New Rap Music
If you haven’t yet noticed, most of my day-to-day hulkshare coverage has been taking place over at Tumblin’ Erb. Still sometimes things get backlogged and that’s when the old New Rap Music column rears its head. Which is what is happening now, right before your eyes.
E-40 f/ Beeda Weeda & Work of the DB’z – “In The Morning”
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from Revenue Retreivin’ (Sick Wid It, 3/29)
Trying to pick a single track to feature out of the 40 that 40 is about to drop next Tuesday is like trying to choose your favorite member of the Dungeon Family (it’s not necessarily Andre goddammit). Minus a few very minor missteps the second round of Revenues is two and a half solid hours of impeccable spittums and blink and you miss it imagery Ooooh sinister mob shit / choppers all in the closet / hydrogen lamps in the attic / warm broccoli spinach and cabbage / vacuum sealer on the counter / right next to the money counter / that’s right next to the scale / for weighing nuts and fruits not yayo / that’s my excuse if they take me to jail. I went with “In The Morning” for that open, in part, (Beeda and Work hold their own here too) but also that. Goddamn. Beat. There’s one song on Overtime Shift (which, on first listen, is feeling like the superior sibling) that opens with an approximation of the THX deep note test sound. Not the most original conceit – Dre did it (and was later sued) – but it seems like an apt metaphor for 40′s production selections right now. Every song has me feeling like the goddamn Maxell man. Wig blown completely back. This ties into what I was saying about Pharoahe Monch a few weeks ago – with age the most technically effortless rappers have the curse of becoming predictable in their unpredictability. The best way to combat this staleness is by continuing to expand the production palette. As out as 40′s beats get he’s still miles ahead, but new sonics bring out the best in him.
Freestyle Fellowship – “Welcome“
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I had perhaps unfairly written off the impending Freestyle Fellowship reunion project too early. The LA quartet is comprised of some of the greatest breathing raw talents that rap has ever produced but they also have a chronic streak of underachievement. Much of their recent solo output has been a far cry from their heyday and this is their third reunion in about twelve years, where the two previous ones haven’t quite delivered and they aren’t getting any younger. The few crew tracks that have leaked thus far have been passable but frustratingly conservative and far from awe inspiring. But over the past few days Jupiter has been leaking very lo-fi rips of their recent recordings (96kbps is the new Maxell hiss – though weirdly the files I downloaded were actually ripped at like 400+ kbps?) via his Soundcloud page and it turns out these guys are still outstanding rappers when they want to be and, more importantly, masters of setting an atmosphere. “Welcome,” with its upright bass and endearingly rambling styles upon styles raps, recalls the mystical shamanic vibe of their very underrated late ’90s Shockadoom sessions. The crew fell apart before that album was ever completed. Hopefully they can keep it together this time around.
Mellowhype f/ Casey Veggies – “Less“
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from Tumblr (Internet, 2011)
Once major concern about the sudden ascension of Odd Future is that it might prove to stifle their creativity. The theory is that an early buzz period has the tendency to leave young artists in a state of arrested development. They might feel like they’ve already “made it” when their sound and swag is still in its early developmental stages. But to worry of such things is to ignore the rapid improvement that Hodgy has been showing in recent months – as a studio rapper, as a performer, as a personality. The difference between his appearance at the first New York show and Hodgy a few weeks ago in Philly is immense. From wallflower to riot starter in a matter of months. (Though admittedly there’s still plenty of room for improvement in terms of actual on stage rapping from the entire crew, as anybody watching the recent SXSW clips with a critical eye has noticed. Hopefully that will come with time.) On here, as well as this random track they’ve been performing, he’s really toying with fast flows in was he hasn’t in the past. When I talked to Hodgy for the Billboard piece one of the few things he mentioned (when he wasn’t in a deep internet gaze or getting intimate with the fan made Odd Future bong that was bestowed upon him earlier in the night) was that he’s a big Yelawolf fan. This can only be seen as a positive influence. Casey offers a nice laid back counterpoint to Hodgy’s chops and I’m loving the Hawaiian shirt vibes of Left Brain’s beat (actually those flutes are feeling a little Freestyle Fellowshipish in their own right. Like many Odd Future songs this one has absolutely nothing to do with rape, homophobia or satanism.
