Hip-Hop Talk II

[cobl04]

If you don't like it you don't like it, that's totally fair. His voice is an acquired taste, but I love it because it's a point of difference in a reasonably homogenous mainstream, and he has a heap of different flows. I personally love the beats all the way through, there's so many great ones, from the chill (Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe ) to the obnoxious (Backseat Freestyle, which is typical Hit-Boy) to the indie-sampling beguiling (Money Trees) to the glossy (Swimming Pools) and more. I don't focus on lyrics much either until I listen to an album a few times, but yeah, they're pretty impressive on good kid, the likes of Art of Peer Pressure and Sing About Me/Dying of Thirst in particular.

I was just a little taken aback that you seemed so shocked that it was mentioned in the same breath as Illmatic.

 

[LemonMelon]

I've written way too much about GKMC in this thread and everyone already knows I stan Kendrick.

Looks like Cobbler is holding it down anyway.

 

[DaveC]

Your endorsement has convinced me, I'll give it another try when I can actually focus on it. I have a 2-hour bus/subway commute each way to work so I'll certainly have time.


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[bono_212]

I don't think I'll ever like that album. Or Kendrick's voice. Or his claims to be the new King of New York. I just generally don't care much for him...but he's been endearing himself on me, as of late.

 

[gvox]

Hey Gabe, good to see you're still around buddy. I'm in Toronto now, working for a bank. Been out of the army since January 2012 when my contract came up.

What's new?

Good for you glad to hear it! We'll have to catch up maybe have a brew or so. Ill hit you up via pm if you check those things

 

[DaveC]

I don't think I'll ever like that album. Or Kendrick's voice. Or his claims to be the new King of New York. I just generally don't care much for him...but he's been endearing himself on me, as of late.

This guy is saying he's the "king of New York"?

Isn't he from Compton? I thought that was the whole big deal, that he was "bringing the West Coast back"? Now I'm just confused.


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[DaveC]

Good for you glad to hear it! We'll have to catch up maybe have a brew or so. Ill hit you up via pm if you check those things

Indeed, are you still playing shows with the band these days?


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[gvox]

Indeed, are you still playing shows with the band these days?


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You have mail

 

[cobl04]

This guy is saying he's the "king of New York"?

Isn't he from Compton? I thought that was the whole big deal, that he was "bringing the West Coast back"? Now I'm just confused.


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He's from Compton, yeah, but Ashley's referring to his verse on this track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkZZo0XSm5s

 

[LemonMelon]

It's exaggerated braggadocio. He's saying he's the king of both coasts. The best in the world.

 

[cobl04]

well, duh

 

[LemonMelon]

Dave seemed confused by the comment itself

 

[iron yuppie]

Speaking of Kendrick, I'm finally giving good kid a listen, and yeah, it lives up to the hype. That opening trio is killer, especially Backseat Freestyle, which might be the best hip-hop song I've heard. I see how that track can be misread message-wise, but in context it hits pretty hard, even for a listener about as far removed from Compton as possible.

I'm not sure how I feel about Kendrick's voice, but he's obviously a very literate guy, and the instrumentation/beats keep you guessing. The female backing vocals work really well when they pop up (especially in the second half of Dying of Thirst). You do get a sense of this guy's life through the album - it all comes off as very genuine.

PS I'm still not sure I've ever heard a hip-hop skit/interlude that adds anything to the overall narrative.

Edit: And one last thought - Compton (the track) is totally unnecessary. Not sure why it's there when Real seems to close the album thematically in about every way you could want.

 

[DaveC]

I think it's ludicrous for any rapper from LA to say they are the king of anything on the east coast, and vice versa, no matter who it is. Even if Tupac came back from the grave and said it, it would still be just as dumb.


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[cobl04]

Speaking of Kendrick, I'm finally giving good kid a listen, and yeah, it lives up to the hype. That opening trio is killer, especially Backseat Freestyle, which might be the best hip-hop song I've heard. I see how that track can be misread message-wise, but in context it hits pretty hard, even for a listener about as far removed from Compton as possible.

I'm not sure how I feel about Kendrick's voice, but he's obviously a very literate guy, and the instrumentation/beats keep you guessing. The female backing vocals work really well when they pop up (especially in the second half of Dying of Thirst). You do get a sense of this guy's life through the album - it all comes off as very genuine.

PS I'm still not sure I've ever heard a hip-hop skit/interlude that adds anything to the overall narrative.

Edit: And one last thought - Compton (the track) is totally unnecessary. Not sure why it's there when Real seems to close the album thematically in about every way you could want.

