I might be setting myself up for failure, but is there anyone here who isn't jaded by lack of quality, by this newer batch that still dig Hip Hop? I probably won't get too many people who will say they like rappers, but Hip Hop is not the same thing as mere rap. So who here is an advocate? If there are any takers: Favorite era, fav. artist, fav. album, fav. song. What made you a Hip Hop Head? I'm gone.

Peace, Hip Hop, and Purple Rain

Gangsta Cru... Black Girl Lost?

GangstaCru said:

Personally, I look at Hip/Hop as a culture of which rap is a main component. Personally, I like old hip/hop. Artists like, Rakim, The Sugar Hill Gang, De la soul, etc. Today's brand of rap, just does not cut it for me. Maybe it's because, not only does it all sound the same, but it has been "dumb down" so much, that it is barely recognizable. I have a friend that once said, "you know that rap will be in trouble when a new rap song starts to sample from a nursery rhyme or another rap song. This has come to pass.
[Edited 4/27/09 13:57pm]

Check this out:

What you say is true, I'm 21 and I don't really think that Hip Hop has been the greatest since I was about 10 or 11. I'm mainly only supporting those artists that I was introduced to pre 2000. It just seems like no one cares about the art, and no one is willing to get out of their comfort zones. More people need to show who they are as writers. People take the easy way out and make songs for the radio, but who's making songs that change lives?

Mstrustme said:

That's dope, reminds me a lot of how GZA takes off and does an entire song using a continuous theme (Labels, 0% Finance). But them again, he cited him as his rhyming hero. A very good choice, but this new batch of "stans" would swear someone as mediocre/lame as Curtis or Lil Wayne were superior.

GangstaCru said:

Just so I understand, are u saying that rap music and hiphop music are different? If so, how so?

Graycap23 said:

Hip Hop is the 4 components of DJing, B-Boying, Graffiti, and MCing. Rap is what the MC is supposed to do, but many rappers aren't MCs, and many MCs are inactive as far as studio releases are concerned. Hip Hop is a culture. The music of choice for Hip Hop is Rap. It spawned from the the sounds that the DJs were spinning at the parties, mostly disco and contemporary R&B. The dance breaks on the records of course allowed the dancers time to shine, but it also allowed MCs to brag about the DJ. Soon the DJs began aligning with MCs, and that combination helped push rap music. Even without rap music, they were still going to be DJs, Taggers, B-boys, and local MCs. It's when it became an industry that it gained the attention, but it was alive and well in the late 60s. SO THERE IS INDEED A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RAP MUSIC AND HIP HOP CULTURE.

I'll be old school till the day I fuckin die baby....














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[Edited 4/27/09 16:01pm]
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I don't know if I'm a hip hop head but I remember in the 90's I was really into rap and hip hop some of the people I liked were, Ludacris,DMX,Trina,Wyclef Jean,Jay Z,and theres probably some I don't remember right now. Recently I've been getting into chamillionaire mostly because my neighbor blasts it and I can't help but to hear it.I always liked Busta Rhymes his recent stuff included.

I am, but find discussing hip-hop on the org frustrating and unrewarding.

Am I the only person who thinks Rakim is overrated?


[Edited 4/27/09 19:03pm]

SCNDLS said:

SCNDLS said:

no, there are a lot people(idiots?) who think he's overrated

Cinnie said:

Not sure what happened here.

dilwithers said:

So because someone has a different view you label them idiots??? Oh, I see.

SCNDLS said:

something I picked up from the org

dilwithers said:

That would explain it.

SCNDLS said:

*Gasps* The God MC overrrated? Not sure you'll get many people to join you here. I have nothing but respect for Rakim, people still bite his lines today.

GangstaCru said:

I didn't say I don't respect him or admire his skills, just saying that he doesn't resonate with ME like other MCs.

SCNDLS said:

Well of course. Not my personal favorite MC, but one of the very best to me. But who else, do you regard as "top shelf" lyrically?

GangstaCru said:

KRS One is more of a complete package of great rhymes AND delivery. I also prefer Chuck D to Rakim.

But for complex, multi-layered, poetic rhymes I put Jay-Z and Biggie above Rakim easily, although I think his delivery is superior.

2 things killed Hip Hop:

1 - Puffy
2 - The Dirty South

SCNDLS said:

Hmmm... KRS and Chuck are cool, but I'm more Rakim and Kool G Rap. Jay and BIG *looks around* never really did it for me, they're cool, but I'm more Nas than either of them. Godson is easily in my Top 10, no question he's in the class with everyone I mentioned. More along the lines of a Rakim and G Rap combo. AZ (my honest opinion) was outshined, but very formidable as a rival to them all. You saw how he bodied Nas on "Life's a B*tch". So AZ gets a good faith vote.

MuthaFunka said:

Oh please don't say that. I admit, Puff isn't the poster child for fair business eithics and doesn't have a fantastic track record, but without him NO ONE WAS GOING TO SIGN BIGGIE. Hate him if you must, but this is a well known fact. And Scarface, UGK, Eightball & MJG, OutKast, Killer Mike, Bubba Sparxxx, Geto boys, Organized Noise, Goodie Mob, the entire Dungeon Family (many members were already named) are ALL DIRTY SOUTH artists. These guys are Hip Hop.

shorttrini said:

Or maybe you've just been watching too much MTV and haven't been looking for good Hip Hop? Because I can honestly say there is some shit-hot stuff being made in this day and age.

Roots Manuva
Aceyalone/Freestyle Fellowship
Saul Williams
Spank Rock
Edan
Mumbles
RJD2
El-P
Skinnyman
Parlour Talk
DJ Vadim
Myka 9
Flying Lotus

That's just a tiny drop in the bucket. Hip Hop is stronger than ever and more innovative then it's ever been. Obviously you're not going see this on MTV or your usual radio stations though.

Schoolly D was the baddest and coolest emcee.

Kool G Rap was the master.

Double Dee & Steinski's Ultimate Lessons are still at the top of the mountain today.

...
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....
[Edited 5/3/09 15:40pm]

Fiend said:

I don't watch MTV, can't stand it. I like old hip hop, De La, Rakim & Eric B, etc. I happen to be good friends with Saul, and to me he is more of a spoken word artist, not a rapper.

Do you think it's the entire digital era, or an overall lack of quality LYRICISTS? The written word is far more important than the video, ringtone, or the person spewing them out. If the rhymes are good, people should be able to pick accordingly. But like so many things, Hip Hop's real beauty is marred by people focused on aesthetics. What looks good as opposed to what sounds better. The acts are some trash, but they are selling their image. It hurts because I buy music. So to hell with someone trying to package "swagger" (a word that should be shot out of a cannon) just make a decent lyrical offering, that has suitable beats. And on that note... DJ PREMIER 4 EVER!!!

GangstaCru said:[quote]

SCNDLS said:

Puff went back to 1978 and decided to be lazy after Biggie died. He just sampled entire songs and started the whole "bling, shiny suits" era...and then the south slowed it down, dumbed it down, and furthered the bling and brought out the "video ho" era. Now, not ALL southern artists did that, but the ones that blew the shit up did.