Shady Blaze – “Dreamin’‘”
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Green Ova’s Shady Blaze rapped his ass off on the recent Shady Bambino Project but it was buried in a purposeful fog. This is common of the Main Attrakionz camp – their fuzzy and underwater production sensibility is fascinating, but so strong that it sometimes draws away from the acts of rapping. So it’s nice to hear Blaze do a little something different here and in a context where his rhymes – a firm balance of poverty and pride – are placed in the forefront. (produced by Ryan Hemsworth)
Snoop Dogg f/ Pilot – “Gangbang Rookie“
A simple future-summertime knock from Jake One. This slaps so peacefully that it deserves a rapper with a pulse. For now Snoop will do. And, for what it’s worth, Pilot is certainly no Lil Malik.
The Jacka & Freeway ft. Fed-X – “So Many Animals“
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Jacka and Freeway’s bicoastal collaboration album is shaping up to be one of the more interesting records of the year. Jack is gonna be Jack, he has his style and audience and is comfortable but his linking with Free might prove to be a good look for Philadelphia’s most recognizable bearded man. Free has always been a skillful rapper but seems to have gotten stuck in a rut of one dimensional hyper focus in recent years. Maybe the Jacka project is what he needs to pull him out of it. “Animals” features Jack’s Mob Figaz partner Fed-X and is some very distinctive production all parties involved, crunchy IDM drums and new age synth washes and it works well enough. As Lil B once said of some Nicki Minaj record, it makes me feel like I’m ice skating.
K Gates f/ Lil B – “Rare Greatness“
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from Walking On Hellfire (Mixtape, Coming Soon)
And speaking of the Based God, after recording a couple thousand songs with virtually no guest appearances or cameos he continues his string of completely random collabs here. For “Rare Greateness” he links with very underrated New Orleans rapper K Gates and gets pretty badly outshined, particularly in the presence department. Gates just has a much better natural rap voice. Still B’s been very vocal about his New Orleans love as of late and it’s nice to see that being reciprocated. Produced by Curren$y collaborator Monsta Beatz, the track a nicely mellow horn driven affair although it does reflect a slightly disturbing trend of New Orleans talents getting sucked into the Curren$y/Blu Roc/Ski Beatz/Jets assembly line because that’s the only way blogs are going to pay attention to them. This is what Gates used to sound like. See also: Fiend’s recent transformation from fight music to smoker’s lounge sounds.
Pusha T f/ 50 Cent – “Rain“
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from Fear Of God (Mixtape, 2011)
The defining factor of the Clipse/Re-Up hot streak – two near perfect albums and two classic mixtapes – was how insular their vision was. From out the gate they nailed this mournful future apocalyptic drug dealer aesthetic and stuck to it. On the rare occasions they had guests from outside the camp – Jermaine Dupri, The Lox, Slim Thugga – they pulled them into the world of the Clipse, not the other way around. When they rapped over other people’s beats they were relatively obscure ones, clearly hand picked to cater to their style (See: Nas‘ “You Know My Style,” Show & AG‘s “Next Level,” and even the big/only WGIFC 3 standout – Jim Jones’ “Emotionless“) Doing this – creating your own tiny universe – should be the highest aspiration for any artist. This is why Pusha’s recent turn as Kanye’s Louie bag boy has been so frustrating. It pulls him down to the level of just a rapper, not a member the esteemed Clipse. Suddenly he’s doing trap/yacht rap with Rick Ross or rhyming over “Speakers Going Hammer” Some might call this branching out but I call it caving in. Who knows though, maybe that’s what needs to happen in order for him to sell records. I doubt it.
There might even be a simpler explanation for his relative malaise – maybe he just needs The Neptunes. The Clipse (or half the Clipse) without the Neptunes is always going to feel like a Guru solo album (RIP GURU THO BUT YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE). On first listen this single Tunes banger is the only thing on Fear Of God has me feeling anything more than a nebulous “it’s aight” kanyeshrug response. And in todays over-saturated market “aight” is a more damning analysis than, say, “fuck this shit!” and certainly a low point for a guy who was once one of rap’s most moving artists. Anyway Fif sounds good as hell here too and it’s very exciting to hear him pulled into the aforementioned Clipseverse. One of the many perks of his fall from commercial grace is that it puts him on a level where he can do small records like this, non-hits with talented rappers for the fuck of it. And Pharrell does something close to an Ab Liva impression on the hook which is just weird.
