Favorite Hip Hop Acts?

Off Topic
141

[quote]blackartsviper wrote:
1-packlondoner wrote:
To be honest, I’ve got no interest in someone showing me how much more money he’s got than me and that they’re about to fuck all the best looking women on the planet that I will never meet. It’s bad enough in real life that I face to face that stark reality!

That is pretty much what modern rap is for the most part to me. Puff Daddy/P Diddy/Puffy/Sean Combs/Talentless prick living off your dead friend - has a lot to answer for.

In the same way innovative heartfelt angsty alternative rock of the early 90s has been twisted into the fist-clenchy lighter-waving commercial stadium rock of Nickelback and those godawful c***s Evanescence.

Luckily, if you look hard enough you can still find artists of all genres that are keeping it real, rather than just being a triumph of shiny MTV videos over substance.

Packlondoner- If you’re having a hard time finding quality Hip Hop I suggest you visit a hip hop website like HIPHOPSITE.com or Hip Hop DX or SOHH. I’m also getting fed up with this lazy bullshit on the radio-I hate say this, but if Public Enemy came out now, there is now way they’re getting any spin on the radio. SAD BUT TRUE!

TURN OFF THAT FUCKIN Radio and Damn MTV!!!

[/quote]

Too true…

TV and radio plays what they are told to. Same as it ever was. If there’s one thing other than porn that the internet is good for, it’s seeking out great music - new AND old. I’m also a massive blues nerd and I can finally get hold of some amazing music that will never see the light of day in the UK.

To anyone in London can I recommend the MC battles on a Monday night at the Mean Fiddler off Charing Cross Rd?

Not exactly 8-mile quality but v good fun nonetheless.

142

I have a couple different catagories for my top MC’s.

Best rap groups,

X Clan
De La Soul
Tribe Called Quest
Public Enemy
Little Brother
Rage Against The Machine
Run DMC.

Best Albums:

Only Built for Cuban Links- Raekwon The Chef

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back- Public Enemy

Black Star- Talib Qweli, Mos Def

All of GhostFace Killah’a solo albums especially The Pretty Toney Album

3 Feet High and Rising-De La Soul

A Tribe Called Quests first 3 albums

Paid In Full- Eric B & Rakim

The Chronic- Dr Dre

Doggy Style- Snoop

I Am, Stillmatic, Illmatic, & It Was, Written- Nas

The Great Adventures of Slick Rick

To The East Blackwards- X Clan

Enter The 36 Chambers- Wu Tang Clan

Like Water For Chocolate- Common

The best rappers of all time in my eyes are:

Rakim
Plug 1 (De La Soul)
Ghostface Killah
Mos Def
Big Daddy Kane
Nas
Common
B.I.G.

Honorable Mention:

Cam’ron (yeah he isn’t the best rapper by far but he supplies my daily need of “grimey”). You gotta respect a man who can ask a chick “Ma, you gonna suck it or not”

143

[quote]Pootie Tang wrote:
I have a couple different catagories for my top MC’s.

Best rap groups,

X Clan
De La Soul
Tribe Called Quest
Public Enemy
Little Brother
Rage Against The Machine
Run DMC.

Best Albums:

Only Built for Cuban Links- Raekwon The Chef

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back- Public Enemy

Black Star- Talib Qweli, Mos Def

All of GhostFace Killah’a solo albums especially The Pretty Toney Album

3 Feet High and Rising-De La Soul

A Tribe Called Quests first 3 albums

Paid In Full- Eric B & Rakim

The Chronic- Dr Dre

Doggy Style- Snoop

I Am, Stillmatic, Illmatic, & It Was, Written- Nas

The Great Adventures of Slick Rick

To The East Blackwards- X Clan

Enter The 36 Chambers- Wu Tang Clan

Like Water For Chocolate- Common

The best rappers of all time in my eyes are:

Rakim
Plug 1 (De La Soul)
Ghostface Killah
Mos Def
Big Daddy Kane
Nas
Common
B.I.G.

Honorable Mention:

Cam’ron (yeah he isn’t the best rapper by far but he supplies my daily need of “grimey”). You gotta respect a man who can ask a chick “Ma, you gonna suck it or not”[/quote]

I’m really sorry but I cannot take seriously any list like this that does not have Chuck D down as one of the best rappers of all time.

It’s like not putting Hendrix down as one of the best guitarists of all time. It’s a given. First name on the teamsheet.

FIGHT THE POWER!

And here’s little ol’ me. A honky from London trying to keep it real… Now where’s my flav clock necklace? lol

PS The rest of it seems pretty cool :wink:

144

Damn I forgot about X Clan, and Lords of the Underground. Tribe is always solid, alot of talent came from that group,Busta, and Q-Tip to name a couple. And I do not remember seeing the Beastie Boys on anyone’s list, they’ve been keepin it real for a long ass time now.

