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GAF-Hop |OTX| Long Live the Watcher

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E

enzo_gt

tagged by Blackace
These have me dying.

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#staywoke
 
T

The Return of

Banned
silentcapybara said:
My ninjas.

Has the Future talk already passed? My thoughts: Few bangers (T Shirt and Honest - the obvious standouts) but the album definitely overstays its welcome. 18 tracks? Come on Fyutch. 10-12 solid jams would have been more than satisfactory, and as much as I enjoy Future's autocrooning, I was bored by the end.

Also, happy birthday Esch.
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It is 12 tracks
 
T

The Return of

Banned
enzo_gt said:
Happy Birthday Esch!


You couldn't have summarized my state in life any better.

I turn 22 in June and.. shit has never looked bleaker. I mean, I have some experiences under my belt, but it's looking pretty bad. I might have inadvertently fucked my chances of getting into grad school while being demotivated these past few years. Its like years of planning collapsing at all once, and suddenly it's "okay you're fucked, so what now?"

I think I need the year off to figure out life TBH. But if you had asked me this years ago I would have looked down upon taking any years off between schooling. Not tryna be 30 and still in school, but I may just be now.

*goes back to preparing second thesis paper*
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What you are saying is basically like the opposite of me kinda. I haven't really found anything I remotely even like doing. Although, I have a pretty decent paying job at the moment. I ain't trying to be a barista though at the age of 37. So I'm thinking of just going back and putting up with a major so I can get paid better
 
O

overcast

Member
Ratking/So It Goes got a 7.5 from P4K

Looking at their BNM's, the last one they handed out was for Old. No spine to support artists who aren't renown/acclaimed in the mainstream or upper indie scene. In general there are just so many great releases that have come out in the past few months. I don't go to them for hip-hop, but a lot of exposure comes from their reviews.

Edit: Yeah. Since 2013 they have given BNM's to Old, NWTS, Yeezus, Earl, Run the Jewels, and Acid Rap. So expected, not saying they don't deserve the acclaim (I love 3 of those albums), but it's so expected.
 
G

Gorillaz

Member
enzo_gt said:
Happy Birthday Esch!


You couldn't have summarized my state in life any better.

I turn 22 in June and.. shit has never looked bleaker. I mean, I have some experiences under my belt, but it's looking pretty bad. I might have inadvertently fucked my chances of getting into grad school while being demotivated these past few years. Its like years of planning collapsing at all once, and suddenly it's "okay you're fucked, so what now?"

I think I need the year off to figure out life TBH. But if you had asked me this years ago I would have looked down upon taking any years off between schooling. Not tryna be 30 and still in school, but I may just be now.

*goes back to preparing second thesis paper*
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Been taking a year off since I graduated in December. It feels good to step out of it all and try to actually see where to go next before dealing with college. In turn tho, I realized more that I don't know what the fuck to do next and 2nd guessing grad school.
 
C

cdyhybrid

Member
If anything, my time away from school has made me want to go back to grad school and get a Masters. Would help me with job prospects and give me more skills. Only problem now is I can't afford it. I wouldn't mind going back at 30 or something because 1) it's grad school, so people will be older, and 2) my time away from school has taught me what I was doing wrong while in school.
 
E

Esch

Banned
overcast said:
Ratking/So It Goes got a 7.5 from P4K

Looking at their BNM's, the last one they handed out was for Old. No spine to support artists who aren't renown/acclaimed in the mainstream or upper indie scene. In general there are just so many great releases that have come out in the past few months. I don't go to them for hip-hop, but a lot of exposure comes from their reviews.

Edit: Yeah. Since 2013 they have given BNM's to Old, NWTS, Yeezus, Earl, Run the Jewels, and Acid Rap. So expected, not saying they don't deserve the acclaim (I love 3 of those albums), but it's so expected.
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Pitchfork is a garbage publication and you should stop checking for it.

Even Noisey is better if you fux with that lane/type of music.
 
K

kodecraft

Member
silentcapybara said:
My ninjas.

