MF DOOM
pretty much all you need eh?
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sorry
i just re discovered operation doomsday and got excited xD
wrong
it is edan.
yupp
his other aliases are eqaully as good too.
and he was born in england
which makes him even better, as usually uk hip hop=uk shit hop
ahh i havent got that..
Give us it!
you gotta like
Del The Funky Homosapien.
i have never heard anything by him
although wikipedia makes him sound interesting :P
Del the funky homosapien is one of my favourite rappers
props
El-P
You know it's true.
^absolutely this
MF is a little overrated
MF Doom
it's so true that it didn't really even need said
Haha, before I even opened this thread I was just going to answer with...
Metal Face Doom.
so, concensus achieved
what should I buy?
Madvillain - Madvillainy
King Geedorah - Take Me To Your Leader
Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain
Dangerdoom - (can't remember name of album)
MF Doom - Operation Doomsday
you can't really go too wrong, tbh
You should buy....
'Operation Doomsday' as a starter, and get all the early 12s that were on Fondle 'Em.
But before you get the King Geedorah, Viktor Vaughn and Dangerdoom LPs, which are all good, be sure to buy the two KMD albums 'Mr Hood' and 'Black Bastards' - both are excellent.
KMD was the group he was in when he was known as Zev Luv X, along with his brother Subroc who was killed in a car acccident in '94 leading to the demise of KMD. Zev Lux X then adopted the MF Doom persona with the mask and everything.
is Roots still around?
Manuva?
yes
then
surely any other suggestion is wrong? maybe its just me.
i prefer Subtle actually, but not technically solo
doseone
FTW
Aesop Rock
Fools.
No
Aesop Rock is essentially hip-hop for people who don't like hip-hop. And therefore shit.
wow
that's really not right
Which is why
he is signed to Def Jux, the label run by El-P who is a don of hip-hop.
Aesop Rock is essentially hip-hop for people who don't like hip-hop. And therefore shit.
WTFF?!
Aesop Rock
is an interesting lyricist but I can't get stand his flow.
*can't stand
obviously
Fair enough
I find his verbosity far too intense for a whole record but his live shows are large and his raps are pretty clever.
Aesop
is amazing
I'd go with Doom....
but Nut-Rageous, from Queens, is incredible, and is one of the few modern rappers genuinely worth getting excited about.
If Saigon could ever get his bloody album out, he could be massive. Seems like he's missed his chance now though.
No
Nut-rageous is for people addicted to Peanut Butter Cups trying to expand their world by having effectively the same thing in the form of a bar.
First one to say Immortal Technique
gets a Glasgow kiss.
agreed
worst album i ever bought
^^
yeah, his 'the cat sat on the mat' rhyming skills are atrocious.
EDAN
Well, not really. I'd go with Doom, even if he hasn't put out a decent record since 2004. But Edan's worth a mention.
he hasnt put out
any records since 2004
At the moment?
Like when did Doom last release something good? It's got to be a few years ago now. The second Vaugh album was kinda rubbish, mmm... food pretty hit and miss and the Dangerdoom record had some nice moments but felt really disposable.
Also lol at calling el p a hip-hop don.
The answer's OBVS Lil Wayne.
2004
Madvillainy
Gift of Gab & Blu Rum 13
One MC is never enough.
LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Without a shadow of a doubt he's the best in the world right now hands down. No one even comes close to him. He's playing on 16th March. I'm going to go. Backpacker rap has never excited me, but now, I seriously think it's at an all-time low. It's just so backward looking (the one exception are Cannibal Ox who are a bit backpacker, but I like them).
Lil Wayne is Gash
well thats a wrong statement
i guess mf doom is...
kind of obvious, but he is the best i reckon. madvillainy is awesome.
Lupe Fiasco...
...is my favourite at the moment
if the cool hadn't come out i'd agree
but since that album i just don't rate him as highly as i used to
Bun B
is a pretty great rapper. I'm sick of most stuff that comes out on Anticon or Def Jux being lauded for that reason alone. Why? is aural vomit. Same goes for El-P.