Tumblin' Erb
March 22nd, 2011 at 1:45 am
hey andrew, how are you doing buddy
March 22nd, 2011 at 1:50 am
i’m doing well, pedro.
March 22nd, 2011 at 1:52 am
good to hear. i liked the Mellowhype song. hodgy seems cool.
March 22nd, 2011 at 2:01 am
Seeing that linked youtube song there live and hearing that song for the first time, my mind was kinda blown. Whatever that song is going on, I want it. Now.
March 22nd, 2011 at 2:07 am
Ahhh gonna d/l the Pusha T mixtape now. It’s raid not rain though..
March 22nd, 2011 at 2:12 am
sounds like the rap class is ready for springtime. is dreamin’ the first rap track to straight up lift a flaming lips loop? also, that line about hoping his luck changes because he broke a mirror seven years ago is a weird image. i wish more rappers said shit like that.
March 22nd, 2011 at 2:26 am
lol i’m laughing at your description of pharrell on the hook. who the fuck is ab-liva i keep hearing him on random songs then forgetting who it is.
March 22nd, 2011 at 2:32 am
The fellowship track is another burner. I may like it better than their SXSW freestyle you posted on tumblr recently. The mellowhype track is cool, but I completely agree on ur “analysis” of Hodgy. He’s grown a lot as a rapper and performer. I have no idea what ur talking about with E40 but than again I don’t give a shit about 40s music, so whatever.
March 22nd, 2011 at 2:32 am
And completely disagree on Fear of God. That shit is banging!
March 22nd, 2011 at 2:41 am
“creating your own tiny universe – should be the highest aspiration for any artist.”
This is really true. Which one is Pusha,btw, the one with the face?
March 22nd, 2011 at 2:45 am
also i dont think lil b got terribly outshined on that K Gates. I think he just did his Lil B thing. If you think thats outshining then I don’t see his other features on lyric-oriented songs with other underground artists being perceived well by you.
March 22nd, 2011 at 3:04 am
“omfgtom”
read this as ofwgmom
March 22nd, 2011 at 4:28 am
It’s not that Snoop has no pulse… It’s that his “G” raps are suspect… He’s the Dogg father… But “G” rap king…???? Not since ’92…! There are some new Gangster rap masters out west… But the gate keepers can’t pick up on the realness… Suburbs, I guess… The old guard is cool… I still bump ‘em… But the new school…!?!?!?!?!? Cot damn… To raw for the critics…!!!!! I’ma keep it cryptic though… “It’s cool for every n**ga ‘cept a west one to bang…” Hahaha… Cats outside of Cali have NO idea where E-40 Nor Cali raps end & So Cal Snoop raps begin… Hahaha… NO CLUE…!!!!!!!! Keep typin’ though…
March 22nd, 2011 at 5:03 am
Man I saw K Gates on the N.O. To B.R. mixtape a few days ago and though it was Baton Rouge rapper Kevin Gates, who honestly is a way better rapper than K Gates. Super weird those twos names are so alike, same state and all
March 22nd, 2011 at 5:09 am
Noz finally succumbing to the charms of Jacka?
March 22nd, 2011 at 5:36 am
freeway has always been standout on tracks with the jack – or guest verses in general, he has the big noyd curse. on the same tip i really want to see what came out of husalah and paul wall’s studio time.
March 22nd, 2011 at 7:51 am
Juice Mannen Hugo, I havent listened to the song yet but i thought that thats who it was, weird. Yeah Kevin Gates is great, think it was your blog where i found out about him actually.
The new Revenue Retrievins are the greatest, Overtime Shift especially.
man- that flawless run from Mr Flamboyant 2k11 to Beastin. even Beastin alone…
and the way some of the productions nostalgic yet still state of the art is brilliant, shit like rear view mirrors like an updated version of that electro mob slap Rick Rock had round the turn of the century. The bay should really be the only ones allowed do throwback stuff in future.
