Jump to content
aberdeen-music

The Hip Hop Thread


Lemonade

Recommended Posts

What Wu offshoots/solo stuff do you all recommend, barring the three I mentioned?

personally...

Rza - bobby digital in stereo and Method Man - Tical.

on another note. I'm currently all about this 19 yr old french emcee called Biga.

check him absolutely piss all over the shoddy freestyles of two American rappers.

Freestyle Generation Lokalize 88.2 - MySpaceVideos - Strimoo.com

Apparently he's spent a lot of time in Jamaica learning the patois and honing his skills. Pretty impressive for a white kid rapping in his second language.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What Wu offshoots/solo stuff do you all recommend, barring the three I mentioned?

Tical. Supremely laid-back album; Meth sounds incredibly relaxed, but you know he'd still rip your throat out. Most of his other stuff is kinda hit and miss, but Blackout w/ Redman is mostly decent.

I don't think Ghostface has sounded better, solo-wise, than on Fishscale and Supreme Clientele. His solo work is a little softer than Wu-Tang, but every bit as enjoyable.

I haven't checked out ODB's Return to the 36 Chambers yet, but everyone else seems to rate it very highly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, I bought this last week and have been listening to it pretty much constantly. I think I might actually prefer it to Madvillainy.

The major gripe I have with Born Like This is that he seems to have the habit of re-using beats that are years old. Some of the beats on there have been on the Special Herbs volumes on more than one occasion.

Still a decent album though, but not his best.

Anyone checked out the days of MF in KMD with his brother DJ Subroc before he died?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Tam o' Shantie
What Wu offshoots/solo stuff do you all recommend, barring the three I mentioned?

Here is my mini wu tang review in vague order of appreciation:

1. Wu Tang - Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers): Groundbreaking and utterly essential

2. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx: Fad-inspiring coke raps, amazing

3. GZA - Liquid Swords: Another 10/10 classic

4. ODB - Return to the 36 Chambers (the Dirty version): When it's good it's amazing, a little too many tracks and a few pointless skits though - as a result it's less consistent than the albums above.

5. Ghostface Killah - Ironman: Took a long time for me to get into this but perseverence has paid off, it's pretty good most of the time - I think I was expecting Cuban Linx beats and was put off by the dryer, tamer production.

6. Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele: Overrated but some decent bangers here and a few good posse cuts, worth having in yer crates.

7. Masta Killa - No Said Date: A decade after 36 Chambers, when most of the Wu were churning out shit records, this dude dropped a pretty cool debut that is at times hesitent but has no shortage of impressive tracks & decent clan member appearances. Definitely worth picking up.

8. GZA - Pro Tools: 42 year old GZA revisits his Liquid Swords days with some beats that mimic said album in a reasonably convincing manner (but because this is the 21st century, it sounds like you've cranked your high EQ as high as it will go...seriously why are beats produced these days so that every hi-hat count feels like someone's stabbing your ear drum with a pin prick?). From time to time the backing tracks lack a bit of soul, and this combined with poor guest spots (should've had more wu...only rza and masta killa appear, and all but 2 songs have no wu guest spots...gza instead ropes in his son that sounds about 13, and some guy called ka who sounds like a Twin Gambino imposter...and that's not a particularly impressive role model to latch onto) and the fact that the swearing is censored, knock a couple of points off the final product.

9. Wu Tang - 8 Diagrams. Big budget Wu, notoriously disliked by half of the clan who appeared, overall it's not too bad with some decent tracks but a few are a little bit corny with some rubbish R&B hooks. As with a lot of rap albums, it's just too long.

10. Method Man - Tical: Majorly overrated, production is beyond raw and just sounds like it was mixed by a deaf person. Bring The Pain and a few others are decent enough though.

11. Inspectah Deck - Uncontrolled Substance: Pretty awful, poor guy undoubtedly shone amonst the brightest of the clan on the 36 Chambers and had some impressive guest spots on the early Wu solo albums. Downfall of this and apparently awful subsequent LPs was a combination of virtually non-existent RZA production, zero promotion, and the fact that it didn't come out until 5 years after 36 Chambers dropped (fucking Cappadonna's first LP came out before this was deemed worthy of being worked on).