Has the Future talk already passed? My thoughts: Few bangers (T Shirt and Honest - the obvious standouts) but the album definitely overstays its welcome. 18 tracks? Come on Fyutch. 10-12 solid jams would have been more than satisfactory, and as much as I enjoy Future's autocrooning, I was bored by the end.

Also, happy birthday Esch.
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Where did you hear it? Stream?

Some songs are missing from the stream, besides "Benz Friends" bangz!!
 
S

silentcapybara

Banned
The Return of said:
I'm aware you were listening to the Deluxe edition. I just wasn't sure if you were aware, because you complained about it being 18 tracks long
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I'm aware. I'd personally swap "Special," "Benz Friends," and "Blood Sweat" for "How Can I Not," "Sh!t," and "Karate Chop (Remix)." The record would flow a lot better. The regular edition loses steam 1/2 through.

kodecraft said:
Where did you hear it? Stream?
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Drip drip
 
P

PhoenixDark

Banned
I can just imagine Nas thinking "Swizz is hot with the kids, lemme get a smash hit breh." Hence Summer On Smash...

I hope to god Q-Tip exec produces his next album. He needs an exec producer with a nice ear to help him. No ID did his best on Life Is Good, and overall that album is pretty damn good. But there are a couple blatant mis-steps, made worse when you consider how good the bonus tracks are. Who the fuck greenlit Reach Out...?
 
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The Return of

Banned
DominoKid said:
Most of the street joints that could've ended up on Honest probably ended up on that No Sleep mixtape.
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Most likely. Not sure if you know but his label actually wanted him to stop releasing mixtapes so he could save it for the album, but yeah he found some way around it with that tape haha
 
K

kodecraft

Member
silentcapybara said:
I'm aware. I'd personally swap "Special," "Benz Friends," and "Blood Sweat" for "How Can I Not," "Sh!t," and "Karate Chop (Remix)." The record would flow a lot better. The regular edition loses steam 1/2 through.



Drip drip
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Yea but the streams are missing songs, can't make a complete assessment of the album until then.
 
T

The Artful Dodger

Member
Zeus Molecules said:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/...suicide-in-most-bizarre-way-possible/7786821/

87b9b953.gif
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This had me laughing a bit.

Initial reports claimed Johnson was "associated" with Wu-Tang Clan, but a publicist for the group, Heathcliff Berru, said Johnson is actually with Northstar. He's not in Wu-Tang Clan nor directly affiliated with it, Berru said, at least not in the eight years he's worked with the group.

However, Northstar, a Long Beach, California, hip-hop group, is on the list of WTC "affiliates," according to Wikipedia.
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IrishNinja

IrishNinja

Member
the guinness i had in dublin literally tasted infinitely better than the ones ive had on both coasts, no lie. its not even the same drink.

K.Jack said:
Over 30 crew represent.

observing.gif~original
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*nod*

boutdown said:
She actually seems salty.
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she hasn't done shit in years and has nothing to talk bout but sauce, gotta be expected. at least it keeps gafhoppers on that people magazine tip instead of talkin bout the music tho

happy birthday esh!
 
I

illadelph

Member
PhoenixDark said:
I can just imagine Nas thinking "Swizz is hot with the kids, lemme get a smash hit breh." Hence Summer On Smash...

I hope to god Q-Tip exec produces his next album. He needs an exec producer with a nice ear to help him. No ID did his best on Life Is Good, and overall that album is pretty damn good. But there are a couple blatant mis-steps, made worse when you consider how good the bonus tracks are. Who the fuck greenlit Reach Out...?
Click to expand...
Reach Out is one of the best tracks on the album

I'm a weirdo though
 
P

PhoenixDark

Banned
shorty as in Lil Des? I hope you're listening to the censored version breh.
illadelph said:
Reach Out is one of the best tracks on the album

I'm a weirdo though
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It's not a bad song, but that track shouldn't have been on a major 2012 hip hop album. It sounds dated, the Blidge hook feels stale, etc. But Nas will pick that beat over something modern 9 times out of 10.
 
