstar, and Dumb It Down, I have been a huge fan of Lupe's. I have to say that I love his style and his originality. He was pushin' the unique beats and rapping about different topics long before Kid Cudi was on the scene. And for those fans out there, that think Lupe sold out because he did a song for New Moon, screw all of you. Lupe isn't a sellout.

As for Bone Thugs, I picked up there last album, Strength-N-Loyalty, and I have become a hardcore fan of theirs. After hearing that album, I looked into their older stuff and have become an even bigger fan since hearing some of their stuff. Their flow is impeccable and all 5 members haven't been together in quite some time, so this album should definitely be a good one.

 

[Ty Burna]

Good to see some other hip hop junkies looking forward to Bone's new album. I'm hoping it'll be good, if I remember reading correctly I think the great DJ U-Neek is gonna be making some beats for this album, and I"m hoping for some old school G Funk vibes.

Anyway, I wanted to just throw out a group I found the other day called Anti Pop Consortium. They're an alternative hip hop group with a unique sound. I really like the beats they create and use for their tracks. Their sound is hard to peg, I would almost put it as a techno/dance hip hop style. I wouldn't say it's Trip Hop, as Trip hop has elements of hip hop but not necessarily the rhyming over a beat like APC has. They have a heavy electronic influence that's for sure, and their lyrics are pretty unorthodox. If you get a chance I would highly recommend checking them out.

I'm not going to post a Youtube video for them, as I've had some people tell me it takes forever to load this thread due to the massive amounts of videos we have posted. That being said, from here on let's put spoiler tags around our videos so we don't have 30 videos trying to load all at the same time. It really helps out people with slower connections. I can't mod anything in this thread so for the time being let's just put spoiler tags around videos for better access for other users.

 

[Freddy4190]

I'm so uninformed on rap nowadays. I used to be on top of my shit. Now I have no clue what's going on.. I know I gotta get Relapse 2. That's a given. My girlfriend calls me Stan.. not sure that's a good thing. Album of the year though? Ahh. Shit. I don't know.. I'm thinking Sickology 101. I've listened to that album on a fucking loop. & yeah Ty, the videos do make it a pain in the ass.

 

[Big Sexy]

No one has posted in here in a while so I'll try to stir up some discussion. Over the years there have been some great groups in hip hop, but for my money the best group was Wu-Tang Clan. They were the original "super group" in hip hop. Individually they were great and together they put together some classic albums. Recently another "super group" has emerged in Slaughterhouse.

What I want to know is if you could make a "super group" in hip hop, who would be in it? You can go with a bunch of main stream guys, underground guys, or a mixture. Maybe even throw in a few legends like Rakim and Big Daddy Kane. You can also throw in a DJ/Producer ala Jam Master Jay with Run DMC, Dr Dre with NWA, and RZA with the Wu Tang Clan.

Being from around the Detroit area I'd have my group be all guys from that area.

Eminem- He has group experience with D12 and his style really meshes well with any rapper. He has had great collaborations with everyone from TI to Jay Z to 50 Cent. He would be a great anchor for the group.

Royce Da 5'9- Royce is in hip hops current super group in Slaughterhouse so he would definitely be able to fit in easily. He is a beast on the mic and has already done some great collaborations with Eminem such as Bad Meets Evil and the original Renegade.

Elzhi- One of raps most underrated emcees. If you haven't listened to his last album The Preface then go do that now. He has collaborated with Royce before on the song Motown 25 and he also has group experience. He was part of the Detroit based group Slum Village.

Obie Trice- Obie is another underrated emcee. He has worked with Eminem before and he has a similar style to the other guys that I have in the group. Obie has never been in a group before but he would fit in nicely here.

Black Milk- I'm throwing him in here as the producer. He is also a solid rapper, but I've always thought he was better as a producer. He has produced songs for guys like Royce, Elzhi, GZA, Canibus, Proof, Bishop Lamont, and D12.

So who would you have in your group? (Try not to just throw together all of your favorite rappers, make sure their styles would actually mesh well together).

 

[TheFreshPrints]

Hm, super group? I guess mine would look something like this:


Emcees:

Rakim
Andre 3000
Elzhi


Two of the names need no explanation. But Elzhi has been very consistent with the material he puts out. From The Breakfast Club with Dwele, Lacks, Big Tone & 87 to his work with Slum Village, the guy's been putting out nothing but solid, dope material. Very underrated.


