The Kirby/FaSho Hip-Hop Review/Education Thread (lyrics, hardcore, instrumental)

[FaSho]

Okay so We'll both be updating this doing album reviews and as time progresses maybe a compilation or two. and blah blah blah I'll start this off.

The Weatherman LP
By
Evidence

1. I Know
2. Weather Report 1
3. Mr. Slow Flow
4. Letyourselfgo
5. Down In New York City
6. A Moment In Time
7. Look for the Evidence (Interlude)
8. All Said And Done
9. Weather Report 2
10. Perfect Storm
11. Chase The Clouds Away
12. NC To CA
13. Evidence Is Everywhere
14. Things You Do
15. Biggest Belgium Fan (Interlude)
16. Hot and Cold
17. Line of Scrimmage
18. Believe In Me
19. Born In LA
20. Weather Report 3
21. I Still Love You

I personally love when members of a "just okay" group branch out to create a great solo album. Perfect example: Evidence. He came from the overrated Dilated People and came out with The Weatherman LP, which is aperfect example of what's good about hip-hop nowadays. He finds the perfect combination of Production, lyricism, delivery, and sampling. Starting of with the opener I know, I was glad he didn't use an intro track because they can ruin albums. Really after then that the album moves pretty slowly, with forgetable tracks like Letyourselfgo and All said and Done, but picks back up with Perfect Storm, lyrically the best song on the album. IT just speaks to the listener in a way that Dilated People never could, and the album is a masterpiece from then on. The next track, is my favorite off the album. It depicts sucj a scene that even though the lyrics are somewhat repetitive, it's okay because it has great production to back it up, and a great story to tell. Evidence Is Everywhere is the typical "I'm so cool" rap track, and is a major low point on the album, but Things You do makes up for it with it's great beats and amazing melody. Believe In Me is very good, but wasn't in the right place. IMHO it should have been the ending to the album, because it sums up everything the album is about, getting by. Born In LA has a heavy Eminem influence and it sounds a lot like Sing For the Moment, and White America, but it represents a struggle in it's undertones, while Eminem is more obvious about what he is rapping about. I Still Love You ends the album on a high point, but sounds more like a remix of one of the first few tracks, but it closes the album very well. Overall, though the sampling may get annoying at points, even containing a few almost "mashup" tracks it's stil lgreat, and better then anything Dilated People ever released.

OVERALL:8.5/10

[FaSho]

Damn. I meant to say Underground hip-hop. Soembody change the title maybe please?

[lucifer_sam]

Most people here don't pay attention to mainstream anyways.

Awesome concept for a thread; I know I need to learn more about hip-hop. If matious was here he might have something to say, ProggyMan too.

[Kirby]

Killer - Tech N9ne [2008]



Tech N9ne, for a long time, has been one of my favorite rappers. He has versatility, and with that, is able to do a lot of different kinds of tracks. Ranging from Emotional to Party to Darker types of tracks. His latest effort, Killer, is a milestone for Tech, being his first double disc album, and the album that would push him over one million independant sales.

Disc 1:

