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[Esch]

Let's also talk about this notion of 'variety' yall. To the average pop / indie rock immigrant turned rap fan that got into the genre by listening to MBTDF in 2010 cause they saw a 10 on p4k, what constitutes variety/excitement is essentially tossing a range of features and cribbing x and y from whatever hot SoundCloud producers to make a hodgepodge of musical stew that never really delves into or explores one style. It's all jack of all trades stuff from a sonic perspective. So you can see how the conceptual variety in stuff between something like betrayal tales in 30 Pieces of Silver or a tribute like Off the Record goes over heads.


Y'all know me, I'm a music over lyrics guy. But in this era, or really ever, it's rare to see any emcee load up wordplay like Ka does. People compare him to some of the greats like GZA or Mobb but truth be told some of his pen game meets or exceeds them occasionally. And he does use different rhyme patterns, it just can be hard to notice them from an overarching perspective because of how slow / spoken word / intonated the flow is. Not to mention how hard he goes in on cohesiveness sound wise. You say boring, I say he has carved out a musical style on the boards no one else is really occupying and explores it fully with each project. Not to mention how he weaves each song thematically with respect to the album. One of the reasons I buy Ka albums everytime physical is he makes it worth it. The music, the lyrics, the album art are so carefully and purposefully thought out.

Anyway that's just me.


Ed: it's not for everyone but so are most of the best things in life FOH

Ed2: There's a lot of different sound 'variables' thrown in TPAB everywhere (one of the reasons I like it less than GKMC), and IMO overreaches sound wise from time to time as well. I still like it based on the mic work though.

 

[MoodyFog]

Let's also talk about this notion of 'variety' yall. To the average pop / indie rock immigrant turned rap fan that got into the genre by listening to MBTDF in 2010 cause they saw a 10 on p4k, what constitutes variety/excitement is essentially tossing a range of features and cribbing x and y from whatever hot SoundCloud producers to make a hodgepodge of musical stew that never really delves into or explores one style. It's all jack of all trades stuff from a sonic perspective.

 

[Storm Chamber]

Sheesh lmao

 

[Courage]

Really Samy? MoodyFog?

 

[MoodyFog]

Really Samy? MoodyFog?

 

[Tokubetsu]

#grindhard

 

[Cheddahz]

Starlito rapping over "Check" is the best thing to ever happen on Memorial Day

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

Any good study hip hop albums/mixes out there? Or do they not exist?

Things to listen to while studying? This will basically be instrumental albums and jazz-hop.

My recommendations

Moderator - As the Lights Fade
Vanilla - Sweet Talk
Brock Berrigan - Chapter 10
Akua Naru - The Miner's Canary
L'Orange - Old Soul
One Self - Children of Possibility
MC Melodee - Vibing High / Vibing High Instrumentals
Gavlyn - Habit That You Blame
Digable Planets - Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)

 

[DominoKid]

Let's also talk about this notion of 'variety' yall. To the average pop / indie rock immigrant turned rap fan that got into the genre by listening to MBTDF in 2010 cause they saw a 10 on p4k, what constitutes variety/excitement is essentially tossing a range of features and cribbing x and y from whatever hot SoundCloud producers to make a hodgepodge of musical stew that never really delves into or explores one style. It's all jack of all trades stuff from a sonic perspective. So you can see how the conceptual variety in stuff between something like betrayal tales in 30 Pieces of Silver or a tribute like Off the Record goes over heads.

Starlito rapping over "Check" is the best thing to ever happen on Memorial Day

for a remake beat that's actually pretty good. most of the time they sound like some shit made on a kids piano.

 

[Tokubetsu]

Starlito rapping over "Check" is the best thing to ever happen on Memorial Day

 

[enzo_gt]

this is what TPAB is to me.

Holy shit, that's uncanny. All the way down to enjoying a new establishment.

 

[silentcapybara]

Starlito rapping over "Check" is the best thing to ever happen on Memorial Day

lito is still the best thing to come out of the 615 since young buck. ran into that dude at a longhorn steakhouse once lmao.

 

[IrishNinja]

esh puttin on a clinic like he was summoned for

Endtroducing

perfect album for running, writing & all kinds of things, i find..it's uncanny

goddamn

Holy shit, that's uncanny. All the way down to enjoying a new establishment.

did you want more mayo with your fries b

 

[WanderingWind]

It's called aioli

 

[HiResDes]

I feel like TPAB is more sonically constant than GKMC so I don't where you're coming from there, but great post nonetheless. I think I prefer GKMC ever so slightly, but it definitely has more in common with MBDTF. GKMC like MBDTF features these big sweeping climatic changes sometimes mid song encapsulating a change in theory or perception. It also utilizes more novel sound scapes with bombastic characteristics, samples from indie darlings like Beach House, and it's subject matter focusing on common vices is more appealing to mainstream audiences.

