Favorite Hip-Hop/Rap Tracks

[birdman14]

This thread is kind of a result of all the "I just don't get rap. Why it all bad?" threads recently. It seems like there's a dearth of knowledge in our general community about rap music, with many assuming that Flo Rida and Future represent all that rap has to offer. Therefore, this thread is dedicated to all the tracks you're currently listening to/enjoy that can fall under the tent of rap music. The more variety, the better.

Note: Yes, most of these songs have swears.

I guess I'll start:

Before David Bowie made an album of this name, Black Star was a late 90s super group of Mos Def and Talib Kweli. They only made one album, but it's absolutely fantastic.


What happens when you combine a Wu-Tang member and Instrumental Fusion group? Ghostface Killah's newest album.


Deep Cut Alert: The only thing I know about this track is that it samples Portrait of Tracy. It's pretty tight.


I needed to include a track of Tribe Called Quest's new album.


This was the first track I had heard from Earl Sweatshirt, and I sat in silence for a half hour trying to figure out what happened.


I'd add Kendrick or Chance tracks as well, but I'm sure they'll be very well represented before long.

Edit: also check out this thread! The Hip-Hop Variety Thread!

 

[birdman14]

Oh! How could I forget this fantastic group? Great track off Deltron 3030's debut.

 

[Plake]

Love me some De La Soul

Beasties

 

[petrus61]

Oh boy...gonna make me go digging in the vaults now.

 

[Spectrum]

Oh! How could I forget this fantastic group? Great track of Deltron 3030's debut.

Deltron 3030 is a masterpiece album, the whole thing.

Once I found out that there is nerdy science fiction hip hop the Rush fan in me was hooked!

 

[Spectrum]

Not rap, and maybe not really "hip hop", but this was called "trip hop" in the 90s and grew from the same beat-chopping and sampling background.

 

[Spectrum]

And in the realm of sci fi hip hop I always loved Kool Keith. This guy never takes himself seriously and his stuff is hilarious.

 

[Plake]

 

[Spectrum]

Gotta love the 90s underground stuff like Company Flow.

Not gonna embed it just in case, but the whole album is dark and heavy like that link.

 

[birdman14]

Not rap, and maybe not really "hip hop", but this was called "trip hop" in the 90s and grew from the same beat-chopping and sampling background.

I'm more than happy to include DJ Shadow's work. Contrary to popular opinion*, there is a bunch of gray area to the fringes of the Hip-hip genre. Like should Thundercat/Flying Lotus being excluded from being considered Hip-Hop artists since they're closer to fusion, even though they're in the LA rap scene?


*At least around here. According to TB, Rap can only be about b**ches and weed, right?

 

[FilterFunk]

This thread is kind of a result of all the "I just don't get rap. Why it all bad?" threads recently. It seems like there's a dearth of knowledge in our general community about rap music, with many assuming that Flo Rida and Future represent all that rap has to offer. Therefore, this thread is dedicated to all the tracks you're currently listening to/enjoy that can fall under the tent of rap music. The more variety, the better.

I started this thread about a year and a half ago for the same reasons:
The Hip-Hop Variety Thread!

 

[Spectrum]

I'm more than happy to include DJ Shadow's work. Contrary to popular opinion*, there is a bunch of gray area to the fringes of the Hip-hip genre. Like should Thundercat/Flying Lotus being excluded from being considered Hip-Hop artists since they're closer to fusion, even though they're in the LA rap scene?

Just as I think prog rock was my gateway to jazz and classical, DJ Shadow is kind of like a gateway to hip hop.

I am a rock bassist, grew up on metal and prog. A while back a buddy of mine was recording a hip hop track and asked me to lay down a bass line for it. He sampled and chopped the beat and rapped over it. For the life of me that was one of the hardest bass parts I have ever played. The notes were very simple, but to get that timing as dead on as it needs to be to sound right is a lot harder than people think it is.

In the same vein as DJ Shadow is this more recent stuff:

 

[birdman14]

I started this thread about a year and a half ago for the same reasons:
The Hip-Hop Variety Thread!

D'oh! That's what happens when you start posting at the end of a long week. I didn't even think to do a search. I'll be sure to reference yours in the OP. The more, the merrier!

 

[FilterFunk]

No worries...I'm really glad to see yours!

I hope it lasts longer than mine, which, surprisingly IMO, kind of withered on the vine. Let's keep this one going!

 

[anavar]

 

[ctpunk]

Some of the harder ish from back in the day...

 

[DrummerwStrings]

I'll dust off some CD's, maybe even some vinyl...

Ramsey Lewis will make ppl sit up, Bahamadia too, on "Respect the Architect" from Guru's Jazzmatazz vol 2:



& check out Bilal's "1st Born Second", & The Pharcyde's Best of album (I'll have to check tracks for language before I post a link).

+1 on DJ Shadow - Still in my phone rotation.

 

[ScottyDont]

 

[DrummerwStrings]

Atmosphere's Yesterday:



Massive Attack doesn't fit exactly in a box, which is why 'trip-hop' became a word, but I'll claim their album "Mezzanine" (listen in sequence, it's a composition).

Eric B. & Rakim's "Follow the Leader" will make you forget about Riff Raff. The beat still sounds new & revolutionary, and it came out 30 years ago:



I can do this all night...

 

[phangtonpower]

Usually these threads don't last long because not many people here care, but I'll still add. My all time favorite.