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think thats my problem with Wu solo stuff. Alot of it is a bit more laid back. I guess I'm expecting full on anger. The first yell of "BRING THE MOTHERFUCKIN' RUCKUS!" on 36 Chambers is terrifying. It's like they'd pump you full of bullets just for laughs.

I get that impression with Stright Outta Compton. When I hear Ice-Cube yelling "So when I'm in your neighborhood, you better duck, cause" Ice Cube is crazy as fuck" I think if I ever see Ice Cube coming, I'm just going to run away.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Tam o' Shantie

I find the Mobb more convincing in that respect, despite the fact that in real life Prodigy seems to be little more than a punching bag for the many other rappers that he crosses wires with.

One-song rapper Des sounds pretty cold on East Flatbush Projects 'Tried By 12' but Cormega's definitely my favourite for making me think 'holy shit, this guy isn't joking'.

The nigga musta heard I didnt die' date=' son he hidin'

I snatched up his man inside a van and started drivin'

his man started dymin'

said the nigga drivin' in a 735 and he knows where to find him

cool, tell my man to drop the kid off

soon as we hit the next darn block, blew his fuckin' wig off

now that's one down, one nigga to go

just drive slow so we dont have to worry 'bout five-o

now it's time to get even,

we in, five jeeps deep with the mad heat and steamin

oh shit, I see him, he gettin out the seven

my man started wetting at the nigga with a mac-11

I specialize in war

now it's time to blow him, I'ma show him how to use a fuckin' four-four

I said "Yo son, the game's over"

I let off, and yo my shit was spittin' fire like a flamethrower

he started wettin' back

I caught him in his fuckin' back

when he flung, I think his lungs collapsed

he just a dead man walking

ayyo, fuck that shit...I'm through talking[/size']

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is my mini wu tang review in vague order of appreciation:

1. Wu Tang - Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers): Groundbreaking and utterly essential

2. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx: Fad-inspiring coke raps, amazing

3. GZA - Liquid Swords: Another 10/10 classic

4. ODB - Return to the 36 Chambers (the Dirty version): When it's good it's amazing, a little too many tracks and a few pointless skits though - as a result it's less consistent than the albums above.

5. Ghostface Killah - Ironman: Took a long time for me to get into this but perseverence has paid off, it's pretty good most of the time - I think I was expecting Cuban Linx beats and was put off by the dryer, tamer production.

6. Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele: Overrated but some decent bangers here and a few good posse cuts, worth having in yer crates.

7. Masta Killa - No Said Date: A decade after 36 Chambers, when most of the Wu were churning out shit records, this dude dropped a pretty cool debut that is at times hesitent but has no shortage of impressive tracks & decent clan member appearances. Definitely worth picking up.

8. GZA - Pro Tools: 42 year old GZA revisits his Liquid Swords days with some beats that mimic said album in a reasonably convincing manner (but because this is the 21st century, it sounds like you've cranked your high EQ as high as it will go...seriously why are beats produced these days so that every hi-hat count feels like someone's stabbing your ear drum with a pin prick?). From time to time the backing tracks lack a bit of soul, and this combined with poor guest spots (should've had more wu...only rza and masta killa appear, and all but 2 songs have no wu guest spots...gza instead ropes in his son that sounds about 13, and some guy called ka who sounds like a Twin Gambino imposter...and that's not a particularly impressive role model to latch onto) and the fact that the swearing is censored, knock a couple of points off the final product.

9. Wu Tang - 8 Diagrams. Big budget Wu, notoriously disliked by half of the clan who appeared, overall it's not too bad with some decent tracks but a few are a little bit corny with some rubbish R&B hooks. As with a lot of rap albums, it's just too long.

10. Method Man - Tical: Majorly overrated, production is beyond raw and just sounds like it was mixed by a deaf person. Bring The Pain and a few others are decent enough though.

