Old tune, but Killer Mike recently recently made released a video for Rick Flair -
Been listening to the R.A.P. Music album, it's amazing!
Been listening to the R.A.P. Music album, it's amazing!
That's actually a very good analysis of their post beef albums. Nas has a better discography since then. Jay has been gash since Black Album.
I think the whole Jay Z has been gash since the Black Album talk is just the popular thing to say, he still gave us American Gangster and Watch the throne which are really solid albums, BP3 had a lot of hits,Kingdom Come and Magna Carta you either love them or you hate them...there's no middle ground.
But thats not my problem with the article, my problem with the article was the rating of the albums, what did they base it on? Jay had 2 classic albums on that list (2 CLASSIC ALBUMS), they slightly overrated most of Nas' albums on that list (just like most hip hop heads) because of the kind of topics Nas raps about, the article just seemed a little too righteous, it definitely seemed like Andre just needed a platform to ride Nas' dick some more
"The Blueprint 3 was an interesting mess, yeah? Jay was bombastic as ever with illuminati styled videos and the like, but the thing lacked any real cohesion and raison d’etre. It was a star-studded cliche´ Untitled was equally ridiculous with “Queens Get The Money” as the opening deadeye bullet on a preachy album with almost no mainstream connects. A quiet listen, each song was a lot of what Nas had been talking about from the beginning. But, God, it had so much soul."
"Then there was Hip Hop Is Dead, and God it felt like Hip Hop’s essence was being sucked out of it during a wafish 2006. Nasir came out of nowhere with “Black Republicans,” which low-key saved Mr. Carter that year (that and “Beach Chair”)"
The Blueprint - 5 Out Of 5 vs. Stillmatic - 5 Out Of 5
The Black Album - 4.5 Out Of 5 & Street’s Disciple - 4 Out Of 5
The Lost Tapes - 4.5 Out Of 5 vs. American Gangster - 4.5 Out Of 5
Stillmatic was definitely not on par with The Blueprint (ties counted as points for both artistes, so stigmatic and TBP were rated equally in the final score), The Black album should definitely had been rated a lot higher than Street disciple and American Gangster on par with the lost tape?
Hip hop is dead got higher ratings than Kingdom come (cant argue with that) but was it really significantly better or was it because KC was Jay's worst album? Hip Hop is dead wasn't exactly Illmatic either.
Might as well ask this now,even though I know I'll probably disagree with most of you:
Takeover or Ether ....and why?
Hov or Nas ......and why?
(No cliche answers please)
Takeover or Ether ....and why?
Hov or Nas ......and why?
(No cliche answers please)
I disagree on so many levels with you. The only one I agree with you on is The Black Album and I think Street's Disciple should be a 3.5 at most but that's where it ends. I thought they got every other album spot on. And yes, Stillmatic was on par with Blueprint. It only had one dud track on it. It was a classic and could even be Nas' second best album ever. Certainly top 3. Nas has edged the discography since Blueprint but then that shouldn't be surprising. Jay has focused more and more on being a mogul and less on being a rapper. And I don't hold that against him. It's just what's transpired whilst Nas has been relatively consistent and has even had a 3rd wind I'd say.
Say that like its a bad thing, he has grown as a rapper and you can feel it in his rhymes, i think a lot of people dont relate to his corporate struggles which is why his plight goes unnoticed,aren't you supposed to stay through to yourself?
Its always the same thing with Hov, people never claim his albums but still feck with it heavy, when its time to rate it you hear stuff like "He raps like a mogul", been doing that since TBP though.
I dont agree with you on the whole consistency thing, Nas has been playing it safe for a decade now, its not exactly consistency, its just his inability to be versatile, with Nas you know what you're getting, his discography doesn't exactly stand out, sometimes you listen to Nas and you dont immediately tell what particular album the song is from, its basically the same tempo sort of like Rick Ross(not trying to compare the god to Ross though, in no way shape or form).
Did you actually enjoy Distant Relatives more than you did Watch the Throne?
