Official BigSoccer HipHop Thread

Discussion in 'Books' started by FulhamRev, Jul 17, 2002.

  1. FulhamRev

    FulhamRev Member

    Nov 1, 2000
    Raleigh, NC
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Red Hot and Riot...I'm giving it 5 stars.

    Guest appearances by:
    Gift of Gab
    Mixmaster Mike
    Lateef
    Dead Prez
    Kweli
    D'Angelo
    Soultronics (?uestlove, James Poyser, etc.)
    Common

    Lots of non-hiphop guests too. All the songs are great. They take new, interesting spins on the Fela originals but still capture the messages of justice and freedom and (most importantly) still capture the raw energy of Fela's music. For those of you that aren't familiar with Fela, this is a GREAT introduction to the sounds of Afrobeat. I'll just leave it at that, but this is my album of the year so far....very surprising since it's a collaberation of so many artists, but it has a very unified feel and most of the tracks blend seemlessly into the next.

    Other releases coming out soon:
    Talib Kweli - Quality - Nov. 19th
    The Roots - Phrenology - Nov. 26th
    Common - Electric Circus - Dec. 10th

    What do you guys think about the lead singles for the above 3 albums? I think Kweli's "Waiting for the DJ" is a pretty mediocre effort on his part. I think the Roots' "Break You Off" is a mediocre effort and I think Common's "I Got a Right To" is just plain garbage (although I think this is just a B-side). His other song "Come Close (feat. Mary J Blige)" is pretty mediocre too (although I like it a little better than "Break You Off").
    That being said, I'm still going to buy all the above, and I still have high expectations for all of their albums. I just don't understand why they don't just say "************ it" and release a challenging song as their lead single instead of some cookie cutter attempt at radio play.
    I'm pretty confident that the Roots album will not disappoint, and Kweli's album will be highly solid, at worst. Who knows what we'll get from Common's album? There are a TON of guests on it, which I'm not a huge fan of. But I'm sure in the end, he'll come through with another excellent album.

    Other albums that are potentially interesting:
    MF Doom "Special Herbs" - a CD of MF Doom instrumentals
    Madlib "Blunted in the Bomb Shelter" - Madlib's mix album of reggae cuts from the Rhino Records label.
     
  2. zpjohnstone

    zpjohnstone Member

    Feb 27, 2001
    Finger Lakes, NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm going to have to admit that while I love experimental/forward-thinking music, I haven't really heard anything on Anticon that I really like. I bought the Boom-bip & Dose One cd a while ago and I think I made it through four times.

    So has anyone gotten the "golden ticket" with their purchase of I, Phantom?
     
  3. Bison1997

    Bison1997 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 30, 2001
    RFK - Lot 8
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Don't forget about:
    11/12 - Eastern Conference All-Stars 3

    11/19 - Rob Swift, "Sound Event"

    I'm into some of the Eastern Conference guys (specifically, the High & Mighty), plus, Volume 2 was a lot of fun.

    And I'm willing to take a chance on any past or present X-Ecutioner...
     
  4. Bison1997

    Bison1997 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 30, 2001
    RFK - Lot 8
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And one more thing....

    If you get a chance to catch Jurassic 5 on tour with The Beatnuts and Big Daddy Kane, you owe it yourself to go. Great, great show.

    Kane has lost nothing and had a great set, playing all of the old stuff and mourning those lost in the game. J5 was great as per usual.

    Top 3 moments of the show for me:

    -- When Kane when into his verse from "The Symphony." "Put two quarters in your @$$, 'cause prices went up at the arcade."

    -- When J5 had the crowd singing the chorus to "Concrete Schoolyard" with the music turned off.

    -- "Day At The Races." Nuff said.

    $25 very well spent.
     
  5. Soccerik

    Soccerik New Member

    Oct 29, 2002
    San Francisco, CA
    I'm definitely gonna check out the new Roots LP. I think they've really improved over the years and have made a real progression from their jazzier stuff to more true hip-hop. They've really created a good combo of both, although I'm not really feeling "Break You Off" very much. I'm sure the album won't disappoint. Common seems to be on a downhill slide from his masterpiece, Ressurection IMHO. Any one else feeling me here?
     
  6. FulhamRev

    FulhamRev Member

    Nov 1, 2000
    Raleigh, NC
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I actually liked "One Day...." better than "Resurrection" but I know I'm in the minority there.
     
  7. futbol2ot

    futbol2ot Member

    May 15, 2001
    Massachusetts
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I wish that I could see that show. I wanted to go to the show in Worcestor, Mass last week, but I wasn't able to make it. Now it looks like they won't be back on the East coast for the rest of their tour. :(
     
  8. skipshady

    skipshady New Member

    Apr 26, 2001
    Orchard St, NYC
    I like "Resurrection" better, though "One Day..." is much more polished. Still, I like both better than "Like Water For Chocolate".