145

[quote]WantAbs wrote:
Damn I forgot about X Clan, and Lords of the Underground. Tribe is always solid, alot of talent came from that group,Busta, and Q-Tip to name a couple. And I do not remember seeing the Beastie Boys on anyone’s list, they’ve been keepin it real for a long ass time now.[/quote]

Busta Rhymes didn’t come from Tribe Called Quest. His original group was Leaders of The New School. They were on the Arsenio Hall Show back in the 90’s and Busta just stole the damn show. I think it was there that people started looking at him as a solo artist. No one even knows the other guys in the group now.

146

Forgot about the Beasties… For a bunch of old guys they still rap pretty tight live. I saw them at Lolapalooza way back '94 and they were awesome then - And they still got it now.

Never knew Lords of the Underground until I saw them support Cypress Hill at the Brixton Academy back sometime after Black Sunday - another classic - came out. As near enough the only white guys at this gig, in one of the roughest black ghettos in the UK (at the time) me and my friend thought we weren’t gonna make it out alive when Lords did that ‘Phsycho Phsycho’ tune and everyone was jumping and giving us scary looks.

As it turns out it was a great gig and everyone was way too busy blazing up to give us hassle, and then from out of nowhere on the bus home someone pulled a gun on us just to shit up the two stupid white kids… So a memorable night all-round!

147

[quote]emdawgz1 wrote:
These guys are selling records. They are selling negative images of black folk to the world.[/quote]

Well, I think this is a false statement. First, they aren’t selling a negative image of black folk. Mostly they talk about themselves and their life (false or true). So, if you consider a few thousand artist to be the “black folk” well then I think you already have a bad image of black folk yourself.

And wait, how do you know how black folk really act. Last time I checked “black folk” didn’t have to act a certain way? They acted as an individual. Man, those racist folk!

Pro. X I agree it’s all about the role models.

My grandpa went to college for one year, just to play football and then he left (he went into the service). Well, my pops wanted to go to college because my grandpa did. After that my uncle and all my aunts went to (the same) college. They saw it was possible.

Now, let’s move to my mama’s side of the family. No one around them went to college, my mom didn’t go to college because no one there believed they could. Neither did she.

If we are going to blame anyone for starting this whole gangsta movement. My opinion would be blame the 40’s, if you don’t believe me how come every other dudes nickname has something of an old italian mobster’s name in it.

  • Rev. Big Boi
148

[quote]Professor X wrote:
WantAbs wrote:
Damn I forgot about X Clan, and Lords of the Underground. Tribe is always solid, alot of talent came from that group,Busta, and Q-Tip to name a couple. And I do not remember seeing the Beastie Boys on anyone’s list, they’ve been keepin it real for a long ass time now.

Busta Rhymes didn’t come from Tribe Called Quest. His original group was Leaders of The New School. They were on the Arsenio Hall Show back in the 90’s and Busta just stole the damn show. I think it was there that people started looking at him as a solo artist. No one even knows the other guys in the group now.[/quote]

There is, nor will there ever be another like Busta…

That damn “Fire” song, I feel like it was made for me, it’s exactly everything I could ever ask for in a song. Hard to explain I suppose.

…and I’m a cornfed dude from Michigan in his 30’s…

B.

149

I eally like that murs song 'walk like a man. I also saw guru last year and he’s awesome, and i saw gza in a 300-max venue, really dripping with sweat, dreddy kruger was there also, i strongarmed mid centre stage all night. That was amazing

150

Packlondoner- You think she’s cute…?

She always looked like a chubby girl with piggy eyes who wore her hair over her face to disguise the truth… to me.

And you must know, the god…jehst

Anyone who doesn’t know, on this thread, download jehst’s albums, starting with falling down. Klashnekoff also.

And for new releases/ hip hop journalism that we’d all like, check out spinemagazine.com

That song ‘fire it up’ is beautiful… Just before lifting it gets play, and just before going out, Vodka red bull, and fire it up, fires me up. Or maybe some redman (can’t believe i haven’t seen redman mentioned’

Redman is the shit! Rock da spot is the tune

151

[quote]Professor X wrote:
WantAbs wrote:
Damn I forgot about X Clan, and Lords of the Underground. Tribe is always solid, alot of talent came from that group,Busta, and Q-Tip to name a couple. And I do not remember seeing the Beastie Boys on anyone’s list, they’ve been keepin it real for a long ass time now.

