Mr. Chimp wrote:BABY JESUS SANTA knows it was off the chain.

I think he was talking about Big Baby Jesus.

By the way, "Nigga Please" was even better than "Return..."

= Justin

TransistorsGoneWild wrote:Not to nitpick here, but hip-hop and rap are not interchangeable terms. Rap refers to an MC's vocal delivery, while hip-hop refers to MCs, DJs, grafitti, a style of clothing, etc. Therefore saying Blockhead is the greatest instrumental rap album is a complete misnomer as rap by definition is not instrumental. This would be similar to saying KRS-ONE is the best rapper in turntablism.

hmmm ok..... so now my post says "hip hop" instead of rap.

Sweet. I do agree with you though, Blockhead makes phenominal instrumentals.

I occasionally end up being the house sound guy at hip-hop shows -- typically "underground" or "backpacker" hip-hop, or whatever you call it. Musically, I generally just don't care all that much. What really gets me, though, are the fucking stage names.

I know it's part of the culture to go by a stage/street name, and man alive, go for it -- on stage. But please, do not ask me, a grown man to refer to you, another grown man as "True Justice".

At least during sound check, let me refer to you as "Ricky" or whatever your real name is.

(No offense intended to T-Kash's DJ, True Justice, who was an extrememly nice fellow and easy to work with.)

mb

I am in no way a connoisseur of rap and/or hip hop, but Eyedea & Abilities' "First Born" is fucking amazing both musically and lyrically.

Treacherous Three.

I am not an expert in the genre, but I don't think hip-hop really ever got any better than the self-titled record with them on the cover, in red suits. Different, more complicated, but not any better musically.

That's a great record.

Sorry if I repeat, but:

Cypress Hill - III Temples of Boom,
Wu-Tang - 36 Chambers,
Dilated Peoples - The Platform,
KRS One - Return Of The Boom-Bap,
Anti-Pop Consortium - Tragic Epilogues,

And for some fun:

Snoop Dogg: Doggystyle,

or

Dr. Dre : The Chronic.

No one mentioned "Paradise Don't Come Cheap" by New Kingdom.

longdivi wrote:What about Cage - Hell's Winter? I've been following this guy's output since his pre-Eminem-beef days. The original "don't-give-a-fuck" white rapper. He apparently quit smoking dust and put this record out on Def Jux.

Jello Biafra and DJ Shadow are featured on one song, and one guy from Yo La Tengo plays bass on another. Just curious if any of you were into it.

i really really dug that Cage record when it came out. listened to it a bit too much, though, and it doesn't do it for me the same way. good shit. Jello phones in a good performance esp if you like him. Try and get the ltd edition w/ the instrumentals disc. they are good too.

haven't listened to the classic Cage stuff, but I dig on Necro's "Sexorcist." Fucking offensive the entire time. that album's destined to be some sort of landmark, but I'm wary to recommend it to anyone.

last fall when I was listening to hiphop I enjoyed:

Felt 2: Lisa Bonet record
Blackalicious: Craft
Cage: see above
Necro: ditto
Aesop Rock

classic hiphop/rap listenings:

Dr Dre: Chronic (cassette tape in my car for 10 years now) (Chronic '01 I do not like, but instrumental tracks I enjoy)
Public Enemy
Run DMC

yeah, def jux is the shit - El-P is one of the most visionary producers in hip hop today, and company flow is one of my favorite crews of all time. but there's more to hip hop than that "weird" nerd crowd that seems to appeal to pitchfork etc. (kool keith [i heard he's clinically "insane!"], mf doom, quasimoto, the anticon crew, etc.) for vocal stuff, The demigodz and all related parties (jedi mind tricks, 7l + esoteric, majik most) are definately worth checking out, as is pretty much anything released by Rawkus, Ninja Tune, or Mo' Wax (the latter two being more primarially focused on instrumental hip hop and turntablism).