EFK's OFFICIAL Hip-Hop thread

[Marq]

Not sure if we've got one already, but fuck it.

Anyway, let's start off with a discussion -- all you EFK'ers, top three hip-hop records? And for the sake of goddamn courtesy, can we not attack each other and snipe over our tastes? Let's have a grown-up discourse, please.

In no particular order:

1.) "Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Blackstar" - I'm a big fan of intellectual lyricists, and despite not being a commercial smash, this was very, very influential on my hip-hop tastes. Mighty Mos and Talib (along with Common!) showed kids in the late '90s like me a different side of hip-hop in the wake of Biggie and 2Pac's murders, which was sorely needed. This part from "Respiration" is STILL one of my favorite hooks in a straight-up hip-hop song:

So much on my mind, that I can't recline
Blastin' holes in the night 'til she bled sunshine
Breathe in, inhale vapors from bright stars that shine
Breathe out, weed smoke, retrace the skyline
Heard the bass ride out like an ancient matin' call
I can't take it y'all -- I can feel the city breathin'
Chest heavin', against the flesh of the evenin'
Sigh before we die like the last train leavin'

Poetry, son. Poetry.

2.) A Tribe Called Quest: "Midnight Marauders" - CLASSIC. All I need to say. "Award Tour" and "Electric Relaxation" were like... sonic medicine for me in college. I didn't listen to a whole lot of them when I was younger (I was six or seven when they were really big), but as I grew up, I started exploring other avenues when it came to rap.

3.) Kanye West: "The College Dropout" - I will always, always, always go with Kanye over Jay-Z. Why's that? Because when this record dropped, while everyone was talking about 50 Cent and Chamillionaire (LOL), here came this admittedly nerdy, clever everyman whose first single was recorded while he still had his mouth wired shut from a car accident. Now, what he's become in the years after has been controversial at best, but no one could deny that this record was just pure fun. "Through the Wire?" "Jesus Walks?" "All Falls Down?" That was a triple threat of singles from a guy who came out of nowhere for a lot of folks, including myself.

[Cory]

1. Dr. Dre --- The Chronic 2001

~ Need I say more? Smooth beats over many guys in their prime, Still DRE is one of my all time favorite songs in any genre, tack on "Whats the Difference", "Forgot About Dre", "Next Episode" and "Murder Ink". Unreal CD.

2. Snoop Dogg --- Doggystle

~ I think Snoops best CD, and I still have this CD, and I was 1 when it came out. I like to forgot about what Snoop does for music now and reminiscence about the 90s.

3. Eminem --- The Marshall Mathers LP

~ "Stan" is one of the greatest rap songs ever made, and this CD blows Eminems "HITS" with Rihanna out of the fucking water.

----

I'll add, two of my favourite rap tracks of all time, one more popular than the other. The first is one of the most powerful songs I've ever heard. Great beat, but unbelievable meaningful lyrics. The sad thing is that Poetic (second verse) passed away like a week after the song was released, which makes it even more powerful. I highly recommend it to anyone. One of my most played songs, this song puts ANYTHING that came out in the last 5 years to SHAME. This is hip hop.

The Last Emperor - One Life





SNOOP
Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre "Just Dippin' "

[Justin]

Anybody got Tha Carter IV yet?  I'm getting mine today after work.

[Cory]

I personally think Lil Wayne's trash, and hasn't had consistent tracks in like 5-6 years. I downloaded it a few days ago and aside from 6'7" which I've had for ages now, the rest of the CD was garbage. No lasting value, or substance to the songs.

But if Lil Waynes your thing, you'd prolly enjoy it. Lots of pointless, weed/money raps.

[Justin]

He's a mixtape genius.  I love Lil' Wayne, but his style isn't suited for mainstream CDs.

[Cory]

I think the exact opposite. Every since "Lollipop" hes come off as too mainstream for me. I've never been a big fan, because his metaphors are trash, but everyone seems to go insane over them, but he can rap. Just seems to have lost a touch.

Comparing Carter IV to Watch The Throne to me is light night and day.

[Justin]

I see your point, but I think he has tried to go more mainstream to help sell more albums, but that's not his style. 

I may be a bit biased here, but his metaphors are insanely genius.  In my opinion most people who knock him are because they don't understand the metaphors completely.  I bought the CD last night and I enjoyed it, my wife thought it sucks.  But back to his metaphors and similies.  On track 10 "Abortion" he says, "When life sucks, I just enjoy the head", while simple, nobody else could have come up with something like that.  But to me he's on top of the game right now so all he has to do is just maintain it.

[Sgt. Josh Underpants]

On track 10 "Abortion" he says, "When life sucks, I just enjoy the head",

I know I have seen that line before in a few other places and even on shirts, not really an original idea.

Now on to the topic at hand.

My top 3 hip-hop albums

Coolio- Gangsta's Paradise- 1995.  One of the first actual rap/hip hop cd's I ever actually listened to growing up and always stayed one of my favorites mostly due to Gangsta's Paradise.  Cruisin' and The Revolution also stick out as favorites of mine just from the over all feel.    The album itself is just a good look at the way rap used to be.

Lil Rob- The Album- 2002.  Of course of everyone here I'm gonna be the fucker who has to bust out the Chicano rap, but dammit this album is just a great throwback to the old school.  It puts me in a good mood, just chillin and letting the music flow.  It's not a fast flow like rappers now, but simple and just something you can groove too.  Plus I have to give major points on the fact that my cousins and I actually agreed on his music and would listen to him together.  Best songs off the album.  California- old school hip hop in form.  Brought Up In A Small Neighborhood- Throw back to the oldies and the homies.  Drinking On My Driveway- Simple song that just makes you feel good

Finally I'm gonna second Cory

Marshall Mathers LP.  It came out quickly enough to prove that he was more than just a one hit wonder after My Name Is.  He came in at the right time and I can't think of a single person who didn't have the album when I was growing up.

[Justin]

My Top 3 in no particular order

Bone Thugs N Harmony - E. 1999 Eternal

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Tryin

[Kennylz]

Wu-Tang Clan - 36 Chambers

Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep

Immortal Technique - Revolutionary, Vol. 2


I'm more into metal and stuff, but these three are some of my favorites as far as hiphop goes. I could, and do, listen to these albums repeatedly and they never seem to get old for me.

[Marq]

Fans of "Community" or Donald Glover in general -- "Camp" is set to drop THIS NOVEMBER!

Childish Gambino - Bonfire (HD/Studio/Explicit)

[Justin]

Nelly's Country Grammar was another good CD.

[Clauson]

In the song "Tony Montana" by Future... Does anyone else notice(d) the following things?

1) Future sounds like a drugged up retard the entire song?
2) It sounds like he's saying "Turning My Gender" instead of "Tony Montana" during the chorus due to his truly poor annunciation of his words?

The future of rap continues to baffle me...

[Justin]

Rap is going down the drain fast....all these one-hit wonder gimmick song rappers are killing the genre!!!