[kwitel]

Looking for a very specific style:
Dark beats, maybe some electronic influence, non-gangsta intelligent rhymes.

Artists that have recently really impressed me:

Cannibal Ox (the Cold Vein is one of the best albums I have heard in a very long time. Where is the follow up!?)
Aesop Rock
MF Doom
El-P
K-Os
Roots Manuva (love the reggae/dub influences here)
Atmosphere (im 50/50 on him)

Artists I was NOT impressed with:

Lupe Fiasco-(have no idea what the big deal is with this kid)
Common-(hes become boring, monotonous)
Murs-(skilled, but not my style at all)

Please, no recommendations with a "L'il" in it.

 

[Lil' Knight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Please, no recommendations with a "L'il" in it.

Oh no.....

 

[Bonta]

have you tried saul williams yet?

 

[ukcatz12]

Quote:

non-gangsta intelligent rhymes.

Quote:

Artists I was NOT impressed with: Lupe Fiasco-(have no idea what the big deal is with this kid)

Lupe has some of the most intelligent rhymes out there right now. Personally, I think he's amazing. His songs are full of double meanings and wordplay. Just out of curiosity, why don't you like him?

Addressing your question, check out a group called Deltron 3030. They have one self titled album that I really like.

 

[kwitel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukcatz12 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lupe has some of the most intelligent rhymes out there right now. Personally, I think he's amazing. His songs are full of double meanings and wordplay. Just out of curiosity, why don't you like him? Addressing your question, check out a group called Deltron 3030. They have one self titled album that I really like.

Good call-love Deltron.

As for Lupe; I dunno-I have "food and Liqour" and it just feels "immature". He sounds real mainstream to me-as for beats, it all material I have heard before.

 

[ukcatz12]

have your heard binary star?

 

[kwitel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukcatz12 /img/forum/go_quote.gif have your heard binary star?

No-could you describe them?

 

[tru blu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel /img/forum/go_quote.gif As for Lupe; I dunno-I have "food and Liqour" and it just feels "immature". He sounds real mainstream to me-as for beats, it all material I have heard before.

I've said this in another thread: The album the label peddled as Food & Liquor is much different than the original version, which was leaked months before the officially released one. The original is almost a different record, so I can see how you might be disappointed with the second version; I certainly was. The only thing I miss from the second version is "Daydreaming" with Jill Scott; great track.

 

[ukcatz12]

it's pretty far underground, I have one of their albums and it's very good. Lyrics are amazing in my opinion, the beats aren't too complex. I feel like listening to them will do more justice than me explaining them. A bunch of their songs are on youtube and one of their albums is on itunes if you wanted to preview it.

 

[HipHopScribe]

Mr. Lif - I Phantom
Cunninlynguists - A Piece of Strange
Blue Sky Black Death & Hell Razah - Razah's Ladder
The Roots - Rising Down
Saul Williams - The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust (he worked closely with Trent Reznor on this album)
Bisc1 - When Electric Night Falls
Non Phixion - The Future Is Now
Pharoahe Monch - Internal Affairs

 

[kwitel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HipHopScribe /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mr. Lif - I Phantom Cunninlynguists - A Piece of Strange Blue Sky Black Death & Hell Razah - Razah's Ladder The Roots - Rising Down Saul Williams - The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust (he worked closely with Trent Reznor on this album) Bisc1 - When Electric Night Falls Non Phixion - The Future Is Now Pharoahe Monch - Internal Affairs

Saul Williams; wasnt that intitially a free download? Is that still available?
Pharoahe Monch-been meaning to get something of his for a long time now...

 

[CLum]

Kwitel it seems like you ask this question every month but i'll indulge since good hip-hop is so hard to come by these days (even underground.)

Edan - Beauty and the Beat
Cool Calm Pete - Lost
Curse ov Dialect - Wooden Tongues
Dangermouse & Jemini - Ghetto Pop Life
Non-Prophets - Hope

I second your opinion on common, lupe and other so called hip-hop saviors. I'm always reading on here how "intelligent" certain artist/lyrics are, as if that is the sole determinant of quality hip-hop. I know the lyrics in mainstream hip-hop is becoming mind numbingly stupid but that doesn't mean the opposite is what hip-hop should be.

 

[tru blu]

I've never quite gotten why Common is so lauded, either. Take apart his lyrics, and you don't find much at all. Glad someone mentioned Edan…he's interesting, though I can't say I've liked his albums in full. There's still time…

It'd be great if Brother Ali could make another record as good as Shadows On The Sun. I didn't much dig the most recent disc, but for some reason it made noise. Oh, and btw Dizzee Rascal's Maths + English is quite nice…turned out to be better than I expected.

 

[kwitel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLum /img/forum/go_quote.gif Kwitel it seems like you ask this question every month but i'll indulge since good hip-hop is so hard to come by these days (even underground.)

Clum-ur right-I do-but I find it so hard to find quality hip-hop and I just dont have any other means of getting good recommendations.

Can you describe the style/sound of each of the artists that you mentioned?

Although I prefer underground, I do not like the artists who go super experimental with their for the sake of just being different and, well...experimental.

Its the artists that have taken the tried and proven hip-hop formula and are progressing the genre (ala Def Jux).

 

[HipHopScribe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Saul Williams; wasnt that intitially a free download? Is that still available? Pharoahe Monch-been meaning to get something of his for a long time now...

I don't think the legal free download is still available for the Saul Williams. Definitely check out the Pharoahe Monch, personally I think he is one of the best rappers ever, if not the best. He's got it all, flow, lyrics, versatility, creativity, depth. I actually think the first 2 Organized Konfusion albums are better than Internal Affairs, but he shares time with Prince Po on those (who is a good rapper, but not on Monch's level), IA is a better full showcase of his skills.