W

Walshy

Member
The Raekwon and RZA thing about the new wu album seems to have escalated a bit.

On the surface, this should be a great time for Wu-Tang Clan. The group is prepping the release of their comeback album A Better Tomorrow, their first since 2007's 8 Diagrams, while simultaneously upending industry conventions by selling one copy of a different 31-track album titled The Wu - Once Upon a Time in Shaolin.

But the revered hip-hop crew seems more divided than ever, at least among certain members. Earlier this week, RZA claimed that Raekwon has essentially disappeared from the recording of A Better Tomorrow, and that creatively, the two were on "different paths." Rolling Stone got on the phone with an angry, passionate Raekwon, who rebutted RZA's charges, accused him of lying and lobbied harsh charges against the Wu-Tang producer.

RZA told Vlad TV, "I haven’t had a chance to really talk to him about why [you're not involved with the album]. But I would say that maybe creatively we on different paths." What's your response to that?
I don’t know why he said he didn’t speak to me, because he did speak to me. We spoke about two weeks ago. It was me, him, his brother and business partner Devine and we talked about why I’m not there right now. They know where I’m at and at the end of the day, him saying he didn’t speak to me is a bold-faced lie.

And yeah, we are at creative differences because at the end of the day, I want to win. I’m used to being a winner. Being that I feel the team is being compromised by his so-called "logic" of making music, I have a problem with that because I love my fans. I would never want to give my fans anything other than the best. So when we’re sitting there discussing the creative process of making a great album for the fans, I’m not going to never settle for less. I’m not the only one [in the group] that feels this way too.

What do you mean specifically when you say the team is compromised?
This shit is not right. It’s not making us give the fans the best that we can give them. So of course we have a problem with that. It’s like coming out with some music that you’re not feeling. Therefore, it’s being compromised by RZA and his brother Devine, Mitchell Diggs. My thing is, yeah, he’s right, we’re on different pages when it comes to being creative because RZA, you’re not in the field no more. I’m still paying attention to what’s going on and an amazing group that’s got so much potential to be bigger than what they are if they just focus and come out with great music. On "Keep Watch," you put this new young kid on there who nobody knows who he is – and I’m not taking shots at the kid – but I don’t even know who he is. That song is something that the crew didn’t have knowledge of, from what I’m being told. Dudes ain’t feeling good about it.

What do you think of "Keep Watch"?
I hate it. I hate it. I don’t hate shit, but I hate that fuckin’ record. It ain’t the gunpowder that my brothers are spitting; it’s the production. And I ain’t shitting on the producer because he’s one of our soldiers. But if it ain’t where it need to be… It’s 20 years later. We talkin 'bout a whole new generation is sitting here representin' and making fiery shit and you telling me that we comin out with some mediocre shit? That ain’t part of our plan.

How much of A Better Tomorrow have you heard?
The bottom line: I’m not happy with that. I’m not happy with the direction of the music and I’m not happy with how dudes is treating dudes’ business. What are we giving the fans? What are we giving the people that help us be here? If it don’t feel right, I can’t be fake. And I’m not the only one who feels like that. Fans want the best and I have to sit here and work that hard to give them the best. Period.

You say you're not the only one who feels like this, but is this a majority of the Clan or a few members?
I can't speak for brothers. If they're going to sit there and allow themselves to be comfortable with what's being made, i don't know that part. The so-called "organization," – the business dudes – they made that decision to come out with that record. That’s where I have a problem. That’s not how it works. As a team, we make these decisions. My thing is this: For every problem, we try to find a solution. But the first thing is, we have to make sure that we’re all comfortable doing business. For me, I don’t mind doing whatever it takes to make sure Wu-Tang Clan has the greatest album that they could ever make. But first things first: Business is business and you gotta respect that.

Where specifically do you feel slighted, businesswise?
In order for Chef to work, the Chef contract has to be correct. It has to be a situation where I can say, "You know what? This is the best situation for me and my family." That’s who I work for. I work for my family.

