noiseredux wrote:hey guys, remember when we talked a lot in this thread?
Awww maybe there's been so much to listen to! Can I also recommend Astro's Computer Era (maybe not much too groundbreaking but a solid album from a really fun young rapper who isn't taking things too seriously) AND Slimkid3 and DJ NuMark's self titled CD (solid all the way through, again not too heavy either)?
Finally have you guys seen the Mos Def (nee Yasin Bey) cover videos of Doom's stuff? Pretty awesome and made me listen to King Geedorah again
I have such a hard time dealing with the fact that this album just isn't solid. I agree with your entire review. I have always enjoyed OutKast's skits. They are usually pretty funny. But these are dumb. I think the guys were ready to rest a little at this point. Andre had started acting quite a bit by this point, and I think Big Boi was ready to start doing his own thing.
Agree with the Slimkid3 recommendation - reviewed it over at RapReviews.com and gave that shit a 9/10.
Noise I have to agree also with the Joey Badass - there are some tracks on that album that show Joey fulfilling his potential (songs like "Christ Conscious" is what I've wanted him to make for years, but have only seen glimpses of). Really impressed by the feel of the album, as it doesn't feel like your average 90s throwback record - I can see it ageing well. With regards to Kendrick, I seem to be in the minority that feel "Section 80" is Kendrick's best record. "To Pimp a Butterfly" is a strong album but it's certainly faced a lot of hype and acclaim when it dropped. I preferred the Fashawn, or the recently released Red Pill record myself. In fact Red Pill is probably my favourite record this year.
Other albums I've been feeling lately are the Malik B & Mr. Green's "Unpredictable", Omniscence's "The God Hour" and Eshon Burgundy's "The Fear of God" (a Christian rap album). 2015 has been one of the strongest years in recent memory.
Currently playing Splinter Cell: Blacklist
Check out my album reviews at the home of rap reviews, http://www.rapreviews.com (NEW SITE COMING 2015)
Akinyele
Put It In Your Mouth
1996, Stress
The title track and opener to Akinyele's 1996 EP became a bit of a surprise cult-classic thanks to its ridiculously filthy lyrics and catchy as hell beat. And the beat remains catchy all these years later, but the lyrics are so ridiculous that the song approaches novelty. Meaning it loses something with each new listen. The closing track, "Thug Shit" begins with an excruciatingly obnoxious skit where someone (Ak himself?) rambles on in a faux-Elmo voice for nearly two minutes. It's not funny, nor does it make a whole lot of sense. The song itself is almost awesome, though not all that impressive lyrically. But it does at least work as a great platform for Ak's raspy and urgent delivery, although the mixing leaves a lot to be desired with his vocals feeling too high in the mix. The remaining three tracks are barely memorable. "In The World" is decent enough but really nothing here feels all that necessary except maybe that infamous single.
David Banner
The Greatest Story Ever Told
2008, Universal
David Banner is frustrating. Not only is he a fantastic producer, he's also an extremely likeable guy, and along the way has crafted some genuinely beautiful tracks on his own more underground releases. And had he kept his focus on producing bangers for others while writing interesting and introspective records for himself, he'd probably be far more celebrated than his instead. But unfortunately Banner also seems to want to be a star. So we end up with albums like this one. The Greatest Story Ever Told is a total mess. It feels like a chore to sit through. And maybe the worst offense: It feels insincere. The same guy who recorded "Cadillacs on 22's" in 2003 is nowhere to be found here. Although he did decide to record a sequel to that track, and sing about how it is literally a sequel. He also invites Lil Wayne - riding high off the success of "Lollipop" and Tha Carter III - to sing a bit of "Lollipop" as the chorus to "Shawty Say." Seriously. Or even better, he brings T.I. into the studio and has him tell a story about how great David Banner is. This is an album full of poor artistic choices. It's also full of dumb lyrics. And while dumb lyrics can certainly be fun, Banner has already proven he's capable of far better. The Greatest Story tries way too hard to pander to a mainstream that Banner was never meant to be a part of. The outcome does nothing for his career, nor for his fans.
Cam'ron
Purple Haze
2004, Roc-A-Fella
After a string of good but not incredibly unique solo albums, and then launching his Diplomat crew with the release of Diplomatic Immunity, Cam'ron delivered this classic. Cam had spent years hinting that he had the potential to create such a masterpiece. Cam had always been great with words, but sometimes it felt like perhaps being part of Roc-A-Fella was holding him back in regards to embracing his own weirdness. Maybe it's because he knew that his stay at the Roc was coming close to its end, or perhaps the success of the Diplomats breathed some new confidence in him, but on Purple Haze he finally lets go and gives the listener his all. One look at that cover should give you an indication that this is going to be insane. And then you're greeted to an intro claiming that the album was "previously written in 2001." Huh? And then you get "More Gangsta Music," with its classic Diplomat prog-rock sound. This album is epic right out the gate. And though it twists and turns through styles and sounds, it is always riveting. "Get Down" is a soulful back-in-the-day jam, "Killa Cam" is an insane cloudy bass-heavy track with gorgeous stuttering vocal samples, "Down And Out" rides a classic Kanye West beat, "Girls" manages to sample Cyndi Lauper and still sounding dope, and on and on. Though the album is long at 24 tracks, it all feels like it needs to be here. Even the skits are crafted in such a way that removing them from the tracklist would feel like a small piece of the puzzle was missing. Purple Haze stands as a high point not just in Cam's discography, but in the Diplomats as a group. It is a defining record in their sound, and feels like the first hint that they'd soon break away from Roc-A-Fella, change their name to the nonsensical but awesome Dipset and get embrace their inner ridiculousness.
