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[HiResDes]

Kaytranada is the man.

@Injurai Agree it's more DnB and Afrobeat, but I felt compelled to use buzz words

 

[Esch]

^^^ this is part of the reason why I stan for The Knife so hard. Two people pushing their early and late 30's respectively, successfully integrating a well-formed political ideology into their (dope) music. Who have been able to push through creative blocks and obstacles by refining and refining and experimenting and refining and experimenting and refining some more. There's real growth in their music in terms of talent, concept, execution, and maturity. You can hear it just in their album progression, and especially in their solo/one-off material (Olaf as Oni Ayhun specifically). Shaking the Habitual can't happen without the struggle of Tomorrow, In a Year or the experimentation of the OAR series. It's hard to believe some of the percussion and beat work on that album is even human, but you can hear the beginnings of it on Silent Shout. And to then integrate that into an effective, cohesive social-political message, and--going one step further--taking that message and turning it into a strongly crafted visual performance? Godlike. They completely avoided burning out their creativity and paired it with maturity.

Interesting. I've never given them the time of day, maybe I will. Your passionate stanning is selling me.

I don't disagree with any of that. Jay definitely has a lot of bitterness toward the government, but I think that bitterness is channeled into changing its effectiveness and not supplanting it in general. My interpretation of his relationship and work with Obama and the city of New York is that he recognizes government as a necessary but currently inefficient actor in the social marketplace. You can aide it from outside as a private entity, but nothing I've seen says to me that he wants to see it replaced or otherwise neutered. Which, yeah, puts him somwhere near Corey Booker on a scale.

OTOH he could just be trying to extend his influence and recognizes that taking on social and economic issues is a winning hand right now. Wouldn't put that past him at all.

I don't think he's really taking on ANY social issues, at least not as an artist. He'll say a little bit in a book here, a little bit in an interview here. He's notoriously guarded about his beliefs. I'd agree with looking at it that way; I think he simply sees the people in our government as incompetent as well.

Nas is all over the map, and trying to sort through the staggering amount of contradictions he has track to track--not even album to album, not even era to era--is fucking impossible. The only thing shielding him from criticism and responsibility is the fact that he's irrelevant. I mean that. Nas is fucking irrelevant outside of his diehard fanbase, who will forgive him for anything he does (or just refuse to acknowledge it). Dude is a supremely talented clown. That being said, I still think a lot of the messages he pushes are fabricated to keep his pro-black image alive, he's just significantly worse at shielding his personal views from leaking into his music than Jay. If anything I would side with him compromising by keeping up that facade. I can't imagine it being anything else. There's no way he holds all of the positions his music implies. It's not possible.

OTOH he could just be an idiot savant.

Damn man, you pretty much summed up exactly how I feel about the guy. A year ago I went through his career super deep and everything, and the incoherence of it all was too much to bear. People are naturally contradicting and change a lot, but I don't think any artist has ever backtracked and sonned himself ideologically as much as Nas has. And you know what? Maybe that's the appeal for some people? I personally agree with your idiot savant view, because it explains the side of him you see in public; mediocre conversational competency, half-baked statements, etc. But you're absolutely right; you keep that pro-black flag flying high and posit yourself as a messiah, and nobody in the fanbase will care. The truth is that if he was really in the limelight, he'd be skewered upon a cross of his own making.

Conservatism in general just doesn't lend itself to creative types. You can see that in any artistic field. Just goes doubly so for hip-hop because conservative types still see it as a threat to the status quo. Hard to ask someone to explore concepts within an ideology whose adherents refuse to acknowledge their work as legitimate expression.

Hmmm, I think this is debateable. Some forms of music are derived from a conservative ideology/worldview and they're excellent; martial industrial, neofolk (or really folk in general). And then there are some forms of music that people see as worth 'preserving'; this applies to all forms of classical music worldwide or 'old' folk music, some of which has high levels of talent instrumentally and artistically.

I think that there are some elements of social conservative ideology in hip hop. A lot of preachy types nowadays like a K-Rino are on that destruction of the family tip.