    I'm listening to my new Mr. Lif disc. So far so good, though I didn't get the Willy Wonka ticket, the bastards.
     
  9. JAnderson14

    JAnderson14 New Member

    Oct 5, 2000
    Crofton, MD
    Solid...I'm going to have to look into that.

    I'm kind of worried about the Common album. A song with the Neptunes? Come on. The Roots and Kweli albums seem like less of a risk now.

    ***

    I didn't get a golden ticket from I Phantom. I'm not upset though, because it's ************ing great. El-P's beats for others, as has been said, are much better than when he makes beats for himself. Lif rips every track. The only somewhat weak spot is the transfer from the story of the nameless protagonist to the nuclear holocaust...after 11 tracks on the guy, he goes to "Iron Helix" (which as of now is my favorite song on the album) from one small question posed in "Friends and Neighbors". I'm not saying there's a better way to do it...just that it's a tiny bit of an awkward transition. I'm nitpicking, I know.
     
  10. Soccerik

    Soccerik New Member

    Oct 29, 2002
    San Francisco, CA
    El-P does make better beats for others: a perfect example would be Can Ox.. my favorite El-P produced album yet.

    Yes- "Iron Helix" is my favorite track hands down, not just the beat but the lyrics too. And it is a bit of an awkward transition, but I'm willing to put up with it since the album is so dope.
     
  11. Soccerik

    Soccerik New Member

    Oct 29, 2002
    San Francisco, CA
    Typical Cats

    Anyone here listen to or heard of Typical Cats?

    They're a Chi-Town crew consisiting of Qwaazar, Qwel, Denizen Kane, and DJ Natural off of Golopagos4(sp?). I'm going to go see a show this Sunday in LA with the following:

    -Typical Cats
    -Eyedea & Abilities (Eyedea- Blaze battle fame/ Abilities of Scribble Jam fame)
    -J-Live
    -The Grouch (of Living Legends fame)


    I'm a huge Typical Cats fan, and I think people sleep on their first (and only) LP. Qwel's new solo LP, the "Rubber Duckie Expirement" is dark, brooding, and dope as hell.

    Eyedea is amazing when freestyling- just download some of his Blaze battle sh!+, and Abilities is the most amazing turntablist I've seen live.

    Don't listen to much J-Live and I'm not a big Living Legends fan but I'm definetely gonna check it anyways...
     
  12. zpjohnstone

    zpjohnstone Member

    Feb 27, 2001
    Finger Lakes, NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm 99% sure "Iron Helix" was written before the other songs on the album, as it appeared on the Live At the Middle East cd. As someone who has written and recorded a "concept album" (as a inside joke taken too far, mind you), I know how this happens- Your album is almost finished, you got a hot track lying on the shelf, you find a way to make it fit.

    "Iron Helix" is also one of my favorite songs on there, but my favorite part of the album has to be the second half of "Return Of the B-Boy".

    On the non hip-hip front, the new Spoon album, Kill The Moonlight has some amazing songs on it. It's somewhat like indie-rock ben folds five, in the orchestration at least, but a little more minimal in the orchestration and restrained in the delivery.
     
  13. JAnderson14

    JAnderson14 New Member

    Oct 5, 2000
    Crofton, MD
    Agreed, though as I listen to the album more, I'm liking "Return of the B-Boy" just as much.

    "Earthcrusher" was on that too...in the liner notes it says that he had been bouncing a lot of this stuff around in his head before finally deciding to go through with it.

    I can see this happening to me with more listening.
     
  14. nad1998

    nad1998 Member

    Dec 13, 2001
    Tacoma
    J5

    anyone been to a J5 show yet? I'm going on monday...im excited since i was supposed to have seen them 2 times already..but it got all messed up..anyways...jus wondering
     
  15. skipshady

    skipshady New Member

    Apr 26, 2001
    Orchard St, NYC
    Re: J5

    I couldn't get tickets when they came through last week but from what I understand, they're worth whatever the price of admission yet.

    Saw 8 Mile last night - if you can put up with a weak script, one dimensional characters, spotty acting, then the final battle is well worth $10. Plus, some nice mid-90's hip hop, including:
    Notorious B.IG. "Juicy", "Unbelievable", "Who Shot Ya"
    Mobb Deep "Shook Ones"
    OC "Times Up"
    Outkast "Player's Ball"

    Speaking of hip hop movies, has anyone else seen the previews for Paid In Full? Did your head start bobbing involuntarily when the Eric B & Rakim track kick in? Mine did.

    And indeed, "Return of the B-Boy" is fantastic.
     