TPAB seems less beholden to the era in which it was made. Much of the influence for the album seems to be rooted in musical eras within black history that have been somewhat forgotten about. Many of the songs carry a smooth consistent groove and act as a sort of aural opiate for Kendrick's sometimes aggressively pedantic lyricism. Even though Tupac is considered one of the greats they're aren't many rappers working from the same sort of uber conscious black power poeticism. Tupac if isn't evident seems to be the spirit being of the album. It just seems to be less a product of its time and is more of an homage to the golden eras of black music.

 

[PhoenixDark]

I'm a simple man. To me Ka is rap at its most simple level: a dope MC and a nice canvas of beats to rap over. It's #minimalist in every way. There is no boom bap, no catchy samples, no famous guest appearances, etc. There's nothing wrong with all of those things obviously but Ka's take on hip hop feels so refreshing in part because he strips everything away and just focuses on the power of his words and the reserved yet powerful atmosphere of his production. It's more Gil-Scott Heron than Gangstarr. We all listen to so much music that surely there's room to fuck with a variety of stuff. Lord knows I heard Commas for the first time a few days ago and fuck with it.

I can understand someone being turned off by monotone rap so I won't hate on that view. However at the end of the day not appreciating him as a rapper or wordsmith would make me question your musical palette. The same way I'd call out plebes who don't fuck with jazz or funk....

 

[Thursday War]

alla leaked

 

[Nibel]

Nowadays people claim that posts with baseless accusations, shutdown schemes and hiphop police vibes with some preachy Lupe undertones are "great"; scust, shame on all of you

Y'all know me, I'm a memes over substance guy. But in this era, or really ever, it's rare to see any poster load up wordplay like I do. People compare me to some of the greats like PD or Irish but truth be told some of my keyboard game meets or exceeds them occasionally. And I do post in logic patterns, it just can be hard to notice them from an overarching perspective because of how slow / backassed half of GAF-Hop is is. Not to mention how hard I go in on cohesiveness GIF wise. You say fuckboy, I say I have carved out a posting style on the boards no one else is really occupying and explore it fully with each post. Not to mention how I weave each post thematically with respect to the thread. One of the reasons I post here is deep inside you know I make it worth it. The memes, the fuckery, the avatar art are so carefully and purposefully thought out.

Anyway that's just me.

Ed: I'm not for everyone but so are most of the best things in life FOH

Ed2: Might wanna give Dr Yo Da another listen since I trust your words brehs but you still goons 4 life

 

[enzo_gt]

Nibel :wow GAF-Hop post of the year, perhaps.

 

[Tokubetsu]

#grindhard

DL:
http://orangemixtapes.com/mixtape/S/4/2571-starlito-introversion.html

 

[HiResDes]

I edited some substance for my stances into my last post.

 

[CountBlack]

Rocky

 

[Nibel]

6 tracks in, this new Flacko ain't bad

 

[ViewtifulJC]

6 tracks in, this new Flacko ain't bad

but did you sell your first born child to get in the right mood for it tho

 

[Storm Chamber]

but did you sell your first born child to get in the right mood for it tho

hold on ya'll, JC trying to tell a joke again


go head breh

 

[Nibel]

but did you sell your first born child to get in the right mood for it tho

No mood no music, breh, you know how it goes; sold my younger brother though, dude was annoying with his Smash Bros addiction anyway tbh

Ye on Jukebox Joints, kinda cool; solid album so far, no instant-skip-tier track yet

 

[Cheddahz]

my download is taking forever

are there any punk songs on it?

 

[Esch]

I'm a simple man. To me Ka is rap at its most simple level: a dope MC and a nice canvas of beats to rap over. It's #minimalist in every way. There is no boom bap, no catchy samples, no famous guest appearances, etc.

TBH, i think the instrumentation on Yen Lo is a little undersold. Pres did an amazing job. Some of the way the beats pan out compared to where they start is impressive IMO. he'll take a little theme or motif and stretch it out slow but adding onto it like in Day 0. Sorta reminds me of Shabazz Palaces in approach.


I'll listen to Rocky later. You pretty much already know what you're going to get with that one so it can wait

 

[beanman25]

This album is amazing. Holy s%^&

Wavybone wins for me on first listen, but every other track is a close second.

EDIT: This ending, holy shit. Blessed by Yams one last time! Goosebumps right there.

 

[Esch]

I feel like TPAB is more sonically constant than GKMC so I don't where you're coming from there, but great post nonetheless. I think I prefer GKMC ever so slightly, but it definitely has more in common with MBDTF. GKMC like MBDTF features these big sweeping climatic changes sometimes mid song encapsulating a change in theory or perception. It also utilizes more novel sound scapes with bombastic characteristics, samples from indie darlings like Beach House, and it's subject matter focusing on common vices is more appealing to mainstream audiences.

idk i feel the other way around. GKMC feels like a much more standard album soundwise to me, like a refined version of Section 80. TPaB feels like a departure cause of all the different black music samples (old and new). When i listen to GKMC i think; I'm listening to a conventional, but refined hood story come up album but it still feels like stuff I've heard before. TPaB, just kind of feels like more of a sampler platter of sounds; and in that sense reminds me of a kanye album.

