Ghostface, Jay-Z or Lupe

[Warpath11]

Hip Hop/Rap whatever you would like to call the genre died circa 2000 (if not before). I have not listened to any new stuff out there because IMO it is terrible and the lack of talent is mind bottling (yes bottling). There are a few new artists/albums, mostly underground stuff, that i can get into but the mainstream stuff on radio/MTV/BET I just cant get into it at all.

edit: I realize that was off topic so to answer your question I'd go with Ghostface. Note that i have not heard any of these albums but to keep it on topic somewhat that is my vote.

[twenty-eight]

You just gotta look a little harder for good hip-hop/rap. Check out Blue & Exile- Below the heavens.....AMAZING album

[Warpath11]

You just gotta look a little harder for good hip-hop/rap. Check out Blue & Exile- Below the heavens.....AMAZING album

Yeah I have that album as well and its for sure one of the best of the year. That is what Im talking about its not the mainstream stuff which all of sucks and like you said you just have to look for it. It is a shame that these artist dont get played that often becuase it is hard finding them without them getting any play time on the radio or otherwise. At the same time I like the fact they dont sell out to the huge record labels that would have them over played in a minute (and change their image/sound to what MTV wants hip hop to be). Hopefully they stay true to what they are and the fans will find them.

If you like Blu and Exile check these two out as well Blue Scholars and Polyrhythm Addicts their latest have been great as well.

[twenty-eight]

Yeah I have that album as well and its for sure one of the best of the year. That is what Im talking about its not the mainstream stuff which all of sucks and like you said you just have to look for it. It is a shame that these artist dont get played that often becuase it is hard finding them without them getting any play time on the radio or otherwise. At the same time I like the fact they dont sell out to the huge record labels that would have them over played in a minute (and change their image/sound to what MTV wants hip hop to be). Hopefully they stay true to what they are and the fans will find them.

If you like Blu and Exile check these two out as well Blue Scholars and Polyrhythm Addicts their latest have been great as well.

I couldnt agree more...the last thing I want is for these great emcees to start creating songs for radio play.

I'll check both those groups out, thanks:cheers:

I'm getting bayani now.....what about the long march and their self titled album?..any good?

[Warpath11]

I couldnt agree more...the last thing I want is for these great emcees to start creating songs for radio play.

I'll check both those groups out, thanks:cheers:

I'm getting bayani now.....what about the long march and their self titled album?..any good?

Unfortunately I have not heard any of their older albums. Bayani (Blue Scholars) and Break Glass (Polyrhythm Addicts) were my introductory albums to these groups. I'll look into their older stuff and let you know.

P.S. I guess i will apologize for the thread hijack. Sorry, but at least you guys will hear some good music

[ironmic]

Ghostface :2cents:

[twenty-eight]

If you like Blu and Exile check these two out as well Blue Scholars and Polyrhythm Addicts their latest have been great as well.

Those albums are pretty sweet..any other suggestions?

[Sticksboi05]

The Cool is outstanding. American Gangster is OK. It's definitely not on the level of Reasonable Doubt (and certainly not the top 5, 10 or 15 rap album ever that Reasonable Doubt is). Haven't heard Ghostface's new album yet.

[Mr. Nostril]

I haven't heard the new Lupe(didn't really like the first one 'cept for a few songs). The new Jay-Z is better than the Ghostface. The new Ghostface is decent, but it's not as good as Only Built for Cuban Linx, Ironman, Supreme Clientelle, Pretty Toney, or Fishscale. American Gangster is Jay's best album since Reasonable Doubt(Yes, better than the Blueprint).

The best rap albm of the year is Pharoahe Monch's - Desire.

[StillUnknown]

I haven't heard the new Lupe(didn't really like the first one 'cept for a few songs). The new Jay-Z is better than the Ghostface. The new Ghostface is decent, but it's not as good as Only Built for Cuban Linx, Ironman, Supreme Clientelle, Pretty Toney, or Fishscale. American Gangster is Jay's best album since Reasonable Doubt(Yes, better than the Blueprint).

The best rap albm of the year is Pharoahe Monch's - Desire.