March 22nd, 2011 at 8:28 am
K Gates’ voice sounds like something between Killer Mike and E-40. It’s great.
And my contention on Pusha/Malice/Clipse all along is that the narratives have always been good but the rap has been better (“You hear the sounds of rounds dispensin’ / That clack-up make ‘em back like it’s invisible fencin’” is stupendous); if Pusha on G.O.O.D. means more of Pusha writing near-flawless verses like the ones we hear on Fear of God, I’m fully down for it. But I may well be in the minority here.
March 22nd, 2011 at 9:12 am
“Man I saw K Gates on the N.O. To B.R. mixtape a few days ago and though it was Baton Rouge rapper Kevin Gates, who honestly is a way better rapper than K Gates. Super weird those twos names are so alike, same state and all”
Well, the K is for Kevin and Gates isn’t even his real last name (um… Gates as in Bill Gates) so they are probably the same dude. He’s talented and I’ve always thought that if he had better choruses he’d get more shine.
March 22nd, 2011 at 10:44 am
@omfgtom
Ab-Liva’s from Major Figures, the Philly crew who also had Gillie Da Kid before he left to ‘assist’ at the Cash Money camp. Which was hilarious when Clipse invited Gillie to talk about ghosting for Wayne live on TRL… totally mismatched moment in history.
March 22nd, 2011 at 10:44 am
Yeah, confusingly Kevin Gates and K Gates are two entirely different people.
March 22nd, 2011 at 11:39 am
A Neptunes produced Pusha T solo > anything Kanye & co. are able to put together for his G.O.O.D. Music album
Not that I don’t think Kanye will give it his best shot (even though I’m curious as to how involved he’ll be on the production end), but there’s something about the sparse coldness of a Neptunes track that perfectly meshes with Pusha’s more nihilistic verses.
I thought some of DJ Khalil’s work on Till The Casket Drops, while capable, was ill suited for The Clipse & I fear the producers Pusha works with on his solo (outside of Pharrell & Chad) will yield similar results. Fear Of God is a decent tape & it easily tops the last two Re-Up Gang tapes, but it doesn’t make the prospect of a solo Pusha T album any more appealing.
Maybe the fact that he never switches up the flow is beginning to catch up to him, cause even though I recognize how well written his verses are on Fear Of God, none of em really stood out to me. I’m not sure Pusha is enough of a character or creative enough of a writer to keep a full length compelling from beginning to end, even with a bunch of high profile features.
The Clipse barely managed to do it on their own & there’s two guys in the group. The Neptunes tracks added the personality & star power the Brothers Thornton lack.
March 22nd, 2011 at 12:04 pm
I’m not sure Pusha is enough of a character
^^^^
There’s a lot of drug-oriented rap I can get into but Pusha’s kingpin persona is boring as hell. Maybe when their peoples were actually on trial they were living close to the dark side of that reality. But now, with Kanye he feels removed from all that – reminiscing about his cocaine selling days poolside in the Gulf. When you’re on that level talking about pushing coke all the time it just comes across as unimaginative, kind of like American Gangster-era Jay. Shit is played out.
March 22nd, 2011 at 1:37 pm
I like Jacka I just don’t have a lot to say about him.
March 22nd, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Jacka iz de truth
March 22nd, 2011 at 2:30 pm
that K Gates track with Lil B is epic,
never heard of k gates so thanks Noz
lets just say Bs style isnt really textbook rapping,
its more spoken word with a kryptic sound pattern
that subconsciously recruits internet fans
March 22nd, 2011 at 3:43 pm
That Pusha tape…. i’m glad i’m not the only one who was underwhelmed by it… from the beat selection, to the hooks, to T’s flow… nothing seemed right to me… When Curtis outshines Pusha, something is wrong.
March 22nd, 2011 at 3:49 pm
Wish these Revenue Retrievin albums, even the Day and Night Shit ones would get the vinyl treatment. Won’t happen I know, but I can wish. Good picks, hadn’t heard the FF or Mellowhype tracks yet. And yea Jack is the truth, can’t wait for that collab album.