Def Jux had plenty of (technically) great rappers
El-P included
Anticon can fuck off though
*has/had
:D
yes, Anticon CAN fuck off! I know i'm making some sweeping generalisations, and I fully expect someone to pick my argument to pieces, but the vast majority of the artists on those two labels drive me mad.
yep
I can't stand Anticon either
Cannibal Ox
can't remember which of the two he's on, but I quite like him in moderation.
The whole label comes across as being so po-faced and pompous its untrue.
Can Ox
were on Def Jux, and yes The Cold Vein is a great album though Vast Aire pisses on Vordul Mega from a great height. El-P said in an interview that they were finished, but apparently Mega will be on Vast Aire's next solo album so why knows.
To be honest the only Def Jux stuff I'm into is El-P, the aforementioned Can Ox and Mr. Lif's first album. Don't care for Aesop and Cage is fucking horrible.
Every Anticon record I've heard has been a boring smugathon.
*who knows
ffs
'Boring smugathon'!
great description
Vordul Mega is easily Vast Aire's equal.
Vast Aire is fantastic, true, but while his raps rely on clever wordplay, Vordul Mega raps have incredible imagery and symbolism, but in a more abstract way. Which basically means that Vast Aire stands out as the better rapper of the two initially, but further listens allow you to appreciate Vordul Mega more.
Cold Vein is probably my favourite hip-hop album, and, in my opinion, one of the best albums ever.
Anticon has released a lot of good stuff, although I still can't see why everyone loves cLOUDDEAD so much.
explanation
please?
Bun B
...is awesome and so with you about the 'left-field' rap artists. It seems that some people only like hip-hop if it is 'white-friendly'.
high fucking 5
its maddening. I get the impression that if its not a whining white guy then they're not interested.
wale
from DC.
YES!
...and I don't buy the "all they talk about is cars and bitches" criticism for two reasons:
1) It's not true, you just son't listen to the music beyond the radio tracks, so you don't actually know this. Even if it was, it's even more impressive that the talented rappers such as Lil Wayne, T.I., Bun B etc can talk about this subject matter with increasingly complex and vivid lyrics and metaphors.
2) These same people probably don't object to Lou Reed only talking about heroin in every single fucking song he has ever written.
You've expressed far more eloquently
than I could have managed several points that wind me up about the whole Anticon criticism/stance against perceived mainstream rap. Its so holier-than-thou it beggars belief.
Lil Wayne, amongst others, is an unbelievably talented rapper but its the indie mentality that says popularity/success = not critically worthy, which just doesn't translate to US hip hop.
Absolutely
hit the nail on the fucking head there, mate. I'm not a fan of Lil'Wayne, but I 100% agree with your sentiment.
I've heard supposed hip-hop fans say they don't want to listen to the Clipse because "it's all dirty south crunk bullshit about cars and guns".
wtf!?!?!???
MF Doom
i think his biggest fanbase is with indie kids
when i first found him i thought i was original and got obsessed (danger villain kmd viktor etc... ). then found out everyone else knows him
obviously i still love him!! just he has an undergound feel about him. like your hearing something no one else is hearing.
hmmmmmm
Fieldy
MF Doom is
...cool. He's not 100% my bag (although I do like the King Geedhora album), but he produces for Ghostface etc and also he's not guilty of being one of those lyricists who keeps on going on about how much better rap was in 1989.
If all you can rap about is how rap was better in 1989 and imitate the production techniques from that period then you're hardly going to push things forward are you?
I'm a bit behind
from the sound of this thread. I've heard slices of Lil Wayne and it's all good. Which album shall I start with? Same goes for Bun B, although I've not heard anything there.
I don't really think Doom counts for now, as he's not really been up to much lately. I thought the newest Lupe Fiasco record was pretty stunning; fairly polished and radio friendly, but full of smart, twisted rhymes all over the place. Kinda same goes for the El-P album; though with a pleasingly down and dirty feel.
What else did I miss last year?
With Lil Wayne...
...his mixtapes are the best stuff he does. Go for 'Da Drought 3' it's rightly heralded as one of the best rap releases of the past few years. You should be able to find it easily enough on the net (and it's free!).
