Favorite hiphop song so far for 2011

^ Haha. Ja Rule. There is a name I haven't heard in ages. The biggest mistake of his life was beefing with Eminem. Eminem ruined his career and pretty much that entire label.

 

 

Wayne isn't bad. I'm kind of embarrassed to say it, but I like some of his songs/verses. He used to be ghetto as fcuk, but seems to have found a better niche. He has a new persona these days which I think is more appealing. You can tell by even his clothes.

I like Eminem as well as Akon too..Akon is a great singer who shows his talents in different styles and with different artist.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw-u508a-4o

This guy Los was brought to my attention today

 

I like Eminem as well as Akon too..Akon is a great singer who shows his talents in different styles and with different artist.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw-u508a-4o

Akon is the modern day Nate Dog (RIP).

And I'm gonna go out on a limb though, this wont be a popular statement, but......I NEVER understood all the hoopla over Tupac's flow. He was slightly above average at best, to me. I even listen to his stuff NOW trying to hear things that sets him apart and its hard to find. No metaphors, word play or anything, just plain rhyming word at the end of each line. Nothing wrong with that, but like basic rappin' for dummies stuff imo. I still don't see the "Greatness" everyone drapes over his memory...oh well. Maybe it was his influence, that influenced, so many to feel he was a great lyricist.

 

This is exactly how I feel about Tupac.

 

Proper hiphop. World would be finer place without brainhurting idiot poseurs like Kanye.

This is exactly how I feel about Tupac.

 

Finally the truth comes out.

Every single one is good.

 

The Fat Joe and the Jay Z tracks haven't been heard in awhile....thanks.

I agree with you completely... Based on PURE flow, delivery and lyrics. Lets put body of work aside, cause Jay-Z blows everyone away. Old school Nas is better than all except maybe Rakim. Speaking of overlooked all-timers, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, all from that era. Redman, Wu Tang and the crew...A LOT of quality in the 90s-early 2000s.

 

Since we're talking about the heavyweights...And I'm gonna go out on a limb though, this wont be a popular statement, but......I NEVER understood all the hoopla over Tupac's flow. He was slightly above average at best, to me. I even listen to his stuff NOW trying to hear things that sets him apart and its hard to find. No metaphors, word play or anything, just plain rhyming word at the end of each line. Nothing wrong with that, but like basic rappin' for dummies stuff imo. I still don't see the "Greatness" everyone drapes over his memory...oh well. Maybe it was his influence, that influenced, so many to feel he was a great lyricist.

 

 

Actually, Tupac's 'legacy' was never on his flow. His flow was good, but that's really about it. He was pretty straight to the point. His specialty was that he was just blunt, but with that in mind, it was his delivery and topic that usually set him outside of the rest. Very few, before him, were willing to be as blunt about that style of life. There were many, but none were able to deliver it with the same impact. If you strip him of his delivery and content, he'd be no better than most today. Besides that, he was a phenonmenal story teller in a lot of his songs. At the same time, if he had thrown more metaphors and word play, his lyrical content would have been lost among many, and that's probably why many consider him to be one of the greatest ones. Average flow + 'savage' lyrical content + powerful delivery + mainstream radio play = 'Greatness'

 

 

If we're talking about Flow though, Rakim is probably one of the best in terms of flow, reinventing rap with the multi-syllabic rhyming style and rhymes within rhymes. Most of the rappers and artists these days also say that Notorious B.I.G had one of the best flows ever.

 

Oddly enough, I don't agree with people and Jay Z with regards to flow either. I haven't truly seen anything from him that I understand where anyone is coming from. Nas I agree with completely. As for Lil Wayne, his mixtape and underground stuff are good, where he doesn't use Autotune much either...other than that, he's got not much else.

Actually, Tupac's 'legacy' was never on his flow. His flow was good, but that's really about it. He was pretty straight to the point. His specialty was that he was just blunt, but with that in mind, it was his delivery and topic that usually set him outside of the rest. Very few, before him, were willing to be as blunt about that style of life. There were many, but none were able to deliver it with the same impact. If you strip him of his delivery and content, he'd be no better than most today. Besides that, he was a phenonmenal story teller in a lot of his songs. At the same time, if he had thrown more metaphors and word play, his lyrical content would have been lost among many, and that's probably why many consider him to be one of the greatest ones. Average flow + 'savage' lyrical content + powerful delivery + mainstream radio play = 'Greatness'

 

 

If we're talking about Flow though, Rakim is probably one of the best in terms of flow, reinventing rap with the multi-syllabic rhyming style and rhymes within rhymes. Most of the rappers and artists these days also say that Notorious B.I.G had one of the best flows ever.

