If you're out there, happy 43rd birthday to Kurtis Blow. (there's nothing like waking up to NPR in the morning and the only birthday they announce is that of a rapper whose last hit was in the early 80s)
Saw the Roots on Sunday night up in Raleigh. They were once again, mighty. They flow from song to song...pretty much seamlessly. They change up the versions, so it doesn't sound like you're just listening to an album (they did a ridiculously cool dub version of Silent Treatment that flowed right into a remixed version of You Got Me...a song which I don't think I've ever heard them play the same way twice). They covered all sorts of songs. Highlight was when Black Thought was singing (yep, he can sing!) Super Freak. The "Push It" cover was pretty good too. All the solos were awesome too. ?uest was killing his drum solo, then Ben Kenney came out to help him on the drums and they took it to (bad cliche alert!) the next level. I've got to admit though...I've never been that big of a fan of Kamal's solos. Otherwise great show...I was just waaaayyy too tired from my weekend in Vegas to actually enjoy it.
I really wish I had something to add here, but I haven't bought/downloaded music in for ever. I did check out Babu's "Duck Season" at Virgin. Sounded pretty sweet. Not impressed by Scratch's solo album. My roommate just bought El P and J-Live on vinyl. I'll try to get a listen in.
just out of curiousity, i'm wondering what you guys think makes a hiphop song good? its seems like most of you don't like the stuff that's bein' played on the radio, and i'm just wondering why? what makes a hiphop song good in your opinion? i really enjoy the beats, and lyrics too. that's why i like some of the stuff being played on the radio, because they have good beats. usually the lyrics aren't too good, though.
Re: Re: Official BigSoccer HipHop Thread Well, well, well. After noticing that the shipping costs include insurance, I sent an email to hiphopsite.com, explaining to them how my package got stolen off my porch. They're going to re-send my package that got stolen! I now recommend that you all make your CD purchases through hiphopsite.com.
Duck Season is OK. I found it used, so I went ahead and picked it up. Most of the songs are from other albums, and those that are exclusive, I had already downloaded. I'm going to say that Scratch's solo is downright bad. Not good. I still need to listen to the El-P, but I don't know if I can stand his voice over an entire album. J-Live is great though (and he's coming to Charlotte next week!)
Well, since my last diatribe directed at the EL-P album, I have revisted a few times, and well, it still doesn't do it for me- Mainly it's too damn homogenous. A lot of the songs sound pretty similar and there aren't enough guest MCs for me. If anyone hears it and decides they like it, I'll send them my copy for free.
I like beats first. Preferably something organic, funky, and original. Interesting drum patterns help. That's why I DON'T like much of the stuff being played on the radio...because they have crap, uninspired, copy-cat beats. As for lyrics, they're secondary.
For me, it's the combination of flow and beats, then lyrics. It's all about the sound for me. The problem with mainstream hip hop is that as soon as a new sound comes out, everyone jumps on the bandwagon. Everyone's biting Timbaland, Neptunes, Dr. Dre, etc. Though there are many thing I don't like about Jay-Z, at least he goes out and tries to uncover new producers and at his best, his flow is out of this world. The same can be said for Eminem, as I mentioned in another thread. But as FulhamRev points out, most of what's on the radio now is a retread of whatever came before. No originality.
Just got tix to The Roots show at Central Park Summerstage on 9/14. I hate buying through Ticketbastards, but I'll make an exception for The Roots. Hoping for a good show and good weather. Also, ?uestlove is spinning at some club in NYC next week - anyone know what his show's like. Finally, trying to download Northern State (three girls from Long Island) - they got a pretty decent review in Rolling Stone, which can be good or bad.
thanks for the feedback, skip & Fulham. i really liked swizz beatz's hard hitting beats- too bad i dont hear of him too much lately.. i guess i should start checking out the underground scene since i like good beats in a song too.
Son of a bitch! De La Soul was in town but I was not. Do they kick as much ass in concert as one would think?
If you like Swizz Beatz, you probably won't like underground stuff. I'm doing my absolute best to be polite about that. Lyrics are just as important as beats to me. Of course, I started out listening to PE and KRS-One, so lyrics-first was fairly natural. Of course, shitty beats seem to find shitty lyricists, and good beats find good lyricists, so it works out most of the time.
Wow, that should be a good show...hopefully you'll be able to walk by then after the Ticketbastards ass-reaming (I hate them too). I'd imagine that seeing ?uestlove spin would be well worth it (although I've got nothing to base this on other than his good taste in music). I've never heard of Northern State...not too many chicks can pull it off. Let me know how it is.
Speaking of producers absolutely lacking creativity, I can't stand Irv "Muder Inc." Gotti. You can't go much lower than biting beats from Puffy....
From hiphopsite.com: Closing out this week’s news, is perhaps one of the bigger announcements in quite sometime. Though it has been laboriously discussed and greatly anticipated, A Tribe Called Quest has reunited and is seven cuts deep into their reunion project. SAY WORD!!!! Now we true school heads have Pete & C.L. and Quest back in the fold. Now how about that Organized Konfusion reunion. And let’s get those Third Bass and Black Sheep things rolling, huh?
Sweet! Where is that thing from?? BTW, the Tribe reunion news is HUGE. I wonder how fans of Lucy Pearl and Phife's solo work are taking it.