Hip-Hop criticisms

14232949 · 12-20-2012, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky

-similarly, associating 90's hip hop with "good", simultaneously assuming newer hip hop is shallower

I feel this is the case with A Nation of Millions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky

I understand. Can you really enjoy slick rick then? He raps about being a ganbanger.

I can empathize with Public Enemy because I believe oppression at the hands of the government exists, whether or not i am part of the lowest socioeconomic minority or not.

Yeah sure, I know it exists. But the plight of the black man in the 80's doesn't really interest me in 2012.
Slick Rick was in character, it's not supposed to be taking literal, check Children's Story. It's just enjoyable for being off-the-wall and imaginative, as the title suggests he's a great story teller.
The fact he has the unique mix of African American and Londoner accent definitely helps.

As for production, you can't say that hasn't aged with time, you think A Nation of Millions sounds like something Clams Casino would turn out today. I don't.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 12-20-2012, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merrycaaant

I feel this is the case with A Nation of Millions.

Quote:

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released in April 1988

**Janszoon** · 12-20-2012, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merrycaaant

I enjoy Rakim as a rapper, the guy was the innovator of multi syllable rapping and if it weren't for him we'd be stuck in the dark ages of novelty (eugh, I don't even want to call it hip-hop) like Run DMC and Grandmaster Flash. Okay, the production isn't the greatest, but neither is Public Enemy's, they did what they could do with that they had at the time.

Yes, I understand the record is about the oppression of the black man and Chuck and Flava encouraging their 'brothers' to rise up, but as a white teenager who was born in '93, I find it hard to connect with this album, so it loses its most redeeming feature on me. If you take out their political message, really what are you left with on this record.
Below par production and a lot of shouting 'Terminator X', naa not for me.

I'm not all that interested in the political message. It's the music I like, and I think It Takes a Nation has some of the best production of any hip hop album of that era. For me still holds up very well and has more bite to it than a lot of much more recent hip hop.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 12-20-2012, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I'm not all that interested in the political message. It's the music I like, and I think It Takes a Nation has some of the best production of any hip hop album of that era. For me still holds up very well and has more bite to it than a lot of much more recent hip hop.

Agree.

Public Enemy - Show Em What You Got - YouTube

14232949 · 12-20-2012, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I'm not all that interested in the political message. It's the music I like, and I think It Takes a Nation has some of the best production of any hip hop album of that era. For me still holds up very well and has more bite to it than a lot of much more recent hip hop.

I don't buy that A Nation of Millions sounds as good in terms of production as Cancer for Cure, R.A.P Music, Good Kid Maad City or any other recent hip-hop album.
Sure, I could point at really bad new albums such as anything by Lil Wayne and say 'ah music these days, not like Public Enemy' which I'm sure a lot of people use as logic but I'm not going to.

As far as being considered one of THE hip hop albums that one must hear, there's nothing all that great about it in my opinion. Usually when the media harps on and on about an album you expect it to have some form of redeeming quality, but I just felt as if A Nation of Millions insists too much on itself, saying 'Look at me, I'm a political revolutionary album; praise me'

I shall not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluffy Kittens

Knew there'd be someone being technical.

My point is that I think a lot of people highly praise the media acclaimed older albums such as A Nation of Millions or Ready To Die for no real reason.
They're not as good as Rolling Stone would have you believe.
And they don't stand up to the top albums of today.

**Janszoon** · 12-20-2012, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merrycaaant

I don't buy that A Nation of Millions sounds as good in terms of production as Cancer for Cure, R.A.P Music, Good Kid Maad City or any other recent hip-hop album.
Sure, I could point at really bad new albums such as anything by Lil Wayne and say 'ah music these days, not like Public Enemy' which I'm sure a lot of people use as logic but I'm not going to.

It's cool how you responded to something I didn't say. Good work.

14232949 · 12-20-2012, 12:50 PM

it's **** like this that annoys me.

As if listening to Public Enemy makes you profound. I'm sure this '15 year old' could have listened to Kendrick Lemar or something and been equally impressed.
There seems to be an elitism attached with this group and from just clicking one random Pubic Enemy video I was able to find one of the fanboys I detest.
It gives me further reason to be off-put by this average at best group.

FRED HALE SR. · 12-20-2012, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merrycaaant

it's **** like this that annoys me.

As if listening to Public Enemy makes you profound. I'm sure this '15 year old' could have listened to Kendrick Lemar or something and been equally impressed.
There seems to be an elitism attached with this group and from just clicking one random Pubic Enemy video I was able to find one of the fanboys I detest.
It gives me further reason to be off-put by this average at best group.

The kid did have a point with Drake, Lil and young money.

14232949 · 12-20-2012, 01:00 PM

It's the ignorance of the 'music these days' mentality that just annoys me.
These people have no idea what they're talking about.

**Goofle** · 12-20-2012, 01:02 PM

But PE > Kendrick Lamar.

12-20-2012, 12:50 PM	#37 (permalink)
14232949 The Big Dog Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,989	it's **** like this that annoys me. As if listening to Public Enemy makes you profound. I'm sure this '15 year old' could have listened to Kendrick Lemar or something and been equally impressed. There seems to be an elitism attached with this group and from just clicking one random Pubic Enemy video I was able to find one of the fanboys I detest. It gives me further reason to be off-put by this average at best group.

12-20-2012, 01:00 PM	#39 (permalink)
14232949 The Big Dog Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,989	It's the ignorance of the 'music these days' mentality that just annoys me. These people have no idea what they're talking about.