Admittedly last year wasn't too great for hip-hop, but the UGK album 'Underground Kingz' was awesome...here's the lead single from it which is AMAZING!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3PgZ9bqShc
RIP Pimp C
Wow - I can't believe how amazingly uplifting and awesome International Players Anthem still sounds on the 456th listen.
Shall we make a list of rubbish indie hip hop that always turn up on these threads:
El p
Sage Francis
Saul Williams
Aesop Rock
Jurassic 5
The Roots (Excluding the couple of good albums mind but totally including that song with the funk guitar and cody chestnut)
Roots Manuva
BONUS Hip-Hop lauded by indie kids which is actually good:
Cadence Weapon
MOTHERFUCKING WU
Mos Def (maybe)
I agree with all of those
but I don't get all the hype about Cadence Weapon. I listened to his first album and thought it was a total mess - just how I'd expect a rap album from an ex-Pitchfork writer to sound to be honest.
actually, I forgot to mention
I do quite like El-P too, production-wise more than his rapping. As you were.
Clipse
is another example of a group who are also lauded by the indie press/fans and who are also really good.
Still not heard Cadence Weapon. Whats the vibe?
Nintendo-fixated, glitchy nerd-rap
from what I can make out. I just don't know what so many people see in him.
Agreed about Clipse, btw.
Hmmm
Well I'll just have to listen to it and make my own mind up, but I can't say the description fills me with confidence. Sounds a bit contrived and knowingly 'weird'.
He isn't really contrived at all though.
Sometimes his lyrics and ryhme schemes can be a bit self consciously complex but I wouldn't really call him nerd rap or backpacker hip hop as he knows how to make an awesome beat and is really into alot of ganster rap.
I still rate El P
but I'm with you on the others.
Apart from Mos Def (maybe)
yeah
i rate El P, but i think Doom is way better
So because indie kids like some of it, it becomes invalid as hip hop?
surely not. Mos Def however, is a genius, and truely underrated.
But El-P and Aesop are really dense and heavy- both production wise and lyrically, which is possibly why rock kids like them.
I honestly think the similarities between them and everything else on that list are few and far between, and that you're writing them off purely because white middle class kids who like rock n roll listen to them.
the first jurassic 5 album
is one of my favourites. it's a huge grower.
Phat Kat
I think Phat Kat certainly deserves a mention in this thread. His 'Carte Blanche' album was the best hip-hop LP of 2007 IMO, great production from Black Milk on there....
SAGE FRANCIS
BY A FUCKING MILE.
followed by:
Buck 65
MF
EL-P
Alias
Slugg
and the entireity of anticon
9th wonder
also im hopeful for siagon's long awaited new stuff
sage francis, el-p from the backpack crowd
plus american gangster meant to be a return to form for jay-z but i've not heard it yet.
aesop's new album not that great.
but 9th wonders album is amazing
Has Doom replaced Lethal Bizzle for the indie kids?
Kinda looks like it. Also has Gemini done anything since Ghetto Pop Life with Dangermouse? He's an awesome emcee.
Nah...
MF Doom is the token rapper for Modest Mouse fans, Bizzle is the token rapper for Jack Penate fans.
Your statement is really stupid.
quite funny though
I realise that
...it's a staggering generalisation, but it's kind of true.
Both are artists whose main fanbase is made predominetly out of people who primarily read about them on blogs/in magazines that usually write about white people who play guitars.
MF Doom's main fanbase is either people who read sites like Pitchfork, or backpacker hip-hop fans, and I believe the six people who bought Lethal Bizzle's album all did so after reading about him collaborating with Gallows in NME.
pretty true
but i dont think that can take away from doom as an artist and he does deserve the praise but it is true a discussion about best solo hip hop artist on dis will lean to something acceptable for indie kids like doom and def jux and ignore great artist that are to 'gangsta' or 'mainstream'.
threads gone this far with no mention of jay z, kanye, lupe (although new albums crap), saigon, any of wu, devin the dude is pretty bad.
The question is
Best solo artist *at the moment*.
A lot of this stuff is either groups, or people who have made unbelievable records... years ago.