sounds like you’re checkin out some “older” hip-hop… her’s a short list of stuff you may or may not like and/or already have. -the 1st two NWA albums(straight outta compton & niggaz for life), Rza’s Bobby Digital(his first),Redman’s first 3 albums are CRAZY (whut the album,muddy waters and thar is a darkside), Cypress Hill’s temples of boom, Raekwon’s only built for cuban linx,B.I.G. ready to die,Jay-Z’s reasonable doubt and In my lifetime vol1,…that’s it for now…don’t dabble too much in underground stuff (usually has 1 or 2 good tracks and others that sound like the good ones)…just my opinion.
Minneapolis DOES have a good underground scene right now, the Rhymesayer crew (Slug, Atmosphere)even blowing up a little bit in Japan.
If you like Atmoshpere - do yourself a favor and check out the new Jaylib album on Stones Throw Records. Madlib can’t help but to make slammin’ tracks.
Madlib
Egon
Peanut Butter Wolf
post of the year
Am I the only person who likes “Paul’s Boutique” ?!
Hell no you aren’t, John!
In fact I was just listening to a mix CD at work today that has Shadrach and Shake Your Rump…truly great stuff!
If you’re just getting into early-mid 90’s hip hop, check out:
Nas-Illmatic
Raekwon-Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Ghostface-Ironman (Supreme Client. too)
House of Pain-Same as it Ever Was
Method Man-Tical
B.I.G.-Ready to Die
Tribe Called Quest-First 3 albums
Those are some of my favorites.
A Tribe Called Quest…hands down!
Any word whether or not they are getting together for a new album? I heard a few months ago they were!
Ok album. The top 20 list someone posted was mediocre at best. I’m sorry, but almost no Pac album is worthy of mention. not to rant on the side, but I’m not sure why people worship him. He was an average rapper, more often then not, his rhymes were not to raise anyone’s conscienceness, and well, he was only hard core after juice. Some underground cats are good, like wordsworth, thirsten, necro (how many cats know him). But as far as albums, why no G-Rap albums, since he really is the father of all this gansta stories (yes, nwa was before him, but their stories were real, G-Raps, while not false, were more of a story telling nature of the streets), why no Big Daddy Kane, who’s the father of all this rap and R&B bullshit. He was just too advanced for his time. Everyone just didn’t dig his shit, then everyone’s copying his shit. Fuck Ja Rule, who stole DMX’s Gimmick, and fuck DMX, who stole the whole raspy rap shit from NINE (who remembers that cat?) Fuck Eminem, who pretty much stole Chino XL’s style. and anyone that tells me CHino’s not nice is a moron. Why no mention of Canibus? Who probably is one of the nicest ever. He ate LL for breakfast, would tear EM apart (Em just doesn’t want it), and the whole ROC fam. Fuck Jay-Z because just like Nas, he only had one good album. his first. fucking thief, stealling lyrics from other rappers thinking he’s making it hot. Why no mention of Pun, who arguably is the nicest ever, I don’t give a fuck what anyone says. No mention of Lord Finesse, who might be the only cat that can crush canibus in a battle. Fuck most rap, it’s dead, but it’s a bout to be changed, believe that.
John,
I like Paul’s Boutique
Brothers,
I am here beside myself. How can anyone say that Chronic 2001 sucked. Its ridiculous that any true hip-hop fan would think that. There is a reason why Dre is arguably considered the most influential producer of the modern hip-hop era. Many of the beats in the songs by some of your favorite artists- Snoop, Eminem, 50, Xzibit- were composed by Dre. Where would any of these artists be without Dre? There’s certainly not much going on at Death Row without him. Out of the 15-20 songs on the album, at least 10 of them are smokin’. I can’t believe I even have to justify myself.
Please dont go M.C. Hammer or Vanilla Ice…
Bronx Bomber, I agree that Canibus rules.
Talking about producers, well I really really (really) like the RZA’s style. Everything he touches turns to gold (at least it used to be like that.)
Raekwon’s album seconded from here as well.
/Jacob