Desire was better than good, but i wouldn't call it album of the year. top 10 though

[skinsfan07]

I really like the new Lupe Fiasco cd, been playing it all week.

album of the year IMO. But he's very underrated.

However, recently, he's being compared to Nas which is very impressive.

Lupe is easily my fav. artist. I have all his cd's, mixtapes, etc. and they are great. His style and flow is phenomenal. One of the better artists out today trying to revive this so called "rap" game.

[skinsfan07]

Same. I've listened to both Jay's and Lupe's... Not Ghostface's yet, but I do prefer Lupe's The Cool over Jay Z's.. There is a stretch on this album that really just owns.

tracks 3-14 on The Cool........

best stretch of songs out of ANY artist that I've heard in a long time.

Mainstream rap nowadays sucks a fat one anyways. Which is why I prefer Lupe. He's underrated and really doesn't want to be put into that category b/c he feels he's better than that (Listen to "Dumb it Down" for what he really thinks about mainstream rap) . And he is, his lyrics don't consist of curse words, save "n-word", and sometimes damn, but never anything harsh. He doesn't rap about money, cars and clothes, hos, thug life, or whatever all these other fake ass rappers do now. His lyrics consist of a variety of things, ranging from love (Listen to "Paris, Tokyo") to political issues such as the war (Listen to "Little Weapon"). He's a great artists and deserves more credit than he gets.

[skinsfan07]

in fact, heres an interpretation of Lupe's "Dumb it Down". Read and learn gents.........Deeper into what his lyrics mean. It's crazy. Here's a link to the song......

Verse 1

I'm fearless – (Like I said earlier , he’s brave enough to battle his critics)


Now hear this –(addressing his critics directly)

I'm earless – (He dosent hear their hating)

And I'm peerless – (He has no peers in the industry, he feels no one is lyrically on his level)

That means I'm eyeless –( so he dosent see them)


Which means I'm tearless – (he dosent care what they say, so their hating dosent harm him)


Which means my iris resides where my ears is – (He is observes rappers and the industry closely and watches their movements; Iris is the part of your eye surrounding the pupil, it is also a genre of plants, common as the flower people put by their ear, He see’s and hears what’s around him because his peripheral vision is where his ear is.)

Which means I'm blinded – (He hasn’t heard anything good lately, so his senses must be failing)

But I'ma find it I can feel it's nearness – (There are good rappers out there, and their close by, he just has to find them)

But I'ma veer so I don't come near – (staying in his own lane, He sticking to his guns as a lyricist and not conforming to commercial music)

Like a chicken or a deer – (he's not just one hit wonder)

But I remember I'm not a listener or a seer so my windshield smear – (Fans that listen and watch modern commercial music would think he doesn’t know what he’s doing because he’ s not going multi platinum , Does he not hear or see what’s hot right now?)

Here, you steer, I really shouldn't be behind this, clearly cause my blindness – (I guess thoes, fans have better vision than me as what type of artist I should be)

The windshield is minstrel, the whole grill is road kill, so trill and so sincere. Yeah, I'm both them there –(So trill, gangsta and street/commercial, So sincere Real hip hop purist, He’s both)

Took both pills, when a bloke in a trench coat and the locs in the chair had approached him here - (continuing the line above with a Matrix reference, he both the in real and the fake realms ( like a commercial underground artist) 


And he clear as a ghost, saw a biter of the throats in the mirror-(referring to vampires who dont have a reflection in the mirrior)

The writer of the quotes for the ghosts who supplier of the notes to the living – (He is the guy that inspires(quotes) ghost writers that write(notes) for more rappers )


Riveting is rosy, pockets full of posies, given to the mother of the deceased. Awaken at war, 'til I'm restin' in peace – (Nursery rhyme allusion, morning all mothers who have lost their sons too soon, he will stand against all enforced bullcrap until he's dead)

Verse 2

And I'm mouth less – (Fans stuck on modern day commercial rap cant hear him, he is not a relevant rapper to them)


Which means I'm soundless – (Fans stuck on modern day commercial rap will not listen to him)


Now as far as the hearing, I've found it –( He found people that will listen to him, he has a solid fan base)




