NOTORIOUS B.I.G. Player Hater!

My favourite rap piece - even if it isn't quite rap...

Oh, and it's from Life After Death

And, by the way, I normally hate rap.

Well, that's one track.

How about a whole CD? Where EVERYTHING on the motherfucker is good. I'm looking for the whole, "put it in, hit play, and just shut up and listen" experience.

Dean - the newest album by OutKast, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. It is one of the best rap-hip-hop albums I've ever heard. Really, much of it transcends the genre altogether. It rocks.

You can download it legally for less than $10 on the net. Mail me, if you want, and I'll put up a couple of mp3's for you and Rosemary to check out, so you can see if you like it before you buy it. Good luck!

The Grey Album with the lyrics from Jay-Z's Black Album laid over beats from The Beatles White Album.

Quite simply groundbreaking, revolutionary and awesome. Also hard to find now since the company that owns the Beatles catalog decided to threaten to stop its distribution despite the fact it was a non-commercial artistic endeavor.

You can still find it on the file sharing sites but if you need a copy I can hook you up.

I did a post here, http://www.zygote-design.com/archives/000208.html

It's not "classic" but it will be.

Regarding that Player Hater song, "not quite rap" is an understatement, lol. It is a satirical cover version of The Delfonics' soul classic "Hey Love," with Biggie singing the lead.. there's basically nothing hip-hop about it, and it's more of a skit than a song, though it is quite funny.

Regarding your request, that's always a tough one.. picking individual songs is not too hard, "T.R.O.Y." by Pete Rock and CL Smooth always comes quickly to mind. But for an entire album.. my initial thought would be De La Soul's 2nd and third album (De La Soul is Dead, Buhloone Mind State) or the same for Public Enemy (It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Fear of a Black Planet).

But it's always so difficult for someone like me, who has spent his life immersed in the music, to judge how it will be received by virgin ears.

2 Live Crew - Automobile

The Outkast album cited above is excellent, but since so much of the record does stray from the genre's traditional boundaries, it may not be the best choice for illustrating the merits of the genre.

Also, their previous album "Stankonia" is even better.

Roots Manuva buddy. You'll love it.

Oops, read the whole post.

Motion 5000.

I have no idea if people listen to this stuff and I could give a rat's ass. This one will shred you to the bone.

Public Enemy, Apocalypse '91.
Though not a rap fan, I loved this album. Even if your buddy hates it, he should like the last song "Bring on the noise" (though it could be "noyze" in the rap world) This song is a collaboration with Anthrax.

Now, if you want classic try the Beastie Boys' License to Ill or Paul's Boutique, or Run DMC's Raising Hell or their eponymous album.

I have Paul's Boutique. It's a freaking masterpiece.

I'm more of a nu-metal fan currently (e.g. Linkin Park), but I occasionally run across rap that I like. One of the things I listen for is a lack of "swallowed" syllables--every syllable fits into a regular patterned meter. This isn't easy from a lyricist's perspective, but the result just flows so much better.

That said, Eminem is pretty consistently good by this metric.

you MUST own the following rap albums:

Public Enemy: It takes a nation of millions to hold us back
A Tribe Called Quest: The Low End Theory
The Roots: Things fall Apart
Blackalicious: Nia
Atmosphere: The Lucy Ford EPs
Dr Octagon: Dr Octagynecologist
Quannum: Quannum Spectrum
NWA: Straight Outta Compton
Mountain Brothers: Self: Volume 3
Slick Rick: The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
Outkast: ATLiens and Speakerboxx/Love Below
Common: Resurrection
Nas: Illmatic
Wu-Tang Clan: 36 Chambers
De La Soul: 3 feet High and Rising and De La Soul is Dead
Eminem: Infinity or the Slim Shady EP (not the slim shady LP)

Each of these albums in some way represents the best of what hip-hop has to offer. The lyrics are brilliant, the production is unrivalled, and the rappers have a mastery of tone and inflection, an ability to make rhyming over incredibly complex beats sound like reading iambic pentameter with a metronome, and a certain charisma that defies explanation. If you like these, you'll probably like hip-hop in general. If not, it may not be for you.