 

Oddly enough, I don't agree with people and Jay Z with regards to flow either. I haven't truly seen anything from him that I understand where anyone is coming from. Nas I agree with completely. As for Lil Wayne, his mixtape and underground stuff are good, where he doesn't use Autotune much either...other than that, he's got not much else.

 

Balance between flow/delivery and lyrics is what makes or breaks someone on the greatness scale. Too much of either with not enough of the other is not going to cut it.

 

At the end of the day, I think lyrics are important but flow is more important in the actual enjoyment of listening to an MC. I'd say the ideal balance is 60/40. Every now and then you get both taken to a very high level, and those songs become classics -- and every famous MC has at least a few under their belt.

 

And another thing that doesn't get mentioned much but matters is the mating of a flow/lyrics to the music. This is music first ultimately, and if you can't cut it here then your skills don't get admired as much.

 

2pac's music was very good....just play the instrumentals and you'll agree.

 

Also, I'm a fan of mid '90s west coast "g funk" music....most of the rappers here are pretty average with the exception of Snoop, but for those that like the music, the rap is not that critical.

I like that song Friday by that 16 year old girl.

 

I cant get that song out of my head

Speaking of delivery, tying rap to music, flow, etc.. this is probably one of the best songs delivery I've heard and very hard execution wise.

 

Try to rap to the beat.. I could go a few bars but at certain points speed changes and you notice that you have to speed up your flow a lot to keep up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, rap nowadays is somewhat weak comparing to the presentation of the guys from the past - simplistic beats, less instruments, when was the last time you heard 2 MC's on a song go back and forth? It used to be a pretty common thing. Even some classics make you go whoa, good rapping AND good beats?! Like when snoop comes and and how great his flow is on this track: @ 2:33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think music is a reflection of the culture, and it is pointing out that right now majority wants catchy beats and simple lyrics - aka Lollipop or G6

 

 

I wonder what happens in 30 years if MC's state they are dumbing down lyrics now and make things like Magic Stick.. that's why Kanye is very very important - he is a mainstream icon yet his own ego keeps pushing him to create beats that are unique.

Speaking of delivery, tying rap to music, flow, etc.. this is probably one of the best songs delivery I've heard and very hard execution wise.

 

Try to rap to the beat.. I could go a few bars but at certain points speed changes and you notice that you have to speed up your flow a lot to keep up.

 

Also, rap nowadays is somewhat weak comparing to the presentation of the guys from the past - simplistic beats, less instruments, when was the last time you heard 2 MC's on a song go back and forth? It used to be a pretty common thing. Even some classics make you go whoa, good rapping AND good beats?! Like when snoop comes and and how great his flow is on this track: @ 2:33

 

I think music is a reflection of the culture, and it is pointing out that right now majority wants catchy beats and simple lyrics - aka Lollipop or G6

 

I wonder what happens in 30 years if MC's state they are dumbing down lyrics now and make things like Magic Stick.. that's why Kanye is very very important - he is a mainstream icon yet his own ego keeps pushing him to create beats that are unique.

I guess this is an official Thread Jack in progress, sorry Sprite

 

Oh hell yeah!!! I didnt even need to listen to the song. When I saw the title Kool G Rap, I already knew....YOU sir know your hip-hop! He's also one of the greats. VERY few people except for the real heads, know about Kool G.

 

About your other takes...I agree, Rap/Hip-Hop is horrible nowadays. I really don't even listen much unless its some older stuff. I just cant get into the dumbed down lyrics and cheesy hooks everyone has excepted as good music. I mostly listen to deep house and chill lounge stuff nowadays. Even to me Drake isn't all that. He sounds a LOT like 100s of guys I usede to hear in the 90s when hip-hop was bangin' hard. His saving grace is probably the best accumulation of production work I've heard on a rap album since Jay-Zs "The Blueprint". All of Drake's songs are tight. Mostly because of the music. As far as Kanye....Sucks as a lyracist, decent as a rapper (I know you understand the difference). Fortunately he's incredibly talented and makes masterpieces with his musical production. Remember, he was Jay-Zs personal song maker throughout virtually ALL of Jay's career growth. He's the guy that made all those hits. Now if he'd only do a Dr. Dre and just sign guys and make their music we'd be better off not hearing his elementary school rhymes. But like you said.......our current society of youth, is fine with that. And that's a shame.