Busta Rhymes didn’t come from Tribe Called Quest. His original group was Leaders of The New School. They were on the Arsenio Hall Show back in the 90’s and Busta just stole the damn show. I think it was there that people started looking at him as a solo artist. No one even knows the other guys in the group now.[/quote]

That’s right! Man I feel stupid, Busta only did a song with Tribe. I have a couple of his new albums and I do have to say still good. Thanks for the correction Professor X! Now I gotta bust out the old Tribe and Nas CD’s…

152

In my iPod right now…

Madvillain
Handsome Boy Modeling School
Kool Keith
Del the Funky Homosapien

more on the mainstream…

Nas
Lil Jon
Notorious BIG

153

[quote]dannyrat wrote:
Packlondoner- You think she’s cute…?

She always looked like a chubby girl with piggy eyes who wore her hair over her face to disguise the truth… to me.

And you must know, the god…jehst

Anyone who doesn’t know, on this thread, download jehst’s albums, starting with falling down. Klashnekoff also.

And for new releases/ hip hop journalism that we’d all like, check out spinemagazine.com

That song ‘fire it up’ is beautiful… Just before lifting it gets play, and just before going out, Vodka red bull, and fire it up, fires me up. Or maybe some redman (can’t believe i haven’t seen redman mentioned’

Redman is the shit! Rock da spot is the tune[/quote]

I cant beleive I didnt mention Redman either, definitely one of my favorites

“if your gonna be a monkey be a GORILLA!!!”

154

Just a young boy, doin grown ass shit, like touchin yo titties

155

[quote]emdawgz1 wrote:
Let me start by saying this.

I have seen Hip hop since close to its infancy.

I saw Grand master Melle Mel live @ a small spot in NYC back in '81 when my uncle snuck me in.

I used to tape Rap attack on fri nites on Hot 97.

I saw Jazzy jeff lose a dj battle to Spinderella.

I saw Steady B, and Cash money and Marvelous.

Today’s Hip Hop, is not! Hip hop was an artistic expression. What artistic merit does 50 cent have? or DMX, or the game?

These guys are selling records. They are selling negative images of black folk to the world.

They are the modern day minstrel shows.[/quote]

Never heard that Spinderella (and can hardly believe it…what did she do? blow the judges…jeff was crazy on the tables back then) story but if you’re a philly guy (I am) I’ll take u back even further - robbie b. - he was either with dj cash money or jeff in the very beginning…can’t remember which…and i’ll do you one better…i battled jeff when i was much younger - yes, I dj’d back in the day - haven’t touched turntables in over 10 years.

it was a “bobby dance production” and the “grandmasters of funk” at rutgers camden (jersey against philly)…jeff and cash money performed in tandem…crazy shit for back then. do you remember kid destroyer (keyboard related stuff)? i can go on and on :slight_smile: i remember dj cosmic kev was coming up then like the rest of us. local philly dj’s grandmaster nel, ant, disco rat, kev, etc etc etc. wagner ballroom. after midnight. shit went down back then at the after midnight when it was on cherry street (not later on spring garden)… Krown Rulers from Camden - “kick the ball”…Tuff Crew and 2Tuff.

man you’re bringing back memories…jeff and prince at the latin quarter ?unveiling the transformer scratch…

156

[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
emdawgz1 wrote:
Let me start by saying this.

I have seen Hip hop since close to its infancy.

I saw Grand master Melle Mel live @ a small spot in NYC back in '81 when my uncle snuck me in.

I used to tape Rap attack on fri nites on Hot 97.

I saw Jazzy jeff lose a dj battle to Spinderella.

I saw Steady B, and Cash money and Marvelous.

Today’s Hip Hop, is not! Hip hop was an artistic expression. What artistic merit does 50 cent have? or DMX, or the game?

These guys are selling records. They are selling negative images of black folk to the world.

They are the modern day minstrel shows.

Never heard that Spinderella (and can hardly believe it…what did she do? blow the judges…jeff was crazy on the tables back then) story but if you’re a philly guy (I am) I’ll take u back even further - robbie b. - he was either with dj cash money or jeff in the very beginning…can’t remember which…and i’ll do you one better…i battled jeff when i was much younger - yes, I dj’d back in the day - haven’t touched turntables in over 10 years.

it was a “bobby dance production” and the “grandmasters of funk” at rutgers camden (jersey against philly)…jeff and cash money performed in tandem…crazy shit for back then. do you remember kid destroyer (keyboard related stuff)? i can go on and on :slight_smile: i remember dj cosmic kev was coming up then like the rest of us. local philly dj’s grandmaster nel, ant, disco rat, kev, etc etc etc. wagner ballroom. after midnight. shit went down back then at the after midnight when it was on cherry street (not later on spring garden)… Krown Rulers from Camden - “kick the ball”…Tuff Crew and 2Tuff.

man you’re bringing back memories…jeff and prince at the latin quarter ?unveiling the transformer scratch…
[/quote]

DUDE!!! I havent heard “kick the ball” In YEARS! Damn!