Tech opens up the album with an intro skit, Dr. Frazier's Office, in which he is speaking to a psychiatrist, and it leads into the album, making it seem like all of the tracks are his inner thoughts. After the intro Like Yeah starts the album off with a hype track. The beginning of the track mimics 300,
"Technicians! Ahoo! Ahoo! Ahoo!" and then Tech starts rapping. It's a pretty good track, and a great opener to the album. Next, we have a pretty mediocre track, Wheaties. Wheaties slows down the album, after Like Yeah, so it feels pretty out of place. The verses and the production go pretty nicely together, although the hook seems a little cliche. Everybody Move comes in next, and brings up the party-type vibe again. This should have been after Like Yeah, but oh well. Everybody Move is one of the singles off of Killer. The track has a rapid-type feel to it, while Tech switches up the patterns and rhyme-schemes a few times. It gives it a pretty nice effect. The
next track is mediocre at best. Get The F*ck Outta Here features Paul Wall and The Popper. Both of them are known for their slower flows, which are good on this Down-South-Houston type beat. Tech starts slow-speeds up to fast-and slows back down on his verse, which should set the pace for the rest of the track. The Popper and Paul Wall just can not bring as good of a verse as Tech did. After a lackluster track, The Waitress is welcome and promising. The Waitress is a fun track, with a bouncy beat, definitely makes you want to move. After Waitress, Tech goes into his feelings of the state of hip-hop on Crybaby, which attacks all of the people saying Hip-Hop's dead because of youngsters having fun. Once again, we have a pretty dull track, this time called Sh*t Is Real. It's a track about partying when you're stressed and stuff. Lazy track, accompanied by a very dull hook makes this a low point. The next two tracks, Black Boy and Pillow Talkin' are pretty mediocre. Neither bring anything special to the table. Paint A Dark Picture is a big change of pace. It's a darker track. The beat, accompanied by the fast flows of Tech N9ne and The Dirtball, make this one of the better features on the album. Hope For A Higher Power is a GREAT track, speaking on Tech's views of religion. After the skit, Psycho Bitch II is a return to one of the most famous Tech N9ne tracks (Psycho Bitch from the Anghellic album), which ends up being pretty amazing. Phantom Of The Opera is sampled for the Chorus, and is one of the faster tracks on the album. Poisonous has the best hook of any of the other songs on the album. Liz Suwandi provides the singing in the hook, which, accompanied with the beat, makes it feel very hypnotic. The end of Disc 1, Too Much ends with Tech N9ne and labelmates Kutt Calhoun and Krizz Kaliko. With a tribal-feeling beat, excellent hook from Krizz Kaliko and VERY nice verses from Tech N9ne and Kutt Calhoun provide a great ending to the first disc of Killer. This track leaves you wanting more.



Disc 2:

Disc 2 starts off with I Love You, But F*ck You. It's a very personal track, with all three verses speaking on real-life situations with Tech N9ne. Definitely a high-point on the album. And, even though it's a high-point, the next track is my personal favorite. One Good Time is a deep, personal track. Tech explaining that he hasn't been able to cry for years, even though he wants to. The very personal lyrics along with The guitar and production (from Matic Lee) make this track stand out more than the rest of the album. How this album goes from One Good Time to Drill Team is beyond me. The track features a drill-team type beat, with horns and drums. Tech and labelmates/friends Snug Brim and BG Bulletwound make this a naughty track, with a pretty clever theme. Beat You Up continues on the same type of production of Drill-Team, so it's a great follow-up. I believe the track title is self-explanatory. Next, Let's Go returns to the club vibe of the album. Kutt Calhoun and Mistah F.A.B. bring great verses and flows to the song, and it's good for what it is. Why You Ain't Call Me is another angry/personal track, in which Tech wonders why none of the higher-ups in the game see his ability. Seven Words starts out sounding like a love-song. It turns sexual pretty quickly, and I will admit. The seven words made me laugh out loud. Quite literally. The Sexorcist is another sexual track, obviously. Krizz Kaliko is featured, singing during most of the song, with a Tech verse thrown in. Pretty nice track, showcasing Krizz's abilites, more than Tech's. After a pretty pointless skit, Enjoy comes up, which has an odd pattern and weird beat, but it comes together to be a pretty nice track. Elbow Macaroni is a pretty funny skit, followed by I Am Everything. The beat of IAE is REALLY nice. A rockish feel to it, which compliments Tech N9ne and Jared (of (hed) P.E.)'s flows. Not so much the Kottonmouth Kings, though. The last few tracks are all personal ones. Happy Ending is a nice track, with a piano-laced beat. Tech speaks on how he'll only be completely happy after he's able to make his kids happy, which will probably be after his career/life is over. Can't Shake It has Krizz Kaliko singing once again, which adds a lot to the track. Tech's verses are nice and personal, but it doesn't really stand out to me. Holier Than Thou is a pretty epic feeling track. You get two verses from Tech and a verse from Krizz over a Church-like beat and a choir-type hook. Another high-point on the album. Last Words has everything else Tech wanted to say. Speaks on how he feels. Speaks on how and why he acts. A GREAT way to end the album.


Overall: I'd give the album a 8.5/10. This is definitely not Tech's strongest release, but definitely not his worst. It's a pretty good release, but it didn't live up to, in my opinion, what Tech said it would be. "All Killer, No Filler." I definitely recommend it, though.

Recommend Tracks: One Good Time, Last Words, Holier Than Thou, Psycho Bitch II, I Love You, But F*ck You

Stay Away From: Sh*t Is Real, Pillow Talkin', And the last two verses of Get The F*ck Outta Here

[Fruitonica]

This is shaping up to be a great thread, I'll be checking out your reviews.

