"And it don't stop..." OFFICIAL Hip-Hop Discussion Thread

Are we allowed to do throwbacks on here?



"this track brings the average career to a halt
is it my fault you fell victim to my verbal assault"

What a fucking line.

Actually why the hell not? Post your favorite throwback joints.

 

The past week has been a great one for rap. For people who haven't already grabbed J. Cole's Friday Night Lights mixtape, what are you waiting for? It's free on his website. The tape blows the vast majority of rap albums out of the water. Before this I had been a fan of his but I was worried that the hype was getting to be a bit too much and it was unlikely he would be able to live up to it. This tape shows otherwise. I ended up deleting like 2 songs off the entire thing. If this is what he is putting on the mixtape, I can't wait to see what's in store for the album.

Also, I just found out yesterday that Kanye's album leaked. Of course, I downloaded it immediately and it is absolutely incredible. I know Kanye can be a jackass at times but in my opinion he is the best producer out there right now, and this album proves it. Best Kanye album yet. The lyrics aren't anything to write home about but Kanye has never been too great of a rapper anyway. Going in, you have to know it's the production that will shine and holy shit does it shine. If you're a downloading asshole like me, get this asap. It blew me away. If you're waiting for the official release to buy it then....well...I feel bad that you won't get to experience this album for a few more days.

 

My initial reaction to the album is "meh". Maybe it's because I've only listened to it through shitty lap top speakers and I need to put it on something with some bump, but I'm definitely not blown away. I like Kanye, and he's put out some really good albums. To call this one his best yet is definitely a stretch. Even judging the album only on it's production, there weren't any songs that stood out as awesome to me.

On the other hand, J. Cole is the dopest dope and in my opinion the best thing rap has going for it these days.

 

Well there's your problem dude. If you had terrible vision, would you go to an art museum without your glasses? Laptop speakers are shit. You can't hear anything on those things. Get some nice headphones and a good soundcard at least.

 

I listened to J. Cole's mixtape based on dubya's review and I gotta say I was really really impressed. Some songs started a bit slow, but once he started into his verse I just sat back and said "wow". Very good stuff, especially "Who Dat" which is the new single off of his upcoming album Cole World, which I will be attaining, whether legally or illegally.

 

I don't know if anyone else has been able to listen to the new Kanye album, but it really is a great album. Not only because Rolling Stone gave it five stars, but because it is legitimately a great cd. Fantastic production, and many guest appearances from some of the best acts in hip hop will surely make is one of the top albums of 2010. Also, the new Lloyd Banks cd is dropping soon. Having heard a few songs, I really can't wait for the album to drop. I have always been a fan of Bank$, but his newer music sounds like he has grown up a lot lyrically. If anyone has any thoughts on either of these two new albums, I'd love to hear them...

 

I'm halfway through the album now on THX certified speakers. Let me tell you, this album sounds good as fuck. I'll have to go back and say the lyrics are not groundbreaking, but its good to hear the people on the album. The Clipse make an appearance, Jay-Z once again proves he still can keep pulling shit out the tank, and the always wonderful yet schizo sound of Nikki Minaj. I'm happy I downloaded the album, definitely got my moneys worth.

Edit: I take back what I said about the lyrics. On "Hell of a Life" he spits

Spoiler

No more drugs for me / pussy and religion is all I need.

Yes and Yes.

 

Jay-Z's verse on So Appalled is awesome. Incredibly self-aware.

 

I fucking hated 808's & Heartbreak. But I think My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is easily album of the year, and I don't think it'll be topped in the next two years or so.

It is everything that Kanye is - narcissism, ego, materialism, insecurity, woundedness, conscience, you name it. It is a masterwork of hip-hop, a breath of fresh air in the genre. It is Kanye going full-on Queen, playing to the stage, holding his audience on the tip of his baton.

I can't really explain how good this album is, so I'll quote a review:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/133594-kanye-west-my-beautiful-dark-twisted-fantasy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/133 ... d-fantasy/</a>
<a class="postlink" href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14880-my-beautiful-dark-twisted-fantasy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/148 ... d-fantasy/</a>
10/10 from both outlets.

