do you like Rappers with Longevity?

[mistermaxxx]

LL COOL J has exit 13 out now and he has been around nearly 25 years and thinking about Jay Z and Nas who been around each a long time how do you view rappers with longevity as to R&B acts?Pop Acts,Country acts,etc...??? can you look at a rapper with longevity in the same light??

or do you like Rappers that were hot and then fizzled out and went out? speak on it.

 

[browneyedgirl]

Well, the new rappers certainly aren't something to listen to in 20 years. You listen to RUN DMC or Public Enemy and it's better than 3/4 of the mainstream stuff out today. Hip hop relies on commercial success and catchy hooks.. back then they actually had something to say. I realize conscience hip hop is still alive, but last time I checked Talib or Rakim didn't sell a million copies in a week. But take LL Cool J, for example... I think his music went downhill starting late 90's... Sometimes I find myself listening to Weezy's mixtapes instead; I guess it all depends.

 

[arXter]

don't really get the point you're trying to make, but i like what i like. i guess i was never brought up in a community where the majority listened to one hot (heavily marketed) rapper - i kind of sussed them out myself and came into digging cats like ATCQ and Slum Village. they've both fizzled out now, so...

I realize conscience hip hop is still alive, but last time I checked Talib or Rakim didn't sell a million copies in a week.

Kweli and Mos were doing good back in late-90s and into the 00s. and Kweli's 2007 Eardrum is where he hit his peak, so i wouldn't knock the commercial success of "conscious" hip-hop just yet. you also have Common doing the same thing, although they've both changed their sound a bit to accommodate Pop, but they're still sending pretty much the same message.

 

[helena22]

Interesting topic maxxx. I do think of rappers' talent as seriously as singers' and songwriter's talent. I've been listening to hiphop for over 10 years now, so don't know how many rappers I'd be listening for another 10 years or more, but I can say "Why not?" Nobody ever forced me to listen to hiphop and I was actually all alone with no one else around me to recommend any albums and artists at the begining stage. I think there was a reason why I liked the genre and went out and spent money on it. So, rappers with longevity, I take them seriously, regardless of my personal preferences.

 

[browneyedgirl]

don't really get the point you're trying to make, but i like what i like. i guess i was never brought up in a community where the majority listened to one hot (heavily marketed) rapper - i kind of sussed them out myself and came into digging cats like ATCQ and Slum Village. they've both fizzled out now, so...


Kweli and Mos were doing good back in late-90s and into the 00s. and Kweli's 2007 Eardrum is where he hit his peak, so i wouldn't knock the commercial success of "conscious" hip-hop just yet. you also have Common doing the same thing, although they've both changed their sound a bit to accommodate Pop, but they're still sending pretty much the same message.

I realize that, but I drifted off a bit. I was comparing Talib to Lil Wayne for mainstream listeners.

 

[giddyup87]

don't really get the point you're trying to make, but i like what i like. i guess i was never brought up in a community where the majority listened to one hot (heavily marketed) rapper - i kind of sussed them out myself and came into digging cats like ATCQ and Slum Village. they've both fizzled out now, so...


Kweli and Mos were doing good back in late-90s and into the 00s. and Kweli's 2007 Eardrum is where he hit his peak, so i wouldn't knock the commercial success of "conscious" hip-hop just yet. you also have Common doing the same thing, although they've both changed their sound a bit to accommodate Pop, but they're still sending pretty much the same message.

I thought Quality was better than Eardrum, the better tracks are better if get what i mean, lol. (Get By, Joy, The Proud).

Common's best is 'BE'....IMO. Even though 'Finding Forever' has some great moments.

 

[arXter]

I thought Quality was better than Eardrum, the better tracks are better if get what i mean, lol. (Get By, Joy, The Proud).

Common's best is 'BE'....IMO. Even though 'Finding Forever' has some great moments.

i meant "commercial peak" (in line with this thread's message lol) because their latest albums are far from their best.

Common's 'Like Water For Chocolate', and 'Electric Circus' are two of my all-time favourite albums primarily because of their sound thanks to the Soulquarians (mainly J Dilla). those were the days!! Kanye's 'Be' cannot compare.

 

[giddyup87]

i meant "commercial peak" (in line with this thread's message lol) because their latest albums are far from their best.

Common's 'Like Water For Chocolate', and 'Electric Circus' are two of my all-time favourite albums primarily because of their sound thanks to the Soulquarians (mainly J Dilla). those were the days!! Kanye's 'Be' cannot compare.

hmm... i probably need a few more listens, i find it hard to be stacks better than 'Be' though. His best song is on 'One Day It'll Make Sense'............ 'G.O.D. (gaining one's definition)' killer!

 

[arXter]

i think with LWFC and EC, he hit his creative peak working with the people closest to him - the collective was like a proper family. because that's the music he aspired to jam to. in came Kanye who opened him to the commercial success, but it was at a cost of moving away from the unique sounds he built up with the Soulquarians who by then was a broken up family.

i guess i'm biased to those two albums purely because of the beautiful sound and my admiration for people like J Dilla, James Poyser, ?uestlove, Karriem Riggins, D'Angelo, Erykah, Bilal,,, so many of them coming together and collaborating on two of his albums. and it didn't hurt to have Primo and Prince in there!

Common - A Song For Assata










Production - Soulquarians
Arranged By [Strings] - Larry Gold
Keys, Bass - James Poyser
Drums - ?uestlove
Programming - J Dilla
Guitar - Jeff Lee Johnson
Vocals - Cee-Lo