[noisereductions]

this is maybe my favorite lyric this year:

I've never been much of shit, by most measurements don't exist
On the radar a little blip in the shadow of motherships
Been smothered and brashly muffled by hucksters of global spin
Like the sign on my back says "stab me", my soul is your little bitch

fuckin' El-P man.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by Severian

Wait, who's Siddhartha in this analogy? Me? NR? Weezy?

Siddhartha knows himself

[Severian]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

Siddhartha knows himself

I have some fundamental qualms with Buddhism, so it must be Weezy.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

Rap sucks this year, last year being possibly the single best year for rap and hip hop in 15 years possibly just raised the bar too high

I agree that last year was the best year for hip-hop in ages, but this year has produced some really strong rap records, and some downright transcendent hip-hop albums that border on revelatory. Don't make conclusive statements aboht his year's releases until you've heard, at least, the following:

Underachievers- Cellar Door
Shabazz Palaces- Lese Majesty
Run the Jewels- RTJ2
Future- Monster
Piñata
You're Dead!
Travi$ Scott- Days Before Rodeo

Gotta check thesr if you're going to shit on 2014.

But it's true that. This has been a year for Electronic music, one of the best in ages. Even the less memorable albums like RUSTIE'S Green Language are still fresh and revealing new hidden pleasures with each listen.

Fuckin' synths n' shit yo.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by Severian

I agree that last year was the best year for hip-hop in ages, but this year has produced some really strong rap records, and some downright transcendent hip-hop albums that border on revelatory. Don't make conclusive statements aboht his year's releases until you've heard, at least, the following:

Underachievers- Cellar Door
Shabazz Palaces- Lese Majesty
Run the Jewels- RTJ2
Future- Monster
Piñata
You're Dead!
Travi$ Scott- Days Before Rodeo

Gotta check thesr if you're going to shit on 2014.

But it's true that. This has been a year for Electronic music, one of the best in ages. Even the less memorable albums like RUSTIE'S Green Language are still fresh and revealing new hidden pleasures with each listen.

Fuckin' synths n' shit yo.

EDIT:
OH! And...
(f***in' duh!) SpaceGhostPurrp - IntoXXXicated
How did I even miss that for a second?
Diamond D - Diam Piece
The Roots - ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
Rich Gang - Tha Tour pt. 1
Black Milk - If There's A Hell Below
HS87 & Hit Boy - We The Plug
Raekwon - Picasso 2
Open Mike Eagle - Dark Comedy

Wow- I still feel like I'm forgetting so much! I think this year has actually been pretty dope for hip-hop, it just hasn't been a great year for major releases. Even the good ones (Honest, Mastermind) fell a little short of expectations. And some massive stars fell... Hard.

Even though I love 50 & I'm down with Jeezy (don't dislike him, just never got super into it), and I think their 2014 albums are actually quite good, it's pretty clear that the mainstream rap fans and the fairweather, fickle rap audiences basically stopped paying attention completely, leaving both Animal Ambition and Seen it All: the Autobiography to (mostly) collect dust on the shelves.

And in addition, this year's seen Lil Wayne fall even further from grace, with every empty promise, every boasting Tweet about how dope Carter V will be, and a series of seripusly forgettable guest spots on albums by artists who used to look up to Weezy like a turtle might look up to a God. The Game, for instance, even in less than top-form, released a stronger LP this year than anything we've heard from Wayne in years. And Weezy's cameo on that LP is arguably one of the albums worst moments!

He's watched **Drake turn into the gen-pop favorite, and go-to guest rapper for any newbie looking to make a splash or score a hit. He's been basically bumped out of Young Money's throne by Nikki Minaj, who just keeps coming back, and spent the entire year in the headlines and on the charts with just singles and the promise of what will certainly be an epic trailblazing and ambitious new album.

Weezy's become less relevant than YMCMB's water-testing new Rich Gang duo, a pair that has only one mixtape to their name.

I think the evidence is stacking up that these former giants (50, Jeezy, Wayne) are quickly becoming artifacts of another era. Hip hop is a competitive industry... I'm sorry to say it, but I think even TI is holding onto relevance moe than Weezy/Jeezy & 50 combined.

They'll either weather the storm, and spend some time regrouping out of the public eye, only to return with a more artistic and mature sound (like Fabolous, another rapper who you wouldn't expect would top the efforts of these kingpins in 2014... until hearing Soul Tape 3 that is) or they'll just kinda fade away. Like the Ludacrises and DMXes before them. I genuinely hope this doesn't happen... But I have to admit that the standout stars of the last couple years, like A$AP, Earl, Pusha T's re-ignited solo persona, Vince Staples and m*****f***in Kendrick, are earning their stripes by producing extraordinary work, making this sea change feel like more of a "Better class of criminal" style revolution than just your average changing of the guard. I'm not even sure if Tha Carter(s) II & III compare favorably to albums like “Long.Live.A$AP” or “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City” ... Now I'm not sure about that, but I can't help but feel like the first two, though classics, are less intelligent, less experimental, less sonically textured than the latter two.

