[louder]

Originally Posted by Severian

Here, try this: https://youtu.be/3kFmkDNp1fY


Yup.

1. DAMN
2. 4:44
3. Big Fish Theory

Everything else is a joke.

I'm interested in Kanye, Earl and Nas. Pretty much everyone else can fuck off. Perhaps I'm exaggerating but hip hop has gotten so stale.

[louder]

Common gave us a fantastic album and no one cared.

He was one of the last good ones.

The new rappers are so garbage.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by louder

I'm interested in Kanye, Earl and Nas. Pretty much everyone else can fuck off. Perhaps I'm exaggerating but hip hop has gotten so stale.

Uh. Kendrick. Chance. Pusha. Vince. Danny Brown is the absolute fucking shit. Just completely mad, that guy. Doing interesting things with the genre.

And of course Kane.

Nas? I dunno. He could use an album like 4:44 at this point. Otherwise it might be game over.

[louder]

Originally Posted by Severian

Uh. Kendrick. Chance. Pusha. Vince. Danny Brown is the absolute fucking shit. Just completely mad, that guy. Doing interesting things with the genre.

And of course Kane.

Nas? I dunno. He could use an album like 4:44 at this point. Otherwise it might be game over.

I'm talking about people who haven't put their album out yet.

So the only one who still applies out of the rappers you listed is Pusha.

These are pretty much the only 4 names who can drop something that would be on par or better than the top 3 albums of the year, which as of now, are in a league of their own.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by louder

I'm talking about people who haven't put their album out yet.

So the only one who still applies out of the rappers you listed is Pusha.

These are pretty much the only 4 names who can drop something that would be on par or better than the top 3 albums of the year, which as of now, are in a league of their own.

I can't quite tell if Frank Ocean should be considered. I've been revisiting Blonde a bit here and there, and every time I play it through it blows me the fuck away.

Blonde was really one of the best albums of 2016. Frank's been dropping nice features in its wake. If by some insanely lucky turn of events he ends up releasing a new project this year, I don't doubt it will be incredible.

It's really worth noting that Frank is, like, mother. fucking. good. I think there was some discussion of him being overrated when Blonde dropped. I passionately disagree. If anything he's underrated. Blonde was a grower, and a slow-burner, and it took many listens for it to really make sense, but in the end it's, like, twice as good as Channel Orange if not moreso.

Frank... Frank is dank.

[Severian]

Oh, and I also remember reading something about Chance potentially having a new album out soon. I've kinda mellowed on Coloring Book, but I still think Chance is good. Acid Rap still hits all the right notes.

[louder]

Originally Posted by Severian

I can't quite tell if Frank Ocean should be considered. I've been revisiting Blonde a bit here and there, and every time I play it through it blows me the fuck away.

Blonde was really one of the best albums of 2016. Frank's been dropping nice features in its wake. If by some insanely lucky turn of events he ends up releasing a new project this year, I don't doubt it will be incredible.

It's really worth noting that Frank is, like, mother. fucking. good. I think there was some discussion of him being overrated when Blonde dropped. I passionately disagree. If anything he's underrated. Blonde was a grower, and a slow-burner, and it took many listens for it to really make sense, but in the end it's, like, twice as good as Channel Orange if not moreso.

Frank... Frank is dank.

Yeah, Frank is amazing. Blonde grew on me so much in the last couple months. In its own way, I think it's as incredible as a D'Angelo album.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by louder

Yeah, Frank is amazing. Blonde grew on me so much in the last couple months. In its own way, I think it's as incredible as a D'Angelo album.

I think it's a different kind of incredible, but yeah. I tend to think of Black Messiah as one of the absolute best albums of this decade, but I might actually like Blonde more.

I mean, how FUCKING AMAZING is "Futura Free?" Seriously. I can't believe any of us were calling Frank overrated right after shit like that dropped. Holy fuck. It's hard to imagine an R&B artist striking a chord that would resonate with fans of SY and experimental pop quite as much as that song.

The album doesn't have much song to song flow, but Jesus the songs themselves are incredible. And really Fucking heartbreaking.

[AffofFesk]

coool. ima be the one of the ones to get educated on hip-hop from my home lol

[Severian]

NR - Have you listened to 4:44 yet?

[Severian]

Hey... uhh... echo?