 

[HiResDes]

Esch I know you fucks with Fever Ray at least?

 

[Revson]

Well, opinions and all that but I'll be the first to admit that my knowledge of older hip hop is extremely limited.

Thanks again guys.

Hailey must've had her period at least once around this period

I was thinking about this when I put it down. That was almost 5 years ago? Damn.

 

[cdyhybrid]

Checking out this Metallic Butterfly.

 

[IrishNinja]

The truth is that if he was really in the limelight, he'd be skewered upon a cross of his own making.

odd that you think someone in the limelight would be heard for spouting half-baked political views (clearly a phenomenon isolated to nas) when your boy jigga kinda highlights why no one on the mainstream level wants to hear that shit to begin with.

 

[Gorillaz]

Came in here to ask about why Ross made a half-assed music video using a big character from The Wire

Left hearing a interesting talk about consumerism in music. Got more than I expected

 

[Esch]

Esch I know you fucks with Fever Ray at least?

This is dope.

odd that you think someone in the limelight would be heard for spouting half-baked political views (clearly a phenomenon isolated to nas) when your boy jigga kinda highlights why no one on the mainstream level wants to hear that shit to begin with.

Well actually,there is precedent half-baked political views in the mainstream. What else would you call say, Rage Against the Machine? Political hip hop moved plenty of copies in the 80s and 90s and got burn (Public Enemy etc). Actually now that you highlight it, why couldn't Nas ever get to that level? Probably because when he was at his most political (Untitled, HHiD, Streets Disciple), the quality of the actual music was straight garbage, borderline unlistenable despite poignant observations and quality verses.

Jay-Z's failure to make political hip hop of any genre stems from his personality and style. First off he's a conversational rapper. He raps at YOU, the listener. He's not a describer or heavy on imagery like that, so that eliminates certain songwriting lanes as he has to first and foremost explain to you x (issue, viewpoint, yadda yadda ). Second it's hard to take the dude seriously. He has moments of intense self-reflection that are incredible, but he just is at his most comfortable in a casual, relaxed manner most of the time.

 

[IrishNinja]

Well actually,there is precedent half-baked political views in the mainstream. What else would you call say, Rage Against the Machine? Political hip hop moved plenty of copies in the 80s and 90s and got burn (Public Enemy etc). Actually now that you highlight it, why couldn't Nas ever get to that level? Probably because when he was at his most political (Untitled, HHiD, Streets Disciple), the quality of the actual music was straight garbage, borderline unlistenable despite poignant observations and quality verses.

yeah, those weren't from his finest era - but you're still pointing at PE particularly & asking why Nas couldn't make that work, id say you kinda were onto something earlier with identity issues - Nasir isn't Dead Prez & doesn't want to fully be about political life, he wants that topic/sphere on hand. I think that was obvious even before Oochie Wallie.

also PE's pinnacle was during a very specific era of afrocentricity that's long over and not due for a comeback any time soon, so even if he was about it, i think that ship sailed before the bulk of his library dropped.

aside: RATM strikes many as half-baked but they got me into Chomsky so i can't hate, haha

Jay-Z's failure to make political hip hop of any genre stems from his personality and style. First off he's a conversational rapper. He raps at YOU, the listener. He's not a describer or heavy on imagery like that, so that eliminates certain songwriting lanes as he has to first and foremost explain to you x (issue, viewpoint, yadda yadda ). Second it's hard to take the dude seriously. He has moments of intense self-reflection that are incredible, but he just is at his most comfortable in a casual, relaxed manner most of the time.

can't argue with that, it doesn't fit his style. I don't think i'd want more politics from Jigga than we got, either - though i did appreciate that rant you posted up about inner cities & gov't.