Anyway my fucking stupid ass point is something about new and lesser known hip hop artists, mixtape/unsigned, and newer acts making more in 2014 than most of the established acts we've all spent the past decade+ with. I think The Roots are probably the one classic group to actually hit a new artistic high in 2014. "...Shoot Your Cousin" is their weirdest, darkest album in a minute, and I won't even front: it's better than everything Jeezy, Wayne, 50, Drake, Nikki, Rick Rosay, or Game put their stamp on this year.

** (I have to admit, "Tuesday" is catchy as hell, even though I fear Drake is starting to become an embarrassment to himself and every male who ever bought his records.. The ladies love him, but I think he's pushing it with all that fucking singin' shit; the ESPN blooper reel moments have not helped his "badass" quotient either)

[louder]

i really want Nicki to make a great album.

[Severian]

I'm just fuckin' ranting to myself here, aren't I? Man, where the f*ck is everybody? Finally I have some time to kill on pointless music ruminations, and nobody's around to say “Huzzah, Severian!” and slap me an e-five?

Lame.

[h8kurdt]

Actually I tried to rep you. Checked out Ghostspacepurr. Hmm I dunno about that one, so skipped to Black Milk. Now that one I could get into. Gonna give it a coupla listens.

Also, fuck lil wayne. That guy never did nothing for me and my plugholes.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by h8kurdt

Actually I tried to rep you. Checked out Ghostspacepurr. Hmm I dunno about that one, so skipped to Black Milk. Now that one I could get into. Gonna give it a coupla listens.

Also, fuck lil wayne. That guy never did nothing for me and my plugholes.

SpaceGhostPurrp is a bit of an acquired taste. Unless you like dark R&B and trap metal already, then there's not much to acquire

Anyway IntoXXXicated is a tough nut to crack. It's hazy and dank like an A$AP Rocky & Clams Casino track. when it's slow, it's lethargic and menacing, like a horror movie villain who doesn't even need to really chase you when you run. He just moves at a casual pace, maybe because he's only got one working leg and it's got a big metal peg on the end of it... So he just kinda drags his dead leg behind his peg (*chug* *scccrrape*, *chug* *scccrrape*) no matter how far ahead you get. It's all the more terrifying because you know that he's so certain he'll be able to kill you that he doesn't even need to work for it. Psychological torture, really. Soon you realize that running has no point, cause old peg-leg's managed to kill every motherfucker who's tried to step in his way without even breaking a sweat. Eventually you just give up and sit and wait to die.

But I digress. His slow tracks are vicious. His bangers are twisted.
Anyway I'm thinking about horror movies now, but IntoXXXicated is one of the year's best hip hop records. Bottom half of the top ten probably, but still dope. Keep listening. Don't write it off.

As for Black Milk, hell yeah. I haven't spent too much time with the new album, but he's always blowing my mind. Last year it was No Poison, No Paradise, which was in my top five. Before that Black & Brown, his EP with Danny Brown(!)... and of course Album of the Year, which is was a tough act to follow but I think he did alright.

If that's your first time listening to Black Milk, dig into his back catalogue and his cameos for MellowMusicGroup. He's an underrated genius. Kinda like the Kanye of indie rap.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

How come none of you fucks told me about the new DJ Quik record??

[louder]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

How come none of you fucks told me about the new DJ Quik record??

true.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

DJ Quik is in the all time rap top 25, period. He's been top shelf since 1990

[Severian]

Haha. Damn, I figured you knew, man. Honestly.

Haha haha. You remind me of me when NR picked up that official, Jay-Z approved "S. Carter" remix alb. from the flea market where there were, like, 20 copies for $5/ea.

At least you can go out and buy your thing- big whoop. Mine, I'm fucked unless I want to start randomly hitting up flea markets.

[louder]

@ Sev

have you heard the new Clark album? it's crazy.

[louder]

still can't pass a day without listening to Monster.

Wash the molly down with champagne
Wash the zanny down with syrup, yeah
Hope it take away all this damn pain

[louder]

new Azealia Banks album is surprisingly great. the production is A1 and she spits. there's even an Ariel Pink song on the album.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by louder

@ Sev

have you heard the new Clark album? it's crazy.

Hah! What?! I literally JUST bought it. I haven't even made it home from the record store yet but it's ill as hell.

Nice psychic abilities bro.

[Severian]

ATTENTION!! ATTENTION EVERYONE!!!

NEW WU-TANG SINGLE "Ruckus in B Minor" OUT NOW!!

... And let me tell you, if you were disappointed by "Keep Watch," you might be brought to tears (of joy) by this absolutely MASSIVE, epic, fresh new joint...

There's even a second fucking movement! It's a banger with a smooth-flow coda. I'm fucking stoked for the new album, and I thought they'd be "giving away" the "Once Upon a Time In Shaolin" recordings by now... Maybe there will be TWO new Wu albums along with a new Yeezy AND a new Kendrick before year's end. Man, talk about an epic holiday season.

 

[Severian]

Originally Posted by louder

still can't pass a day without listening to Monster.

I'm not sure it's better than Honest. It gets a little ... sidetracked... Meandering even, at moments. But yeah, it's good.

Vince Staples really shocked me with Hell Can Wait. What a punishing flow that kid has. Never would have expected that kind of intensity from him.

New Domo Genesis mixtape is dope as hell too.

[h8kurdt]

Really dug the Wu Tang track. You'd think reading the youtube comments that it's the worst song to be released this year, but what do they know?

I'm just glad they they're actually doing stuff again.