Ok, I've done the best out now. I've done the best ever. Now it's time to judge their works. Here are my Top 10 albums
1. All Eyez On Me, 2pac
2. Illmatic, Nas
3. Ready To Die, Notorious B.I.G.
4. The Chronic, Dr. Dre
5. Enter the 36 Chambers, Wu-Tang Clan
6. Straight Outta Compton, N.W.A.
7. Strictly For My N.I.G.G.A.S, 2pac
8.. Doggystyle, Snoop Doggy Dogg
9. Me Against The World, 2pac
10. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill
Friday, May 11, 2018
Top 10 Rapper All-Time
Now for the hardest part. The 10 greatest rappers to ever spit verses. From the late 70s until now. LA, New York, Compton, Chicago, New Orleans, Miami, Houston, across the globe. Here's my 10:
1. 2pac
2. The Notorious B.I.G.
3. Nas
4. Rakim
5. Andre 3000(5-12 is a coin flip situation. Arguments can made for any between these artists)
6. Ice Cube
7. Jay-Z
8. LL Cool J
9. Big Daddy Kane
10. Snoop Dogg
Honorable Mention: Eminem, Big L
1. 2pac
2. The Notorious B.I.G.
3. Nas
4. Rakim
5. Andre 3000(5-12 is a coin flip situation. Arguments can made for any between these artists)
6. Ice Cube
7. Jay-Z
8. LL Cool J
9. Big Daddy Kane
10. Snoop Dogg
Honorable Mention: Eminem, Big L
New School Top 10
The new generation of Hip-Hop is a thoughtful one. One that doesn't get its due credit. Like ever other generation, its artists are constantly compared. Who's the greatest? Who sells the biggest numbers? Everyone has different takes, but here's my top 10. These are artists associated with being after 2010
1. Kendrick Lamar
2. J. Cole
3. Drake
4. Big Sean (coin flip decided between him and Chance. Sean gets the nod for longevity)
5. Chance the Rapper
6. Joey Bada$$
7. Childish Gambino
8. Logic
9. Wale
10. Meek Mill
1. Kendrick Lamar
2. J. Cole
3. Drake
4. Big Sean (coin flip decided between him and Chance. Sean gets the nod for longevity)
5. Chance the Rapper
6. Joey Bada$$
7. Childish Gambino
8. Logic
9. Wale
10. Meek Mill
Protest Rap Part Two: Tupac
Okay, so I already talked about Pac in one of my earlier posts. But I felt I needed to go into deeper detail as to Tupac's words were so impactful. Tupac will forever capture the brilliance, anger, and potential of young black males in a way no one has before or since.
Songs like "Point the Finga", "Changes", "Trapped", and"So Many Tears", speak on police brutality, systematic racism, and materialism in a poetic, honest, intelligent way that was wise beyond Pac's years. He broke things down, resonating with both high school dropouts, and Harvard graduates. It's ironic that Tupac was so fascinated with Shakespeare, because he's most certainly become a Shakespearean figure. Tupac was a paradox
He was revolutionary. He was insightful. He was sensitive, and had a soft spot for black women. He gave a speech at an NAACP banquet at 21 that evokes Malcolm X. He dropped 3 of the top 10 rap albums of all-time by the time he turned 25.
He helped temporarily bring a truce between Crips and Bloods. He comes from a lineage of Black Panthers. His words and music crosses generations, and resonates with oldheads and milennials alike. All of this from a nerd
Songs like "Point the Finga", "Changes", "Trapped", and"So Many Tears", speak on police brutality, systematic racism, and materialism in a poetic, honest, intelligent way that was wise beyond Pac's years. He broke things down, resonating with both high school dropouts, and Harvard graduates. It's ironic that Tupac was so fascinated with Shakespeare, because he's most certainly become a Shakespearean figure. Tupac was a paradox
He was revolutionary. He was insightful. He was sensitive, and had a soft spot for black women. He gave a speech at an NAACP banquet at 21 that evokes Malcolm X. He dropped 3 of the top 10 rap albums of all-time by the time he turned 25.
He helped temporarily bring a truce between Crips and Bloods. He comes from a lineage of Black Panthers. His words and music crosses generations, and resonates with oldheads and milennials alike. All of this from a nerd
Protest Rap Part One: N.W.A.
Hip-Hop has been one the biggest platforms for outspokenness on social issues, especially in the black community. Over the past 30 years, rappers like Tupac, Nas, and Chuck D have spoken on topics like police brutality and systematic racism. However, no talk about rap and social statements is complete without N.W.A.. The group touched on several problematic issues at the core of our country. The group's I-Don't-Give-A-Fuck attitude when calling attention to those issues paved the way for a lot of later artists to make statements about said issues.