 

About the others.... (responding to IbnRushed) Jay Z was MUCH better when he was a hungry unknown looking to take over the world. If you haven't lately listen to his 1st TWO albums ever. Ridiculously creative for the time, and a very confident flow, that was different and said things at the time that kids only thought about but couldn't or hadn't yet put in words.

Rakim...come on whats there to say. GOAT

Wayne...Im glad you mentioned him because he DOES have some nice delivery and has a good way of putting metaphors together. I like listening to him.

B.I.G. (Definitely top 5)- I probably put him right behind Nas and before Jay-Z. Eminem

 

Fellippe - I agree with everything you said.

Also Big L (not LL Cool J) but BIG-L - Is a perfect example of a guy with a crazy flow that actually SUPPORTED the music he was rhyming over. Average production, but I'd listen to one of his old albums just to hear his flow.

 

PLUS... The ability to Freestyle sets ALL rappers apart:)

 

Here's a freestyle of Big-L and Jay-Z on a radio show in '95 (Late-Late in NYC any language was fine): Tell me these aren't two of the greatest.

 

More Big-L freestyle

 

 

 

 

Good, good, Kanye started on Jay-z around Blueprint 2 and Takeover, not quite from the very origins... but speaking of Big L you owe it to yourself to see what a confident mothafucka crazy talented hungry black man is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

speaking of another man, who should probably get more credit - Fat Joe

 

Check him on this big L track - yeah he goes that way back!!

 

 

 

then check out That White and Ha Ha he still got it.

Yeah man, I have all of those albums. Joey Crack (Fat Joe) was really hot back in the day. His skills seemed to have diminished with the advent of the chance to be a 100millionaire with one album. Everyone is out to just sell a billion records to the largest masses and have their own reality show before they go into acting...lol...

 

Then again like Mos Def said once, "why a n@#%a gotta starve to keep it real?"

Remember when the Black Eyed Peas were one of sickest rhymers of their time and completely made a 180 and hired the supermodel wannabe to finally start making millions??? Really for those that don't know, the Peas were a sick underground threesome of rappers that had sick purely hip-hop (like the music posted in my and Rawr's posts) beats and detailed complicated rhyme skills....Took me a while to get used to the group we see now performing Super Bowl Halftimes.

 

You should make a list in another thread of all the great one's we can think of?

I imagine we're supposed to be talking about Lupe Fiasco here

It's all good, this thread turned out better than expected.

gets really good around 1:52

 

gets really good around 1:52

 

 

I'm sure it doesn't... I couldn't make it past 1:30

 

(as a matter of fact it's now in it's appropriate thread)

 

http://www.lambopower.com/forum/index.php?...mp;#entry828932

I guess this is an official Thread Jack in progress, sorry Sprite

 

Oh hell yeah!!! I didnt even need to listen to the song. When I saw the title Kool G Rap, I already knew....YOU sir know your hip-hop! He's also one of the greats. VERY few people except for the real heads, know about Kool G.

 

About your other takes...I agree, Rap/Hip-Hop is horrible nowadays. I really don't even listen much unless its some older stuff. I just cant get into the dumbed down lyrics and cheesy hooks everyone has excepted as good music. I mostly listen to deep house and chill lounge stuff nowadays. Even to me Drake isn't all that. He sounds a LOT like 100s of guys I usede to hear in the 90s when hip-hop was bangin' hard. His saving grace is probably the best accumulation of production work I've heard on a rap album since Jay-Zs "The Blueprint". All of Drake's songs are tight. Mostly because of the music. As far as Kanye....Sucks as a lyracist, decent as a rapper (I know you understand the difference). Fortunately he's incredibly talented and makes masterpieces with his musical production. Remember, he was Jay-Zs personal song maker throughout virtually ALL of Jay's career growth. He's the guy that made all those hits. Now if he'd only do a Dr. Dre and just sign guys and make their music we'd be better off not hearing his elementary school rhymes. But like you said.......our current society of youth, is fine with that. And that's a shame.

 

About the others.... (responding to IbnRushed) Jay Z was MUCH better when he was a hungry unknown looking to take over the world. If you haven't lately listen to his 1st TWO albums ever. Ridiculously creative for the time, and a very confident flow, that was different and said things at the time that kids only thought about but couldn't or hadn't yet put in words.

Rakim...come on whats there to say. GOAT

Wayne...Im glad you mentioned him because he DOES have some nice delivery and has a good way of putting metaphors together. I like listening to him.