 

[Esch]

yeah, those weren't from his finest era - but you're still pointing at PE particularly & asking why Nas couldn't make that work, id say you kinda were onto something earlier with identity issues - Nasir isn't Dead Prez & doesn't want to fully be about political life, he wants that topic/sphere on hand. I think that was obvious even before Oochie Wallie.

also PE's pinnacle was during a very specific era of afrocentricity that's long over and not due for a comeback any time soon, so even if he was about it, i think that ship sailed before the bulk of his library dropped.

I wouldn't deny that the environment had changed, there's no question about that. Did that commentary sell more behind a black power fist? Maybe. Sales aside; I can't say I love that shit much because of how incoherent and smartdumb most of it is, forget how musically poor it is. Some of it is awesome, like Black Zombie and What Comes Around though. Me and Pickles don't have to point out the identity issues they're in your face to see; there's the street kid on Illmatic, the mafioso don of It Was Written/Jiggy era, the prophet of the Nastradamus era etc, it's all over the place. It's nonsensical, almost to the point of like we both suggested mental illness. But as I suggested, perhaps that's what his fans like so much about him? Multiple musical identities.

I really used to fuck with Rage Against the Machine a lot too before I started playing guitar/fucking with theory. I know that feel haha.

Hov isn't an ideologue, and most rappers really aren't. They just want to make music.

 

[Tokubetsu]

http://noisey.vice.com/blog/stitches-scott-storch-instagram-brick-in-yo-face?utm_source=noiseyfbus

We reaching inception levels of industry plant conspiracies brehs.

 

[Detox]

Without being versatile Nas wouldn't be where he is today. He would be in the same place a G rap or Krs is. His fans love him because he can still write the best bars in hip hop whether he tackles more mature themes in something like LiG or the streets.

 

[IrishNinja]

Stitches feels like a forgettable pre attitude era heel, but i guess that's different for right now so do your thing man, whatever that is

 

[mooooose]

That I Love Selling Blow song is dope. Not surprised he's a plant.

 

[enzo_gt]

Right now I'm pretty exclusively listening to various Young Thug singles. Outside of that, various eras of Common, and Chvrches. I'm sort of clamoring for more Chvrches in general, or synth-pop or w/e. I've always low key had a fascination for that stuff.

Also general lol @ no one in here giving a fuck about the RZA EP.

 

[HiResDes]

Chvrches is too vanilla to have that occult shit in their name.

 

[PBY]

Right now I'm pretty exclusively listening to various Young Thug singles. Outside of that, various eras of Common, and Chvrches. I'm sort of clamoring for more Chvrches in general, or synth-pop or w/e. I've always low key had a fascination for that stuff.

Also general lol @ no one in here giving a fuck about the RZA EP.

Check out chad valley. Its more traditional, but very dope, boppy synth pop.
https://soundcloud.com/cascine/03-fall-4-u-feat-glasser-1

 

[IrishNinja]

Also general lol @ no one in here giving a fuck about the RZA EP.

i'm listening to it right now, it's not bad but not worth commenting about at the moment...forgettable MCs, RZA's done worse beats in recent years but there's not much em, kinda pete rock-y so far

 

[Esch]

Without being versatile Nas wouldn't be where he is today. He would be in the same place a G rap or Krs is. His fans love him because he can still write the best bars in hip hop whether he tackles more mature themes in something like LiG or the streets.

Versatility goes hand in hand with what I'm talking about re: multiple musical identities. Versatility of subject matter is definitely one of his strengths. As far as why his fans love him; that's something you can attack from a bunch of different angles. Some people love him because they're fans of how incredible his verse writing is, his descriptive imagery. I would put say, you and PD in this category (and IrishNinja when he decides to check himself). But there's also a crowd of cornballs that stans him because they see him as some sort of fount of justice or ideological 'right' in the world of hip hop, these people are unbearable morons and you can't respect them. I'd put CountBlackule in this category.

