Hip-Hop Artists Recommended

ubu

Damn, there has been some terrible shíte talked about in this forum of late so try to help to instil a bit of knowledge into some people who know no better im going to list a few artists and recommend listening to a few of their songs which will hopefully lead to a widening of the horizon past Eminem, Dre, Snoop and 50 cent, im not trying to slag anyone here, everyone started out listening to commercial Rap/Hip-Hop but some went on to discover much better and less well known artists out there and thats what im trying to do here because its no good saying "go listen to some proper hip-hop, etc" if you dont know where to start, and this isnt some mad crazy underground stuff, id condiser most of these artists borderline commercial....anyway, ill start

Jurassic 5:
4 emcees and 2 djs make up this group who bring Hip-Hop back to its roots with free-flowing, positive and fresh beats and lyrics, seriously some laid back and uplifting stuff.

Songs to check out: Jayou, Concrete Schoolyard, What's Golden

And if you like those songs get the albums: J5 EP, Quality Control, Power In Numbers


Blackalicious:
Gift Of Gab (emcee) and Chief Xcel (Producer/DJ) make up Blackalicious, which could be classed as positive hip-hop like J5, difference being Blackalicious are more mellow, they have plenty of amazing upbeat songs aswell, but their albums can bring you on a musical journey, they really are an amazing duo.

Songs to check out: Alphabet Aerobics, the song that got me, and probably everyone else hooked, an absolutely class song. Passion, 4000 miles, Do this my way, Deception.

And if you like those songs get the albums: A2G EP, Nia, Blazing Arrow



Immortal Technique:
My favourite emcee out there at the moment, he really comes at you hard and doesnt stop, his songs are fuelled with political anger and hard and humourous punchlines to get his message across. i cant praise this man enough.

Songs to check out: Freedom Of Speech, Dance With The Devil, Industrial Revolution, Creation and Destruction, Obnoxious, You never know

And if you like those songs get the albums: Revolutionary Vol.1, Revolutionary Vol.2


More to come at a later date, feel free to add your own.

Makaveli

Ugly Duckling:
Add Blackalicious and Jurassic 5 together with some Pharcyde and you have Ugly Duckling. They really capture that Bay Area laid back sound. Perfect when you just want to kick back and listen to some easy going music. Nothing to serious here, nice bit of humour infused in the songs.

Songs to check out: Journey to Anywhere, I Did It Like This, A Little Samba

Albums: Journey To Anywhere, Fresh Mode, Taste The Secret


Pharcyde:
Same vein as UD, a little more of an acquired taste, as Fatlip (I think it's Fatlip) has a voice that takes a while to adjust to. Basically more of that chilled out Cali Hip-Hop, so much more mellow than New York rap and basically the alternative to Cali Gangsta rap. The Pharcyde have relased a couple of classic albums that everyone should at least listen to if not own.

Songs to check out: Oh Shít, Passing Me By, Ya Mama, Drop, Runnin'

Albums: Bizarre Ryde II Da Pharcyde, Labcabincalifornia



Seeing as we are getting into the Summer, J5, Blackalicious, UD and Pharcyde are four groups all very suited to this season.

Klimseven

Tribe Called Quest, EPMD, Del tha Funky Homosapien, MF DOOM (Viktor Vaughn, King Geedorah, etc), KMD, Gangstarr, KRS-ONE (his older stuff, BDP), Black Sheep, The Roots, The Pharcyde, Organized Konfusion, Souls of Mischief, Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers, Liquid Swords - Gza), Pete & C.L. Smooth Rock (and Pete rock's solo stuff), Eric B & Rakim, Run DMC, Public Enemy, De La Soul, Talib Kweli, Common, Mos Def, Afu Ra, Hieroglyphics, Company Flow, Mr Lif, Aesop Rock, Cannibal Ox, Murs, Jedi Mind Tricks, J-Live, The Beatnuts, The Beat junkies, Freestyle Fellowship, Prince Paul, RJD2, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Z-Trip, The Invisible Skratch Pikls (Q-Bert, Mix Master Mike, Kid Koala, DJ Flare, Apollo), The Xecutioners (Rob Swift, Roc Raida, Boogie Blind), Dead Prez, Atmosphere, Slick Rick, Beastie Boys, Jeru the Damaja, Big L, DJ Format, DJ Yoda, Roots Manuva, A-Trak, Jungle Brothers, Outkast (their older stuff), Lord Finesse, Mad Lib, Quasimoto, Diamond & Psychotic Neurotics, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Baambatta (sp?), Ultra Magnetic MCs (Kool Keith), Brand Nubian, Notorious BIG, Dilated Peoples

...oh, and Nelly

Makaveli

And there ends the thread.

Klimseven

MF Doom:
One of the most innovative people in music today. Truly original, quality hip-hop music with amazing production. The guy has never released anything bad and is so prolific with all his aliases.

Best Album - Operation Doomsday

De La Soul:
NOT 'alternative' hip-hop, REAL hip-hop. Original and still fresh today. 2 emcees and a DJ, fantastic group.

Best Album - Three Feet High and Rising

ubu

Makaveli wrote:

And there ends the thread.