March 22nd, 2011 at 4:27 pm
E40 for the win. lil b should give him that cali chain.
March 22nd, 2011 at 8:01 pm
Great post. It’s good to see that Jacka song up here, the line about ‘ranch on her face’ made me almost spit out my coffee when I first heard it. The untitled song they did together is amazing, I’m really looking forward to the album.
I can’t wait to hear those new E-40 albums too, last year’s double albums were everything a 40 Water fan could have asked for.
March 22nd, 2011 at 10:13 pm
also nobody mentioned snoop came with some heat… dunno about pilot tho but im scared of him because hes a crip. also really dope shot of daz and kurupt leattin some lead loose no homo
March 23rd, 2011 at 9:03 am
[...] beat is hypnotic and relaxed, words not often associated with the letters OFWGKTA–as Noz said about this song: “Like many Odd Future songs this one has absolutely nothing to do with [...]
March 23rd, 2011 at 9:32 am
Yeah since my ghetto report card, nobody has been coming close to e-40′s beat selection.
March 23rd, 2011 at 10:32 am
OK SERIOUSLY NOZ, LISTEN TO HUSTLIN SINCE DA 80s. You need this album. It will change everything you ever thought you knew about bay area rap. Here’s the torrent link:
http://btjunkie.org/torrent/Husalah-Huslin-Since-Da-80s-2007-Hip-Hop/432472a76c51d9fe722719f02af4a8868df56257b22c
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:51 am
Had that Husalah album on the HD for a minute. Good production, average rapping.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:48 pm
“Had that Husalah album on the HD for a minute. Good production, average rapping.”
Did it not CHANGE EVERYTHING YOU EVER THOUGHT YOU KNEW ABOUT BAY AREA RAP then?
March 23rd, 2011 at 1:13 pm
AVERAGE RAPPING? You’ll have to excuse me while I recover from what I just read. It is a masterpiece, plain and simple. There is a 5 and a half minute song about clothing and shoes. It’s incredible.
March 23rd, 2011 at 1:30 pm
I like Hus, but Nate just made the least compelling argument for a rapper in the history of the internet.
March 23rd, 2011 at 2:16 pm
There is a 5 and a half minute song about clothing and shoes. It’s incredible.
===================================================================
“Gear” is the only song on there that I’ve played more then twice.
March 23rd, 2011 at 2:27 pm
“Husalah Shine” is incredible from all angles. The lyrical content a synthesis of gritty street rhymes with occasional free association leanings of Lil B delivered in a way only Hus knows. “Talk It Out” is one of the saddest songs I’ve ever heard. “Street Story” “I fell in love with crime” “It’s Kinda Hot” INCREDIBLE songs. Maybe my opinion is a fluke, but I don’t think so. Most rap albums are loaded with guest features. Not this one. Hus keeps it lit 100% on this one. “I want to be a husalah” is probably the weakest track on the album, but it’s 07-era bay area rap. Of course it’s gonna have one or two hyphyish tracks. It’s such a different album from what’s usually made in the bay area….Or made in any region. And the bass lines are so great.
I’m gonna start a Facebook group “FUND TO PURCHASE 9TH WONDER A SUBWOOFER FOR HIS STUDIO”
March 23rd, 2011 at 2:55 pm
im startin to see what i must look like when i let my hyperbrolic stanboyism take over, which is often. he is right though and husalin since da 80s is indeed A CLASSIC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43hY4WQuZF4
Husalah Shine, probably the best example of how he does.
Amp id suggest you revisit it, I felt the same first time i heard it (i thought it was one of the biggest wastes of production that great id ever heard) but Hus is just an aqquired taste.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGx1WUpG6Vs this too.
youtube has no respect for the low end
March 23rd, 2011 at 2:59 pm
and for those 5 and a half minutes i love a lot of clothes that i ordanirly strongly dissaprove of.
easily up there with wu-wear and my adidas imo.
March 23rd, 2011 at 3:12 pm
THE CLICK REUNION!!