  16. JAnderson14

    JAnderson14 New Member

    Oct 5, 2000
    Crofton, MD
    Re: J5

    I've seen them with Blackalicious opening. To be perfectly frank, Blackalicious had the better set. J5 puts on a good show, they interact with the audience well, and Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark definitely show off some. They aren't the kind of group that can get the crowd going completely apeshit, though...by their nature their songs are too laid back for that to happen. So, I guess it depends on what you're looking for in your live show.
     
  17. caddisfly

    caddisfly New Member

    May 24, 2001
    Portland, OR
    http://ncbuy.com/news/wireless_news.html?qdate=2002-12-18&nav=VIEW&id=58G8671FO0I021218

    Digital Underground, From `The Humpty Dance' To Porn

    OAKLAND, Calif. (Wireless Flash) -- Digital Underground is best known for the wacky hip hop hit "The Humpty Dance" but now its members have a new vocation -- hip hop porn.

    The group recently completed an X-rated music-video-meets-porn-video, but rapper Money B. says the group has always been firmly rooted in the "exotic and erotic" world.

    Rapper Clee agrees, saying, "We were the first to admit in our lyrics that we'd go down on a girl. That was before it was cool."

    So, how will the fans handle it? Clee says any fan of "The Humpty Dance" will "love" the new video's segments like the masturbating contest and the "sex olympics."

    "Sex In The Studio" is set for a March release date.
     
  18. FulhamRev

    FulhamRev Member

    Nov 1, 2000
    Raleigh, NC
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Cooper! Good find, dude. I'm all over that.
     
  19. skipshady

    skipshady New Member

    Apr 26, 2001
    Orchard St, NYC
    I'm just surprised it took this long for Digital Underground to get into porn. Seriously, The Body Hat Syndrome was all about masturbation and cunnilingus.

    ----
    My Top 2002 Singles
    (I'm sure a couple of titles here will offend certain posters' sensibilities. Oh well. :D)

    1. The Roots "The Seed 2.0"
    2. RJD2 "June"
    3. Missy Elliot "Work It"
    4. Eminem "Lose Yourself"
    5. J-Live "Like This Anna"
    6. Jurassic 5 "What's Golden"
    7. Clipse "Grindin'"
    8. Talib Kwelli "Waiting For The DJ"
    9. Nas "Made You Look"
    10. Blackalicious "Make You Feel That Way"
    11. I'm sure I could pick a Mr. Lif single. And I still haven't listened to the new Common or Gza.
     
  20. FulhamRev

    FulhamRev Member

    Nov 1, 2000
    Raleigh, NC
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The long-awaited (yeah right) FulhamRev's Top 10-ish hip-hop albums of 2002.

    10. Jurassic 5 - Power In Numbers
    A very enjoyable album. Totally in love with the songs "Freedom" and "If You Only Knew" (one of the best back-to-back combos on any album this year). For some reason though, both J5 albums hit me the exact same way: initially very enjoyable, but in the end, they never stick with me or hold my attention for very long.

    9. (tie) Mr. Lif - Emergency Rations EP / Soul Position - Unlimited EP
    Two excellent EP's that deserve mention amongst the year's best.
    Emergency Rations hit me alot harder than I Phantom (more on I Phantom below). "Home of the Brave" is one of the best post-9/11 songs, and "Pull Out Ya Cut" is a classic old-school banger.
    The Soul Position (RJD2 & Blueprint) EP has me salivating for the full-length, and solidies RJD2's place as the top underground producer. Hell, I even liked Blueprint's singing on "Take Your Time".

    8. DJ Shadow - Private Press
    Some might have been disappointed with Shadow, after waiting 7 years for his sophmore album. But Shadow still has it...his instrumentals still have the power to give me goosebumps.

    7. Slum Village - Trinity
    I can understand why people might not like this album. I was a little worried to hear SV sans Jay Dee. And their sound has definitely changed since Fantastic Vol. 2. The inclusion of Elzhi though seemed to inspire T3 and Baatin to pick up their game, lyrically, while still sound like they're having lots of fun on the mic. Trinity kind of pulled a "reverse J5" on me: initially I wasn't that impressed, but Trinity grew on me and stuck with me for a long time. This one gets extra credit from me because it's a fun album that reminds me of a time of the year that I was having a LOT of fun...

    6. Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow
    Definitely an ambitious album. Manages to successfully incorporate lots of guests without overwhelming Gift of Gab. I especially was impressed with Saul Williams' appearance. But it too suffered a tad from "J5 Syndrom," falling out of my rotation much sooner than I initially thought it would.

    5. The Roots - Phrenology
    Phrenology was definitely a mild disappointment for me. Although they might have the song of the year in The Seed 2.0. Otherwise I fail to see how Phrenology was "groundbreaking". It also gets negative points by making 2 of the best songs bonus tracks. ARRRGGH. But still, it's the Roots, and I love them. Hopefully we won't have to wait another 3 1/2 years for the follow-up.