It almost sounds like you’re on strike.
It’s the same as being an athlete. I don’t give a fuck if it’s Kobe Bryant or Kevin Durant. They will not touch the floor if their managers or lawyers are saying, "Listen, shit ain’t right." So therefore, I’m in a limbo situation. So yeah, you’re right. I am on strike. It ain’t the fact that I don’t want to be there. Because of course I want to be there. But if we’re there, we gotta do the best everything. We gotta work 10 times harder, because that’s what I’m signing in for. I’m not about listening to somebody that’s not an artist telling me what the fuck they think is hot.

As far as the RZA, I respect him, I love him – the love ain’t gonna go anywhere – but you’re not in the music world no more. So to me, you need to take a backseat and respect the n---as that is playing the game. I’m always out in the field and finding out what’s going on with the new. Period.

Do you think it's him or other people getting into his ear?
RZA’s the type of dude where, in the 90s, he ruled. Now it’s a new day. You’re not attached no more. It’s like being a coach and you won rings back in the day, but now your team is in ninth place. It’s time for a new fucking game plan. I sit here with integrity all the time. When it comes to my music. When it comes to my business. When it comes to the fans. I’m always going to give them the best of me. And I know the Wu-Tang Clan is built like that, but if they’re sitting there listening to one man, ain’t no "I" in "Team."

So what’s the solution that makes you happy and ready to work?
It ain’t about making me happy; it’s about doing business and negotiating the best terms and making me feel like, "You’re not lying to me." But before anything, everybody else’s business might be taken care of correctly where they can move forward, but Chef is not! My shit ain’t together! I have to deal with that first.

Second, RZA’s saying this is Wu-Tang’s last album? OK. Cool. That’s what it is? You the Abbot? It’s the Abbot show? Aiight, then it’s the last fuckin’ album. I’m cool with that. But at the same time, you’re not going to have me be attached to something that’s broke. Because if it’s already broke, why fix it?

Do you think part of it is the expectations put upon the group after 20 years?
We created something that wound up being so big, it has to sit on a certain kind of podium. It has to be sitting up there shining. It can’t be sitting up there with bullet holes and all this bullshit on it. I love my fans. I would never give them something that I feel is not a hit or a win. We made decisions together when it came to making great music. Today, I don’t know where RZA’s mind is at. I don’t know if he looks at himself as being a top producer. But you’re not the top producer no more. You’re definitely one of the best, but you’re not one of the best today.

We said with this album right here, let’s go use some of the relationships with the producers and artists that we know and let’s make something that the fans can be like, "Goddamn." You don’t go out there and put somebody on the fucking record that nobody never heard of. That’s an insult to us. I’m just sitting back in the bleachers just watching shit. There’s no animosity with me and my brothers. My issue is with fuckin’ management. And whoever sits in that chair, RZA and Devine, that’s they shit that they have to deal with. You’re not going to bury my career with your dumb moves.

Was there talk about working with other producers?
There definitely were conversations about this like, "Let's make this a colorful album with some of the hottest producers in the game." Motherfuckers love and respect us enough where it's like, "If you call me, it would be an honor to be involved with it." But RZA, you're the guy that can do that and I don't understand why he's not doing that. We want to continue to hold that belt the way it’s supposed to be held.

Did you ever think about leaving the group?
[Pauses] I would never leave the group. Before, I would say to myself, "It can be fixed." We’ve done so much work together as a family that I would never turn my back on that. But if my business ain’t right, then it’s causing me to do what my heart is telling me to do.

On a scale of 0-10, what are the odds that you end up on A Better Tomorrow?
We at a two right now. It’s like climbing up a fuckin' mountain if you got on slippers.

It’s sad. It hurts. It’s all about the fans. It’s all about them saying, "This is my favorite fuckin' hip-hop group in the world." I have a job to do for them. And I would never let my fans down and make something I feel is mediocre just to say I made it. That’s not Raekwon.
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