Where to begin? I downloaded cLOUDDEAD, listened to it once and have been enjoying it. I don't really dig on the big mainstream party gangster rap sound, so I think I should look into some ill underground stuff. Is the new Madvillian a safe bet? The only two rap albums I've ever really listened to in total are the soundtrack to Dangerous Minds (that was nearly 10 years ago) and the Andre side of The Love Below. Should I go for more Outkast? I'm definitely more into the funkier and cooler side of Outkast (Andre). Can't say I've listened to Big Boi's too much, but that sort of thing is generally not my style. I prefer my music to be more, well, musical. A beat and some rhyming just doesn't do it for me.

Basically, what's cool. What's atmospheric, introspective, or just awe-inspring in the world of hip-hip? Please astound me, as this is a genre I've disrespected for far too long.

Mos Def - Black On Both Sides (if you want some soulful sing-song hip hop.)

every ones music collection MUST include it takes a nation.... by public enemy. as far as underground goes, funcrusher plus by company flow might be a good start. buck 65 might be good too, even though hes not quite rap. 36 chambers by wu tang clan is also pretty atmospheric, as far as rap goes. my suggestion though? go with the classics first. run dmc is a must, as well as boogie down productions, nwa, ice t, eric b and rakim...too many to mention here at once. go out and discover some stuff.

yr on soulseek right? might i suggest snagging my hip-hop mixes? it'll pretty much give you a wide variety of great hip-hop groups to choose from. check the mixes section (#8 and i think #29) to see some track lists.

bort

As a lead in, I would suggest something close to this order:
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory, Midnight Marauders
Digable Planets - Blowout Comb
Jurassic 5 - Quality Control
Blackalicious - Nia, Blazing Arrow
Run DMC - Raising Hell
The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
King Geedorah - Take Me To Your Leader
Madvillain - Madvillainy
Dilated Peoples - The Platform
Murs - Murs 3:16, 9th Edition
Kanye West - The College Dropout
Ice-T - Original Gangster

From there, you can have a greater sense of what you like and don't like and look at a lot of the classics appropriately.

i nominate sketch and bort's megamixes.

I am listening to Blackalicious's "Blazing Arrow" and I'm digging it.

This is where the funky p-funk shit has gone in the late 20th century...this is what I was looking for.

If I dig this, keep checking out the other shit or do you guys have more RIYL Blazing Arrow suggestions?

check out the first Del album I Wish My Brother George Was Here
-the Jurassic 5 EP, the self-titled one. I'm not that big a fan of any of their albums, but when this EP came out it fucking blew me away.
-De La Soul. Any. 3 Feet High./. is probably the most listener friendly, but ...,is Dead is easily their best hip hop album.
-Tribe Called Quest. Midnight Marauders or Low End Theory.
-Pete Rock & C.L/. Smooth Mecca & the Soul Brother
-L-roneous Imaginarium
-that live Roots album.


i'd try downloading a coupla tracks off each of these albums and seeing if any of them hit the mark.

This is a good list if you're not into the bling bling.

I'll second the Madvillain. If you like it you'll the Viktor Vaughn stuff also.

I would add Public Enemy also. Any album.
The Ice T album is damn good too.

That's exactly it, why I never gave hip hop of any kind a chance, because the most popular form of it is total bullshit.

Some of my faves:
Paris - Guerilla Funk (it's kinda gangsta, but damn musical and fucking ferocious)
De La Soul - Three Feet High & rising
De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead
Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique

All of these are classics.

i recently gave jay-z's black album a chance after having liked the remixes that surfaced when it came out, and some of the tracks are great.

dirt off your shoulder
99 problems
december 4

are a couple that stick out. we'll see where else hip hop takes me

I second I Wish My Brother George Was Here straight up P-Funkiness. The Boogiemen produced it who also did a lot of Ice Cubes early stuff (Del & Cube are cousins althou they no longer get along). I suggest AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted and Death Certificate by Cube, AmeriKKa's was produced by the Bomb Squad (Public Enemy).

If you're looking for that sound that relies heavily on Jazz & Funk I suggest the following as an accompingment to cottons great list:

The last 3 Roots albums Things Fall Apart, Phrenology & The Tipping Point.

Anything by Digable Planets. Freestyle Fellowship Innercity Griots Justin Warfield My Fieldtrip To Planet 9, Cypress Hill s/t

please don't believe that.

i think no need for alarm is better than i wish my brother george were here.

I can't recommend PE enough. Give "Nation of Millions..." time to sink in and it will become one of the most important things you own (not just CDs, I'm talking everything).

After that;
Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique and Check Your Head
Blackalicious - Nia (and really anything by the Quannum collective: Latryx, Maroonz, Lifesavas, DJ Shadow, Lyrics Born, Joyo Velarde...)
Jurassic 5 - Quality Control
DeLaSoul - 3 Feet High...
Mos Def & Talib Kweki - ...Are Black Star
Run DMC - Raising Hell

That'll get you started. Read up and look for spinoffs and collaborations and you'll be fine.

this is excellent advice..I would also throw some wu-tang in there

update.

i've been majorly slacking on my hiphop intake (and music in general) due to the hellhole that is trying to pass classes and work. anyway...

i've only really listened to a few albums in depth:

blackalicious - broken arrow
jay-z - the black album
missy elliot - under construction
missy elliot - supa dupa fly

dig them all, but the main problem i'm finding is lack of top to bottom greatness. there are a few standout tracks on all these albums but i just find myself hoping to get through the rest of the album to get to these songs. for where i am right now, nothing really beats "dirt off you shoulder", "99 problems", and a couple of tracks off the end of the album.

same thing with missy. i love her singles (work it, get your freak on) and i like her message....but delving deeper into her body of work i just find myself disappointed with the albums at large.


i'll just have to do the obvious thing one of these days and go buy it takes a nation of millions and work my way out from there.

finally got around to buying "it takes a nation of millions..." and i really enjoy chuck d's lyrics, politics, and voice but i find a lot of the production and beats to be annoying at times.

it's good and fairly soulful, but it hasn't really blown my mind yet.

give it time, there is so much going it's hard to know what to focus on.
plus you have to be in the right mood for it.

I recommend these:

Zion I - Deep Water Slang
Oh No - The Disrupt
Common - Like Water For Chocolate
Blackalicious - Nia
Talib Kweli - Reflection Eternal
Missy Elliott - So Addictive (my personal favorite of hers)
The Roots - Things Fall Apart
De La Soul - The Grind Date

As for Public Enemy, a lot of people think It Takes a Nation of Millions is their best, but I always thought both Fear of a Black Planet and Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black were better. It Takes a Nation of Millions may be more historically important, but they have improved since that album.

Also, if you want more mainstreamish recommendations, let me know. I listen to a lot of records in the top-40 and think there are plenty of good albums out there that are being ignored simply because they are in the top-40.