The Atlantic - Latest Comments in A Really Stupid Idea

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Chris Baldwin — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:30:19 -0000

Gang Starr - Step in the Arena

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

SeanH — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:21:41 -0000

Or you could just hit up the Kidulthood soundtrack. Great tracks on there.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

SeanH — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:39:20 -0000

Ain't seen any mention of UK hip-hop here yet, so here's a few suggestions from this side of the Atlantic:

Dizzee Rascal - Boy In Da Corner

Sway - This Is My Demo

Aspects - Correct English

Some people say The Streets, but I think his thing gets old pretty quick.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Mr. Blender — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:35:55 -0000

When I read the premise, I assumed it was for people who have not listened to any rap, so this list is based on what would be the best intro to the genre, a veritable "Rap 101"

In no particular order or signifigence

Nas - Illmatic

Jay - Reasonable Doubt

Common - Like Water for Chocolate

OutKast - Aquemini

The Roots - Things Fall Apart

Notorious B.I.G - Ready to Die

Tupac - Me Against the World

Talib Kweli & HiTek - Reflection Eternal

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders

Mos Def & Talib Kweli - Black Star

This obviously doesn't cover the whole genre (or touch the west coast/ south), but I think if you want to give someone a taste of the game, baby steps, this works.

And anyone who really believes that Beat, Rhymes and Life is better than Midnight Marauders is just wrong. Sorry.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

John Henry — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 23:21:33 -0000

Late to the game but i'll add my 2 cents. No order.

Dr Dre - The Chronic

NWA - Niggaz4Life

Snoop - Doggystyle

Ice Cube - War & Peace Vol 1 - The War Disc

Westside Connection - Terrorist Threat

Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill

Xzibit - 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz

Digital Underground - Sex Packets

Biggie - Ready To Die

PE - Fear of a Black Planet

50 Cent - Guess Who's Back

50 Cent - The Massacre

G-Unit - Beg For Mercy

Shyne - Shyne

Fat Joe - Don Cartagena

Punisher - Capital Punishment

Wu Tang - Enter the 36 Chambers

Lil Kim - Hardcore

Tha Lost Boyz - Legal Drug Money

Busta Rhymes - When Disaster Strikes

Outkast - SouthernPlayalistic

Goodie Mob - Soul Food

Juvenile - 400 Degreez

Juvenile - Reality Check

Ludacris - Incognegro/Back For the First Time

TI - I'm Serious

Nelly - Country Grammar

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

pickle — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:52:31 -0000

Keeping in mind that TNC's post wasn't "Greatest Ever" or even "Best Early 90s", but was "for non hip-hop fans looking to expand."

J5 - Quality Control

Handsome Boy Modeling School - So...How's Your Girl?

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

matoko_chan — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:14:50 -0000

TNC's list plus the Wu-Tang.

They are seminal.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Matt — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:06:23 -0000

Dr. Dre – The Chronic

Snoop Dogg – Doggystyle

Black Sheep – A Wolf in Sheeps Clothing

DMX – It’s Dark and Hell is Hot

Kanye West – The College Dropout

Eminem – The Slim Shady LP

Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die

Tupac – All Eyes on Me

Rage Against the Machine – Evil Empire

Jay-Z – The Blueprint

Wu-Tang – Enter the Wu: 36 Chambers

Some might not categorize Rage as Rap but I don't know how you can't, Zack has some sick shit

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Kemi — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:01:41 -0000

It is silly to acknowledge that your list is flawed because it doesn’t have any women on it, when there is Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Make her number 15, and you’ll still be keeping it real: we’ll assume you just forgot! Come on baby, light my fire…

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Matt — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:53:31 -0000

What about DMX - It's Dark and Hell is Hot??? That album is a banger front to back!!!!!!

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Hill Rat — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:09:08 -0000

Also I had to slap myself for not putting wu-tang 36chambers on my original list. I think I need may need someone to come punch me in the face for that mental lapse.

I'll sew your asshole shut and keep feedin' ya and feedin' ya . . .

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Justin — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:28:23 -0000

totally disagree with you on that. SouthernPlayistic was a much better album from begining to end, I don't think there is a single track I would skip 5mics no doubt. Atliens was a solid sophmore effort but just doesn't measure up to the groups first outing. Also I had to slap myself for not putting wu-tang 36chambers on my original list. I think I need may need someone to come punch me in the face for that mental lapse.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

cd — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:31:08 -0000

wow i'm late to this, but to echo others, if you're gonna have Outkast in there, i think it should be ATliens.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Justin — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:56:58 -0000

In no particular order (we'll actually there is a bit of a timeline).

Run DMC Raising Hell

LL Cool J Radio

Public Enemy It takes a Nation

ICe-T Power

NWA Ni99as 4 Life

2pac 2pacalypse/ me against the world

ICe Cube Death Certificate

Dre Dre The Chronic

Mac Dre California Living

Nas Illmatic

OutKast Southernplayesticcadilacfunkymusic

UGK Hard to Swallow

Geto Boys - We can't be stopped

Souls of Mischief 93 til

Too Short Get in Where you Fit in

Snoop Doggy Style

Black Moon- enta Da Stage

Biggie Ready to Die

DMX It's Dark and Hell is Hot

and by the time you get to this album you should have developed you're own taste and can go from there.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:47:23 -0000

obligatory white jew pushing aes rock

And I'm sleeping now (Wow!) And the settlers laugh

You won't be laughing when your covered wagons crash

You won't be laughing when the buzzards drag your brother's flags into rags

You won't be laughing when your front lawn is spangled with epitaphs

You won't be laughing

And I hang my boots to rest when I'm impressed

So I triple knot 'em then forgot 'em

This origami dream is beautiful

but man those wings will never leave the ground

Without a feather and a lottery ticket, now settle down

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Kiana — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:42:35 -0000