Producers:

DJ Premier
Pete Rock
Organized Noize


Again, no real explanation needed. Some of you may have no idea who Organized Noize are. If that's the case, I suggest you crawl out from under your rock.


All in all, I didn't want to get too obvious (hence the reason there's no Dr. Dre, Kanye West, J Dilla, RZA, etc.). I wanted something a little different from the norm, but not too much to where you wouldn't be interested. I think my group could put out some truly fresh music, but...

...funny thing is, I could easily name different people tomorrow. Haha.

 

[Ty Burna]

I love the idea Big Sexy, so I'm gonna give it a shot. I'm going to go with a super group that's all about speed. I realize all of Bone raps fast but I'm going with the top names when it comes to the fastest rappers. So without further adieu:

Krayzie Bone- What haven't I said about Krayzie Bone already? He's ridiculously fast on the mic and he's got great lyricisim. He can harmonize as well which will work well for choruses and hooks.

Tech N9ne- Not quite as fast as others, but he's got a great flow and is excellent when it comes to playing off the others rhymes. That'll work great in a group dynamic. He doesn't exactly harmonize like Krayzie Bone does, but he can do something similar, again working well for choruses.

Flosja- Going with a relative unknown. This dude is pretty damn good. The one thing holding him back is he sounds eerily similar to Krayzie Bone. It's fucking crazy how similar they sound. Flosja's even got the harmonizing down to go with some pretty quick raps as well. So what's better than having Krayzie Bone in the group? Having someone that's just like him.

Spoiler: Flosja

Busta Rhymes- Gotta have the fun loving rapper that can switch it up from the more serious songs that may become prevalent. Not only that but Busta could tear shit up on the mic in his earlier days.

Twista- Twista is one of those artists that's quick with his tongue but his content is not exactly what I get into on a regular basis. However before he blew up, he kept his shit pretty gangsta so I know he has it in him. Along with Krayzie Bone he could make some softer songs for the ladies, that way we can hit the whole spectrum of hip hop fans.

Mystikal- I need a crazy motherfucker in there.

Producer wise, I would go with RZA. Main reason why is because I want to see RZA's unique style match up with a faster tempo then he's used to producing for. I think he'd come up with some sick beats and arrangements, something the above artists severely need in actuality.

 

[X]

Cool idea Big Sexy, since you decided to represent Detroit, you know I'm gonna represent the East Coast here. What I've got right here is what would be the supergroup to end all supergroups in my wildest dreams, all of guys from the East Coast. Be prepared cause this shit is about to be fucking epic guys, I'll try not to include every great rapper.

First things first, the producer. Such an important part of any group, of course I've got to go with the man that I consider the greatest rap producer to ever live, and that's DJ Premier. Nobody crafts a beat like him, nobody.

Speaking of Premier, I know this might be lame but I'm also including Guru. Yep, both members of Gang Starr are representing here. How the fuck can I not though? Guru remains probably the single most underrated rapper to ever live. I mean, everyone knows he's sick, but you never hear his name come up when people are talking about the best of all time, but hs name should be. Plus they're from Boston, how the fuck can I not love them?

Next up, Big L. The man has always and will always be my favorite rapper (Nas is right there with him though), he was simply one of the finest and most well-honed emcees of his generation, and it's a fucking travesty the guy didn't have number one hit after hit. He's one of the most technically gifted rappers I've ever heard in my life and the man just had this energy to every verse he spit that just put him on a whole other level. He'd probably steal every track with this supergroup here as well.

Now to go to a lesser known artist, I'm going with Jeru the Damaja, one of the undersung heroes of mid-90s East Coast rap. The Sun Also Rises is one of the best rap albums of the 90s and the guy is another one like Big L who's just got a technical gift to his flow and delivery like few others mixed with incredibly intelligent lyrics.

Now, onto the final lesser known artist, and that's AZ, another unsung veteran of the East Coast scene, Doe or Die s right up there next to Illmatic in terms of important rap albums in NY at that time, and he's another guy that I feel doesn't get enough praise as he continues to put out consistently good music for well over a decade now, and still sounds just as ferocious and hungry as ever.