N.W.A. was comprised of Eazy E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella. Formed in 1986, their 1988 debut album Straight Outta Compton turned Hip-Hop on its back. The album is on the consensus short list for greatest Hip-Hop albums of all-time. Known as one the pioneering albums of gangsta rap, the album touches on racism, profiling, police harassment and brutality, and the violence and crime that plagued the streets of Compton and South Central Los Angeles. The track "Fuck Tha Police" in particular stands out from the album. The song protested the racism of law enforcement, and resulted in N.W.A. receiving a letter from the FBI.
N.W.A. started fade to as the 80's gave way to the 90's. Cube left in 1989 over money disputes. Dre was next, causing a rift temporarily. Before Eazy succumbed to AIDS in 1995, the group had planned a reunion. But it wasn't to be.
N.W.A. left it's mark on Hip-Hop, and its members' contributions are still felt today. Dre and Cube's accomplishments go almost without saying. But Dre also gave birth to the careers of Snoop, Eminem, 50, The Game, and Kendrick Lamar. Cube's impact switched over to movies as much as with music. Nearly 30 years after their debut, N.W.A still remains impactful, and their words are relevant.
N.W.A. was comprised of Eazy E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella. Formed in 1986, their 1988 debut album Straight Outta Compton turned Hip-Hop on its back. The album is on the consensus short list for greatest Hip-Hop albums of all-time. Known as one the pioneering albums of gangsta rap, the album touches on racism, profiling, police harassment and brutality, and the violence and crime that plagued the streets of Compton and South Central Los Angeles. The track "Fuck Tha Police" in particular stands out from the album. The song protested the racism of law enforcement, and resulted in N.W.A. receiving a letter from the FBI.
N.W.A. started fade to as the 80's gave way to the 90's. Cube left in 1989 over money disputes. Dre was next, causing a rift temporarily. Before Eazy succumbed to AIDS in 1995, the group had planned a reunion. But it wasn't to be.
N.W.A. left it's mark on Hip-Hop, and its members' contributions are still felt today. Dre and Cube's accomplishments go almost without saying. But Dre also gave birth to the careers of Snoop, Eminem, 50, The Game, and Kendrick Lamar. Cube's impact switched over to movies as much as with music. Nearly 30 years after their debut, N.W.A still remains impactful, and their words are relevant.
Next Up: J.I.D.
Hip-Hop is a genre full of stars. The biggest rappers are some of the brightest stars in any genre. Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole, Chance The Rapper, Drake, Logic, the list goes on. Every so often, an artist will come thru with potential to not only last, but put their mark on rap in general. We've seen so many artists become superstars. Now the only question is who's next. No one has shown more promise than J.I.D. . Drawing comparisons to Kendrick Lamar, the Atlanta-bred rapper quietly dropped one of the best albums of 2017, and has the potential to be a breakout star.
J.I.D., whose real name is Destin Route, attended Hampton University, where he played football. It was here that he met his frequent collaborators EarthGang. He later joined together with them to form Spillage Village. In February 2017, J.I.D. signed to J.Cole's Dreamville label. On March 10, 2017, he released debut album , The Never Story, which made its way onto the Billboard 200.
J.I.D. has the potential to be one of the biggest names in rap. His jazzy, introspective raps may one day put him on the level of his mentor. My only hope is that his next project comes out soon. Will he capitalize on his bright future? Will he help carry the torch for the next ten years? Only time will tell
J.I.D., whose real name is Destin Route, attended Hampton University, where he played football. It was here that he met his frequent collaborators EarthGang. He later joined together with them to form Spillage Village. In February 2017, J.I.D. signed to J.Cole's Dreamville label. On March 10, 2017, he released debut album , The Never Story, which made its way onto the Billboard 200.
J.I.D. has the potential to be one of the biggest names in rap. His jazzy, introspective raps may one day put him on the level of his mentor. My only hope is that his next project comes out soon. Will he capitalize on his bright future? Will he help carry the torch for the next ten years? Only time will tell
Thursday, May 10, 2018
All Falls Down: Kanye West's First 3 albums
Over most of the past two decades, Kanye West has been one of the most talented, polarizing figures to ever seen in Hip-Hop. His blend of brilliance, and arrogance have given us some of the most notable moments of the past 10 years, from his well documented history with awards shows, to his comments about George Bush. Current frustration aside, Ye has been one of the brightest stars we've ever seen. He is a mix of controversial, outspoken, awe inspiring, poetic, honest, and socially conscious, in a way that no other artist except Tupac Shakur has. His first three albums, as well his fifth album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, are regarded among the greatest Hip-Hop albums of the 21st century.
