Good. I do too. I consider Watch the Throne one too, because he put his all into the songs he produced and wrote beats for, and it opened him up lyrically. It also seems to fill a crucial space between MBDTF and what followed.

Plus, it doesn't get much better than Kanye & J.

Btw: NR was it you who was talking about the new Roots album the other day?

If so I just want to point out that I have grown EXTREMELY fond of it, and I think it's one of the best hip hop albums of the year, and maybe the Roots best album.

Oh also Madlib just released ROCK KONDUCTA 1+2, and I picked that double disc with bonus tracks up day before yesterday.

I never listened to the LP's, so I'm feeling like I've got a whole 2½ new album's worth of Madlib to rock through.

I love how be pulls samples from the weirdest cult and psych rock artists; he should have focused a bit more on '80s proto hardcore, because that just would have made for some killer beats, but sticking with the usual bottom of the crate gems works in rock as well as it does in hip-hop.

WTT feels more like a Kanye album than a Hov album.

It was me who mentioned the new Roots album. It's their best in a decade I think. Not their best ever. But it is really great.

all my fav Madlib stuff is YNQ-related.

Call me stupid but I don't know what you're referring to.

My favorite Madlib stuff is all over the place. The Beat Konducta 1+2 was one of my fav albums ever for a while. I love everything, from Lootpack's dope Soundpieces: Da Antidote, to Piñata. He's almost as good as Dilla

YNQ = Yesterdays New Quintet

YNQ eventually branched out into Yesterdays Universe, which is a huge family tree of related 'bands.' There's albums by the various YNQ 'members' like Monk Hughes, Ahmad Miller, Joe McDuphrey, etc. And then there's full on projects like The Last Electro-Acoustic Space Jazz & Percussion Ensemble, Sound Directions (my fav), and the list goes on and on and on.

every time I listen to Reasonable Doubt, it's better than the time before it.

Yeah, sorry I realized that and forgot to mention it. I'm not familiar with all of those, other than YNQ and Sound Directions (also one of my favorite Madlib releases ever).

I also like his production for strong arm steady. But I think my favorite Madlib releases have been Lootpack's Soundpieces: Da Antidote, one of the best hip hop albums ever made if you ask me, and Quasimoto's The Unseen.

"Come on Feet" should be acknowledged as a significant and influential precursor to the footwork music movement. It's one of my favorite hip hop instrumental tracks ever, and it creeps me out big time, which is good. Footwork has the same effect on me, and I think it's one of the more inspired sub-genres to emerge from electronic music in recent years.

Damned if I don't think Madlib can almost be credited with its unintentional invention.

I'm glad you got Sound Directions. That album blows my mind hard.

I never really got into Quas stuff that much. Maybe I'm missing out?

Honestly, most of my fav Madlib stuff is jazz-oriented though. Be it the YNQ stuff, or his Shades Of Blue or the Mind Fusion stuff or the Advanced Jazz records. Ugh. Dude's just got such great taste in jazz.

Wait, you've never heard the Unseen?

... Forget the Further Adventures of Lord Quas for now, and the early singles and Yessir Whatever (most of which is just early singles/b-sides/rarities.... But you NEED to hear The Unseen. It's absolutely essential listening for any fan of Madlib... Any fan of hip-hop even. I can't say enough about it. Honestly I'm shocked that you haven't heard it and ENVIOUS of the fact that you get to hear it for the first time; which is one hell of an experience.

It's eerie as all hell. Go listen to it man. You deserve it.

i know Fiona has a large variety of elements in her music, from alt rock to jazz to pop.. but the more i listen to Tidal, the more i think it should be recognized as soul music.

that quote could basically be applied to any form of music, whether it be pop, rock, soul, jazz or noise, that grabs you. it isn't necessarily pop music's effect on everyone, it's pop music's effect on a listener who enjoys pop music. pop and noise aren't the only two genres of music that can disorient the listener.

Ok listen up folks. The following new releases are so totally worth buying. Some more than others but all are pretty freaking good.

Common- Nobody's Smiling (not his best album, but the first one I've bothered buying in a while. I'm definitely into it, and it think it will grow on me more as time goes by.

THE UNDERACHIEVERS- CELLAR DOOR: TERMINUS UT EXORDIUM- This may be the year's best hip hop album yet. For 13 tracks, AK & Issa Gold just don't freaking stop killin' it. The pace of this album is unbelievable, and it goes harder than anything else we've heard this year.

Guilty Simpson & Small Professor - Highway Robbery: WHY HAS IT TAKEN ME MONTHS TK BUY THIS? I didn't even realize that the fucker came with AN ENTIRE ADDITONAL ALBUM called "Land of the Crooks" by Sean Price & M-PHAZE!!! It's two dope ass independent hip hop albums for the price of one, and it features some tight guest appearances, especially from BOLDY JAMES whose 2013 album "My 1st Chemistry Set" was one of my favorite hip hop records of the year.

2 for the price of 1, and Guilty Simpson's album with Small Professor is fucking incredible. I forget how excellent an emcee Guilty is because I'm only really familiar with his guest spots on other records... But he's more than qualified to run the show. Small professor is on the lookout too. Talented as fuck, or so it would seem.