March 23rd, 2011 at 3:20 pm
My personal fav’ moment on Huslin’ Since Da 80s is Hus’ extolling the virtues of 10″ subwoofers over 15″ ones by doing an impression of the specific way they pop at the end of Fighting The Feds.
March 23rd, 2011 at 5:31 pm
That new Yelawolf rap on the XXL Freshman tape, with the flip of Nina Simone? Sick. It’s cool that Hodgy is a fan too, they’ve got similar “don’t give a fuck” energy imho.
March 23rd, 2011 at 5:57 pm
“this shit has me feelin like my pops or somethin, some earth wind and fire, like back when the ogs was wearin catsuits with hella glitter”
Fighting the Feds outro adlibs are up there with Bobbito’s “buttery biscuits!” etc from Rhymes Like Dimes
March 23rd, 2011 at 7:16 pm
It’s called rain not raid
March 23rd, 2011 at 7:16 pm
^^ switch those, its called raid
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:09 pm
hustlin since the 80s is front->back classic, the raps are incredible. lol @ saying its a beat record **rolls eyes**
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:12 pm
i flow to this for a reason, to see my thoughts / its right between the rhymes, and right next to the knock
March 24th, 2011 at 10:41 am
yeah “hustlin since da 80′s” is front to back classic.
March 24th, 2011 at 12:48 pm
yeah “hustlin since da 80?s” is front to back classic.
=============================================
Bay Area Classic, maybe. That’s your opinion.
It’s not like dude dropped the new millennium’s Illmatic or anything like that so let’s keep things in perspective.
March 24th, 2011 at 1:03 pm
That is a Flaming Lips sample on that Shady Bambino track, fwiw…from Yoshimi Battles Pink Robots.
@T-March: “that CRISPY pop, nahmsayin?” My favorite moment on that record too. Music criticism!
March 24th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Fighting the Feds and Gear are my favorites off that cd. Jacka x Husualah – Shower Posse album and the whole Mob Trial series is a must listen. Can’t wait for the new Hus and Mob Figaz albums coming this summer!
March 24th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
“Bay Area Classic” – and this makes it lesser?
The Illmatic comparison is meaningless really too because Hustlin Since Da 80s was made in 2007 by a rapper from Pittsburg. Criticising an album without appropriate context is pointless. Rap has too mant diferent variations be they regional, generational or otherwise to not factor in that relevant informating when judging any album, which is not compromising or lowering standards, just changing them. Which is actually how you “keep things in perspective”.
March 24th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
ah fucks sake i was doin so well, nevermind.
March 24th, 2011 at 5:58 pm
mellowhype is really strange. still fishing around for a voice and not quite there yet, but at the same time it may be the most promising division of O.F.
and i’ve got to agree about hodgy, formerly one of the weaker/more forgettable personalities of the group, now seems to be tightening up his game at an alarming pace…while everyone else seems to be about as good as they were back when this shit first dropped.
good thing they have you as a coach
March 24th, 2011 at 7:04 pm
“Bay Area Classic” – and this makes it lesser?
=========================================
No, but to be considered a Hip-Hop classic, it must be received that way across the board.
There aren’t enough people that recognize this album as a classic for me to.
I can say any album is a classic. Doesn’t make it true.
March 24th, 2011 at 8:39 pm
And lots of people saying something is a classic makes it so?
idontthinksotim.jpg, forreal.
People don’t know shit and HUSTLIN SINCE DA 80s being slept on by almost everyone (save for Nation of Thizzlam) is further evidence of this. What constitutes a “classic”? It certainly can’t be a lot of people liking something.
March 24th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
lmao @ ampgeez
March 24th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
top notch trolling
March 24th, 2011 at 11:03 pm
@ Nate
———–
So can Hustlin Since Da 80′s be held in the same regard as other classics from the genre? I mean certified albums like Ready To Die, Chronic 2001, Aquemini, etc. I’ve been playing it all evening & my tastes must not be as refined as yours cause I’m gonna step out & say it doesn’t.
@ David
So responding to a statement is trolling? Having a conversation where the two parties happen to disagree is trolling?
I’m beginning to sense the pretension that made me avoid commenting on spots like CB for so long.
Hop off mines doggy.