Yeezy found his way to relevance as a producer on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint. Desiring to be taken seriously as a rapper in addition to his beatmaking credits, Kanye was continually overlooked until he was signed to Roc-A-Fella records in 2002. In October of 2002, Kanye was critically injured in a car accident that left his jaw fractured. This didn't stop him, however, as he recorded the song "Through the Wire" with his jaw wired shut. Kanye's debut album, The College Dropout was released on February 10, 2004. The album was an instant classic, debuting at Number 2 on the Billboard 200. The album's production was heavy on gospel and soul, a contrast to the grittier, gangsta rap at the time. College Dropout spoke on materialism, mass incarceration, systematic racism, higher education, and rappers like Drake, Lupe Fiasco, Childish Gambino, Wale, and Kid Cudi have credited the album, for giving birth to a wave of rappers who strayed from the typical subject matter at the time.
Kanye's sophomore album Late Registration was released on August 30, 2005. The album reflected the impact Ye had already established. Due to the success of success of The College Dropout, Kanye's soul sound had been heavily copied, which led him to incorporate live instruments into his songs, as opposed to the heavy use of soul samples on The College Dropout. The album debuted at number 1, giving Kanye his second consecutive number one album.
And, finally, we have Graduation. The nerd rap classic, maybe the greatest nerdy rap album of all-time, although Illmatic, The Low End Theory, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, To Pimp A Butterfly, and It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back most certainly would have something to say about that. Gradation debuted at Number 1, giving Kanye his second straight album to do so, and his third straight album to hit number one period. The album almost went platinum in it's first week. Leading up to its debut, Graduation was hyped in a sales battle with 50 Cent's Curtis. Upon both albums' releases on September 11, 2007 Graduation stomped the competition, selling almost 300,000 more first week copies. This was widely known as "The Day Kanye Killed Gangsta Rap". The album also marked a departure from his signature soul sound, due to it being so heavily copied by his peers. Graduation was noted for it's electronic house sound that was popular in West's hometown of Chicago. This album is credited even moreso than Kanye's previous work for opening doors for introspective, melodic, non- gangsta rappers.
Kanye West's impact on Hip-Hop is undeniable. At his peak, he reached the"more than a rapper", evolving past a genre plateau that we've only seen in black artists like Michael, Marvin, James Brown, and Tupac. An undeniable genius, he may be our biggest talent since Tupac and Biggie's deaths. In his prime, he was a force to be reckoned with, and one of our brightest stars in any music genre.
Yeezy found his way to relevance as a producer on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint. Desiring to be taken seriously as a rapper in addition to his beatmaking credits, Kanye was continually overlooked until he was signed to Roc-A-Fella records in 2002. In October of 2002, Kanye was critically injured in a car accident that left his jaw fractured. This didn't stop him, however, as he recorded the song "Through the Wire" with his jaw wired shut. Kanye's debut album, The College Dropout was released on February 10, 2004. The album was an instant classic, debuting at Number 2 on the Billboard 200. The album's production was heavy on gospel and soul, a contrast to the grittier, gangsta rap at the time. College Dropout spoke on materialism, mass incarceration, systematic racism, higher education, and rappers like Drake, Lupe Fiasco, Childish Gambino, Wale, and Kid Cudi have credited the album, for giving birth to a wave of rappers who strayed from the typical subject matter at the time.
Kanye's sophomore album Late Registration was released on August 30, 2005. The album reflected the impact Ye had already established. Due to the success of success of The College Dropout, Kanye's soul sound had been heavily copied, which led him to incorporate live instruments into his songs, as opposed to the heavy use of soul samples on The College Dropout. The album debuted at number 1, giving Kanye his second consecutive number one album.
And, finally, we have Graduation. The nerd rap classic, maybe the greatest nerdy rap album of all-time, although Illmatic, The Low End Theory, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, To Pimp A Butterfly, and It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back most certainly would have something to say about that. Gradation debuted at Number 1, giving Kanye his second straight album to do so, and his third straight album to hit number one period. The album almost went platinum in it's first week. Leading up to its debut, Graduation was hyped in a sales battle with 50 Cent's Curtis. Upon both albums' releases on September 11, 2007 Graduation stomped the competition, selling almost 300,000 more first week copies. This was widely known as "The Day Kanye Killed Gangsta Rap". The album also marked a departure from his signature soul sound, due to it being so heavily copied by his peers. Graduation was noted for it's electronic house sound that was popular in West's hometown of Chicago. This album is credited even moreso than Kanye's previous work for opening doors for introspective, melodic, non- gangsta rappers.
Kanye West's impact on Hip-Hop is undeniable. At his peak, he reached the"more than a rapper", evolving past a genre plateau that we've only seen in black artists like Michael, Marvin, James Brown, and Tupac. An undeniable genius, he may be our biggest talent since Tupac and Biggie's deaths. In his prime, he was a force to be reckoned with, and one of our brightest stars in any music genre.
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