Interesting... judging by your posts over the last year or so it seems like the more visceral, trunk-rattling, aggressive hip-hop is your bag. I love Backseat Freestyle, for both the beat, which is huge, and the lyric, which is rap bravado at its best. I think Kendrick also said himself that Backseat Freestyle is written from the point of view of a young, mid/late teens Kendrick doing his first braggadocio rap.

For me I really only enjoy skits when they're funny. I love the one at the end of Backseat Freestyle I think it is about the Dominoes pizza.

Agreed on Compton. I think the album should end on Dying of Thirst, with Real and Compton, both of which I like, being bonus tracks. Compton is tacked on as a victory lap, I guess.

I think it's ludicrous for any rapper from LA to say they are the king of anything on the east coast, and vice versa, no matter who it is. Even if Tupac came back from the grave and said it, it would still be just as dumb.

Rap's a dick-waving contest, so I don't think it's ludicrous.

 

[cobl04]

The best thing about that Control verse is that he names 3000 as one of the untouchable rappers. The respect everyone has for him turns me on so much.

 

[iron yuppie]

I think Kendrick also said himself that Backseat Freestyle is written from the point of view of a young, mid/late teens Kendrick doing his first braggadocio rap.

Yeah, I took it as a send-up of that type of rap. I guess that wouldn't be clear without the preceding track, though.

 

[LemonMelon]

iYup just called Backseat Freestyle his favorite hip hop song.

I'm so proud.

 

[cobl04]

"Pray my dick get big as the Eiffel Tower / so I can fuck the world for 72 hours" is one of my favourite lines in hip-hop in recent memory.

 

[LemonMelon]

Kanye West - Late - Live @ Camp Flog Gnaw Odd Future ( ofwgkta ) Carnival 11-9-13 in HD - YouTube

Awwww

 

[cobl04]

oldddddd news son.

 

[LemonMelon]

I posted the video in the last thread but Tyler's tweet from years ago was just pointed out to me.

Kanye on some Make a Wish shit.

 

[bono_212]

"Pray my dick get big as the Eiffel Tower / so I can fuck the world for 72 hours" is one of my favourite lines in hip-hop in recent memory.

Oh my God, fucking hell, I hate that song.

 

[cobl04]

Respect my mind or die from lead showers.

 

[LemonMelon]

Start up that Maserati and VROOM-VROOM I'm racing

 

[iron yuppie]

iYup just called Backseat Freestyle his favorite hip hop song.

Well, that I've heard so far.

 

[DaveC]

Black Moon's Enta Da Stage is phenomenal.


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[bono_212]

I think it took me two seconds after hearing Be to decide that Common was my favorite MC, but I have only recently heard any albums outside of that one and his most recent. I'm listening to Like Water for Chocolate right now and I'm just in heaven. Which brings me to this: I saw Common interview Mike Tyson on Sunday. One of the most surreal moments of my life, basically. Afterwards, I tried to cautiously follow the few people who realized where Common would be exiting from the interview area, and for two seconds I was standing right next to him and that was basically the coolest moment ever for me .

 

[DaveC]

I think it took me two seconds after hearing Be to decide that Common was my favorite MC, but I have only recently heard any albums outside of that one and his most recent. I'm listening to Like Water for Chocolate right now and I'm just in heaven. Which brings me to this: I saw Common interview Mike Tyson on Sunday. One of the most surreal moments of my life, basically. Afterwards, I tried to cautiously follow the few people who realized where Common would be exiting from the interview area, and for two seconds I was standing right next to him and that was basically the coolest moment ever for me .

That is pretty cool

Why was he interviewing Mike Tyson?

 

[bono_212]

The BET awards were this weekend, and to go along with it, BET organized a weekend full of events/concerts/etc at the LA Convention Center. That's where I saw the Celebrity Basketball game and also got this amazing picture taken:

Spoiler

Part of the weekend's activities were what was called "Genius Talks", in which one person of note interviewed another person of note. For example, prior to the Common/Mike Tyson talk, Floyd Mayweather was interviewed by Doug E. Fresh. This, for the record, was a much better interview, as far as life-affirming content. But Tyson was just...Common came in with so many sincere questions and by the mid-point, he was basically cribbing off of Inside the Actor's Studio. He spent like five minutes asking him what his favorite movies were. And this wasn't Common's fault, Tyson is just insane and none of the good questions were going anywhere. Also, Tyson's bottom button on his shirt was unbottoned and it was hilarious. I didn't get a picture of the screen to show it, because I'm an idiot, but you can enjoy it in all its glory here:

Genius Talks: Mike Tyson's 'Undisputed Truth' | Videos | BET