[Severian]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

probably not cuz I don't have a physical copy right now. You know the deluxe edition dropped last week? It's got a bonus disc with all the remixes... plus "The Riddler" haha.

What? The deluxe edition of Tical is out? (I am literally putting on my coat and grabbing my keys to go to the record store as I type this)

Just because I would have preferred a Deck release with that level of fanfare doesn't mean I don't love the album. Though Tical 2000 is a slightly different story.

[Severian]

Btw: @NR if you're willing to let SFAD write about early '90s LA rap, you should consider having me provide a similar service with Wu- and Wu solo albums.

For example, I just picked up a replacement copy of Gza's Beneath The Surface. The guy ringing me make a joke about how "crappy"
The album was. I said, "well it's no liquid swords, but it's still GZA, and it's still a pretty dope album"

I listened on my way home and discovered that I absolutely believed what I'd said. Albums bangin. Sorry, record store twenty something dweeboid.

[noisereductions]

I'm not "letting" anyone write man. WRITE! I want everyone here writing about what they're listening to. Don't just say "it's dope," fucking TELL ME why it's dope. Yeah!

 

A$AP Rocky - Live.Love.A$AP - 2011 - self-released
When an album is as good as this, it's almost hard for me to articulate. And a lot of it is (of course) personal taste. But Rocky's debut - a self-released mixtape at that - is just stunning. I guess what I think is so amazing about it is that it seems to create a whole new genre, admittedly by mashing many influences together. A$AP Mob has always worn its Dipset love on its sleeve. That shines through in esoteric lyrics. But there's a far, far deeper love of all things purple that reach far further than Harlem - namely Houston. Live.Love.A$AP often feels like a chopped-n-screwed album, without the vocals slowed down. It's jarring, and beautiful, and relaxing, and soulful, and introspective, and ugly all at once. Such druggy highlights include "Whassup" with classic Clams Casino a chopped-up vocal-beat and shitty high-hats that cut out like an ameteur rocking Fruity Loops. But it's this sort of cheap-ass DIY asthetic that makes me love this album the way that I assume those that were really there for the birth of punk loved it, and knew that they were hearing something unique that would eventually be in the public domain. Elsewhere, SpaceGhostPurrp - whom Rocky would eventually grow apart from rocks a slowed down sax sample on "Keep It G" and also guest-stars on a remix of early Youtube "hit," "Purple Swag." It's a shame hearing these tracks and wishing the two could have continued their collaborations. And then you get to "Trilla," a track that is so out of place with its bouncy and slick guitar line that you realize that Rocky could rap over any beat and sound amazing - but he's just mostly focusing on the hazy shade of purple cloud rap that is the epitome of perfection in his own mind. This mixtape is incredible because it seems to be a product of such a huge amount of influences - named by Rocky himself (Kanye, Outkast, Bone Thugs...) and yet at the same time feels almost like it was created within a vaccuum where outsiders don't exist. This is a manifesto of young, hungry rappers who want to present themselves to the world as 'brand new guys,' while never for a second forgetting where they came from. A true modern day masterpiece.

[noisereductions]

and the tl;dr version of Deck is this, he said:

I bomb atomically
Sophocles' philosophies and hypothesis
can't describe how I be dropping these
mockeries
lyrically perform armed robbery
then flee with the lottery
possibly they spotted me

...I mean Holy F?!?!?!

[Severian]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

and the tl;dr version of Deck is this, he said:

I bomb atomically
Sophocles' philosophies and hypothesis
can't describe how I be dropping these
mockeries
lyrically perform armed robbery
then flee with the lottery
possibly they spotted me

...I mean Holy F?!?!?!

That's one of my favorite verses in recorded Wu-history, btw.

[Rob Instigator]

I found the triple vinyl of Aquemini from OutKast for sale at Vinal Edge in Houston, and it is soooo awesome. Love hearing it on vinyl. have had it on CD for a while but it is much thicker this way...

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

I found the triple vinyl of Aquemini from OutKast for sale at Vinal Edge in Houston, and it is soooo awesome. Love hearing it on vinyl. have had it on CD for a while but it is much thicker this way...

