Recommend an old white guy some Hip-Hop.

Prederick wrote:

2.) How do we feel about Odd Future? I'll admit, I thought they were the black ICP at first, but "Yonkers" gets better every time I listen to it.

I had the opposite reaction- I really liked them at first, but after repeated listenings I'm getting increasingly bored. They do have skill, but I don't think it's enough to get me past their mediocre lyrics.
The production is decent, and it's cool that some of them are openly atheist (a growing trend i've noticed), but they feel more like a fad atm.

...and now that I remember this thread exists, Sims from Doomtree released a new album a few months ago, Bad Time Zoo, and it's really very good.

Also, hip hop supergroup Hail Mary Mallon (Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic and DJ Big Whiz) have their debut album dropping in a few weeks.

This was really impressive. Mostly safe for work no actual swearwords.

Benticore wrote:
Prederick wrote:

ARISE THREAD!

3.) Oh Lupe. Oh Lupe....

Did you get his oft-delayed album? is it worth picking up? I like Lupe but...well...

I picked it up, I'd been waiting for it for years.

If you like his first two albums, or any of the mixtapes, then you'll notice the sound is different on LASERS. I read some of the press surrounding the delay and it sounds like Atlantic tried to work him into being Bruno Mars or Drake. Not that there's anything wrong with them, but Lupe is on another level. Some of the new tracks sound over-produced, and not all pack the punch of his earlier stuff. Some of the guest stars are odd too, with none of the usual suspects except Matthew Santos.

That said, I like it. The sound is different, to the point of feeling experimental. It's as if he said, "Screw it, the record label is messing with me, I might as well see what I can do." A few of the songs have some really dark and subversive content if you listen for it, and he is still as inventive as ever. It just feels like the edge was dulled a bit. I see it as another step in his evolution. Hopefully Atlantic keeps its hands off of Food and Liquor II, or he finds a company that gives him free reign.

Yes, I'm a bit of a Lupe fanboy.

I found this on Youtube, I think it's from Food and Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album. I don't like the 'no homo' throwaway rhyme, but the rest is sharp.

Polliwog wrote:

If you like his first two albums, or any of the mixtapes, then you'll notice the sound is different on LASERS. I read some of the press surrounding the delay and it sounds like Atlantic tried to work him into being Bruno Mars or Drake. Not that there's anything wrong with them, but Lupe is on another level.

No, there's everything in the world wrong with Drake. Bruno Mars is slightly less bland, but Drake is coma inducing.

I've got a hard time getting into recent hip-hop, but I grew up listening to a lot of the new school/jazz-influenced hip-hop coming out of the NYC area:

The Beastie Boys released their new album for free:
http://hotsaucecommittee.com/

MrDeVil909 wrote:
Polliwog wrote:

If you like his first two albums, or any of the mixtapes, then you'll notice the sound is different on LASERS. I read some of the press surrounding the delay and it sounds like Atlantic tried to work him into being Bruno Mars or Drake. Not that there's anything wrong with them, but Lupe is on another level.

No, there's everything in the world wrong with Drake. Bruno Mars is slightly less bland, but Drake is coma inducing.

o/\o

NathanialG wrote:

The Beastie Boys released their new album for free:
http://hotsaucecommittee.com/

Not exactly.
You can listen to it for free but you need to pay to download it. Unless I missed something.
From what I've heard so far it's pretty good.

Tanglebones wrote:

Yay! MF Doom (now just DOOM, apparently) is one of my favorites.

Roots Manuva - Witness

And the subsequent remix, Witness Dub, is equally awesome.

Tanglebones wrote:

I've got a hard time getting into recent hip-hop

I have been too, lately. Roots Manuva has seen a lot of rotation in my playlists lately, as well as a little Public Enemy. Speaking of PE, I just recently heard some of their latest album, How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul (2007). My favorite track so far:

Public Enemy - Harder Than You Think

MF Doom is always great (Mm... Food), and the Beastie Boys' new one seems like it's pretty good, but I haven't listened to it yet. I really want to see Fight For Your Right - Revisited.

EDIT: because I'm tired and can't think too clearly right now.
EDIT EDIT: I didn't realize Fight For Your Right - Revisited is also already out.

My current obsession. Quite possibly the funniest, most clever rhymes I've ever heard. Similar to Ghostface Killah, each listen reveals some clever lyric.

Nas is back. Not that he ever really left.

Also, we've all copped "Return to 4eva" by Big K.R.I.T., right?

Lastly, how am I supposed to feel about Kreayshawn?

Prederick wrote:

Nas is back. Not that he ever really left.

Also, we've all copped "Return to 4eva" by Big K.R.I.T., right?

Lastly, how am I supposed to feel about Kreayshawn?

If you liked Illmatic, try some Elmatic:

Prederick wrote:

Nas is back. Not that he ever really left.

Also, we've all copped "Return to 4eva" by Big K.R.I.T., right?

Lastly, how am I supposed to feel about Kreayshawn?

