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.

[superstitious]

Believe it or not, I have the Fugees and Busta Rhymes CD's you've listed. They're among my favorites. Then again, I've always had a big soft spot for Lauryn Hill. I still think that she's among the most talented artists that I have ever had the pleasure to listen to.

I think that I've had a mini in-thread conversation with Brandon before, regarding Eminem. I've yet to fully give him a chance and I admit that I've unfairly judged any thing he has produced or recorded based on inviduals I know personally that have purchased and listen to his music. There's been an air of pretentiousness with the individuals I'm thinking of and unfortunately, I haven't bothered trying Eminem out for myself.

This may seem irrelevant to what you are referring to, but I'm bringing it up because you are talking about transitioning into a genre - genre that has always intrigued me and one that I feel is affected by a great deal of artists I currently and historically have listened to. For example, I listen to a lot of jazz ranging from classic (Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, etc) to Fela Kuti (who isn't necessarily classified as jazz, he's more commonly classifed as "afro beat") to bossa nova jazz (João and Asturd Gilberto, Sergio Mendes, etc).

My interest in music is spiked by how different genres are interlinked and the fusion between genres.

Knowing this about me, how would your recommendations change? Would they change?

(sorry for the lengthy post, I just enjoy discussing music to a bloody pulp)

[fameONE]

Believe it or not, I have the Fugees and Busta Rhymes CD's you've listed. They're among my favorites. Then again, I've always had a big soft spot for Lauryn Hill. I still think that she's among the most talented artists that I have ever had the pleasure to listen to.

I think that I've had a mini in-thread conversation with Brandon before, regarding Eminem. I've yet to fully give him a chance and I admit that I've unfairly judged any thing he has produced or recorded based on inviduals I know personally that have purchased and listen to his music. There's been an air of pretentiousness with the individuals I'm thinking of and unfortunately, I haven't bothered trying Eminem out for myself.

This may seem irrelevant to what you are referring to, but I'm bringing it up because you are talking about transitioning into a genre - genre that has always intrigued me and one that I feel is affected by a great deal of artists I currently and historically have listened to. For example, I listen to a lot of jazz ranging from classic (Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, etc) to Fela Kuti (who isn't necessarily classified as jazz, he's more commonly classifed as "afro beat") to bossa nova jazz (João and Asturd Gilberto, Sergio Mendes, etc).

My interest in music is spiked by how different genres are interlinked and the fusion between genres.

Knowing this about me, how would your recommendations change? Would they change?

(sorry for the lengthy post, I just enjoy discussing music to a bloody pulp)

You may just like Nujabes' Modal Soul. HipHop, Jazz Fusion and soul in a wonderful LP (that I really wish was a bit longer). Out of all the albums on the list, that one stands out as being the most different, but it serves a very necessary purpose, aside from being just absolutely incredible.

Lauryn Hill is gifted. She may have gone off the deep end, her music still remains as a true gift to not only hiphop, but music as a whole. With the production and vocals of Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel, concentrated into a style that cries of freedom and peace, the chemistry of The Score is unmatched. Too bad it isn't like that anymore.

As for Busta Rhymes, formerly a, well, strange, some-what conscious emcee from Leaders of the New School, he holds true to rugged New York HipHop with When Disaster Strikes. The weed smoking, the big crews, the fights, the endless freestyle sessions, constant clowning around and a realization that there is a world beyond that makes his 1997 release nothing short of a classic. Busta Rhymes is legendary for his unorthodox delivery. That delivery paired with metaphors that could leave you laughing or scratching your head puts Bus' ahead of the power curve. He has yet to release a more complete album than that.

The Eminem argument...

To properly understand the guy and his music, I urge anyone to just start from the beginning and work their way to the end. Infinite, an independent release, was a chance for him to show off his wordplay but the sound itself wasn't at all unique. It sounded like a typical mid-90's, underground hiphop album, but the way he fused together extended metaphors was a sign that he wasn't a typical underground artist.

The Slim Shady LP could possibly be one of the best hiphop albums of all time. It's funny, disturbing and downright impressive. His storytelling ability is complete from beginning to end, and he pairs that ability with situations and pop culture references that virtually anyone can listen to. Granted, he's pretty offensive, but that's the beauty of his music. The "I'll say this because this is how I feel, or what's going through my mind, and I don't give a f-ck," mentality, to me, is comforting. The rawness of this album shows an artist, untainted by the music industry.