Dec 28, 2017

One of my favourite things about listening to hip hop is discovery. I’ve been listening for years but still have so much new s--- discover. New artists, groups, singles, albums, discographies, labels, cities, sub-genres. There’s an insane amount out there and I’ve only heard a fraction of it. So this club will be dedicated to discovery. Every Thursday I’ll be posting a completely random album - it could be a classic or trash, old school or new school, popular or obscure, it doesn’t matter. Everyone in the mention group can give the album a rating out of 10 and I’ll average out the scores to create a catalogue of album ratings, discuss what worked and what didn’t work, the best songs, the worst songs, the album art, the production, the lyrics, the music, everything.

Like this post or let me know if you wanna be added to the mentions

Week 1: [1999] Things Fall Apart - The Roots
Week 2: [2015] Maxo 187 - Maxo Kream
Week 3: [2002] The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse - Jay-Z
Week 4: [2011] Follow Me Home/[2015] 90059 - Jay Rock
Week 5: [2007] Curtis - 50 Cent
Week 6: [1997] Ghetto D - Master P
Week 7: [2014] The Waters - Mick Jenkins
Week 8: [2012] Mysterious Phonk: The Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp - SpaceGhostPurrp
Week 9: [1996] h--- on Earth - Mobb Deep
Week 10: [2017] Bulletproof - Young Dolph
Week 11: [2018] Veteran - JPEGMAFIA
Week 12: [2003] Diplomatic Immunity Vol.1 - Dipset

 

Jan 11, 2018

I figured since we have one album from the 90's and one from the 10's we need a 00's album to things out. Jay-Z's The Blueprint was the first rap album I ever owned (along with Stillmatic). Even though the sequel, 2002's The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse is generally considered a letdown by fans and critics, I still bumped the living s--- out of it when and came out and still return to it occasionally. Like almost all double albums, condensing it down into a single disc makes would have made it a much better listen. He actually landed up doing just that when he released Blueprint 2.1 a little while later but that version is missing a few standouts. This album is loaded with guest features and most of them are on point. It also features (if I'm not mistaken) the first rapping collab between Hov and Kanye on The Bounce. Honestly, overall I feel this project is unfairly hated on. Perhaps not Jay's best but it does provide an interesting glimpse into a time when he ruled the game with an iron fist. Thoughts?

Spoiler: best songs

Pretty much this entire album besides these 2 songs have been removed from youtube.




definitely not the best songs, those in my opinion would go to:
The Watcher II ft. Dr. Dre, Rakim
Meet the Parents
Diamond Is Forever
A Dream ft. The Notorious BIG & Faith Evans
if you havent already, check 'em out.

Spoiler: mention list

@Big Dangerous
@Fire Squad
@Buddha
@Ordinary Joel
@Mraczewsky
@Rick James
@Bourbon Ben

 

Feb 26, 2018

No one seems to be on the site recently but f--- it. Also a few days late but also f--- it.

Alongside LiveLoveASAP, this album is arguably one of the most influential of the present decade, even though I'm not sure it gets even almost the recognition it deserves. The production on this album (or is it a mixtape?) was year ahead of its' time. To be fair, Rocky brought it all together better on his debut, SPG is a much less talented rapper. But its all about the beats and the atmosphere on this. The second track, Bringing the Phonk might be one of my favourite instrumentals of the decade so far. Its' a pity this dude's career never really took off. I'd be really curious to see what he'd be doing nowadays with the Florida scene getting as popular as it is. Anyways, if you're a fan of the A$AP/cloudy/atmospheric/interstellar sound then definitely check this out.

Spoiler: best songs

Spoiler: Mention List

@Big Dangerous
@Ordinary Joel
@Fire Squad
@Buddha
@Rick James
@Bourbon Ben
@Mraczewsky
@TimmyT
@awhellno
@Groovy Tony

 

Jan 12, 2018

officially making these my next listen. beyond time i jumped on the Beanie train.

