Rap and Such
 

So recently I saw Dave Chappelle's Block Party (which I thought was a good movie, but the potential DVD extras seems orgasm-inducing), and after downloading some Dead Prez from OiNk I started to think about rap music.

Now, I'm not talking about...well anything you hear on the radio, which, aside from whatever single Common or Kanye West have released at the time, is utter and complete manufactured shit that makes me want to strangle the radio programmers.

So what semi-unknown, underground-ish, whatever groups/rappers do you like? Any reccomendations?

I don't want to sound like I'm pushing this too hard, but Cadence Weapon is fucking amazing, and from Canada to boot! I think one of his songs was at the end of the Silent Hill trailer but it was short and tinny so I couldn't tell.

Liquid Men (I couldn't find a website with a link, but the I downloaded a CD called Critical Mass, so that's a start?) are good, very subdued production wise but a good listen.

Dead Prez is kind of what I expect Locke would be like if he was a rap group (?). I think Chappelle described it best in the movie: "The more you say in your songs the less radio play you get, and Dead Prez say a lot." Very political and very, very, thank GOD, very harsh on typical, radiorap, along with the typical array of barbs against Bush and the such.

Dead Prez were actually the first that came to mind when I read this.

Check out Sage Francis, Immortal Technique, Jedi Mind Tricks. Common, Brand Nubian. A Tribe Called Quest, NWA, Public Enemy, Wu-tang Clan, Talib Kweli, definitely some Mos Def.

After perusing Ask Mefi, others that I know that come to mind are Jurassic 5, KRS-One, De La Soul, Digable Planets, Atmospherem...definitely check out Guru's experimental jazz fusion albums. For non-male hip-hop, check out Cibo Matto and Macromantics.

Here is the deal.

Atmosphere and cage added to locke's list
as well as Idea and Diabolic


blackstar
dialated peepoles

just to name a few

edit*
aight, naw you mom's, she's aight, you nigga's laing dead in the street, that's aight. I'm the motherfucking immortal technique,

It's the money or the message, and you ain't got niether.

All rap discusts me. It is stupid, pointless, and has no beat or rhyme. Also, why are video games always blamed for violence and killing when the musicians (if you can call them that) that write rap are all about killing, rape, drugs, and death. At least video game characters aren't idolized, whereas rap stars are usually idolized by people who listen to rap.

Listen to immortal teqnique

Until then

shut it

If you don't like rap, that's fine, but don't go into a rap thread and spam about how you don't like it. If you are going to do that, just leave right now..

One great rap group that I don't think people would know about is called "Little Brother". They're a great underground rap group that has great songs that are mostly about love and fatherhood. Some good songs they made is "All For You" and "Not Enough".

Madvillain is another good one. It's made up of MF Doom, who sings, and Madlib, who produces the songs. If you've seen Aqua Teen Hunger Force, then you might have heard a song by MF Doom, though I don't particularly like the ATHF song by him. some good songs by Madvillain are "Raid", "Accordian", "Fancy Clown", and "Figaro"

Basically anyone who is part of the Wu-Tang Clan. The best are GZA and Method Man.

Asheru is another new great rapper. some good songs by him are "Truly Unique" and "Mood Swing".

Also, Immortal Technique are kinda alike if you think about it. They both include lots of rhymes about political problems and stuff like that.

Pete Rock and C.L Smooth created an awesome old rap song that used to be on TV a lot i think back in the '90s. It is called "They Reminisce Over You".

Let's see.. Gangstarr is great too. It's made up of Guru and DJ Premier. Some good songs are "Above The Clouds", "Work", "Full Clip".

And finally, Nas is another great rapper that me and my friends really like. He has great songs like "Purple", "Poison".

EDIT: here are a few lyrical samples from "Industrial Revolution" by Immortal Technique to check out his lyrics.

"so if your message ain't shit, fuck the records you sold
cuz if you go platinum, it's got nothing to do with luck
it just means that a million people are stupid as fuck"

"I want fifty three million dollars for my collar stand
like the Bush administration gave to the Taliban
and fuck packing grams nigga, learn to speak and behave
you wanna spend twenty years as a government slave
two million people in prison keep the government paid
stuck in a six block eight cell alive in the grave"

You remind me of my dad.

*ouch, burn*
He is talking about non-mainstream
If I ever got myself up to find some, I would probably like it, but my lack of money doesn't allow it. Well, anyone that doesn't say their name in the song, that is.

Thanks, you just described every sterotypical view of rap held by people who can't hear past their radio. Why is it that people will decry crap like Mudvayne and Korn and seek out more indie groups, but they immediately get locked into a "All rap is 50 Cent and Three Six Mafia"-mindset after accidently watching thirty minutes of MTV?

Also, Dilated Peoples reminded me of Hieroglyphics and Del the Funkee Homosapien, which always something good to remember.

Oops. I meant to type all THAT rap discusts me. Meaning all the violent, rape, drug stuff.

Not trying to flame, but that right there is just ignorant. It has no beat or rhyme? I'd like to here what makes you think that in a PM possibly, because quite honestly, that makes no sense. Maybe your confused with genres? Not sure because all music has a beat....

ANYWAY!

I liked Mike Jones when he was underground, BEFORE he hit it big =/