    4. (tie) RJD2 - Dead Ringer / Djinji Brown - Sirround Sound
    RJD2 came out of nowhere to give the Def Jux label a much needed injection of soul. I think ?uestlove put it best by saying "this is what Moby's album should have sounded like."
    I don't know if you'd actually call Sirround Sound a "hip-hop" album necessarily. But it is damn good, covering afrobeat, hip-hop, dub, Latin, and electronica with ease.

    3. J-Live - All The Above
    Love myself some J-Live. Nobody in hip-hop is better with "concept" songs like J-Live. "One For the Griot" is one of the most original songs to come out in years. And "Satisfied" is a true revolutionary anthem, the likes of which we haven't seen since PE's "Fight the Power". The album at times seems a little lengthy, but remains consistent throughout.

    2. Little Brother - The Listening
    Hip-hop like it's meant to be. Pooh and Phonte have a chemistry on par with an in-their-prime Q-Tip & Phife, or even Andre & Big Boi. Phonte is definitely a star in the making. He's got a recognizable, unique voice, and wit to spare (check out his verses on "Whatever You Say" and "The Yo-Yo"). And producer 9th Wonder has beats for days. Get this album.

    1. Common - Electric Circus
    I don't even know where to start with this album...but I'm in LOVE! A true 5-star classic. Common pushes the known bounds of hip-hop, but still creates songs that BANG. Definitely hitting much harder than the too-soft Like Water for Chocolate. I was initially skeptical when I heard the Neptunes-produced singles "I Got a Right Ta" and "Come Close". But then I opened the album and heard the Soulquarians production! Phew! Definitely their best work to date. The album is choc-full of guests, but most serve background roles. This is truly Common's circus. And I can't say enough about it. We'll see if it lasts the test of time, but this album has the potential to displace Digable Planet's "Blowout Comb" as my personal all-time favorite album.

    Honorable Mention
    Talib Kweli - Quality
    Mr. Lif - I Phantom
    Metal Fingers - Special Blends
    9th Wonder - Art of the Remix

    Swing and a Miss
    Cee Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections
    Cee Lo swung (swang, swinged?) for the fences, but ultimately struck out.
    Honorable Mention: Tre Hardson - Liberation.
    I think the former Pharcyde member has been spending a little too much time with Real World Hawaii's Kaya. Tries to get a little too "deep" at times, but ultimately ain't saying much.

    Biggest Disappointment
    Large Professor - First Class
    "In The Sun" featuring Q-Tip is a good song. Otherwise, this CD is nothing more than an expensive coaster.
    Honorable Mention: Scratch - The Embodiment of Instrumentation

    Most Ambitious Album
    Mr. Lif - I Phantom
    It also was slightly disappointing. Interesting, if somewhat depressing concept, yet ultimately suffered from lackluster production.

    Most Overrated Underground Album
    Atmosphere - God Loves Ugly
    Don't believe the backpacker hype. This is not a very good album.
     
  21. FulhamRev

    FulhamRev Member

    Nov 1, 2000
    Raleigh, NC
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Past album of the year winners

    1999: The Roots - Things Fall Apart
    2000: Quasimoto - The Unseen
    2001: J-Zone - Pimps Don't Pay Taxes
     
  22. Native Aztexan

    Jan 27, 2002
    Austin, Texas
    Club:
    Austin Aztex
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I have to agree with you on The Roots. Mild dissappointment but liked The Seeds 2.0 as well as Rolling With Heat (and heck they're The Roots). Hope they get back to the same level as Thing Fall Apart on their next album. I think Phrenology was more of an experimental album IMO. What's your take on it?

    On Common, I have to buy the CD ASAP. Like the "Come Close" video.

    Also Is it worthwhile to buy Talib Kweli's and 9th Wonder's CD?
     
  23. JAnderson14

    JAnderson14 New Member

    Oct 5, 2000
    Crofton, MD
    It's odd...El-P's beats on I Phantom were probably as good as he's ever done, but with the exception of the second part of "Return of the B-Boy", Insight was much better. "Iron Helix" was probably the best beat all year.

    The J5 album did the exact same thing with me. Not that it's bad, it just never really comes to mind when I'm trying to choose my next cd to play.
     
  24. FulhamRev

    FulhamRev Member

    Nov 1, 2000
    Raleigh, NC
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Best Hip-hop Compilation
    Urban Renewal Project

    Best Re-Issue
    INI - Center of Attention

    Best Album That I Should Have Included In My Top Ten, But Wasn't Sure How "Hip-Hop" It Was
    Red Hot & Riot
    Would have been number 2 on my Top 10.
     
  25. skipshady

    skipshady New Member

    Apr 26, 2001
    Orchard St, NYC
    I like Talib Kwelli's new one. The sound is a little more mainstream than you might expect from him, but it works for me. The only problem is that it's not really a focused album, though there are very few weak spots and it's a solid album throughout.
     

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