B.I.G. (Definitely top 5)- I probably put him right behind Nas and before Jay-Z. Eminem

 

Fellippe - I agree with everything you said.

Also Big L (not LL Cool J) but BIG-L - Is a perfect example of a guy with a crazy flow that actually SUPPORTED the music he was rhyming over. Average production, but I'd listen to one of his old albums just to hear his flow.

 

PLUS... The ability to Freestyle sets ALL rappers apart:)

 

Here's a freestyle of Big-L and Jay-Z on a radio show in '95 (Late-Late in NYC any language was fine): Tell me these aren't two of the greatest.

 

 

I'm on the fence about Kanye, I find he does decently when he's a featured artist, but his own songs just aren't that great and I think it's because his lyrics are medicore, but when you mix it with other artists, it gets hidden much more. That said, his production skills probably do rival Dr. Dre, Scott Storch and a few other heavy hitters, I don't doubt that at all.

 

In all fairness, you are right, when those albums came out I had not gotten into Hip Hop so i'm still playing catch up with a lot of big name's original debuts. I haven't given Illmatic a listen through yet, which is sad to say but I haven't had a chance. I don't doubt Jay Z has some skill, I just haven't seen it since I've been listening in the late 90's, guess I missed that bit.

 

Yeah, VERY few will believe me if I mention Lil Wayne or Chamillionaire's mixtape stuff, but it's vastly different from what we hear on the radio. I can't hate on them because I understand that you still need to earn money. Chamillionaire and Lil Wayne opted to go mainstream for it, Immortal Technique and a few others opted to stay independent. Lupe Fiasco is probably the latest with this issue!

 

Another one to mention, with Rakim and these greats is probably KRS-One.

 

I love the Big L. and Jay Z freestyle, that song is just awesome, another one of my favourites from Big L is Deadly Combination: I use this because it also shows the difference between Big L and Tupac. It becomes very evident here how Tupac's delivery allows him to hit harder than most people with his style might.

 

 

 

 

I love freestyles and lately it's awesome to hear other artists going on beats that aren't meant for them, it makes for some really good tracks.

 

Back to 2011 though: Gutter Rainbows was pretty decent by Talib Kweli, I'm also expecting good things from Crooked I..it's too soon in the year to tell but a lot of big names are supposed to be dropping albums, hopefully we'll find something we like. At the moment though, nothing that REALLY stands out, that hasn't already been mentioned.

Ah....Since we're on Freestyles. In My opinion: Eminem is one of the Greatest Freestyle rappers EVER. I've believed this since I heard him on an LA Radio show back in '99 and heard him battle famous rappers at the time; rip them a new a-hole and when Napster was still free. Don't know if you know, but Eminem is legendary in the freestyle circuit. How his brain processes and spits out the rapid combination of words he's saying and make sense in split seconds is absolutely unbelievable.

A recent Vid I'll look for some older stuff, cause as we know the Big Guys were better when they were hungrier.

He Doesn't get warmed up till 3:00min, then it's "OMG"!!!

Sick Radio Freestyle, the host throws out a word and he rhymes with it

EDIT:

OK Heeeeerrrreee we GO!!!!! Before Dre Discovered him.

 

Damn thats a sick one, good find!

 

 

also, classic:

 

 

 

 

 

Did Cassidy have a good one too? I think I remember him being hot on some tracks

 

 

 

Here are two more tracks you will like, rough rap over good beat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go look at my last post now...Made some additions.

Haven't heard those old Eminem battles in a long time.

 

Going to see Lil Wayne on Saturday, hopefully a good show.

Bizzump, I need new music for iPod. What's everyone been listening to?

 

I've been listening to Jeezy, Game, Apathy, Machine Gun Kelly and Yelawolf lately.

Bizzump, I need new music for iPod. What's everyone been listening to?

 

I've been listening to Jeezy, Game, Apathy, Machine Gun Kelly and Yelawolf lately.

 

 

Post some vids.. im interested in Apathy and last 2 since never really heard of them.

 

 

 

 

I'm just going to post track names:

 

Drake - Wildfire Remix

 

 

Drake - Motto

 

NERD - you know what

 

Nas - Nasty

 

Wiz - Kush and OJ mixtape - superb

 

Wiz & Snoop dog mixtape - good

 

 

 

and you can go through this:

 

http://www.hot97.com/playlist/blogentry.as...ntryID=10336458