is there any intelligent rap today?

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I'm going to assume that this thread is supposed to address only hip-hoppers who are relevant, today...which means that OutKast missed the boat by about seven years and finally drowned in 2006, with one of the worst "albums" in recent memory. Big Boi made a good album in 2003, but that wasn't OutKast. It don't count.

Anyway, there are tons. Here're a few.

Dizzee Rascal
Prefuse 73
The Roots
Dead Prez
Kanyeezy
J Dilla/Jay Dee/Jaylib/etc.
MF Doom/Madvillain/King Geedorah/Viktor Vaughn/etc.
Madlib/Madvillain/Jaylib/etc.
Aesop Rock
Rhymesayers
The Streets
Common
Ghostface
...and easily my favorite of the lot, Baltimore's own, unfortunately-Rick-Rubin-loving Spank Rock


Is Tricky still around? Maxinquaye was a fantastic record, a while back.
 
1% in the world of hip hop is actually good. The other 99.9% is pure utter garbage.
 
Justin24 said:
1% in the world of hip hop is actually good. The other 99.9% is pure utter garbage.

Just like The Bible.

Anyway, I somehow forgot about Clipse. And Lupe. Hell Hath No Fury is fucking dope, and Food and Liquor was solid, though not at all classic. Great and good stuff, respectively.

I never got into Cee-Lo, in spite of my best efforts, but since the majority so often rules, he's probably also worth more than a cursory look. Others have made quality suggestions worth checking out. Obviously, there's a good deal to examine, and this isn't even touching on people who kinda cross the genre's boundaries and do very, very, very high-quality work, like Timbaland (whom I adore) and Missy (whom I cannot personally stand).

Some undie types flipped for Clipse's For Hero : For Fool, too, but I wasn't really feeling it. Worth a look for people who don't make absurd, comma-less remarks like "99.9% [of hip-hop] is pure utter garbage."
 
Justin24 said:
1% in the world of hip hop is actually good. The other 99.9% is pure utter garbage.

Wow, that's pretty specific. Can you support your statement with the mathematical research you used to derive that figure?

:rolleyes:
 
Justin24 said:
1% in the world of hip hop is actually good. The other 99.9% is pure utter garbage.

Amazingly mathematically correct :up:

If you want good rap, the radio is the exact place you DON'T want to go.

I gotta agree with the suggestions in this thread, especially The Roots, Kanye West, and OutKast :drool:
 
If you shout... said:
I'm going to assume that this thread is supposed to address only hip-hoppers who are relevant, today...which means that OutKast missed the boat by about seven years and finally drowned in 2006, with one of the worst "albums" in recent memory. Big Boi made a good album in 2003, but that wasn't OutKast. It don't count.

Idlewild was mediocre, but one of the worst albums ever? that's a bit of a stretch.

not a fan of Andre's singing I guess... :wink: but The Love Below was what got me into Outkast and rap in general. It's a good gateway album.

I find Common to be boring but that's just me...rap has to have a good beat for me to pay attention. that's half a song and why Outkast is so great. Chonkyfire :drool:
 
Intelligent Rap as followed:

2pac
Notorious BIG
OutKast
Kanye
Public Enemy
4th25 (a group of US soldiers from Iraq who made a rap album in iraq using a shack to make the album. Awesome stuff)
The Fugees
Common
The Roots

The bad.....................

LiL John
Nump
Black Eyed Peas
50 Cent
Eminem (I can't stand him)

and more :)
 
LemonMelon said:


Love Hater

for some reason unknown to man, that song led to me falling in love. now that's irony.

Happy Valentine's Day...She Lives in My Lap... Dracula's Wedding...:drool:
 
AtomicBono said:


for some reason unknown to man, that song led to me falling in love. now that's irony.

Happy Valentine's Day...She Lives in My Lap... Dracula's Wedding...:drool:

I forgot HVD...it's brilliant. :rockon:
 
Add Cadence Weapon to the list. I just bought his album "Breaking Kayfabe" from eMusic and it's fucking brilliant. One review of the record reads "The beats sound like fruity loops blew up and made a rhythmic skittle rainbow over my ipod." :lmao: it's true, though, and I'm lovin' the crazy electronic beats. lyrically it's great as well. I also just bought The Game's latest (Doctor's Advocate) and this is such a welcome contrast.
 
Great bands in this thread. Great bands.

And for the record, The Love Below >>> Speakerboxx. :wink:

Outkast is really brilliant, though. If anyone in this thread hasn't heard Aquemini or Stankonia, GET THEM. NOW.

And speaking of MF Doom, that Danger Doom album he did with Dangermouse was BOSS. I loved the cartoon theme (big Adult Swim fan :wink:), and they had some great guests, too - Ghostface, Cee-Lo, Talib Kweli :drool:.

It's just that I'm old school like that.
 
Originally posted by XHendrix24
And speaking of MF Doom, that Danger Doom album he did with Dangermouse was BOSS. I loved the cartoon theme (big Adult Swim fan ), and they had some great guests, too - Ghostface, Cee-Lo, Talib Kweli .

wow that album sounds killer. Guest MCs that are actually worth it...I hate it when rap is bogged down by shitty guest appearences.

all of Outkast's old skool stuff is worth it. Southernplayisticadillacmuizk (come on, who doesn't want to write that?) is a brilliant debut (Deep...Claimin' True... :drool: ), ATLiens is pretty good, and Aquemini is classic. and Stankonia wins for B.O.B. alone. anyone hear the Rage collab version of that (or maybe it was just Tom Morello, not sure)? it's tiiiight.

I have a soft spot for Love Below...but Speakerboxxx has Flip Flop Rock and Last Call. Jay-Z and Lil Jon! :heart: and Ghetto Musick is baller.
 
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