A$AP Mob has a new album out today. Cozy Tapes vol. 2: Too Cozy

 

[Severian]

Louder, I was a little confused at first when you pointed to "Marcy Me" as one of your favorite tracks from 4:44, but I've given that album a veritable fuck ton of play now, and I totally see where you were/are coming from.
It's some of the best shit Jay has dropped lyrically in the second half of his career. At first I thought I i could hear the "gears lurching" (so to speak) when Jay maneuvered some of those weird syllables, but now I'm just really baffled by how excellent the rapping and lyrics are on this track.

These are some of the lines I think he's ever written:

Hold a Uzi vertical, let the thing smoke
Y'all flirtin' with death, I be winkin' through the scope
Shout out to all the murderers turned murals... plural, fuck the Federal Bureau
Shout out to Nostrand Ave., Flushing Ave., Myrtle
All the County of Kings, may your ground stay fertile
Shout out to Big Poppa, Daddy Kane, heroes
Thus concludin' my concerto

"Y'all flirting with death, I be winkin' through the scope" ... Wow.

He's truly one of the best. This single set of lyrics makes every rapper posing as a badass look like an utter pussy by comparison. And it does it with class.

Jay came through. I remember why I was such a devotee of his for so long. Behind everything, all the glitz and all the deals and all the stupid videos and bullshit, he's a legitimate master craftsman.

HOV.

[louder]

Hell yeah man! That track is so so good. Jay is so nice with it, for real bro.

[louder]

New projects that might be worth discussing:

BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION 2
A better/more refined version of their debut. It's good. Check it out.

Kodak Black - Project Baby 2
Heard one song. So far so good. Kodak's rapping works for me.

XXXTENTACION - 17
An emo rap/acoustic project that was co-signed by Kendrick. Has its moments. As a whole I think it's kind of annoying though. Lacks substance and vision.

Wiki - No Mountains in Manhattan
Wiki kind of repeats what he already did on his mixtape, but this time with a few familiar guests - Ghostface Killah, as well as Kaytranda and Earl behind the boards.

Lil Uzi Vert - Luv Is Rage 2
I don't know. Just bores me. I don't get it.

I still need to get on that A$AP Mob.

--

At last but not at least, I really loved this new Miguel single featuring Travis Scott.

 

[Severian]

Big fat no on Xxxtentaćion. I hate that little fucker. Terrible role model. Baby. Little domestic assault bitchface. I'm sorry but I can't even entertain the idea of giving that amateur porn star (for real... he's a porn star) any attention.

I'm sorry to be a dick, but that guy's trash.

What about the new Lil' B? Anyone heard that yet?

[louder]

NeedleDrop destroys XXXTentacion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmYXxJs0uCk

[louder]

Originally Posted by Severian

What about the new Lil' B? Anyone heard that yet?

No, I'm kinda curious about it though.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by louder

NeedleDrop destroys XXXTentacion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmYXxJs0uCk

Yeah. I still can't stand that guy though. He's going to a look and claims to laugh at the look (think people who wear Unknown Pleasures shirts). Also, he used WAY too many vague, non-quantifiable flowery adjectives and nouns to fill the space that would normally be reserved for actual information. and it drives me batty.

Count how many times he says "dense" or "pulsing" or ... "grooves." Guy can't talk about his own shit without mentioned it's "grooves." He knows zero music theory. I hate him.

[louder]

Originally Posted by Severian

Yeah. I still can't stand that guy though. He's going to a look and claims to laugh at the look (think people who wear Unknown Pleasures shirts). Also, he used WAY too many vague, non-quantifiable flowery adjectives and nouns to fill the space that would normally be reserved for actual information. and it drives me batty.

Count how many times he says "dense" or "pulsing" or ... "grooves." Guy can't talk about his own shit without mentioned it's "grooves." He knows zero music theory. I hate him.

This is true, but rap journalism is just trash in general nowadays. Pitchfork's XXXTENTACION review made me mad as fuck. Barely addressed the music, just the controversy behind the character.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by louder

This is true, but rap journalism is just trash in general nowadays. Pitchfork's XXXTENTACION review made me mad as fuck. Barely addressed the music, just the controversy behind the character.

Sometimes the controversy, or real-life issue, is important enough to color the way people process the music. I didn't read the review you're talking about, but that kid is fucked up. I personally don't care what kind of music he's making if he's in the habit of assaulting women and shirking blame.

I know I've always said "it's about the music," but sometimes it really shouldn't be. That fucker doesn't need or deserve any idolatry or attention. He needs to take a goddamn break, grow up, and figure out whether he wants to be a positive or negative force in the world before I'm going to entertain the idea of thinking of him as an artist.

Kid's famous in part because of his criminal background. It's a dangerous feedback loop I have no intention of encouraging.