Check out Deltron 3030, a project put together by Dan the Automator, Del tha Funky Homosapien, and Kid Koala.

Dammit Dean, i wrote an extremely long commentary on 5 unbelievable rap albums, but it got deleted because of one of the guys I work with not minding their own buisness. See me tomorrow and I'll show instead of tell.

NO! Lysander, please tell! Or Dean, tell us what was recommended.

I'm highly interested -- I love music. All kinds. Hell, I remember when Sugar Hill Gang took the world by storm with Rapper's Delight. So, I'm always interested in music.

Now, if you want some funk recommendations. . .LOL

Run DMC, De La Soul and Wu-Tang Clan avoid rap-metal because its generally the worst of both worlds. I can't stand most rap, but some of it is amusing at times. I hate gansta-rap and the misogonistic anti-women violent rubbish peddled by many hip-hoppers.

Dr. Dre, Chronic 2000

Eminem. I love all Eminem, but the Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show are particularly good. Also, in my opinion, Eminem's "Lose Yourself" (off the 8 Mile soundtrack) is a high-water mark for rap music.

All suggestions above I agree with as well.

Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Outkast. Dr. Dre.

I may have missed it, but someone has to have mentioned "The Chronic" (not 2000). Dr. Dre's album is probably most effective at literally dropping you in the middle of Compton, for better and worse.

If you're a George Clinton fan, you'll appreciate much of what Dre "borrowed" from Mr. Clinton.

And though some may not agree, I'd definitely put Luscious Jackson in the hip-hop category. In that case, the album "Natural Ingredients," which is quite nice.

As a Kentuckian, I'd be remiss in not recommending the last two albums by Nappy Roots. Enjoy.

definitely get Tupac's All Eyez On Me for starters. NWA and Run DMC's greatest hits are also essential for a sense of foundation.

Blackalicious: Nia and/or Blazing Arrow
Digable Planets: anything
Black-Eyed Peas: anything
Busta Rhymes: The Coming
Tricky: anything
Beastie Boys: Paul's Boutique, Ill Communication

To name a few.

Another vote for Public Enemy, especially Fear of a Black Planet.

I have to recommend the Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight." Now that(!) is classic.

John,

I like the Black-eyed peas. What's the one where she sings "Where is the love?" in the answer? And then the song that's a dance number? That's a good one. Saw that on Saturday Night Live and I was impressed. Good band, good intentions, good message, good music.

not your typical gansta rap, but hip-hop nonetheless, i think:

prefuse 73 - "Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives"
stars as eyes - "Enemy of Fun"
dabrye - "Instrmntl"

i'd recommend cex, too, except that his stuff can tend to come off as "novelty" (raps about middle school, 10-speeds, etc.), even though i think he's really genuine about it all.

Atlanta krunky goodness - Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz, Ludacris, Youngbloodz....just try not to bob yo head and raise a 40.

I recommend Exinex.

I'll back up fish and Kusch: Blackalicious is one tight duo. "Blazing Arrow" is kind of a concept album - one song leads into the next - but "Passion" off of it was my anthem for about four months last year (when I had lost mine). The refrain WILL get you going. "Nia" is really good as well; "Shallow Days" from that CD is an argument against gangsta rap that gets better and better with each listen.

Everyhing I've found from the Quannum collective (www.quannum.com) has been excellent. It's a group of groups - Blackalicious, Latryx, Lyrics Born, and a few others - that teamed up to produce and promote their own stuff.

I haven't heard a bad song from the new Outkast CD pair yet.

I'm surprised no one has hit on Jurassic 5 yet. They do a little more hip-hop, but the lyrics are very well-constructed. "Power in Numbers" is a great album. I can't say I liked every song equally, but there are definitely enough gems to justify a buy.

If I can send you a couple of songs, let me know. I own all of them.

And thanks to everyone else for their sugggestions. I appreciate them as well.

CS

"Tricky: anything"

Ooh, and don't forget (I'm assuming that it's usually listed under Tricky's name, but just in case...) the Nearly God project, from a year or so after Maxinquaye.