Oh hells yes, just listened to that new Nas track this morning and it is FIYAH!!! Really taking it back to that no-structure-just-beats-and-raps style. <3!!!

As for Kreayshawn? Well, I guess it depends on where you stand on the whole 'whites appropriating black culture and using ni**er in their speech casually' argument. I think her 'Gucci Gucci' song isn't offensive; it's fun and as I was saying on some DJ forums, it's basically the L'Trimm "Cars That Go Boom" for this generation.

The thing is that rap/hip-hop has so many niches and permutations you can go your whole life without ever needing to listen to one particular sub-genre and be totally content.

Now if you really want old white man hip hop, check out my buddy's video:

Prederick wrote:

Nas is back. Not that he ever really left.

Also, we've all copped "Return to 4eva" by Big K.R.I.T., right?

Lastly, how am I supposed to feel about Kreayshawn?

Nas, hell yes.

Kreayshawn, hell no. Halfway through the first verse and I'm haunted by Lil Mama and that stupid song about her lip gloss. Not a good memory.

And now for something completely different...

LA underground and Project Blowed alums Thirsty Fish released a new album last month, Watergate, and I've pretty much been listening to it nonstop since. It's intelligent, subversive and catchy as hell. You can stream the entire album from the Mush Records site. The standout track is Sounds Like Rap, a scathing parody and critique of rap stereotypes, but there isn't a weak song on the album.

ruhk wrote:

And now for something completely different...

LA underground and Project Blowed alums Thirsty Fish released a new album last month, Watergate, and I've pretty much been listening to it nonstop since. It's intelligent, subversive and catchy as hell. You can stream the entire album from the Mush Records site. The standout track is Sounds Like Rap, a scathing parody and critique of rap stereotypes, but there isn't a weak song on the album.

I was checking that site out and didn't recognize any of the PB 'alums' (but I haven't really kept up with PB since the CVE/Ellay Khule/Abstract Rude era) and then saw that Busdriver was the exec. producer. That cat was wild back in the day, really out there with his style and fun to watch.

nel e nel wrote:

I was checking that site out and didn't recognize any of the PB 'alums' (but I haven't really kept up with PB since the CVE/Ellay Khule/Abstract Rude era) and then saw that Busdriver was the exec. producer. That cat was wild back in the day, really out there with his style and fun to watch.

That should have been "alumn-" I accidentally dropped the "n" and spellcheck didn't notice because of the chemical compound. Damn you, potassium!

Anyway, I hadn't really heard much from most of the Thirsty Fish guys, either, except for Open Mike Eagle, who released a pretty good album a year or two ago and makes a lot of appearances on Blowed artist albums.

Busdriver is as cool as ever. His last album couldn't quite cash the check written by Roadkillovercoat, but it was still good. I think he has another dropping later this year. He also has a non-hip-hop side-project called Physical Forms which released a collab ep with Deerhoof last year.

If you have any love for Wu-tang, and love the 8-bit sounds, well, let me humbly suggest Safety Words. One of the guys works at the grocery store near my house and I always say whaddup to him but didnt know about this group/mixtape thing he had going on. Free to download and I've been bumping it all nice. So hot!

More DJ Jazzy Jeff Summer mixes:
http://www.undrcrwn.com/summertime/

Ok, I finally did it. But none of the old, white men I gave Ludacris to seemed to appreciate it. Kind of a wasted Saturday.

Several months, no updates. So let me give you two things...

First off, is "Gonna Be A Beautiful Night" by Phonte. You might remember him as one of the members of Little Brother, a group that quickly became one of my favorites after I saw them open for Talib Kweli and Mos Def a few years ago. Produced by 9th Wonder (mostly), their entire discography is great, and Phonte's solo album is comically good.

Next, I am wholly excited to purchase Kendrick Lamar's next album, "good kid, m.A.A.d city". He is an astonishingly talented lyricist, and if you don't believe me, give "Rigamortis" a spin.

For me, personally, Kendrick may be the most talented rapper to debut in the last decade. He's ludicrously good.

I don't always agree with his politics, but holy sh*t is R.A.P. Music good. Like, really, really, really good. Like "best rap album of the year" good. Killer Mike and EL-P should always work together.

Lastly, I don't care where you get it, but the "Attack the Block" mixtape (inspired by the great British Sci-Fi flick) by Talib Kweli and Z-Trip is great.

Speaking of which, hey, here's a cut from Talib's next album, featuring, of all people, Kendrick Lamar! What a coincidence!

I'm enjoying Lupe Fiasco's new album, but sometimes I wish he had a bit more grit in his production.

Funny, I was gonna mention him too. He was talking to Terry Gross the other day.

Robear wrote:

Funny, I was gonna mention him too. He was talking to Terry Gross the other day.

Really? Cool. I'll have to download that episode. One thing I miss about my (20 minute) commute is NPR. Can't seem to be interested enough to listen from home though. Weird.

R.A.P Music is my Hip-Hop album of the year hands down.

better than Cancer 4 Cure even.

Sorry, it was "Tell Me More", not Fresh Air. Still a good interview.