I love it, from SF to Baltimore to Newcastle UK, hip hop all around the world.
"Listen.. people be askin me all the time,
"Yo Mos, what's gettin ready to happen with Hip-Hop?"
(Where do you think Hip-Hop is goin?)
I tell em, "You know what's gonna happen with Hip-Hop?
Whatever's happening with us"
If we smoked out, Hip-Hop is gonna be smoked out
If we doin alright, Hip-Hop is gonna be doin alright
People talk about Hip-Hop like it's some giant livin in the hillside
comin down to visit the townspeople
We +are+ Hip-Hop"
- Mos Def
I'll definitely check all those out, I'd recommend
http://www.allmusic.com to scope out the better albums before hitting the record shop. For kicks I checked up on The Pharcyde (loooong time favorites) looks like the band had some drama, the 2 remaining dudes put out a mediocre album I didn't know about and now they have a greatest hits.
First 2 albums are dope, 3rd is almost as good, the last 2 I don't know if
I'd buy.. remixes might be cool though.
KRS-ONE - He contains the knowlege of the universe in his rhymes.
Jeru also rises, - he's got a great voice, good stuff.
French hip hop
- DJ Cam is a French DJ who spins New York hip hop, his stuff is definitely downtempo, he knows how to work the decks.
- MC Solaar is featured on Guru's (Gangstarr) Jazzmatazz, he's a French rapper, his delivery is crazy smooth, I've never looked for his CDs though (I always choke when I get into the shop, I need lists). Shout out to DJ Premier, Gangstarr's DJ.
Unfortunately, I took Spanish, not French.
Nas - I forgot, Illmatic is a classic, I love that album.
ATCQ - Comfort music for me, I can never listen too much of them, or Bob Marley, seriously. If I only had one CD to listen to for the rest of my life it'd be Bob's Songs Of Freedom (OK that's 4 CDs but don't tell). The Love Movement though, I can't listen to it, the snare is waaaaay tooooo hot. That was the album they never made
Other than that, ATCQ has no equal.
EARLY (pre 2000/2001?) Black Eyed Peas and Roots albums are also huge with me, organic hip hop, real instruments
Ever since they're sad sellouts.
I've realised there's a lot of the late 80s/early 90s roots stuff I missed, I was in high school and WAAAY into new wave but Straight Outta Compton and Beastie Boys were huge with me back then, but I missed bands like EPMD, Boogie Down Prod, Eric B, Masta T... where to begin?
)