Next up, GZA, the man I've always considered to be the single best emcee in Wu-Tang. Better than Raekwon, better than Method, better than Ghostface, better than Deck and the rest, Liquid Swords is arguably the best fucking hip hop album ever made IMO. I only wanted to include one Wu-Tang member so I'm going with GZA.

Now, we go to the "legends" portion of the supergroup. Funny considering everyone I've already named I easily consider a legend. First up is KRS-One. Do I really even need to explain why? He brought hip-hop to a level of artistry never seen before he burst on the scene, and he remains one of the greatest of all time. He'd bring a level of intelligence little seen. I came VERY close to including Rakim here along with him, but I figure I might be overkilling ths.

And finally, the crowning jewel IMO, Nas, a man that as I said earlier is at the very top of my list. Most of you know how big of a Nas fan I am, and it's my firm belief that Illmatic is the greatest hip hop album ever made, and that Nas is the single best lyricist the rap game has ever seen.

And for fun, Notorious BIG can be an on-again off-again member of the group. Like an associate. Talib Kweli as well, one of the best rappers in the world today. And [b}Sadat X[/b] for fun.

Yeah I know I went overboard there, too bad, just proving my point that East Coast > All bitches.








Oh, and who was it that recommended the new Reflection Eternal mixtape to me? Big Sexy maybe? Not sure, but shit is insanely good. Black Star used to be my shit back in the day.

Oh and I've been on a mixtape kick lately. Recommend me some good ones DAMNIT! Don't really care who it is so long as it's good.

 

[JayBriscoe2010]

I used to be a HUGE Rap Head back until about 4 years ago. Im looking to burn some new cd's with newer artists. Is there anyone in particular anyone would recommend not named Lil Wayne? I know Immortal Technique and Jedi Mind Tricks, as far as underground talent but nobody else really. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Ty Burna]

Yeah I know I went overboard there, too bad, just proving my point that East Coast > All bitches.

I'm going to ignore that comment for now and possibly return back to it later or in a different post.

I used to be a HUGE Rap Head back until about 4 years ago. Im looking to burn some new cd's with newer artists. Is there anyone in particular anyone would recommend not named Lil Wayne? I know Immortal Technique and Jedi Mind Tricks, as far as underground talent but nobody else really. Any help is appreciated.

So you're more into that underground hip hop that's more along the lines of alternative? I'm guessing that so I'm gonna go that route and suggest some artists for you since I"m the alternative hip hop guru here.

Atmosphere - Slug is sick on the mic and Ant is an awesome producer. Slug's lyrical content is usually along the lines of introspective thoughts, women issues, drug dependency, as well as other personal issues. They also makes some party songs as well. The storytelling is top notch as is the beats Ant throws on the track. I'm guessing you've probably heard of them. They're one of the most commercially successful independent artists and of course they come from the Midwest.

Spoiler: Atmosphere

Murs - Murs is from the West Coast, but he is nothing like the West Coast style. He's got a real smooth flow and his rhymes come out of left field. His storytelling is pretty good and he makes tracks everywhere from party songs to love songs to just random songs like his song about dreadlocks and then deep personal songs as well. I saw him live in concert once and even his life performance is awesome. Also, Slug from Atmosphere and Murs collaborate on albums under the name Felt. I recommend those albums as well.

Spoiler: Murs

Spoiler: Murs 2

Anti Pop Consortium - Now I will admit these guys may not be for everyone, but I like their sound and I'm gonna bring up here and try to spread the music around. They got a unique sound to say the least. They like to add a lot of synthesized and electro sound to their beats but at the same time they can rhyme over these beats really well and often focus on a more political and social activism end of hip hop. A very interesting sound I would check them out.

Spoiler: APC

Now if you're looking more towards a little more gangsta sounding hip hop, take a chance to listen to the following:

Chino XL - The dude has been in the game for awhile now, going on 14 years now. But he's still very consistent and his wordplay is stellar. He loves to use punchlines and puns in his rhymes, and he's also a great battle rapper as well.

Spoiler: Chino XL

Crooked I - Another West Coast cat, Crooked is one of the best up and comers in the game today, just ask Big Sexy, Pimpin, or myself about that one. He's been everywhere from straight up independent to being on Death Row Records, and now he's working with the super group Slaughterhouse. Crooked has a great flow and I like his rhymes. Check him out he's close to breaking out big time.