[Kirby]

Suffer In Style - Look Daggers


Look Daggers is a group that I am definitely looking forward to hearing more from. Look Daggers consists of 2Mex (of the Visionaries) and Isaiah "Ikey" Owens (of The Mars Volta/De Facto/Free Moral Agents). This CD has probably been slept on, and will not get the credit it deserves. It's one of my favorites from 2008.


Suffer In Style starts off with an Introlude, but it's nothing special, and no real lyrics are in it. After the Intro, the album gets off to a nice start with That Look. The Production fits pretty well with 2Mex's voice and rhyme patterns. Call U Later is the first single off Suffer In Style, and is definitely a great choice. Production is nice, once again, 2Mex has a slightly-rapid flow, and the hook is sang by Mendee Ichikawa, and is altogether a high-point of the album. Before You Say No has a kind of melodic-type beat and rhythm, and is one of the more relaxing tracks. Youth Is Getting Restless comes next, and has more of an aggressive feel. The beat has some pretty odd sound effects, but that's not a bad thing. This track comes together pretty well, and 2Mex does his thing. Valiant is one of the faster-paced tracks on this album, and does a good job at keeping you listening at the half-way point of the album. Know Turning Back is the first, and only, low-point of the album. It's mostly instrumental, and while it's fine, it could have been better with actual lyrics put to it. After the last track, I was hoping for something to make me focus a bit more on the album. Beautiful Freak does a pretty good job at doing just that. It starts out with some pretty melodic female vocals, and then goes to 2Mex with a talk-rap flow. I don't know how he does it, but it sounds awesome on this track. Now onto the longest track on the album, Shades of Orange. The first minute and a half of this track is all instrumental, but it's a solid effort at building up to 2Mex's lyrics. The only problem is the cool-down after his lyrics. There's about three minutes of instrumental left after 2Mex finishes rapping, and sounds like it's the end of the album. You're Not Talking To Me is a softer track, but finds a nice place for itself on the album. The album would not be complete without it. Now, for another favorite of mine. New Wave Spazout is definitely a more off-the-wall track, but the efforts of Ikey and 2Mex both come together to make a brilliant track. One of, if not THE, best tracks on the album. Falcon Gentle is a decent track, but feels a little dull, until about the middle. After "Shades of Orange" Final Toss feels like the second outro track. The only difference is that this one is at the end of the album. Final Toss definitely finishes the album off strongly, and makes you wish there was more to it.

Overall: 9.5/10. This CD, in my honest opinion, was phenomenal, and although it had a couple weak moments, nothing really hurt it that much. Everything on the CD is listenable, and has definitely been a favorite of mine since I've had it. I highly recommend this album to everyone.

Recommend Tracks: Call U Later, Valiant, New Wave Spazout, Before You Say No, That Look

Stay Away From: Know Turning Back, but only after you've listened to it a couple times.

[euphoria z]

I'd give The Weatherman LP a 7/10. I haven't heard Killer or Suffer in Style yet.

On a separate note, I'm pretty sure Killer and Suffer in Style aren't considered underground rap.

[Kirby]

How would they not be considered underground rap?
Neither of them (Tech N9ne / Look Daggers) have had major radio or TV time, and are both a step away from the everyday Rap / Hip-Hop that you'd hear on the radio. Also, they're both independent as you can get.


Also, if you haven't heard them, how do you know if they're considered underground rap?

[euphoria z]

Originally Posted by Kirby

How would they not be considered underground rap?
Neither of them (Tech N9ne / Look Daggers) have had major radio or TV time, and are both a step away from the everyday Rap / Hip-Hop that you'd hear on the radio.

From the school I come from, they are talked about frequently. I guess that's a bias, but it's all about real world experience, so I think my point is valid. I'd consider Tech N9ne hardcore rap and gangsta rap.

Also, if you haven't heard them, how do you know if they're considered underground rap?

That's a stupid way of looking at it. There are plenty of contemporary artists that are very familiar to me that I choose not to listen to, for obvious reasons. And while yes, I've never heard Look Daggers, I have heard Anghellic, Absolute Power, and Vintage Tech. So you can stuff it!

[Kirby]

I don't think Tech N9ne could be considered "Gangsta Rap", because he isn't all about gangs and has more of a variety when it comes to his music. He has varying styles (club, dark, hardcore, personal) and has built the empire that he has without much radio play at all.

While I respect your opinion, I still stick to my own.