Transitioning Into HipHop, 10 Albums to Consider Options

[fameONE]

Based on a conversation I was having with a friend of mine the other day, a lot of people don't give hiphop a chance because they simply just don't know any better. I could go on this rant about the radio this and the radio that but beating a dead horse gets old (besides, not all radio rap is horrendous).

In a nutshell, I sat in the back of humvee in Baghdad contemplating how I could make a diverse list of albums that would appeal to potential fans with varying tastes. Below is the end result.

If you're having problems seeing past the obvious (why awhy the entire typical backpacker, conscious, quasi-political, lyrical free-for-all with soulful beats that I generally prefer), then just ask and I'll be sure to drop knowledge on, and provide an explanation for, any album here.

**in no particular order**

1.
Nujabes - Modal Soul (2006)

2.
Eminem - The Slim Shady LP (1999)

3.
FELT 2(Murs and Slug [of Atmosphere]) - A Tribute to Lisa Bonet

4.
The Fugees (Refugee Camp) - The Score (1996)

5.
Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor (2006)

6.
Outkast - Southernplayasticadillacmuzik (1994)

7.
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - The Mecca and the Soul Brother (1992)

8.
Scarface - The Fix (2002)

9.
Timbaland - Timabland Presents: Shock Value (2007)

10.
Busta Rhymes - When Disaster Strikes (1997)

It was hard enough to sort through 14,000 songs and even harder to come up with reasonable justifications for each album, but there it is. Each album offers something different. From A Side to B Side, complete listens of each LP made it clear that, depending on which genre you generally prefer, there is something for everyone.

[fameONE]

Shock Value is a necessary album because of its diversity. That album ranges from pseudo-gangsta-rap, to pop, modern punk, R&B and dance. People that didn't have a clue who Timbaland was before the album could easily do a little research on one of the best producers in HipHop based off his remix of Apologize.

Common may be hard for a lot of people to swallow because he may be too 'pro-Black' for some.

"I see brothas walkin/ with white women on they arms/ I be mad at 'em/ as if I were they moms"

For a soulful, but playful, transition, Murs and Slug's Felt 2 is a easy listen. The production allows for a soulful vibe with an up-tempo feel, and the lyrical genius of both emcees allow for a view into, often hilarious, real world scenarios. An album like that would allow for a new listener to branch out, eventually reaching Common's One Day It Will All Make Sense, and perhaps, open the door to the rest of his releases.

I'm a huge fan of kanYe's music, and you know this. As a producer, he's excellent. As an emcee, he's hit or miss. However, kanYe West's offers a glimpse into his world and shares his experiences, which, from a storytelling standpoint, can even sound a little whiny. All Falls Down is excellent, but We Don't Care (as much as I adore the song), could be misleading about Black youth to the outside world. The album can be widely appreciated by all music fans but it takes a certain level of understanding (of Black culture) to "get" it.

Lupe Fiasco can be just as extreme, however, he hardly sounds full of angst or remotely aggressive when touching on similar or more intense topics. But by listening to Lupe, a listener could then follow the sound style to Pharrell and NERD, and eventually, after digesting enough of that particular sound, find their way to kanYe West.

My madness has methods, fam.