11. Inspectah Deck - Uncontrolled Substance: Pretty awful, poor guy undoubtedly shone amonst the brightest of the clan on the 36 Chambers and had some impressive guest spots on the early Wu solo albums. Downfall of this and apparently awful subsequent LPs was a combination of virtually non-existent RZA production, zero promotion, and the fact that it didn't come out until 5 years after 36 Chambers dropped (fucking Cappadonna's first LP came out before this was deemed worthy of being worked on).

Hmm... there's a few albums i'm gonna have to revisit based on these reviews. :up:

Disagree with Tical though. It's roughness is part of its charm for me. It might be that at the time it was a badly produced album but listening to it now it has the added element of nostalgia and you can hear the wu tang sound still developing. I'm sure that poppy snare in Bring the Pain crops up a lot after.

I think perhaps the reason it was so raved about was because Method Man was the identifiable star of the wu tang at the time. He's certainly the one that sticks out on the first album.

btw, there's an absolute peach of a biggie track in that mix you posted!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Tam o' Shantie
Hmm... there's a few albums i'm gonna have to revisit based on these reviews. :up:

Disagree with Tical though. It's roughness is part of its charm for me. It might be that at the time it was a badly produced album but listening to it now it has the added element of nostalgia and you can hear the wu tang sound still developing. I'm sure that poppy snare in Bring the Pain crops up a lot after.

I think perhaps the reason it was so raved about was because Method Man was the identifiable star of the wu tang at the time. He's certainly the one that sticks out on the first album.

btw, there's an absolute peach of a biggie track in that mix you posted!

which one?

I've only managed to identify some of the tracks in that mix...some of these records are VERY hard to find now (the sadat x / RA the rugged man plate is like 70 quid or something)

Side 1

Wu Tan Clan - Triumph

DITC - Day One

OC - My World

Tracy Lee feat Notorious BIG - Keep Your Hands High

R.A The Rugged Man feat Sadat X - 50,000 heads

?

Notorious BIG - Kick In The Door

Group Home - Express

Sauce Money - Action...

Beatnuts - Do You Believe

Jay-Z - Foundation

Cappadonna - 97 Mentality

Hurricane G - Underground Lockdown

DJ Muggs - It Could Happen To You

Alkaholics feat Ol' Dirty Bastard - Hip Hop Drunkies

Side 2

Hurricane G - ??

MOP - The Rawness

Notorious BIG - Ten Crack Commandments

Tone Hooker feat OC & Jay-Z - Cru Love

Brainsick Mob - Mixmaster

?

EPMD feat Prodigy - It's The Pee 97

Jay-Z - Who You Wit

Mobb Deep - In The Long Run

Goodie Mob & DJ Muggs - Decisions Decisions

?

Cormega - Dead Man Walking

?

Gauge The Mental Murderah feat Cella Dwellas - Cranium

Cellas Dwellas - Main Aim

Craig G - Welcome To The Game

If you're talking about Kick In The Door then I agree completely, my favourite track of his - and it actually was a diss to Jeru and Raekwon.

I've tried to revisit Tical a few times, I just don't get much pleasure out of it. I am no stranger to raw production and I favour it completely, I just think that it sounds bad as opposed to raw!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, kick in the door. Tbh, I recognise very few tracks on that mix. Jay-Z and the Beatnuts is about it. Good find.

If you're interested, I can point you towards some good rap from the glory days of French hip hop. Around the mid nineties there was some awesome stuff inspired by some of the American artists people have been talking about in this thread.

to name but a few.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Tam o' Shantie

To be honest my love for hip hop seldom even stretches past east coast artists but I'll check them out!

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

Another PF Cuttin' Mix that i've not burned as hard yet, only downloaded it a few weeks ago - it's of a pretty similar calibre to Da 4 OH...more freestyles & shit. BTW PF is one half of Blahzay Blahzay, and I think by the time this tape came out he was a bigger name as there is more PF remixing going on.

