Black Spade's To Serve With Love

Jay Ru

Shout out to Orizio for putting me on to this one. Think Common/Phonte (little brother) vocally and production wise think J.Dilla/DJ Spinna. Almost every track on the album stands out and in comparison to the mainstream dribble thats being released, this is like a breath of fresh air. the title track is definitly one of me favourite cuts on the album, along with "The Genius in You" in which Black pays homage to all the artists who have inspired him over the years. If ur a fan of that good, real hip hop this one if definitly for you.

i got mine off amazon for £3 sterling if any of u are looking for

Orizio

Yep, real dope album. Considering he produced it himself, the beats are exceptional, experimental but familiar (Dilla definetly comes to mind). I wouldn't have checked him out if he hadn't worked with Nicolay on Here.

The Atmosphere, 9th Wonder/Buckshot and Roots albums are excellent as well.

2-ShortDa5foot5

Orizio wrote: »

Yep, real dope album. Considering he produced it himself, the beats are exceptional, experimental but familiar (Dilla definetly comes to mind). I wouldn't have checked him out if he hadn't worked with Nicolay on Here.

The Atmosphere, 9th Wonder/Buckshot and Roots albums are excellent as well.

Where's the best place to start with the Roots? Things Fall Apart? I wanna get into them as I've heard great things but may be a bit too jazzy for me.... Suggestions?

Jay Ru

I started with illapelphia halflife and i've never looked back. There is a definite jazzy feel to the album but tbh that the thing that I really love bout the album

Boom_Bap

+1 on Illadelph Halflife. Absolute Classic.

Orizio

Things Fall Apart is thier masterpiece imo, but possibly their easiest album to listen to is Game Theory, which is more soul influenced then Jazz and is The Roots in more of a pop mode.

Basically, for me, their albums go like this in quality(best first)...

Things Fall Apart
Do You Want More?!!!??!
Game Theory
Illadelph Halflife(I don't like this as much as everyone else)
The Tipping Point
Rising Down
Organix
Phrenology

Makaveli

For me it's:

Things Fall Apart
Illadelph
Game Theory
Do You Want More
Tipping Point
Organix
Phrenology

I'll reserve judgement on Rising Down until I've listened to it a few more time. Come Alive would probably get in third there if I was to count it.

Orizio

Makaveli, have you checked out the Black Spade album?

Makaveli

Not yet, will give it a listen soon.

Makaveli

I can't place the sound of this album. It's very Dilla (Slum Village - Fantastic Vol. 2)/Common/Musiq Soulchild sounding. Even a bit like The Roots in some aspects. Even that seems off to me though because I know it sounds more like someone else it just wont click for me at the moment who that is.

It's an excellent album I must say. Production and lyrics are solid. Each track sounds quite different to the last but it maintains cohesiveness and continuity. Certainly one of the better albums of 2008.