Dillon Cooper - Cozmik (mixtape) from 2013 but whatever... Shame on is for not catching it sooner. This kid has some serious chops. Listen to his shit.

the Drake vs. Lil Wayne tour looks like it's gonna be amazing.. http://vimeo.com/101274325 - that promo video by CAPCOM. :eek: i hope their battles are gonna bring the best in Wayne.

a new C5 single (also featuring Drake) is dropping today! i'm hyped.

here's a snippet from Kanye's Robocop vid: http://vimeo.com/100345873

reminds me of Stanley Kubrick, seriously. i'm upset he never released it.

Lil Wayne X Drake - Grindin

OUT NOW: https://youtube.com/watch?v=0HoP0fO3ui4

Has anyone bothered to listen to "Nobody's Smiling"?? I thought this place was like seething with Common fans. I have been back and forth on the dude since he started being in Queen Latifah movies and commercials for ITunes (or whatever it was... The one with Afrika B. that was so corny.

But the new album is surprisingly solid! I would have preferred a guest spot of two from Ye, (maybe instead of Big Sean... Who hasn't come through in my book. I'm actually surprised that Kanye isn't anywhere to be found on the album. Did I miss something? A beef?

Anyway, it's good.

In the past two weeks I've had my ass kicked by new records from The Roots, Common, Guilty Simpson & Small Professor, Shabazz Palaces, and above all fucking else, THE INCREDIBLE FIRST PROPER ALBUM FROM BEAST COAST REPRESENTAS THE UNDERACHIEVES whose Brainfeeder debut drops officially on 8/12!!


If you're bored, sick of the same old shit, or feel as though you're interest in hip-hop may be waning, pick up this motherfucka the day it drops.
It's serious shit.

i skimmed through Common's singles, didn't like the sound he was going for.

did you guys see Wu-Tang on Jon Stewart? Man, I still absolutely adore "Triumph."

Common's music has always been too intellectual/sociopolitical for my tastes. He's sort of like Immortal Technique. I respect both artists' talent, but given my general taste in rap, I'm not their demographic.

I did check out Nobody's Smiling though. As expected, it was well-written and produced, but failed to grab me on a personal level. Not my style, unfortunately. Diamonds is a cool track, and I enjoyed the hook and girl singing on Blak Majik.

You know who I really like right now?

Bones.

Anyone listen to this guy? He's totally someone that anyone who has the cross-interests of hip-hop and sonic youth should love. Dude gives all his music away for free online, and I guess makes most of his money off merch and touring. He rides a bike instead of driving, and raps about keeping a switchblade in his sock and drinking only the cleanest artesian water. He's so fresh though with his atmospheric production and these like worn-ass VHS music videos. He rolls with Chris Travis now, so you know he's legit. Seriously, I can't get enough lol. Dude's brilliant, he tickles my niche.

Here's the album which got me hooked: www.teamsesh.com/bonesdeadboy.zip




BUT here is his new mixtape - http://teamsesh.com/bones_garbage.zip




Some youtube links - Dirt + WeDon'tBelieveYou feat. XAvier Wulf & Chris Travis (SERIOUSLY THIS TRACK IS FUCKING HYPE AS FUCK)

I really hope at least a few of you guys give him a shot, if you haven't already. He deserves the recognition.

Dude, B-rad - PEEP HIS MERCH!

yeah Bones is cool

haha, hot.

my computer died so i can't listen to new albums at the moment.. but i'm definitely gonna peep Bones' discog this weekend, can't wait. the few songs i've heard from him so far were so good.

i have a feeling that C5 is going to be better than C4 and IANAHB2.. Drake is in his prime right now, it would be clever to have him featured on multiple songs, the same way OB4CL highlighted Ghost and The Chronic highlighted Snoop. he would murk everything while getting Wayne out of his comfort zone and bringing the best in him.

new Underachieverz is good. I like the music a lot. They're flows tend to sound a little same-ish to me after a while though.

Yeah, kind of on the Cellar Door, but I never felt that way about Indioism.

Cellar Door is my new hip hop album to beat this year. But recent releases by Guilty Simpson & small professor, Open Mike Eagle & Shabazz Palaces are making this one hell of a year for underground hip hop.

possibly the worst Carter cover so far huh.. still excited though.

^agree on both.

just a heads up, Intoxxxicated physical copies are sold out. I nabbed one eBay today, but there's not a ton of em out there if you want one.

I havent listened to Bulletproof Wallets in ages. Think i'll give it a spin today.

Never Be the Same is one of my fav hip-hop songs, period! i find myself watching the video on youtube over and over again. Ghost's verses are so emotional and relatable to me, and Rae's flow is so raw.

KANYE WEST'S new song is #1 on the billboard hot 100 & it hasn't even been released yet!

(Via @DanceDeathBlog < @BrooklynVegan)

Warning: Headline is somewhat misleading, as it refers to a new venture by Twitter & Billboard that combines sales with trending/talked-about songs on Social Media... But still pretty fucking awesome)

oh yeah, i've heard the 2 min snippet of "All Day" before it was deleted. the quality was poor, but it still sounded hard.

i wish there will be some emotional ballads on the new album though.

yeah Bulletproof Wallets is a lot better than I remembered. Thing is it's GOOD. But Ironman, Supreme before it were great, and Pretty Tony is great after it. It's just kind of... there.

Is it weird that I find it more surprising that a Soulja Boy track is #2 on that list?

haha, definitely.

Lil Wayne "Krazy" video: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/vi...-clip-20140811

pretty cool.