Do you remember when they would have DJ battles @ central High on Fri afternoons?
Thats where the “original” spinderella beat jazzy jeff. The next battle he beat Cash money w/ the Transformer scratch. It was LIVE!

My favorite Tuff Crew cuts were “northside” and “my part of town”

BTW Wagner Ballroom was 4 blocks from my house!

157

[quote]BIGRAGOO wrote:
belligerent wrote:
I’m all about old school rap… listening to LUNIZ right now

Did’t they do “I got 5 on it”?[/quote]

They did! Quite the classic, if a one-hit wonder

158

[quote]emdawgz1 wrote:
TheBodyGuard wrote:
emdawgz1 wrote:
Let me start by saying this.

I have seen Hip hop since close to its infancy.

I saw Grand master Melle Mel live @ a small spot in NYC back in '81 when my uncle snuck me in.

I used to tape Rap attack on fri nites on Hot 97.

I saw Jazzy jeff lose a dj battle to Spinderella.

I saw Steady B, and Cash money and Marvelous.

Today’s Hip Hop, is not! Hip hop was an artistic expression. What artistic merit does 50 cent have? or DMX, or the game?

These guys are selling records. They are selling negative images of black folk to the world.

They are the modern day minstrel shows.

Never heard that Spinderella (and can hardly believe it…what did she do? blow the judges…jeff was crazy on the tables back then) story but if you’re a philly guy (I am) I’ll take u back even further - robbie b. - he was either with dj cash money or jeff in the very beginning…can’t remember which…and i’ll do you one better…i battled jeff when i was much younger - yes, I dj’d back in the day - haven’t touched turntables in over 10 years.

it was a “bobby dance production” and the “grandmasters of funk” at rutgers camden (jersey against philly)…jeff and cash money performed in tandem…crazy shit for back then. do you remember kid destroyer (keyboard related stuff)? i can go on and on :slight_smile: i remember dj cosmic kev was coming up then like the rest of us. local philly dj’s grandmaster nel, ant, disco rat, kev, etc etc etc. wagner ballroom. after midnight. shit went down back then at the after midnight when it was on cherry street (not later on spring garden)… Krown Rulers from Camden - “kick the ball”…Tuff Crew and 2Tuff.

man you’re bringing back memories…jeff and prince at the latin quarter ?unveiling the transformer scratch…

DUDE!!! I havent heard “kick the ball” In YEARS! Damn!

Do you remember when they would have DJ battles @ central High on Fri afternoons?
Thats where the “original” spinderella beat jazzy jeff. The next battle he beat Cash money w/ the Transformer scratch. It was LIVE!

My favorite Tuff Crew cuts were “northside” and “my part of town”

BTW Wagner Ballroom was 4 blocks from my house![/quote]

I just can’t see how spinderella beat jeff; u have to explain that one to me please. i believe cash actually perfected the transformer scratch before jeff.

don’t remember the central high stuff though. u don’t remember the after midnight bro? c’mon…! they played kick the ball a couple times on the radio last summer…i’ve seen a van locally in south jersey with krown rulers on it…so evidently, they are still trying to do something?

alot of cats don’t know that philly was a hotbed for some of the best emcees and especially dj’s in the country in the early days. jeff and cash used to go to ny and smoke those ny dj’s on the regular.

i have some battle footage of cash v. joe cooley (remember egyptian lover? that was joe cooley)…hotly contested battle back then. the time jeff won the NMS battle, he just smoked everyone…guy from london…weak…dougie fresh dj…elementary - I could have smoked him on my bad days.

do you remember WHAT AM radio back in the day? they used to run cash money and jeff for about two hours…they were wrecking ish back then…i remember being at an early “fresh fest” concert at the spectrum back in the day…whodini, LL, etc. whodini’s dj - grandmaster d, who was fairly decent, was doing his thing and the philly crowd was showing no love…they were calling for JEFF! LMFAO…those were the days bro.

ya brought back some memories my friend…u still in philly? i’m in south jersey now.

159

If you aren’t listening to K-Os, you are missing out!

160

OK This is a multi tier response:

Bodyguard: Damn I didn’t know you went back that far in hip hop fandom! You can remember all the old school DJ’s from the 80’s. Also for the record I’m starting to appreciate Jazzy Jeff more and more as a DJ. THe reason why I never appreciated him back in the day was because he was associated with that hypocrite Will Smith. But, I’m respecting his skills more and more.

Proxy: Yeah its nice to see Doom grab more and more attention. I’ve heard about him for years and after listening to that Dangerdoom, I know that the Hype is justified.

Oh Yeah I gotta expand on this question: what has been the best hip hop release of the year? Nothing has really stood out this year. Hopefully that new Nas, Outkast, or Roots album will save the day.