 

[HiResDes]

i'm listening to it right now, it's not bad but not worth commenting about at the moment...forgettable MCs, RZA's done worse beats in recent years but there's not much em, kinda pete rock-y so far

Sounds like the most boring thing ever

 

[IrishNinja]

i will never check myself lest i wreck myself

Sounds like the most boring thing ever

well, that was track 1 but i do like petestrumentals type shit, the rest of it is...a different direction but nothing here that id tell you guys you gotta go hit up, yeah
i mean this Cruisin' track...i see what he was going for but it makes me feel like it's an add for LittleBigPlanet

 

[Tokubetsu]

Right now I'm pretty exclusively listening to various Young Thug singles. Outside of that, various eras of Common, and Chvrches. I'm sort of clamoring for more Chvrches in general, or synth-pop or w/e. I've always low key had a fascination for that stuff.

Also general lol @ no one in here giving a fuck about the RZA EP.

We sync'd up. All these tracks are fire:
http://youtu.be/6D7BGRpbOD4
http://youtu.be/kfQAb3fqTSM
http://youtu.be/ZZ12rZFIjmY
https://soundcloud.com/youngchopbeatz/lil-durk-party-ft-young-thug
http://youtu.be/Rx-WkyKq9_E

 

[IrishNinja]

this Roots and then you shoot your cousin...its not bad so far, wasn't sure what to expect but it's slower like Undun so far

 

[Esch]

Young Thug should chop and screw more of his music, or downpitch it.

 

[enzo_gt]

Check out chad valley. Its more traditional, but very dope, boppy synth pop.
https://soundcloud.com/cascine/03-fall-4-u-feat-glasser-1

I fucks with this heavy. Thanks for the reccomendation bruh, any specific projects to check out from these guys?

We sync'd up. All these tracks are fire:
http://youtu.be/6D7BGRpbOD4
http://youtu.be/kfQAb3fqTSM
http://youtu.be/ZZ12rZFIjmY
https://soundcloud.com/youngchopbeatz/lil-durk-party-ft-young-thug
http://youtu.be/Rx-WkyKq9_E

I like a lot of these songs, many already in my playlist. I agree with you that The Blanguage is essentially the song of the summer ATM.

I think Young Thug should do an album/tape/EP with Key Wane. I think that's a pretty good fit for him. And hopefully the songs he did with Ye come to light.

 

[PBY]

I fucks with this heavy. Thanks for the reccomendation bruh, any specific projects to check out from these guys?
.

I really like Young Hunger

 

[overcast]

That I Love Selling Blow song is dope. Not surprised he's a plant.

Ewwww.

Chvrches is too vanilla to have that occult shit in their name.

This is true, supposedly it was cause it would be easier to search up. I still like Chvrches despite them being relatively bland. Better than Haim from the two "so indie" bands that blew up last year.

 

[Esch]

Watch some Schoolboy Q stan get knocked out by Action Bronson

That bucket hat

 

[Tokubetsu]

I fucks with this heavy. Thanks for the reccomendation bruh, any specific projects to check out from these guys?


I like a lot of these songs, many already in my playlist. I agree with you that The Blanguage is essentially the song of the summer ATM.

I think Young Thug should do an album/tape/EP with Key Wane. I think that's a pretty good fit for him. And hopefully the songs he did with Ye come to light.

Thugger x Key Wane would be fucking great.

 

[PBY]

Watch some Schoolboy Q stan get knocked out by Action Bronson

That bucket hat

What is Bronson doing. He's so stupid.

Ewwww.

This is true, supposedly it was cause it would be easier to search up. I still like Chvrches despite them being relatively bland. Better than Haim from the two "so indie" bands that blew up last year.

HAIM is so dope, stahp.

 

[Tokubetsu]

Also, this fucking B A N G S

 

[HiResDes]

HAIM is wack breh

 

[Detox]

this Roots and then you shoot your cousin...its not bad so far, wasn't sure what to expect but it's slower like Undun so far

Is black thought on all the songs?

 

[PBY]

HAIM is wack breh

Prob my 2nd fav non rap album last year. Fucking kill it live. Huge crushes on all of em.

Haterz to the left.