Throwback!!
But I don't understand you? "Say that like its a bad thing"...really dude, you conveniently didn't highlight the part where I said 'And I don't hold that against him'. I don't hate on Jay for that. I just think it was inevitable as he made his way more and more into corporate. Nothing against him at all. Hip Hop as in international movement needed the moguls just as much as they needed the lyricist etc.
You're reaching on the versatility part. Nas knows his strengths and plays to them. However, he takes it further by making thought provoking albums pushing important conversations and topics to the fore, yet still keep it palatable for the mainstream. For example, Life is Good sounds nothing like Street's Disciple or HHID. Nas' ability to switch topics has been impressive too. From talking about Hip Hop being dead, to politics on SD and Untitled to talking about heartbreaks on Life is Good. That to me is not 'playing it safe'. In what world is making an album on black oppression 'safe'? On what way is making songs like SlyFox 'safe' or songs like 'The American Way' or tracks like 'Daughters'?
Jay's subject choice is incredibly limited. I listen to Jay nowadays when I'm on a club/going out buzz as that's the only value he adds lyrically.
Oh and yes, I loved DR. WTT was meh to me.
I didnt highlight the part where you said "you dont hold it against him" because its simply not true, by bringing his status as a mogul into it you're holding it against him otherwise you wouldn't bring it up, a lot of rappers also double as label execs and business men but it seems like people only seem to mention it when it comes to Hov, when that whole Corporate Hov statement gets thrown in, it automatically makes Hov seem like some kind of rich dude who doesn't give a shit about rap, like he still doesn't drop bars, like he doesn't have those conscious tracks, if Nas had been the one to release D.O.A the so called hip hop heads would've been on his d*ck about it.
How on earth is Hov's subject choice incredibly limited when he touches on more subjects than most rappers? Like Nas hasn't been rapping about the plight of the blackman his whole career? like we're just going to forget he didnt try to crossover with Nastradamus?
You may not like Jay, but reducing him to a club rapper is blasphemous, like he still doesn't drop dimes, he touches on more subjects than Nas does, even after dumbing down his lyrics more than a decade ago, he can still match any rapper bar for bar.
I think this is just a case of you not liking the dude that much, which is understandable, i just dislike when people criticise rappers with other people's opinions, rather than their own, you tend to see a lot of recycled points in these arguments.
Ok. You've lost me completely. I own (bought) 5 Jay albums (IML Vol 1, BP, BA, AG and yes, WTT). I rate him in my top 5 of all time. And yet here you are jumping to all kinds of conclusions. I mentioned his business acumen and ventures I truly believe he's dropped off a notch because of it. I don't hold it against him at all. I just know it's the reason Hov is not as focused as I know he could be anymore. That is all. Nothing more. Nothing less.
You're busy catching feelings man. And you're bluntly wrong when you say Jay touches on more subjects than Nas does. He doesn't. And yes, nowadays I listen to him for club music because that's pretty much what he's putting out and that's ok with me. Yes, he still drops dimes (DOA was fire [and I still bump it] and was received as such worldwide, come on dude), but they're few and far in between. I was excited like a kid a candy store when Magna Carta dropped only to be bitterly disappointed as I thought Hov was really going to lay it down. I been a Jay fan for a long time. And no, this is my opinion. Not some recycled opinion as you assume. I could have said the same to you but I didn't and I won't as that's being lazy in a debate. You obviously love Hov, and I do too. Difference being that I feel he's nowhere near his best currently. And that's about it. Nothing more, nothing less.
Anyway, that's my last post on this subject. I'll agree to disagree. You're obviously very passionate about this and I don't have the time right now for a back and forth.
Cheers though.
Cheers though.
Ha, is that the new way to bow out? accuse the other guy of "catching feelings" "being passionate" and all that crap, its probably your way of trying to discredit me or something, its a nice strategy i guess, but i dont see how I'm being "passionate" or "catching feelings" over a normal argument about Hip Hop, no personal attacks,no insults, just a basic argument - on a forum.