Because Margi above asked me so nicely above i'll mention again the erroneously deleted albums from my post yesterday

Dr Dre (The Chronic): What more can be said about one of the greatest albums (yes albums!) of all tyme. An all around winner from beginning to end. The semiole album that ushered out an era of Gangsta Rap (and for you urban culture deprived folks out there, yes gangsta rap has been pronounced dead since about 1992), and rang in the evolved style of G-Funk. A hip-hop version of Parliament's P-Funk, this album is inflected with some of the best samples George Clinton and parliament had to offer. Not to mention it was the album that brung to the forefront the formidable rhyming skills of the rapper who would later become famous for the phrase "For shizzle, my nizzle.", the indomitable Snoop Doggy Dogg.

The Roots (Phrenology): In the defense that rap is not music made by live artists, I present to you the Philly-based band The Roots. daringly different, the band glares in the face of rap-naysayers and redefines the genre with every groundbreaking album. Their drummer Questlove could give both Lars Ulrich (Metallica) and Neal Pert (Rush) a run for their money. A virtual DJ named Scratch who has to be heard to be believed and the rest of the stellar band Kamal (Bass),Hub (keyboards), Ben (lead guitar). Not to mention the world class lyricist/lead vocal Black thought and you've got nothing but true philly-soul coming through and through. This album in particular owes much to the acid jazz vein of music, and to many would seem a departure from conventional hip-hop. But for the roots it's just another hit album to nod your head to.

Outkast (AtLiens): The Grammy award winning duo has been touted out this year as stars among stars. Their latest effort Speakerboxx/The Love Below (though not entirely a collaborative effort, because both discs are by the individual member) is lightyears beyond what others have tried within the industry, but can not be judged as an "Outkast" album. More like a "project". Their earlier effort "Stankonia" was very accesible (or acceptable) for those not familiar with the more popular trends of rap, and their first outing "southernplayalisticadillacfunkymusik" will go down in history not only as the longest one word title for a rap album, but possibly the sonically best debut for a rap duo. But to me their greatest effort so far and the most listenable of their second joint. Atliens is solid all the way through with no lags, snags, or slowdowns in the entire album. The definition of the term "tight" is this album.

Princess Superstar (Is): Equate the ultimate female MC. Female empowerment + the raunchiness of Lil' Kim - the preachiness of Lauryn Hill + the rock of Deborah Harry + the sarcasm of Carly Simon = the intellect of Tori Amos and you've got the baddest bitch on the block. Undoutebly one of the greatest female rap artists on the planet. Her latest effort "Is
" features several guest stars from the fringes of the hip-hop community and boasts some of her most ingenious work ever.

All of these reviews are solely based on my opinion though, and you'll hear them for yourself to make the final call. Hope I've given you some insight into the beauty of the genre, especially when most people only glorify the beast of it.

Thanx 4 listening :)

CS: I didn't mention Jurassic Five because I think that, while they are quite good, they aren't transcendant of the genre in the way that some others are. They make very well crafted old school hip-hop records, but they limit themselves, lyrically mostly to battle rap and party tracks. While that's certainly acceptable, its not the kind of thing to turn a hip-hop athiest into a convert. I'd say that if dean likes the other stuff (blackalicious, the roots, et al.) he should try J5.

"Sublime", The album of the same name by the band, Sublime. Ska/reggae with hip-hop/rap overtones.

Fish -

I understand. J5 is a little more pop, but "Freedom" and "Sum of Us" I really like. If that's battle rap, I like it. I really like alliteration so I look for it, and when someone pulls off

They call me 2Na, as in fishin', see?
So efficiency is my mission, see?

They got me. :)

Thanks for pointing out the Roots, too. I forgot. New to the genre.

CS

The best of the newer I would say is Nappy Roots, mostly the Watermelon Chicken and Grits album... excellent start to finish though more hiphop than hard rap. Going back to the ancient age; the mid 90s, Warren Gs Regulators and Return of the Regulator have material that haunted me for years before I dug them up. Missy Elliot is, I think, doing the best pophop today by far.