Yea, but thats what i was trying to avoid, a big list of artists like that whilst all worthy to be here, are not gonna get listened to if listed like that, which is why i wrote a bit up on them and gave a few songs to listen to.

Orizio

Talib Kweli=Basically released 4 brilliant albums-3 solos and a blackstar one,all of which were consistently brilliant in terms of production and Kweli's direct,confident and somewhat political rap style and lyrics.Any of the 4 albums are good places to start.A real antidote to the usual rubbish you hear on MTV.

AZ=Released two incredible albums in Aziatic and Doe or Die.Aziatic had beats that were simply incredible,putting Dre to shame and a simple but effective lyrical style from AZ improved over the claustrophobic lyrical style on 9 lives and pices of a man.But Doe or Die was his best-production wise it had the big names like Pete Rock(on my favourite hip-hop song Rather Unique)and comtained lyrics andf flow that puts practiaclly every rapper to shame.No rap collection is complete without both those albums.9 lives and Pieces of a man were ok as well.

Nas=Pretty obvious.Wordy and supremely confident rapper that dropped the greatest hip-hop album(imo)in illmatic.His follow could have been as good as his debut if he got rid of some of the filler.I am and Nostradamus were the low points but Gods son,Stillmatic and Streets disciple showed he was still able to create consistently brilliant albums that contained mind blowing rap songs(Made you look,Rewind,Get yourself a gun,Just a moment etc)

Cormega=Created the brilliant the Realness as his debut which had literally no weak points,the best being The Saga,Fallen Soldiers and American beauty.He has a slightly annoying lisp but lyrically he is original and his rapping will grow on you.His other 3 albums were consistently good although not quite as brilliant as his debut.

The likes of the Roots,Roots Manuva,Arrested Development,a tribe called quest,gangstarr,nature are good to look into.

FTA69

Ye forgot Blazin Squad and MVP.

which could be classed as positive hip-hop like J5

"Got some Chinese bitches on that Siamese sh*t/ one lickin my toes one ridin' my dick"

Not too positive there in terms of respect for women a chara. Rakim was also one of the best MCs ever and is a must-listen. Pharoe Monch is impressive as well.

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

recently ive been listening to mac dre, sage francis,sky boogy,atmosphere,common,big pun,dead prez bone thugz n harmony,sublime,the roots,talib kweli and 3 of ''the game's'' older albums

ubu

Boogie Down Productions

KRS-One and DJ Scott LaRock formed BDP, after the release of their first album, Criminal Minded in 1987, Scott LaRock was killed, this pushed KRS-One on to continue with BDP as a reminder of Scott LaRock and he uses this as a trigger and talk about issues such as gun violence, black-on-black crime and police brutality aswell as making social commentary on the state of rap music and on society in general, the music itself is full of hard hitting beats and samples and KRS-One's delivery is impeccable, its amazing listening to BDP and the amount of lines that have been used by other arists throughout the years which originated with KRS-One and the music still sounds fresh today, up to 18 years on.

Songs to Check out: 9mm Goes Bang, Dope Beat, Stop The Violence, Part Time Suckers(wordplay on this song is quality), 100 Guns, Ya Slippin

And if you like those songs get the albums: Criminal Minded, By All Means Necessary, Edutainment, Ghetto Music - The Blueprint Of Hip-Hop

Helzeena

Orizio wrote:

Talib Kweli=Basically released 4 brilliant albums-3 solos and a blackstar one,all of which were consistently brilliant in terms of production and Kweli's direct,confident and somewhat political rap style and lyrics.Any of the 4 albums are good places to start.A real antidote to the usual rubbish you hear on MTV.

Talib is hot. "The Blast" is the sh!t

adnans

chamillionaire, devin the dude, juelz santana, balance is all i'm listening these days.

-adnans

Pen0s

finally some good choices, immortal technique, nas, jurrasic 5, wu tang cln
thats my obvius ones then theres :

Pharohe monch : for a while pharohe was my favourite rapper ever, his flow and punchlines are just so sparatic that u cant help gettin sucked in (simon says is the craziest-flowing-verse ever)

jae millz: great freestyle battler, definetly gonna be big, witty and sharp with his punchlines, check out any of his smack dvd battles.

i havnt heard mf doom yet :eek: havnt been arsed, whats the story with him? he american english lebanese or what?

kanibus

papoose,big L,saigon,jae millz,jae hood,cassidy,dead prez,BT and H,juelz santana,canibus,talib kweli,mos def,E40,T.I.


and chino XL(the punchline prince,coz cassidy is the punchline king)

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

anyone mentioned the perceptionists - black dialogue yet?

or handsome boy modelling school - white people?


*wanders off*

David19

Mordeth wrote:

anyone mentioned the perceptionists - black dialogue yet?

or handsome boy modelling school - white people?


*wanders off*

That perceptionists album is very good. Definitely worth getting. I haven't heard the other one.

ubu

Mordeth wrote:

anyone mentioned the perceptionists - black dialogue yet?

or handsome boy modelling school - white people?


*wanders off*

Yea, im pretty sure they're listed in the "Essential Albums" thread...