I know this isn't in any particular order but Aquemini really is #1 on my personal list so your list is good in my book. I'm always weary of people who don't recognize the beauty of that album.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

MikeCee — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:02:51 -0000

For the females Rah and Remmy (love her on the anti-up remix) are alright but MC Lyte's Lyte As a Rock and Latifah's All Hail the Queen are best in class.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Hill Rat — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:49:14 -0000

Also, I'm shocked by lack of love for Gang Starr's "Moment of Truth" both the album and the song. At a low moment in my life it was like the Guru was speaking directly to me:

Suicide? Nah, I'm not a foolish guy

Don't even feel like drinking, or even gettin high

Cause all that's gonna do really, is accelerate

the anxieties that I wish I could alleviate

But wait, I've been through a whole lot of other shit, before

So I oughta be able, to withstand some more

Pure poetry.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Green — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:45:57 -0000

I wouldn't put doggystyle on the list, because even though it is a really good album, if you don't listen to much hip hop, I would think the misogyny on that album could be pretty shocking. I remember even as a pretty unscrupulous teenager listening to that album the first few times thinking, man this dude really don't think very highly of women does he? I suspect that any number of those cuts could turn a lot of newcomers off.

Also, regarding live albums, the Jigga unplugged was pretty good. Not classic or anything,but since you guys were discussing it...

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Hill Rat — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:42:13 -0000

All my faves that were omitted have already been mentioned save one: EFIL4ZAGGIN

Yeah, I know it's misogynistic, nihilistic, violent, and stupid but damn if it wasn't one of the most listenable hip-hop albums ever.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Dan — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:17:34 -0000

Thanks for this, TNC. As someone who appreciates the genre but doesn't have a particularly strong love for it, I'll spend some time on this list and see where it leads me (we'll see if you have more influence on my tastes than my good friends who are far more hip-hop oriented than I.) I'm curious to see what they think of your list, though I already know one of my best friends will take major issue with you listing Aquemini over ATLiens.

Haven't read the comments but I want to mention that Doggystyle is arguably the most accessible rap album out there. I bought the tape when it was released (back when I was in the 3rd grade, unbeknowst to my parents!) and it has been a staple ever since. Finally saw Snoop live last summer and he did at least half the album, it's still so $$$.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Buddy Toledo — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:34:19 -0000

The Roots have a pretty shitty live album, although a friend at the show said the concert was great. The Coup has a good live album. Lyricist Lounge has some live tracks, or maybe I was fooled.

Personally, I wrote what I like and listen to. Trying to add albums outside my personal preferences would be just be repeating others determinations of what's great, and that's how stuff gets overrated.

But I don't know why Jurassic 5 doesn't have any business on this list. A hip hop list without Cut Chemist seems wrong to me. And if you're talking about hip hop performed live, you need to see Cut Chemist.

I'm glad somebody remembered Bahamadia's Kollage.

Of course, thinking about live shows reminds me why I don't have any business making a list like this. I saw the 98 tour of Lyricist Lounge in Philly, which was a great line-up. Eminem rhymed, and didn't stand out to me at all. Pretty soon after that, he was bigger than everybody else at that show.

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

Jonathan — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:53:59 -0000

That's a great point - BDP Live is the best (only?) live rap record. It really does capture how powerful Kris was on stage. He could really rock a crowd better than anyone.

The rest of the comment section is lost in the weeds - but maybe proving the point. On a blog post listing rap records for folks who don't listen to rap, the majority of suggestions here eschew genre-defining classics for the kind of albums favored by white rock critics and college professors. I think it's important to evaluate rap on its own terms, not just the terms that agree with your lifestyle or morals. To read some of these lists, you might wonder what all the fuss about violence and misogyny was about. It is what it is, not just what we want it to be.

A lot of these records just have no business on a "hip-hop primer for the uninitiated" list. Lupe Fiasco? Jurassic 5? Really?

Lastly, I can't really understand the mass love for Fishscale. It's a good record, sure - but nothing near the dusted brilliance of Supreme Clientele (or even Ironman, imho). Just because something came out in the last 5 years, and can prove to some that hip-hop has some life left in it yet, doesn't - to me - mean that it should bump off albums that are better on the merits.

[/rant]. No offense intended. I'll go back to loudly reciting lyrics on the 4 train now. :D

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

jestero — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:40:06 -0000

Lots of overlap, and total agreement on Aquemini as a masterpiece. Here's mine (in order)

1. Outkast - Aquemini

2. Nas - Illmatic (secret weapon: only 30something minutes, why don't more artists just repeat on this formula?)

3. The Coup - Steal This Album

4. KMD - Mr. Hood

5. Jay-Z - The Blueprint

6. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead

7. Wu Tang - 36 Chambers

8. MF Doom - Doomsday

9. Dr. Dre - The Chronic

10. Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt

11. Hieroglyphics - 3rd Eye Vision

12. Ghostface - Pretty Toney

13. Outkast - Southernplayalistic

14. Black Star

15. Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride

Re: A Really Stupid Idea

spaceghost06 — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:49:28 -0000

I read through all the comments and really have no beef with anybody's selections, especially considering I haven't listened to everything in hip hop ( I was 5 years late on Outkast and I'm from the South ). Anyway, I was surprised that no one mentioned BDP Live, Hardcore Worldwide. That album to me is the essence of hip hop. Live MCing and DJing, getting the crowd hyped, etc. I think for the uninitiated (that is who this list is for BTW), this is where you start. The first hip hop tape I ever bought (just through dumb luck) was Paid in Full. I've been spoiled ever since. BTW, if you ever do a list of jazz albums for people who aren't jazz fans it begins and ends with Miles Davis 'Kind of Blue'