How dare you engage in a debate these days....cant win with these cats.
WTT has grown on me with time. I think American Gangster qualifies as Jay Z's best album outside his trifecta of classics. Those are the only albums I care for after the Black Album. BP2 may have been better off as a single album (same applies to Street's Disciple).
Is it just me or did A$AP mob completely lost their buzz alongside odd future and pro era?
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I think it's just you.
You think those groups are still as relevant as they were in 2011/12? even after the death of Yams?
I don't think there has been a huge falloff. Hip-hop is very "in the moment" nowadays, it takes a few months out of the limelight to be labeled as "not relevant". ASAP still draws crowds and they have a huge following. Yams passing was widely covered.
Rocky is coming out with an album this year, that will be the true gauge.
Rocky is coming out with an album this year, that will be the true gauge.
Rocky's career is on the line with this album, The mob and OF have been out of the spotlight since 2013, people used to feck with them heavy, you either saw A$AP or OFWGKTA in someone's name or bio back then, seems to have died down a bit - i guess people grew up.
OFWGKTA is more than the hiphop though. They have the streetwear industry on lock. Plus Tyler, Earl and Frank Ocean aren't slouches musically. Again, I think it's the fact that they have been quiet, more than the fact that their recent releases and projects have been wack.
Might as well ask this now,even though I know I'll probably disagree with most of you:
Takeover or Ether ....and why?
Hov or Nas ......and why?
(No cliche answers please)
Ether - it ripped Jay-Z apart on almost every line.
The Tupac sample alone was harder hitting than anything Jay said on Takeover IMO - considering the status Tupac had so soon after his death.
And Nas for me - he's my kind of rapper, quite simply. I enjoy listening to tracks like Get Down, Queens Get the Money, Hope etc which are him just rapping over a simple beat much more than all the production that Jay-z usually showers in his songs. Plus he's just a better rapper.
Ether over Takeover
Nas over Jigga
Stillmatic is a certified classic and so is the Blueprint
Nas over Jigga
Stillmatic is a certified classic and so is the Blueprint
Ether > Takeover
Jay-Z > Nas
Nas has too many trash albums on his resume, Although when he is good...
Jay-Z > Nas
Nas has too many trash albums on his resume, Although when he is good...
Bush any good?
No way is an album with Braveheart Party on it a classic man, no way. IDC if he removed it from later copies, it's on my Stillmatic.
I think they have to an extent but I prefer it that all the hipsters have fecked off because Earl Sweatshirt for instance is making the best rap of his young career.
Also on Jay-Z's career I think this pretty much nails my feeling on him in the modern era:
http://tumblinerb.com/post/110511808214/jonesydaking-noz-i-think-its-weird-that-add-much
http://tumblinerb.com/post/110511808214/jonesydaking-noz-i-think-its-weird-that-add-much
I can understand the point he's trying to make but i dont necessarily agree with it, he didnt factor in a lot of things.
It was removed in 2002. Stillmatic is a classic
Still part of my copy, ergo not a classic.
We need some flame emojis up in this b___
Anyway enough of this conventional rap nonsense, these Young Thug leaks are pretty incredible man:
Meek album gonna crush everything this year, that Ice Cream Freestyle he did is the best rap song so far this year.
I don't agree that 1 track on a 14 track album makes an album a 'non-classic'. There are several classics with 1 or 2 skip-able tracks but the rest of the album is pure fire and the quality of the rest of the tracks are so good you forget the odd one out. It's a bit like Izzo on Blueprint. It's a track most heads will simply skip but it doesn't mean the rest of The Blueprint is not pure fire. And yes, Izzo is of course a better track than Braveheart Party, but it's still a skip track.
nahhh, The Game - The Documentary II
I'm not sure about Game anymore, It's a shame really as when his first 2-3 albums were awesome.
Man, The Documentary was a classic. Crazy that it was ten years ago. Just an absolute killer album from start to finish.