It was as far as the distance from the earring to the ground is – (it came up to his earring/earlobe but never reached his ear, I think he mean people listen but most people don’t quite get it just yet)

But the doorknockers on the ear of a stewardess in a Lear She fine and she flyin, I feel I'm flying by'em 'cause my mind's on cloud nine and I'm in a mine at the same time –( not matter how fly he gets he’s still stays grounded and down to earth
)

Pimps see the wings on the underground king –(Pimp C, one half of the legendary UGK(Underground Kings)

Who's also Klingon –( Klingon the language used in Startrak, which explains to infinity and beyond, also meaning he’s clinging to infinity an beyond)

Something really stinks, but I Sphinx like Leon Or lying in the desert – (Muhammad Ali Beat Leon Sphinx in the title bout in 1978,I think Muhammad Ali broke Leon Sphinx’s noses, and he’s also referring to the Sphinx in Egypt)


I'm flying on pegasus you're flying on the pheasant – (I don’t really know maybe someone else has a better understanding of this line)

writer of the white powder – (he writes Crack or really dope music)

, picker of the fire flowers, spit hot fire like Dylon on Chappelle's skit- (He spits Fire)

smell it on my unicorn, snort the white horse, but toot my own horn-(he dosent do drugs but he gives hiself props)

Verse 3

And I'm brainless

Which means I'm headless

(He is stupid for not going commercial.)

Like Ichabod Crane is

(Ichabod Crane was supposedly killed by the headless horse man. Relating this to the song, since he is stupid/brainless/headless he will be run out of the industry.)

Or foreplay-less sex is

(foreplay usually consists of getting head. So since he is foreplay-less sex he still doesnt have a head or getting any head.)

Which makes me stainless

(He is like stainless steel that does not stain or get rusty as quick as other metals)

With no neck left to hang the chain with

Which makes me necklace-less

Like a necklace theft

(An idea I came up with was instead of referencing an actual chain [jewelry] he is referring to a chain around his neck that will chain him down and make him fall in-line with the other commercial rappers.)

And I ain't used my headrest yet

(He is not going to start sleeping. Because as we all know 'sleep is the cousin of death')

They said they need proof like a vestless chest 'bout the best, fair F-F-jet in the nest

(People need proof of why FNF is the best.)

Who exudes confidence and excess depth

(Lupe is ****y and confident and deep)

Even Scuba Steve would find it hard to breathe

Around these leagues

(His words are so deep that Scuba Steve will find it hard to breath.)

My snorkle is a tuba, Lu the ruler around these seas

Westside Poseidon, Westside beside'em, chest high and rising

(This is another reference to him playing the tuba [like in 'He Gets the Girl']. So if rap is the sea/ocean then Lu is the ruler. He is the West side Poseidon [Poseidon is the mythological god of the sea]. The West side of Chicago is beside him, at the level of his chest and he keeps talking about it more and more making his city [zone] rise higher]

Almost touching the knees of stewardess and the pilot

(I think he might be saying that he is taking rap to a whole other level. By not dumbing it down he is making rap, as a whole, rise higher then just money, hoes and clothes. Lu is taking it so high that it is in the air touching the knees of pilots and stewardess')

Lucky they make it flowered

(I have no idea. Sorry Lu, you lost me.)

Thats what i got,maybe someone else has a better interpetation, Im still thinking on some parts of the third verse

"I'm an artist i paint pictures i don't rhyme words"

"When you shoot for the stars sometimes your gun will jam

I aint been to summer jam

I learned from Lupe when you dumb it down its just harder to understand."

[Skins247]

I just bought each of their new albums this morning, but haven't listened to any of them yet.

In your opinion, which album(edit) is the best??

They ALL stink. And that goes for all rap, hip hop music. Its nothing but crap.

[skinsfan07]

They ALL stink. And that goes for all rap, hip hop music. Its nothing but crap.

Moron. Fell into the mainstream rap trap, which is why you think it all sucks. Sad.......but true.

Man **** Mainstream rap. It's the reason everyone think ALL rap sucks b/c people like soulja boy, 50 cent, Jim Jones, Hurricane Chris (who the **** is that?) and all those other wannabees, ****ed it up.