So we're all 1990s dinosaurs I see

I swear I'm going to get into the 21st century inevitably, but probably not likely

[Severian]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

So we're all 1990s dinosaurs I see

I swear I'm going to get into the 21st century inevitably, but probably not likely

Well I may be a dinosaur in many ways... (Example: Sonic youth will never not be my favorite band. But if they were replaced by anyone, it would be someone like Unwound, who, should they reunite and give me the chance to see them a few more times, might edge out Sonic Youth if they were to reunite and make several terrible albums. Odds are quite against that all around, though, so it's safe to assume that a band from the second wave of NYC early 80's post- punk will forever trump all technological advances and genre cross pollinations in music. That's the definition of dinosauric. Or, the second definition, after those extinct reptile dudes)

But I'm finding that I'm learning to assimilate quite well into modern hip hop. Every year there are news records by new artists that just blow me away. Fucking IntoXXXicated by Soaceghostpurrp? Insanely awesome , and about as modern as it gets.

Of course all if us grew up in the late '80s and early/mid '90s will have a base for our Wu-Tangs, 2pacs, Biggies and Tribes called Quest... But it doesn't mean we need to be to be trapped by our allegiances.

This year has been one hell of a year for new hip hip. It's been less strong in major releases than 2013, but the mixtape and underground scene is kicking out some real scene-stealers, and I am fully on board.

Blah... I think I accidentally took a few too many of my pain medications tonight. Hah! What were we on about again?

[louder]

The Game is working on The Documentary 2.. probably going to be suck.

[noisereductions]

Originally Posted by louder

The Game is working on The Documentary 2.. probably going to be suck.

He has not made a major label album that i would say sucked yet.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

He has not made a major label album that i would say sucked yet.

I was utterly disappointed with Jesus Piece yo, so I beg to differ on that one and I am a DEVOUT fan of The Game..

shit, Let Us Live, Letter To the King, Truth Rap, Why You Hate The Game, Ol English, for these tracks alone The Game always gets eternal big up in my book, but while I was expecting Jesus Piece to be an album full of tracks like that, instead it was the opposite. The Game always flirted with conscious rap, but on his last record he was just flirting in general

[Rob Instigator]

But is he down with the King?

[noisereductions]

there was enough on Jesus Piece for me to be really happy. I agree it wasn't the album I thought it WOULD be (subject-matter-wise), but it was good and had some great beats.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

But that is the thing, I liked the beats, sound, and production LEAST OF ALL! It was like, "Game, what the fuck are you thinking?" All his previous post-Gunit records and mixtapes were distinctly Westcoast throwbacks, and he made that his trademark.. Then he makes this record full of more "experimental" beats and sounds following the crap sounds coming out of the Eastcoast the past few years?? Fuck that shit. One thing about the Game is he truly was the legacy of Eazy E and had a "fuck what rap on the radio sounds like" approach.. Jesus Piece was a departure from that kind of attitude..

[noisereductions]

Oh well yeah... you know i like all coasts haha

[Severian]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

But that is the thing, I liked the beats, sound, and production LEAST OF ALL! It was like, "Game, what the fuck are you thinking?" All his previous post-Gunit records and mixtapes were distinctly Westcoast throwbacks, and he made that his trademark.. Then he makes this record full of more "experimental" beats and sounds following the crap sounds coming out of the Eastcoast the past few years?? Fuck that shit. One thing about the Game is he truly was the legacy of Eazy E and had a "fuck what rap on the radio sounds like" approach.. Jesus Piece was a departure from that kind of attitude..

Dude, I think I speak for everyone when I say that, while we're all a bunch of uncompromising loyalists in our own ways (insult Wu, Jigga, Kanye or BIG and I will rampage like wut!!; NR & louder are the same way, with their own slightly different but still overlapping groups of artists) ... We all love rancor and venom, and we love to hate the bitches who hate what we love, but...

DAMN, bro... you need to let the East/West thing go already! We get it, you live in LA. You like music from a particular era and region, and you like to think that there are still "west coast" artists and "non-west coast (aka Bullshit) artists" but that's just not how things work anymore.

Kendrick and Kanye are successful touring partners now. One of the best hip hop tours in ages. South mingles and mixes with East and East hires producers from the west. The war is over, bro! F***ing Happy Christmas!