March 24th, 2011 at 11:38 pm
Hey, it’s just fucking music ammirite?
March 25th, 2011 at 2:41 am
When I get a little sloshed I tend to pony up for random shit. That’s how I ended up with the Cole Boyz “From Da Heartz of Dixie” album, which wasn’t too crazy but features the ridiculous Block Beattaz cut “Marching to Zion.”
Anyway, as linked from tumblinerb, I just copped the Pepperboy” One Moe Night” album, and I must say, the shit is pretty fly. No trends going on there. I recall Ego Trip describing “Livin’ Proof” as “low budget environments striving for protection.” That about sums it up, I think. It’s like the album was made in its own funky little bubble.
March 25th, 2011 at 2:42 am
And for some reason, in my precious little mind, the fact that I can’t find out a god damn thing about this Pepperboy character makes it even better.
March 25th, 2011 at 5:54 am
Who makes up the consensus now though? Raps so splintered that in ten years if you looked back and tried to decide what should be considered classic, youd have 30 different sets of critics/fans etc telling you different. This shit was only easier to agree on in the eighties because yeah non-NY rap wasnt as developed for the most part and rap wasnt as varied in styles but mostly because there just wasnt as much of it. Shit like the idea that Illmatic & Ready to Die is acclaimed as classic across the board is just a hangover from that NY-centric attitude usually and often just plain wrong. Go to Oakland or whatever and ask the average person for some classics and you could likely have more people saying the Chronic, Born To Mack or In a Major way or whatever than Illmatic.
Plus if you really think people across the board were praising Aquemini, Ridin Dirty etc like that in the late ninties your deluded. Outside of their regions those were more like cult classics (similar like Hustlin Since Da 80s) that recieved TONS of critical reappraissal in the last decade.
And saying shit like “prententious” & “my tastes must not be as refined as yours” are cheap shots used by people who dont know how to back up there argument, which has nothing to do with education either, just coherent thinking and writing. Man half the fun of the internets debating music like this, if that makes you uncomfortable you might be better of commenting somewhere where everyone has the same taste and agrees, Like a fan club. Thats sorta boring though.
March 25th, 2011 at 6:04 am
And to answer your question trollings where you just pop up with little digs etc, kind of like what im doing exept at least im trying to back up my points and offer something to continue the conversation. The more sophisticated class of trolling of the kind youl only find at refined, high-brow spots like CB.
March 25th, 2011 at 6:19 am
And get that stick out your ass no homo.
Trollings fun if you arent humourless.
March 25th, 2011 at 6:48 am
[...] New Rap Music by Noz [...]
March 25th, 2011 at 8:59 am
“Shit like the idea that Illmatic & Ready to Die is acclaimed as classic across the board is just a hangover from that NY-centric attitude usually and often just plain wrong. Go to Oakland or whatever and ask the average person for some classics and you could likely have more people saying the Chronic, Born To Mack or In a Major way or whatever than Illmatic.”
But albums like Illmatic & Ready To Die influenced so many other artists & received so much praise from fans & critics alike, it’s hard to deny their impact.
Will Husalin In Da 80′s have even a fraction of the impact on the genre as the “classic” albums I mentioned? I seriously doubt it. I’ve listened to it again & while I notice what Hus is trying to do lyrically & concede that he’s trying to be poetic with his words, his flow on some of those songs makes it hard to stay with him (nh) regardless of what he’s saying.
“Plus if you really think people across the board were praising Aquemini, Ridin Dirty etc like that in the late ninties your deluded. Outside of their regions those were more like cult classics (similar like Hustlin Since Da 80s) that recieved TONS of critical reappraissal in the last decade.”
You have a point with UGK but Aquemini got 5 Mics in The Source. And those were groundbreaking albums who’s appeal crosses regional boundaries. First time I heard Riding Dirty I knew it was special. Same with all of the albums I consider Hip-Hop classics.
“And saying shit like “prententious” & “my tastes must not be as refined as yours” are cheap shots used by people who dont know how to back up there argument, which has nothing to do with education either, just coherent thinking and writing.”
And what is my argument? That Husalin In Da 80′s is not a classic Hip-Hop album?