 

I haven't gotten to any official reviews, but I have to say Nicky Minaj is fucking talented if you didn't already know from all her spots on others tracks.
Of course she's getting compared to Lil' Kim who had something to say about it. Lil' Kim's shit was weak as hell. But here is Nicki's response from her new album Pink Friday with the newly revived and now becoming more versatile Eminem.

 

What the fuck is this shit. (NSFW for gore)

NSFW

 

As far as Nicki's new album is concerned, I think that it's pretty good. I haven't listened to it thoroughly enough to give a valid opinion, but the mentioned song with Eminem is great. The other songs that stick out are the ones that feature rappers Drake, Kanye, and will.i.am. I definitely agree that she is a step above Lil' Kim, but I don't know if I would put her in the same ball park as some of the other rappers that I really listen to. However, as I said, I need to listen to Pink Friday a little bit more before I give a fair opinion of her album.

On a seperate note, I couldn't be more excited for the new Dr Dre album, Detox. Given the fact that it has been pushed back for years now, I have very high expectations for it. If anyone wants a sample of what the album may sound like, check out the song "Kush" with Akon and Snoop Dogg. Pretty sick beat, with Dre and Snoop rapping about one of their favorite hobbies. I read online however, that this is the only song dedicated to smoking weed. Only time will tell if it will rank up there with 2001, but if it really does drop in early 2011 like they are saying, I will be first in line to pick it up.

 

I think the guys over at rapreviews.com summed up how I felt about Nicki's album pretty well. The album was very very formulaic. It seems like she was trying to do a female version of Tha Carter III. It has a couple of decent tracks but I wasn't really impressed with the production. Roman's Revenge seems like a total rehash of A Milli. Nicki's got talent for sure and has thrown in some great guest spots, but as an artist she seems a bit lost. She is focusing too much on getting rich and not enough on letting her seemingly interesting personality shine through. I think as she matures and doesn't feel so much pressure to put out a hit album, she could make a classic.

 

I've been pretty much splitting my time between Nicki Minaj and Kid Cudi lately. I'm almost embarrassed at how much I'm loving Pink Friday. Like others have mentioned, it seems a little bit forced, trying too hard to be hit material, but overall a solid, enjoyable album. One of my favorite tracks is Did It On 'Em, which features such lovely lyrics as "If I had a dick, I would pull it out and piss on 'em." Truly a girl after my own heart.

 

Kanye West might have just topped fucking Graduation with this album.

 

I haven't listened to the album yet, because what I had heard from it was pretty meh. That songs kicks though. It reminds me a lot of one of my favorite Roots songs, so I'll definitely be giving it a listen now. And here's the afore mentioned Thought @ Work for comparison.

 

I can't stop listening to this remix. I like Wiz Khalifa and the Taylor Swift sample is interesting, but works.



And this Wale freestyle is ridiculous. The beat is simple but perfect which lets Wale run wild.

 

A friend of mine has been trying to get me into rap, and while I have resisted the vast majority of his efforts, I did really like these two songs;

 

Over 2,500,000 million hits in four days. Dre's back.

Spoiler

It definitely feels like a big single but I'm still a big fan of the fat tuba in the back. At least Snoop is back to his old self...

Still I am
tighter than the pants on Will.I.Am
backthrow, back still, I have a pound in my backpack
next to where the swishas at, smokin' presidential
got some bubba, I give ya that
need it for my cataracts
four hoes, and I'm the pimp, in my Cadillac
you can tell them Cali back

 

Why are you depriving yourself of so much incredible art? I don't get why people refuse to try to get into things, whether it be a type of music, or tv show, or whatever. What have you got to lose?

By the way, first single off Tha Carter IV dropped. I'm digging it pretty hard. Listen and download link here: <a class="postlink" href="http://hulkshare.com/p1bg0u8if0k6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://hulkshare.com/p1bg0u8if0k6</a>

"You niggas is gelatin; peanuts to an elephant"

Weezy is out of his mind awesome.