I'm with you on this. obviously its no Blueprint or Black album but its not as awful as its made out to be. i remember the first time hitting play on Oh My God and thinking 'this is what everyones pissed about?' also Minority Report is incredible.

thanks man im gonna check this out

 

Jan 11, 2018

Blueprint 2, my least favorite Jay Z album. Highs are incredibly high (watcher 2) but has so so many fillers and boring moments it's ridiculous. I'm the type of person who listens to full album's only, I don't like playlists, but I had to make one for this album. It has like 10 songs if I'm not mistaken, I'd have to look it up. I don't know the reasoning behind putting out double disc,maybe he wanted to be like BIG? I don't know, but Biggie certainly could do it, It didn't work with Jay z imo. But it is a proof how goat he was, blueprint 2 has many extra strong songs, he just wanted to do too much on 1 album. Could be top3 of his career easily

Tldr: way too long

 

Dec 28, 2017

Things Fall Apart is the fourth studio album by The Roots. Their previous album, 96’s Illadelph Halflife put them on the map but this album took them to the next level. It’s widely recognised as a classic and possibly their best album yet. I still can’t believe it took me so long to get into The Roots. For anyone who hasn’t yet, this is probably the best place to start.

Spoiler: best songs

 

Jan 18, 2018

Double throwback this week. After Jay Rock dropped his new single featuring Kendrick and Hendrix off the Black Panther soundtrack/his new upcoming solo album, I found myself listening to his past 2 projects - his debut album Follow Me Home and its' follow-up 90059.

If I'm not mistaken, Follow Me Home was the first TDE project I ever heard - I remember hearing Rock on the 2011 XXL freshmen mixtape and being impressed. It was a pretty solid debut, with a handful of really good songs but probably could have been better. 4 years later after Kendrick and TDE exploded (and that renegade on Money Trees), the hype for 90059 was through the roof. The album starts off very strongly but kinda falters towards the end, not really going anywhere. Again, its a decent project but one cant help but feel he's capable of more. Is Rock the last TDE signee without a classic to his name? Will his next album be the one? Even though he's never made a project as good as Control System or Cilvia Demo, I still think he might be the most talented TDE member, after Kendrick. Or maybe he's doomed to just a features rapper. Thoughts?

Spoiler: Best songs

Spoiler: Best songs

Spoiler: Mention List

@Big Dangerous
@Ordinary Joel
@Fire Squad
@Buddha
@Rick James
@Bourbon Ben
@Mraczewsky

 

Jan 11, 2018

I'd say No Rest For The Sickest is a good one to start. It's his second album and arguably his best, or the last two. Engraved In The Game and Tradition.

 

Jan 11, 2018

He did it pretty much because he felt obligated to. Most of the rappers held in the highest regard (Pac, Big, Wu-Tang) had put out double albums and he felt like he also had to drop one to be on that level. He’s acknowledged on a few occasions that he recorded a bunch of filler tracks purely to pad the album out to two discs.

 

Jan 11, 2018

@SHUDEYE we got another one homie

to start though i usually reccomend people look up loosies off youtube. look up stuff like; fresh air/get used to me/i dont know if you know/never change. @SHUDEYE probs has a better idea for new listeners what album to start on. ill mention you in the kerser thread we got sav, cause theres a couple songs already posted in there

 

Jan 11, 2018

see this is what im talking about. i've heard this and a few other songs, he's talented af. whats the best project to start with?

 

Jan 4, 2018

There's been a lot of talk of revivalism in hip hop recently. YG, Mustard and now G Perico to some extent bringing back the traditional west coast sound, Joey Bada$$, pro Era and co. bringing back that old NY sound. At the same time, the traditional sounds of Houston have been picked up across the board, from the likes of A$AP Rocky and others. But Houston itself? besides for Travis Scott (who adopted a more ATLien sound), the scene has been pretty lifeless. Maxo Kream is the one who can change all of that. He debuted in 2013 with a mixtape called Quicc Strikes (HIGHLY recommend checking that out) and dropped his most recent project in 2016, entitled The Personna Tape. But undoubtedly his best work so far was 2015's Maxo 187, a dark and broody glimpse into the Texan's world. With razor sharp flows, an incredible knack for storytelling and screwed-up instrumentals, Maxo takes it back to the days of UGK and Scarface with his own unique twist.