And on the subject of Game, I'm a bigger fan of his than I ever thought I would be. I own so many of his albums, and I never saw that coming. The guy's a beast, and yeah, Jesus Piece was a change in direction for the dude... Yes, it has Kanye West and his universal influence all over it, and yeah, a lot of people were fucking disappointed by it. But I say fuck all that. The album is WAY better than anyone is wiling to admit, and it's because Game took a chance and switched shit up a little.

Would you rather he just stagnate, and make the same record over and over again? The title track from that album was one of the best tracks of 2012. Meek Mill on the opener, killin it like it was 95? Pusha T on Name me King? Fucking shit was dope, though Chris Brown should be retroactively removed from all the good albums that have been sullied by his fucking presence.

All I'm saying is: seriously? With the west coast stuff? Your loyalty is admirable, but it's causing you to hate on the very artists you're loyal to, just because they're no longer stuck in a 20 year old mindset that just about ruined the collaborative nature of hip hop music, all because the media was BORED and wanted rap music to go away, so they attempted to turn it against itself.

Fuck hatin'... I love ALL coasts just like NR.

As long as it's not that goddamn Inner-mountain West hip hop... God, I hate those Boise/Boulder bitches with their snow pants and cowboy hats!!

[Severian]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

He has not made a major label album that i would say sucked yet.

Nope. The RED Album has a few moments that feel totally out of place... Like-uh-the chipmunk soul track about the birth of his, like, fifth fucking kid? It's sweet enough until he explicitly mentions that it's not his first (or second, or third) kid... At which point it's just a "hnnh?" track.

First time dads can write about the nerves and the butterflies and the doubts all fading away when that little hand first grips their index finger... But this ninja should have the entire process down to a goddamn science by now. Nervous? Butterflies? My ass! You damn well know you've got the fucking gynecologist on speed dial.

Makes me wonder why he hasn't had the snip, or told his lady to tie those tubes into a little bow. Which of course makes me wonder if he's anti-birth control, or some kind of Godhead, which makes the rest of the album, the Game himself & all of his public behavior feel a little less badass and a little more crazy.

But yeah, I agree there isn't a bad record in his major label discography. And Jesus Piece is legit. I didn't like it at first, but that's probably because I kept hearing so many shitty things about it, and I let them get to me. But the album has been one of those "damn, that should have made my year end list" records for quite a while now.

[Severian]

SO HAS ANYONE LISTENED TO THE NEW JEEZY? ANYONE?

I want to buy the deluxe edition, but not before hearing some feedback from people.

Oh, and also IntoXXXicated by SpaceGhostPurrp has skipped and jumped its way up my list for the year over the past few weeks.

My list has made a complete 180° from where it was last time I have an updated estimate of how it was looking. Let's see...

The Underachievers- CELLAR DOOR: TERMINUS UTNEXIRDIUM /Blessings in the Gray (AK)/ Conversations With a Butterfly (Issa Gold)
Roots- And Then You Shoot Your Cousin...
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Piñata
Shabazz Palaces - Lese Majesty
SpaceGhostPurrp - IntoXXXicated
Open Mike Eagle - Dark Comedy
Guilty Simpson & Small Professor - Highway Robbery
Future - Honest
Wiz Khalifa - Blacc Hollywood
Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
Dopplegangaz - Peace Kehd
KIT - Lownt God Theory
Dibia$e - Schematiks
Rick Ro$$ - Mastermind (yeah, I let it back in. Haha. Meanwhile I've grown tired of Iggy Azalea, and I shouldn't have to explain why because you should all be very tired of her as well by now)

It's been a good year for underground hip-hop and mixtapes. But it's been no 2013, where a new beast of a record was breaking expectations every other week.
This year's been all about electronica/footwork/instrumental hip-hop etc.

Da Mind of Traxman Vol. II... KidKanevil's My Little Ghost... THE BUG's Angels & Demons... The Acid - Liminal... FANTASTIC MR FOX... Seekae.. I haven't even had a chance to talk about most of these with anyone here. Maybe we need a regular Electronic.... uhh... Ristorante? Deli? Hot Dog cart?

"Severian's EDM, IDM, trip-hop/trance/house, dub-steppin' footwork Hot Dog Cart."