I thought I made my point clear. HID80′s cannot stand next to any of the albums I mentioned on any level. To consider it a classic in that vein is kinda ridiculous. But opinions are like assholes & you’re entitled to yours…even if it’s stretched paper thin.
Plus, why should I take time to construct an argument why it isn’t a classic when I’ve yet to see a strong argument why it is?
“Man half the fun of the internets debating music like this, if that makes you uncomfortable you might be better of commenting somewhere where everyone has the same taste and agrees, Like a fan club. Thats sorta boring though.”
Look at these comments and tell me CB’s C-Section doesn’t look like Husalah’s Fan Club’s forum. Stan on young man, stan on.
I’ll leave the trolling to the trolls. You guys are great at it.
I just like to talk about rap music.
March 25th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
i consider ‘hustlin since the 80s’ to be a classic album on that level
March 25th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
i consider ‘it was so much better 10 years ago’ rap blog commentators to be the most boring, even when you include borks & mac miller fans
March 25th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
nas stans are probably worse tho
March 25th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
what the fucks a bork?
I actually now hate mac miller as a human being too after hearin him talk in that xxl roundtable thing.
Amp id like to hear what you think might be the post-05 classics in ten years time. Im being sincere, not to mock your choices or anything, im just curious.
March 25th, 2011 at 9:04 pm
“why should I take time to construct an argument why it isn’t a classic when I’ve yet to see a strong argument why it is?”
Lead by example.
And yeah Outkast got a lot of Source love but that wasnt across the board praise. Plus a lot of people even disagreed with their definition of classic as demonstrated by Big Boi when he asked for that half mic. (ha now im wondering if this played a role in Aquemini getting 5 mics? I cant be the first person to think this. Kinda ironic cos Big threw shots at Wayne for brainwashing people with “best rapper alive” shit and he may have actually done the same thing.)
March 26th, 2011 at 2:12 am
This MellowHype track is just killing me.
March 26th, 2011 at 7:03 am
[...] New Rap Music – Noz discusses recent tracks by E-40, Freestyle Fellowship, Pusha T and others. [...]
March 26th, 2011 at 6:41 pm
the 50 cent pusha song is called “raid”, he says its like raid on you roaches, the chopper is an animal it is ferocious
March 27th, 2011 at 8:52 am
Nas stans are probably the most objectionable people on the whole internet.
March 28th, 2011 at 9:37 am
Sadly, Nas stans appear to make up an alarming population of humanity. Luckily, they’re fair-weather rap fans at best.
“Hustlin’ Since da 80′s” is weird because it’s apparently mostly just freestyles, and it’s better than Husalah’s “ALBUM ALBUM”. If Hus can translate ‘Hustlin’ to an album format, then maybe he’s got it. Until then he’s just somebody who can drop really great verses.
March 28th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
who cares if hes good at arranging & sequencing an album if he has friends who do a great job of it for him? i wonder how many classic lps were sequenced by suits or producers rather than the dudes who were dropping 16s
March 28th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
until he does it on his own, then hes ‘just’ someone who droppd a classic album
March 29th, 2011 at 4:03 am
yeah a lot of people cant be trusted with creative control, they end up with the 400-peice orchestra complete with dustbin lid players & Himalayan throat singers ala Dewy Cox. Rap needs more mountain climbing eletric guitar players again, least ones who enjoy rap music anyways.
April 10th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
“Ready To Die, Chronic 2001, Illmatic”
Chronic 2001? Really, my dood? All this fuss over somebody who thinks Chronic 2001′s a classic album.
June 3rd, 2011 at 8:26 pm
legendary producer Hurt M Badd strikes again…if it wasnt for Hurt M Badd the Late Tupac Shakur couldn’t have left us with the classic cd MAKAVELLi…. cause it was Hurt m badd who created the music that brought out pac’s innermost feelings and vision of the months that lead to his deaf….might as well say Hurt M Badd shot him….the mystery is solved…. now Hurt m badd is killing them again with this X BOX joint …teaming up SmooveeSmoove outta chi town…. shiiiit is hot check it out ……
September 1st, 2011 at 5:31 am
just cooooooolllll