 

[Nibel]

my download is taking forever

are there any punk songs on it?

Nah, it's pretty much what you expect from him. I must say I like that the roughness from his earlier tapes is back and that there is no real super trashy song on this.

Solid effort; I don't think he has progressed as much as let's say Kendrick, but you can hear a lot of improvements here and there and the production is much more cohesive and pompous than on the first album. Pretty sure this won't land on my playlists since I think I'm over all the A$AP stuff, but it's pretty aight considering I had very little expectations.

 

[BlackJace]

alla

blessed

 

[DominoKid]

early return from that ALLA is that he getting outta his lane too much. breh been listening to some basic ass rock and blues and trying to incorporate that (Joe Fox) when he need to be rapping over that Travis Scott shit.

definitely an improvement over LongLive tho. it'll be in the roadtrip & smoke playlist rotation for a while.
just kinda wish he went all in on swagged out bangers like Multiply.

 

[beanman25]

early return from that ALLA is that he getting outta his lane too much. breh been listening to some basic ass rock and blues and trying to incorporate that (Joe Fox) when he need to be rapping over that Travis Scott shit.

definitely an improvement over LongLive tho. it'll be in the roadtrip & smoke playlist rotation for a while.
just kinda wish he went all in on swagged out bangers like Multiply.

I am genuinely curious why Multiply was left off, I really enjoy that track. Won't stop me from adding it myself though!

 

[BlackJace]

I am genuinely curious why Multiply was left off, I really enjoy that track. Won't stop me from adding it myself though!

I think it's too "old" for the release. He dropped the track a few months ago, IIRC.

 

[CountBlack]

So far so :whew: for Alla

 

[Courage]

Type of hate that make you feel worse than a rape victim

Stay classy Rocky.

 

[Junior Mint]

my god that ye verse on jukebox joints was pure trash rocky should ask for a refund

 

[Grzi]

Stay classy Rocky.

Haha, just heard that line and I facepalmed so hard.

The album is pretty good though.

 

[Thursday War]

bumped in the whip

dope album

 

[HabeeNo]

Really good stuff from Flacko, gonna b on repeat

 

[MoodyFog]

This Rocky is tight

 

[Junior Mint]

i really hate jukebox joints. but then Max B comes on and I'm like damn this shit is fire

 

[CountBlack]

Finished my first listen. Pretty dope, starts to drag near the end but I liked it.

 

[BlackJace]

Impressions on ALLA

Album was slower-paced than I thought it'd be. When I first heard that Juicy J was producing the album, I thought it was gonna be banger after banger. Multiply dropped, and I definitely thought that was the direction he was going. M'$ was less so, but still in the general direction.

ALLA feels like it has a bit more direction than his freshman joint.

Overall solid, will definitely be in rotation for a while.

Standouts for me were Holy Ghost, Fine Whine, JD, Wavybone, and Back Home.
Wayne's verse on the M'$ remix was garbage, da fuck

 

[Fjordson]

Damn alla is actually good? I was ready for disappointment. Pleasant surprise.

 

[Syph Medwes]

early return from that ALLA is that he getting outta his lane too much. breh been listening to some basic ass rock and blues and trying to incorporate that (Joe Fox) when he need to be rapping over that Travis Scott shit.

definitely an improvement over LongLive tho. it'll be in the roadtrip & smoke playlist rotation for a while.
just kinda wish he went all in on swagged out bangers like Multiply.

Apparently he's literally a random guy he bumped into and invited him back to the studio after hearing some of his stuff.
And yea I added Multiply and What's Beef? as "disc 2" tracks.
Although Multiply could logically be slotted before LPFJ2 I think.

 

[HiResDes]

It's kinda hard to gauge the response from early impressions when you have people claiming it's much better than LLA, which wasn't so bad itself so you'd think that that would mean this is a good album, but people have still been rather trepid with their positivity.

 

[enzo_gt]

Just finished my first listen. ALLA is pretty different from what I expected. Not sure if I rock with it in it's entirety or not because it has a lot of different stuff in it, but I respect Rocky for trying different stuff.

Kind of feels like an evolution of his previous album, kind of doesn't. Sometimes the production feels like you took a Clams beat or sample and gave it to someone who wasn't Clams.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

Just finished my first listen. ALLA is pretty different from what I expected. Not sure if I rock with it in it's entirety or not because it has a lot of different stuff in it, but I respect Rocky for trying different stuff.

Kind of feels like an evolution of his previous album, kind of doesn't. Sometimes the production feels like you took a Clams beat or sample and gave it to someone who wasn't Clams.

Better or worse than Big Sean's album?