Track listing:

Side A:

01. Blahzay Blahzay - Freestyle

02. Gangstarr - You Know My Steez

03. Fat Joe - Let Me Find Out

04. M.O.P. - Ride

05. Jay-Z - Streetz Is Watchin

06. Kaotic Style - Top Billin 97

07. Brainsick Enterprize & Verbal Hoods - Freestyle

08. EZD - Gunz Is 4

09. EPMD - The Joint

10. Alkaholiks - Pass Out

11. Illanoyz feat. Heltah Skeltah - Illanoyz

12. Rawcotics feat. JuJu - Magic Chef

13. Eastern Conference - Captivating

14. Mos Def feat. Mr. Man - Fortified Live

15. Godfather Don - Seedz Of Hate

16. No I.D. - 2 Steps Behind

Side B:

01. Tony Touch - Freestyle

02. Tony Touch feat. Greg Nice - Freakya

03. Nice & Smooth - Blazing Hot (P.F. Mix)

04. OC feat. Peter Gunz & Lord Tariq - Dangerous Pt. 2

05. Big L feat. OC - Dangerous

06. Busta Rhymes - Rhymes Galore

07. Big Pun - Im Not A Player

08. Da Firm - Executive Decision

09. Phife feat. Diamond D & Pete Rock - Pain & Strife

10. Rakim - Its Been A Long Time

11. Big L feat. Fat Joe - Da Enemy

12. Rampage - Get Da Money & Dip

13. Ghostface feat. RZA - Marvel

14. Beatnuts - Bless Da Mic

15. Ike Dirty - Dirtys Way

16. Redman, Keith Murray & EPMD - K.I.M.

17. Mobb Deep - Rare Species

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Tam o' Shantie
how can you not like

rappers that rhyme words like bike

just so it fits in to the rap

it doesn't matter it its complete crap.

on one of their tracks they manage to squeeze the words 'bagonia' and 'ammonia' in.

it's awful isn't it...

how can THEY-THEY

rhyme that WAY-WAY

I'll tell you, it's be-CAUSE-CAUSE

anything rhymes if you PAUSE-PAUSE

a word halfway through pronouncing it, and end your line on a fucking syllable. Greg Nice sucks. And Jonny Smooth (or whatever he's called) just sounds like a fucking idiot.

I actually saw DWYCK listed as one of the greatest Hip Hop singles of all time...wtf...the entire Nice & Smooth appearance is cringeworthy, they sound like white people taking the piss out of rap music. And Guru also utters his most embarassing line of all time:

Lemonade was a popular drink' date=' and it still is

I get more stunts and props than Bruce Willis

[/quote']

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Tam o' Shantie

holy fuck, anybody know anything about this dude?!

dondigging.jpg

Godfather Don

caught one of his tracks on that PF cuttin mix i posted earlier...it's fucking amazing, the guy is an underground legend who I had never heard of...apparently most others slept on him throughout the 90s as well. i've been searching for his stuff on youtube, it's 100% consistent, the guy is nice on the mic as well as behind the desk. i ordered the only cd of his i could find on amazon marketplace, but just got refunded as it's out of stock completely now. guess i'm gonna be paying out my ass for OPs on discogs now...boo!

.: Godfather Don :. interview here

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Tam o' Shantie
Jay Z's "The Blackout".

Best rap album ever?

Discuss.

just realised that nobody had actually responded to this question. categorically no...and nobody with any serious interest in hip hop would think twice about telling you that.

jay's albums almost entirely suck in my experience, puff daddy sounding bullshit, save for the 2-3 underground joints on each of the earlier ones. even reasonable doubt is weak in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

just realised that nobody had actually responded to this question. categorically no...and nobody with any serious interest in hip hop would think twice about telling you that.

The reason nobody answered it was because it wasn't worth answering.

Checked out any more MF DOOM/Metal Fingers/King Geedorah/DOOM/Viktor Vaughn stuff yet?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

mf doom is undeniably amazing.

anyone like company flow?

there's been some good recommendations in this thread, will have to spend a bit of time checking some of them out. been ages since i bought any new hip hop stuff.

incidentally jay-z was awesome at the exhibition centre. one of the best show's i've ever ever been to, great atmosphere too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...