I like it.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Severian, you misunderstand, I don't have literal beef with Eastcoast, indeed I listen to all kinds of music from the eastcoast..

I got Slick Rick, Dead-Prez, Outkast, Tribe Called Quest, MC Tree, some Biggie, Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, RZA, KRS-One, Talib Kweli, Common, Mos Def...

BUT, when rappers from the west who put out beats and raps that are so succinctly westcoast in sound to the point of being a throwback totally do an artistic 180 and put out something sounding, well, blatantly pandering towards commercialism, I don't like it, aesthetically not politically. I'm talking about the SOUND of the music, not necessarily the geography

[noisereductions]

I love this thread right now.

I love when sev goes on tirades like that.

suchfriends, you're my boy. But that tirade was dope haha. But I get what you're saying too. I just don't feel it w/ Jesus Piece. I like that album.

RE: The Red Album, I agree there's moments that are out of place. But I said no Game album (proper) sucks. There might be misfires, but the albums, on a whole are good. LAX has phenomenal tracks. But a couple missteps for sure. What was that ladies jam on there that I always skip?

Also, no idea the Jeezy was out yet. Haven't kept up w/ him too close. Knew one was coming but didn't know it was out.

SGP's Intoxxxicated I'm w/ you sev. That album is so unique. I think it's great. Rick Ross might be my fav hip hop album of the year. I'm still not sick of Iggy, though she's slipped down a few notches sure.

Anyway,

 

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP - 2000 - Aftermath
If the Eminem on The Slim Shady LP was a laughably over-the-top caricature of violence, drugs and debauchery, then the one heard here is his polar opposite. Dark, depressed, angry. This is Eminem backed into a corner by his own unexpected success and lashing out at the world around him. Though as usually the line between fantasy and reality is stupidly blurred so it's hard to make out who's voice we're hearing from moment to moment: Eminem? Slim? Marshall? Whoever it is, this is an extremely compelling album. It's an impressive follow-up that comes pretty hot on the heels of Slim's breakthrough album. It's also somewhat a line drawn in the sand - a challenge to his own fans. In a sense it's as if he tries to offend and disgust enough to lose as many listeners as possible. I mean the album opens with "Kill You," a track aimed at his own mom. And killing isn't even the only thing he does. But it shouldn't be written off as a gross-out album either. "Stan" is an obvious example with its vivid storytelling and dual roles played by Em. It's a haunting track that is goosebump-worthy, and follows "Kill You." If that isn't foreshadowing of the bipolar journey that the rest of the album will be! And that's the point. This isn't a simple album. It's got many layers and many stories being told by many voices - regardless of who's name is on the cover.

 

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III - 2008 - Cash Money
To truly hear Tha Carter III you need to hear everything that it isn't. What I mean by this is that the year leading up to its release was flooded with so much Lil Wayne - some sanctioned and some leaked. There was enough quality material released that an album just as strong - or stronger could have been compiled from its outtakes alone. And that's the double-edged sword here. No matter how successful the album is proper, it was prone to disappoint fans for leaving off something ("Feel Like Dying" deserved to be an album cut!). But with that inevitability admitted, it really is a successful album. Although its far less cohesive than its predecessor, Carter III is a sprawling work that varies from crazy stream-of-conscious mixtape Wayne ("Dr. Carter," "Phone Home," "Let The Beat Build"), serious storyteller Wayne ("Tie My Hands," Playing With Fire") and definitely poised for superstardom Wayne ("Comfortable," "Lollipop," "Mr. Carter"). While certainly this was the album where the cries of "sellout!" begin, it's hard to hate on the sheer pleasure that Weezy takes in playing with words throughout this album. This is at a point where his craft was so sharpened from the run of mixtapes he had been using as shadowboxing. So even the attempts at radio play here tend to have at least something interesting going on. It would be easy for him to stick to autopilot on a track like "Got Money" right? But he has fun riding the beat all over the place, switching over to Rihanna's "Umbrella" vocal melody. On the other end of the spectrum who would really think to use autotune on a track like "Ain't Got Nuthin" that features Juelz Santana and Fabolous going so hard over an Alchemist beat? This is truly a transitional album. One that works amazingly well.