Spoiler: Crooked I

Brotha Lynch Hung - Like Chino XL, Brotha Lynch has been in the game for years now, going on 17 years now. He's an underground legend especially on the west coast, and in the Midwest he's becoming pretty well known. The man is sick with his rhymes and often raps on a darker side, close to horrorcore rap, but not quite. He can also switch his style up for other songs as well and tends to flow however he feels like flowing.

Spoiler: Brotha Lynch Hung

Well that should give you something to start with Jay. Just sort of branch out from there and you'll find different artists you may like. I know last.fm Internet Radio can give you suggestions based off artists you're listening to and it's a great way to find new artists. I've been doing that for a few days now and I've discovered bands and rappers that I've never heard of that blow anything mainstream out of the water. In today's world, finding new music is not difficult and it's just a matter of using the right tools to find it. Youtube is another place I would go for finding music, you can find artists you know collaborating with ones you don't and go from there. I hoped this helps ya out and just generally check the hip hop thread here. We've all made a ton of recommendations between us arguing about everything else.

 

[TheFreshPrints]

I used to be a HUGE Rap Head back until about 4 years ago. Im looking to burn some new cd's with newer artists. Is there anyone in particular anyone would recommend not named Lil Wayne? I know Immortal Technique and Jedi Mind Tricks, as far as underground talent but nobody else really. Any help is appreciated.

Are you just interested in underground? If so, Ty mentioned a couple dope artists. (Murs & Chino, I haven't really heard much from the other artists he's mentioned). I'd also recommend the following, though some aren't necessarily new:


The Roots: Albums to check for - Do You Want More?!!!??!, Illadelph Halflife, and Things Fall Apart. Actually, do yourself a favor and check out their whole catalog. These guys have been putting out some of the best music in years.

Spoiler: The Roots

Spoiler: The Roots

O.C.: I very rarely see this guy's name mentioned, and it should be a crime. Not counting his work as a member of D.I.T.C., he's put out solid solo projects as well, including: Word...Life, Jewelz, and Starchild. All three are essential albums IMO.

Spoiler: O.C.

Spoiler: O.C.

Slum Village/J Dilla: What can I say? I'm a huge Dilla fan (wayyyy before he passed and it became the "it" thing to do). He's one of the greatest producers of all time. No question about it. In fact, he inspired me to start making music. From his work with 1st Down and Slum Village. To the countless artists he's produced for, such as Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes, Common, Pharcyde, D'Angelo, etc.. He's highly recognized for his contributions to Hip Hop. He's a legend. R.I.P..

Spoiler: Slum Village/J Dilla

Spoiler: Slum Village/J Dilla

I could sit here and rattle off countless shit for you to check out for hours, but I'll leave it at that for now. I'll gladly put you onto to more music if you're interested.

 

[Ty Burna]

So I'm adding another member to my speed rap supergroup. This guy named Busdriver is fucking nuts, but he's quick as shit too. His lyrics make no sense but he makes such bad ass music that I have to throw him in there. I don't even know what else to say about this dude, just check him out for yourself:

Spoiler: Busdriver

 

[JayBriscoe2010]

So what do yall think of Tech N9ne? Just curious. I did check out some of that Ty and I like Crooked I alot. I remember dude back from like 2000 actually lol, he was another people were saying was trying to be the next Tupac, makes me think of that dude The Realest.

 

[LamaNamaneumi]

With the great amount of hip hop knowledge most of you have you probably already know about the group POTLUCK. The group is from Humboldt, CA and are all about smoking weed. I rank them up there with Kottonmouth Kings and Cypress Hill on the smoking scale, but as rapers Potluck are far superior IMO. The group consist of the duo Underrated and 1 ton. Underrated may be one of the most...well underrated rappers, hes got a fast flow that can compete up their with some of the best, here is a sample.
[youtube]Ryb-vauFzX0[/youtube]

I think this is a good song and has a good meaning to the lyrics.
[youtube]q9KVjys-K_o[/youtube]

They have done songs with Tech Ni9e and Twiztid among others. I would recommend checking them out if you haven't but as reading rainbow says don't take my word for it.

 

[Rzarectah]

Potluck FUCKIN SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone please do a profile on Mac Dre, people need to know about this muthafucka.