Now real true rappers like Common, Talib, Lupe, Kanye, Pharrell, and a few others have to revive it, bring it back.

[Enter Apotheosis]

Moron.

Lay off 247, he's a straight up gangsta. Ever since I can remember he's been poppin' his collar...

[twenty-eight]

Lay off 247, he's a straight up gangsta. Ever since I can remember he's been poppin' his collar...

He's been telling ****es for years that he has money in the bank....askin shorty whatcha drink.

[Warpath11]

Those albums are pretty sweet..any other suggestions?

Hmm lets see I enjoy Panacea specifically the Ink is My Drink album from last year. They have a newer album that I have only heard a few tracks from, I think it is called The Scenic Route (the few track I did hear were good).

There is also a new one from 9th Wonder (after he left Little Brother) called the The Dream Merchant which is pretty good. Having mentioned them, Little Brother is worth a listen to as well, especially when 9th Wonder was producing their tracks I would suggest the Seperate but Equal album. The have a new album out called Getback where Illmind produced alot of the tracks. I have not heard any of this album but some of my frineds liked it, so eventually I will check it out.

edit: There is also Eardrum by Talib Kweli that I only recently listend to (it came out in August or so) and so far it does not dissapoint.

[Prosperity]

They ALL stink. And that goes for all rap, hip hop music. Its nothing but crap.

No, Lupe Fiasco is brilliant, you just don't get it. That's your fault.

[StillUnknown]

They ALL stink. And that goes for all rap, hip hop music. Its nothing but crap.

brilliant insight:rolleyes:

[Heisenberg]

The new Lupe Fiasco is amazing, very refreshing with all the crap hip-hop people like nowadays.

[twenty-eight]

The new Lupe Fiasco is amazing, very refreshing with all the crap hip-hop people like nowadays.

I couldn't agree more....good album

No, Lupe Fiasco is brilliant, you just don't get it. That's your fault.

I doubt he even listened to it...

Hmm lets see I enjoy Panacea specifically the Ink is My Drink album from last year. They have a newer album that I have only heard a few tracks from, I think it is called The Scenic Route (the few track I did hear were good).

There is also a new one from 9th Wonder (after he left Little Brother) called the The Dream Merchant which is pretty good. Having mentioned them, Little Brother is worth a listen to as well, especially when 9th Wonder was producing their tracks I would suggest the Seperate but Equal album. The have a new album out called Getback where Illmind produced alot of the tracks. I have not heard any of this album but some of my frineds liked it, so eventually I will check it out.

edit: There is also Eardrum by Talib Kweli that I only recently listend to (it came out in August or so) and so far it does not dissapoint.

Yeah I'm a pretty big fan of LB and 9th. You ever heard Murs 3:16- 9th edition? It's pretty good...I actually saw LB open for J-Live a 4?5? years ago. The getback is the kinda weak...I'm a big Illmind fan. Have you heard of Kev Brown and/or Oddisee? They're both a couple local guys. Kev Brown is a great producer. Oddisee raps and produces....Jazzy Jeff I think produced his last album/mixtape- foot in the door. That talib album was pretty good....

I'll check Panacea out, I'm downloading both thier albums now...thanks:cheers:

[AllAboutSkins08]

Mainstream rap nowadays sucks a fat one anyways. Which is why I prefer Lupe. He's underrated and really doesn't want to be put into that category b/c he feels he's better than that (Listen to "Dumb it Down" for what he really thinks about mainstream rap) . And he is, his lyrics don't consist of curse words, save "n-word", and sometimes damn, but never anything harsh. He doesn't rap about money, cars and clothes, hos, thug life, or whatever all these other fake ass rappers do now. His lyrics consist of a variety of things, ranging from love (Listen to "Paris, Tokyo") to political issues such as the war (Listen to "Little Weapon"). He's a great artists and deserves more credit than he gets.

QFT!

Lupe is the man and i love The Cool. It's great when you can listen to music and the lyrics are what keeps you listening to it, not the beat.

[twenty-eight]

Lupe will be at the 9:30 club 1/30.

[tizzod]

Who is Ghostface?

I keep seeing Borat in my head walking into the hotel.

"whassup wid it, vanilla face?"