I generally most appreciate experimentally minded music, and my default genre is rock music, but I haven't really ever gotten into hip hop. Sometimes it sounds cool but when the vocalist blatantly tries to sound hard and cool and makes themselves the center of the attention in a self indulgent way I tend to be opposed to what I'm hearing and it kills anything good happening otherwise (though for example when it's done like how Danny Brown does it, his unique approach is merit on its own). Plus there's the over-emphasis on the lyrics themselves and the insertion of the identity into the art (which is much more prominent in recent hip hop than it has yet been in most rock/etc.), which can be seen from artists like Kendrick. And on that note, though there are of course a ton of good instances of this, I feel like there's a lot of rap albums that don't give enough reverence to the musical/production side of things. GKMC was totally in one ear and out the other for me, there was just nothing happening sonically, and that even includes Kendrick's vocal delivery itself. Rapping skill and good strings of words are obviously good but they aren't enough to make a rap song/album great, same with guitar solo fetishists in rock.
I know there are acts like clouddead and dalek and suck that have a more musical aspect, and they are great, but can anyone recommend me any hip hop artists that take the commonplace formula that is the most prevalent but actually do something interesting with it? Like I said I dug Danny Brown and Atrocity Exhibition, but I feel like it cut itself short by making the songs too restricted to typical pop song formats and it never really took the interesting ideas anywhere beyond surface level. Dig Earl too but don't know much about him.
lol sorry actually have listened to that already, but that is definitely the kind of thing I'd like to listen to more of, any recs? I'll look at that too, I dug The Cold Vein from Cannibal Ox too so this might be cool
Grayson Torres
Oh right I forgot to mention I dug Lil Ugly Mane too, haven't listened to that one yet though, will do
Shabazz Palaces - Lese Majesty MIKE - May God Bless You’re Hustle Edan - Beauty and the Beat Porter Ray - WaterColor (if you’re looking for conceptual records) Clipping. - Splendor and Misery
bro holy shit are you actually rat king? I found you by misspelling some lyrics in a joey badass song, that shit is tight.
Jordan Price
>am I actually Ratking
No haha. Wiki is possibly the most underrated motherfucker on the east coast though. I live in LB, Ca and I’m very much influenced by them in my own music. Looking forward to what A Secret Circle drops this year (LUM, Wiki, Antwon). They have potential to fuck up the whole game
Oliver Bailey
go back to Sup Forums
Grayson Adams
I've heard of that, didn't realize who Wiki actually was until this thread, with what I'm hearing from Ratking now that with LUM could be really cool
Gavin Clark
Are you OP? How are you enjoying the Ratking album? It’s one of my favorites. It just has some type of vibe. It’s also how I imagine New York feels like as somebody who lives on the West Coast
Juan Turner
surprised no one's recommended Madvillain or Death Grips yet. Those are quintessential/entry-level experimental hip hop
Yeah I didn't mention but I did dig Madvilliany, and definitely like Death Grips though they are closer to rock in their approach at this point I did really dig what I heard, only heard like 4 or 5 tracks so far but I'll be coming back to it. Also downloaded their other album and one of their EPs
Jace Myers
Will do
Ryan Hill
Nothing like Ratking, glad you were Diggin. I like Joey Badass too by the way but I wish Steez was still alive, I’m sure he’d be on this list someday if he was
Kevin Sanders
i grew up on hip-hop user. and i have the exact same issue as you. here try these:
MDBTF - kanye (the rap is meh) Everyday Beautiful Thugger Girls - Young Thug (seriously, this is the whole package of musical delivery if you can stand gangster lyrics, but it fits the bill PERFECTLY of your thread. Seriously, fuck what you heard about thug, give this album at least half a try.) Atmosphere - God Loves Ugly (mixing bothers me, like the drums are loud, but it has that "poetic" feel.) Madvillainy - Madvillain (a mu favorite like MDBTF, it's very dry rapping though but it bumps.) Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP2 - Definitely more of a pop format, but it's still good). Kendrick Lamar- Untitled Unmastered (This is the only "good" kendrick album that'll fit your bill. Definitely give this a try, at least the track with Cee-Lo, but it's a good ride) Anderson Paak - Malibu (THIS. This is probably the most musical hip-hopa blum I've heard but it definitely is more on the side of funk and singing. He does sing-rap. Dr. Dre is working with him now, but hey, the entire album is a great musical urban experience and the emotion is real and very good.) Metaphorical Music - Nujabes (If you wnt to know anything about hiphop, check out this legendary producer. It's le original lo fi hip-hop, jazzy, and definitely good all the way through. Common - Like Water For Chocolate (Live instruments being played here. Dedicated artists. Soulquarians and J Dilla on production. Very musical ride.
Mason Taylor
I like you
I’m not OP btw. I just relate. To the way you relate to the “emotion” in music
Jackson Long
by dedicated i mean there's a bassist, a keyboardist, j dilla on drum machine, and then i think the rest is sampled by j dilla from slum village and ?uestlove from the roots
but commons lyrics arent the best the whole way though, but theres definitely stand out tracks.
Joseph Richardson
lol thanks. what other albums you have in mind?
Julian Russell
if you want soulful shit listen to Common's earlier works (my favorite record of his is Be), Talib Kweli, and Mos Def.
Jordan Sanders
oh and q tip from tribe produced on it too so you basically have the entire soul hip-hop motherfuckers on this for the most part
Juan Sullivan
I must say that recommending first hiphop listener to madvillain is more like pitfall than just a good meaning you try to give.
but generally, I agree him. plus. nujabes - modal soul kendrick - good kid maad city the pharcyde - labcabincalifornia the roots - labcabincalifornia
Evan Rodriguez
... the roots - phrenology, game theory
Caleb Peterson
milo's stuff are worthwhile too (who told you to think & so the flies don't come) also if you haven't tried busdriver you should most absolutely do... that guy is nuts!
Evan Thomas
the roots - labcabincalifornia
Michael Ward
Is me
Also I posted Ratking - So It Goes and Shabazz Palaces - Lese Majesty
I’m a huge Common fan. That guy I’ve mentioned Porter Ray just continues to bless my ears. He’s a young dude that isn’t all the way their conciously but damn if his music doesn’t tell a story. Also I enjoyed Clippings latest record, and a guy called Mozzy as well. I’m really just into any hip-hop and music that could be identified as a Wavelength, if that at all makes sense. Like a vibe, a frequency
Jonathan Phillips
i was with u up until the GKMC part
just listen to that until you stop being a retard
Jayden Ward
don't forget milo's two part EP, which i think is on par with his best album, so the flies don't come. good introspective hip hop material.
Jack Peterson
Unironically, Botomless Pit by Death Grips. It often has vocals interweaved with the rest of the mix, making them part of the soundscape and not the central piece. Keep in mind, however, that first few tracks are intentional earrape, so that might turn you away. Songs get more melodic in the second half of the album. The only problem is, it is barely even hip-hop at this point.
Hudson Campbell
i havent heard any of this shit so ill give them all a try desu, im a big fan of what youre saying
if you like vibes check out gunna drip season2, its really street and not musically dense by any means except vibes and emotion trust me its vibes
Andrew Smith
I’m @ work so I just put on Gunna. Is Drip Season 3 worth it too?
You from LA by chance?
Luis Morris
Here's some essential noise-hop clipping. - CLPPNG Dälek - From Filthy Tongue of Gods and Griots B L A C K I E - True Spirit and Not Giving a Fuck
Kevin Thompson
enjoy, im big into atlanta music
no im from san jose. la is so nice i wish i could make it down there more often
