here's an even better idea. no.

I just saw Dalek live (well, 3 members of Dalek + guitarist from Isis) opening for Mike Patton & the X-Ecutioners...wow. Fucking wow. I bought their Absence album on the spot. Great fucking live show, totally original sound, even if the lyrics were a bit generic conscious MC. Still, the delivery was excellent and he has a hell of a lot of energy live. Dug it a LOT.

Patton & X-Ecutioners were amazing, as if you expected any less. Patton's beatboxing (if you can call it that) is ridiculous. Well worth the $30 I shelled out to go, although NOT worth the drink prices. $6 for a Guinness? You're killin' me.

well, i messiah/i set the microphone on fire/ rap styles vary/and carry like mariah.--the rza

i would definitely stab to see patton do something other than tomahawk or fantomas. i enjoy them both, but i'd rather see him doing something more dynamic.

I just got into Kool Keith recently. You should check out Dr.Octagon too, it's one of his other projects and it's really phychadelic.

Probably the only rap band I like.

Wu-Tang
POS(Really freaking good, man)
Madlib/Quasimoto/Madvillian
MF Doom/Danger Doom
NWA

I've grown out of the Beastie Boys.

Me too. I used to think Paul's Boutique was a work of brilliance, but it's left me out in the cold lately.

A Tribe Called Quest is where it's at. The Low End Theory is fucking amazing.

Heres a couple of tracks by New York rapper 'Edan' that i think you guys might like http://www.thewire.co.uk/web/mp3.php#E.
Also 'Saul Williams' and 'Dr Octogon' are worth a listen.

I used to hump my pillow at night.
The type of silent prayer to help myself prepare for the light.
Me and my cousin Duce would rank the girls between one and ten
and the highest number got to be my pillows pretend.

Saul is such a good vocalist, no wonder lots of his stuff is spoken word. I have one of his poem books

Showbiz & AG, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Big L (rip), Buckwild, Fat Joe, OC
Anyone into DITC? I may as well mention Gang Starr

I still looove the beastie boys. I've also gotten into Aesop Rock

I was reading through this thread and kept reading about Nas' Illmatic, so I downloaded and it is fucking amazing.

Very strong record.

But you're black?You don't know about being intelligent?

Illmatic is powerful as fuck. I bought stillmatic for my brother a couple of weeks ago, and it's nearly as good.

Dr.DRE is still one of my highlights, along with RZA. Oh, and did anyone hear how Raekwon signed to Shady aftermath? It's going to be sweet, because now he's going to have 2 of my favorite beatmakers working with him.

What hasn't been added.....

Company Flow, MF Doom (and any of his other incarnations), Cannibal Ox, Gravediggas, Kid Koala, DJ Food (not really rap though), Blackalicious (the A2G EP is all I've heard, but its good) DJ Q-Bert (for a little fun), Lootpack

I used to right Nas off as being generic gangsta rap, but I don't think I will hear anything like this ever again.

260 (from Ghostface Killah's IRONMAN) - Raekwon's verse

Two hours later, scheamin like DeNiro in Casino
Son better have more coke than Al Pacino
Keana ain't tellin no lies, last year she did a sting and a half
and Tymeek bought her a aircraft
But anyway, yo, Daddy-O home, we need the shotties nidow
When we get back, throw you a bit out
Later that night, stay mesmerized yo
Go get the green 5, meet you on the corner of Marriot
You ready, you got the E&J and the machete?
We goin upstairs, I hope one nigga is empty
We walked in, both of us, looked like terrorists
Masks on, second floor, Dunn yo, I handle this
Kick in the crib, the whole shit looked graphical
Natural, fuckin a white bitch, actual
fiends chanting, "Do your thing Chef, handle it"
I shot him in the neck, it ricocheted and hit Carolyn
Ran to the back analyzin, much disguisin
Surprise we comin and their eyes were tranquilized
and buggin, throwin her twin cousins at his nugget, fuck it
Meet shottie waddy slug body hobby
Where the drugs, where the ounces you be bouncin
Fake cats announcin on the block, you loungin
Where the blow at, I ain't got shit, stop frontin
(Yo Chef, throw the joint in his mouth, money'll start stuntin
Bitch, show that bit, before I push your wig back
Chef stop wavin that, show him where the paper at)
Come here Valerie, you know the God he need a salary
Put down the pipe here's two tickets to a coke gallery
It's in the kitchen in the ceiling
(Baby girl kept squealing
Only found a white block of cheese from New Zealand
Ohhh shit! Yo, yo where that shit at yo?
Yo Chef, where that shit? What? What? Aiyyo...)

Ghostface Killah - Daytona 500

The arsonist, who burn with his pen regardless
Slaying all these earthlings and fake foreigners
In the Phillipines, pick herbal beans, bubbling strings
Body chemical CREAM, we burn kerosene
The conviction of my tape is rape, wicked like Nixon
Long-heads inscriptions with three 6s in
Kiss the pyramid experiment with high explosive
I slapbox with Jesus, lick shots at Joseph
Zoomin like binoculars, the rap blacksmith
Money's Rolex, with sparkless, Chef ragtop is spotless
I'm Iron Man no cheap cash metal I'm steel alloy
True identity hidden inside secret tabloids
Breathe oxygen in both sides of my jaw carry oxes
The track hit like the bangers, in hundred watt boxes
Yo jostling these cats while Little J be deli-ing
Sip Irish Moss out of Widelians

I've been crazy into Immortal Technique lately. His music is crazy-good, but his rhymes are vicious but incredibly brilliant. I highly recommend "Peruvian Coke", especially if you like the movie Scarface (but then who doesn't)