Confessions of a ‘real hip-hop’ fan.

IamAlejo · 05-08-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I don't know, I haven't by any means heard all of Jay-Z's stuff but what I've heard doesn't do it for me. What is it about Reasonable Doubt that you like so much? I'm not familiar with the album.

Reasonable Doubt is without a doubt a top 5 rap album of all time. Jay-Z is much more than just what MTV plays of his.

YouTube - Jay Z - Dead Presidents 2

YouTube - Jay-Z - D'Evils

YouTube - Jay-Z Can I Live

**Janszoon** · 05-08-2009, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamAlejo

Reasonable Doubt is without a doubt a top 5 rap album of all time. Jay-Z is much more than just what MTV plays of his.

I have no idea what MTV plays of his. I haven't really watched it since the early nineties, a couple years before he started releasing albums. But aside from your opinion that it's one of the top five rap albums of all time, what is it that you like about Reasonable Doubt? What draws you to it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamAlejo

YouTube - Jay Z - Dead Presidents 2

YouTube - Jay-Z - D'Evils

YouTube - Jay-Z Can I Live

Thanks for the links. I'll check them out. Is there something I should be listening for in particular?

IamAlejo · 05-08-2009, 10:03 PM

The lyrics, the flow. Put it in it's time frame of mid-nineties and he was one of the first to touch on the sort of mafioso type lifestyle in rap. He touches on actual subjects and was completely original for it's time.

midnight rain · 05-08-2009, 10:13 PM

I love how people act like rap is a means of measuring how good an artist is, and if that artist isn't up to their standards of quality, it can't be classified as that genre. People who like emo seem to have this mentality as well (denying bands like Hawthorne Heights as emo, for example, simply because they don't like them, though they'll try to come up with other reasons to hide their real reasoning).

**Janszoon** · 05-08-2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamAlejo

The lyrics, the flow. Put it in it's time frame of mid-nineties and he was one of the first to touch on the sort of mafioso type lifestyle in rap. He touches on actual subjects and was completely original for it's time.

Putting it in the timeframe of the mid-90s, the mafioso thing sounds like a lot of hip-hop at the time actually. And I'm not sure if I understand what you mean about him touching on actual subjects being something original. That's been a part of hip-hop since the very, very early days.

Trauma · 05-08-2009, 11:04 PM

Aesop Rock is awesome.

In reference to the "realness" factor.
Lil' Wayne is real hip hop.
So is Aesop Rock.

If you don't want to dance or want some actual intellect, listen to Aesop Rock.
Definitely.

IamAlejo · 05-09-2009, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Putting it in the timeframe of the mid-90s, the mafioso thing sounds like a lot of hip-hop at the time actually. And I'm not sure if I understand what you mean about him touching on actual subjects being something original. That's been a part of hip-hop since the very, very early days.

The very very early days? Not really. Besides Kool G Rap I can't thin of anyone who did it that much ahead of him.

**Janszoon** · 05-09-2009, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamAlejo

The very very early days? Not really. Besides Kool G Rap I can't thin of anyone who did it that much ahead of him.

How about "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" by Grandmaster Melle Mel? I guess I'm not sure what you mean by "actual subjects". Do you just mean serious subject matter? Surely everyone from Public Enemy to Sister Souljah to Arrested Development would fit that bill.

IamAlejo · 05-09-2009, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

How about "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" by Grandmaster Melle Mel? I guess I'm not sure what you mean by "actual subjects". Do you just mean serious subject matter? Surely everyone from Public Enemy to Sister Souljah to Arrested Development would fit that bill.

Not what I mean at all...and lmfao if you consider a song about the perils of drug use as a "mafioso" song.

You're completely missing the point. I'll simplify.

You can't point to one song of Aesop's...much less an album, and say it's classic.

itsnuts · 05-09-2009, 05:19 AM

What’s funny is I never intended this post as an attack on Aesop Rock (I could’ve picked dozens of other artists, I just selected Aesop because I’m most familiar with his music). It was really supposed to be about the superiority complex of people who disregard any rap that doesn’t come from Def Jux, Rhymesayers or any other indie label.

To be honest, Aesop actually says cool things every once in a while. (“You wore my sneakers but your feet just never fit in. That’s what you get for trying to walk a mile outside your limit.”) Unfortunately he surrounds these lines with what could only be described as jibberish - and yet a lot of people interpret his every word as gospel.

05-08-2009, 10:03 PM	#13 (permalink)
IamAlejo Muck Fusic Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 1,575	The lyrics, the flow. Put it in it's time frame of mid-nineties and he was one of the first to touch on the sort of mafioso type lifestyle in rap. He touches on actual subjects and was completely original for it's time. __________________ a man, a plan, a canal, panama

05-08-2009, 11:04 PM	#16 (permalink)
Trauma snickers Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: detroit Posts: 2,194	Aesop Rock is awesome. In reference to the "realness" factor. Lil' Wayne is real hip hop. So is Aesop Rock. If you don't want to dance or want some actual intellect, listen to Aesop Rock. Definitely. __________________ A mi no me importa nada Para mi la vida es un sueño

05-08-2009, 10:13 PM	#14 (permalink)
midnight rain Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,711	I love how people act like rap is a means of measuring how good an artist is, and if that artist isn't up to their standards of quality, it can't be classified as that genre. People who like emo seem to have this mentality as well (denying bands like Hawthorne Heights as emo, for example, simply because they don't like them, though they'll try to come up with other reasons to hide their real reasoning).

05-09-2009, 05:19 AM	#20 (permalink)
itsnuts Groupie Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 7	What’s funny is I never intended this post as an attack on Aesop Rock (I could’ve picked dozens of other artists, I just selected Aesop because I’m most familiar with his music). It was really supposed to be about the superiority complex of people who disregard any rap that doesn’t come from Def Jux, Rhymesayers or any other indie label. To be honest, Aesop actually says cool things every once in a while. (“You wore my sneakers but your feet just never fit in. That’s what you get for trying to walk a mile outside your limit.”) Unfortunately he surrounds these lines with what could only be described as jibberish - and yet a lot of people interpret his every word as gospel.