 

[HiResDes]

The production on the new Chris Travis, WOW

 

[jakefromstatefarm]

this Roots and then you shoot your cousin...its not bad so far, wasn't sure what to expect but it's slower like Undun so far

I thought it went by really quick :mannyshrug:

But yeah, it feels like an extension of Undun, some cool rhyme schemes and some really inspired production, but overall more of the same lyrical content. If you liked Undun/How I Got Over, you'll like this, just maybe not as much.

 

[Discotheque]

Also, this fucking B A N G S

i'd be down for a 2 hour version of this. i think i'll download it and loop it.

 

[HiResDes]

Haleek Maul Ft. Jacques - Brainscan

 

[Snuggles]

Thugger x Key Wane would be fucking great.

Personally, I'm hoping Thugger x Metro Boomin collab tape becomes a real thing.

 

[thabiz]

Meyhem Lauren & Buckwild - Q.U. Cartilage (ft. P.F. Cuttin)

Silk Pyramids drops on the 27th. HYPE!

 

[Tokubetsu]

Personally, I'm hoping Thugger x Metro Boomin collab tape becomes a real thing.

Goes without saying that I'm very excited about that tape =)

 

[Macca]

Yea, echo the thoughts on 1017 Thug. Fucking with Treasure hard though, might just stick to his singles unless someone deems a whole tape worthy of a listen.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

Esch I know you fucks with Fever Ray at least?

#Vikings

That show intro got me to check Fever Ray's album. Good, dark, strange stuff.

 

[wenis]

Thanks for the birthday wishes from 2 days ago guys. been on my own little bender for the last couple days. California heat, weed and all the wine that I can drink have been my priority.

now im kinda back into a normal schedule again. Just bought my brothers GTX 650 and slapped that bitch into my computer. I get to finally play Far Cry 3 on ultra settings on my TV now

 

[Syph Medwes]

Mickey Factz - Detroit Red

dude's lack of an album is more prolific than Jay Elec's

 

[Esch]

Young Hov is gonna be Kanye's best man

sent that boy some scotch

 

[overcast]

Esch I know you fucks with Fever Ray at least?

Fever Ray is great. Going to just listen to them for the time being now.

Watch some Schoolboy Q stan get knocked out by Action Bronson

That bucket hat

Hilarious, but Bronson is stupid. He's going to catch a law suit sooner or later.

HAIM is so dope, stahp.

I'm not saying they're awful, but I wasn't a fan of the album. A few good tracks on there, and I find the song/video to If I Could Change Your Mind particularly hypnotizing (corny QT dancing works).

 

[PhoenixDark]

Sup guys.

I've been lurking in here for quite a while, so I figured I'd finally post the initiation thing.

I'm not nearly as well-versed in Hip Hop as I'd like to be, but this thread has definitely helped in that regard.

Musical Taste:
• Pick a coast to rep - I'm from the South (Memphis), but I guess West Coast.
• Favorite Artist - Kanye West
• Best feature killer - Eminem
• Favourite producer - Not really knowledgeable enough to pick favorites.
• Favourite album - MBDTF
• What's in your playlist right now? - Some of the Goldlink stuff HiResDes linked a few pages back, The Roots - Undun, Juicy J - Stay Trippy (Never gets old in the car)

GAF-Hop Discusses:
• Rank Kanye's albums: MBDTF>CD>Graduation>LR>808s>Yeezus>WTT
• Who is the best Wu-Tang member? GZA
• Jay Z or Nas? Nas
• Biggie or Pac? Pac
• What’s your dream album/project? Kanye West topping MBDTF
• Who is the next big rapper/producer? No idea.
• Who is the most overrated/underrated emcee? Overrated: Jay-Z Underrated: Crooked I
• Have you been known to eat ass? Maybe

we got another one!

 

[Net_Wrecker]

How many times I gotta tell yall that Bronson's just working the gimmick? Nobody's getting "knocked out."

 

[Esch]

How many times I gotta tell yall that Bronson's just working the gimmick? Nobody's getting "knocked out."

It's all a conspiracy? Action Bronson isn't a dumb asshole?