Maxo will be dropping his debut album Punken later this month, but in the meantime, I'd recommend checking this out before it drops.

Spoiler: Best Songs

Spoiler: Mention List

@Big Dangerous
@Buddha
@Rick James
@Bourbon Ben
@Ordinary Joel
@Mraczewsky
@Fire Squad

 

Dec 28, 2017

Will give this a listen tomorrow! I'm guilty of not listening to The Roots so I'd like to rectify that.

 

Mar 1, 2018

I think I'm in the minority when I say I prefer Mobb Deep's second album h--- on Earth to their classic debut The Infamous. True, h--- on Earth has a slightly more polished feel but somehow it feels grimier, dirtier, even more sinister than its predecessor. A while ago I was compiling a top 100 list, which i never finished because i kept changing my mind about the order, but this album is absolutely still in my top 5.

There's no way I could pick a favourite song on here. Havoc's production is just flawless; it goes from quintessential mid-90's boom bap (Animal Instinct) to horror flick extravaganza (Bloodsport and Extortion) to one of the most perfect, clinical piano loops I've ever heard (Drop A Gem on 'Em, which is one of the best songs to come out of the east coast/west coast beef). More Trife Life must be the most sinister, terrifying instrumentals of all time (P absolutely murders this one by the way). The guest spots are perfect - Nas, m--- and Rae all k--- their features (would have loved a Ghostface feature on here though). Although Prodigy and Havoc's juice kinda dried up over time as they released subsequent albums, they were still on top Infamous-like form on this.

I'll say it before and I'll say it again: this s--- is a straight up classic. No question about it. Thoughts?

Spoiler: best songs

Spoiler: Mention List

@Big Dangerous
@Ordinary Joel
@Fire Squad
@Buddha
@Rick James
@Bourbon Ben
@Mraczewsky
@TimmyT
@awhellno
@Groovy Tony
@JIGGA MANE

 

Feb 26, 2018

Man I remember this s--- when I was in college, dude really had p--- and Mortal Kombat samples all over it. Amazing production though, didn't even care that most of those songs were already old.

Shame about how SPG's career panned out, had their been no drama or bs I could have seen him be a big name in that threshold below the mainstream circuit. Crazy how revisionist history now reflects how his aesthetic ended up being influential on the current crop of rappers.

 

Feb 26, 2018

I remember SAND for 2011 being in my friends rotation for the whole year

 

Feb 26, 2018

I remember after following him for so long I was so excited for this album. I was initially disappointed the album was just remasters plus like 4 new songs but I still grew to love it.
These days however I end up skipping through some of my old faves half way thru.

 

Jan 11, 2018

I haven't listened to BP2 in full since probably high school! I'll come back to post my blurb but to go back to this

I'd say listen to his first 3 Rocafella albums in chronological; The Truth is a solid debut that showcases his strengths as a storytelling genius and then The Reason was basically The Blueprint's prototype (heavily submerged in Just Blaze & Kanye West soul sampling) and finally the cream of the crop is The B. Coming which is a full realization of all his capabilities as a rapper along with a diverse soundplate to keep you entertained. His stuff on the State Property compilations are also stellar to check out after.

 

Jan 11, 2018

Oh yeah, never heard kingdom come, I don't want to tbh. I liked mchg, not his best but enjoyable, Im barely coming back to blueprint 2

 

Jan 11, 2018

yeah it is full of filler. But you can make a really good ± 12 song album out of the good material. worse than Kingdom Come and MCHG though?