Depends whoās behind them I guess. If The Grey Album had been produced by some faded, white dance DJ in a Hawaiian shirt, for example, then I can see how itād be a bad thing. I think it came from rge right place though. Probably the best thing Dangermouse has ever done.
5 Likes
Generally agree with you but dangermouse has enough craft and history of working in hip hop to make that a pretty harsh interpretation of whatās going on. Obviously youāre fine to not like it but think the idea that dm is laughing at hip hop and using it as a punchline to āproper musicā is way off
4 Likes
Yeah. 99% of mash up albums are fuck awful. This oneās ok though.
1 Like
Released 3 of my favourite records ever so gets a 5 for that yeah
3 Likes
Canāt think of a better record for walking around listening to on a balmy hot summerās day than blueprint. feel like youāre king of the world
3 Likes
reasonable doubt is always held up as one of THE classics but Iāve never really gotten on with it. itās fine, but never choosing to listen to it over the blueprint (or some of his non āclassicsā)
donāt think Iāve ever heard him, whatās his most famous song?
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Probably
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oh yeah i have heard that one. Iād say this track is a 3/5 for me
4 Likes
Got really into him at one stage, particularly Reasonable Doubt. I love the lyric āI tell you half the story; the rest you fill it in, long as the villain winā.
He is a genuinely interesting person, an American icon, yet also an enigma and hard to pin down. I like how heās kinda awkward in interviews but when you see studio footage heās completely confident in himself (see the clip of him recording 99 Problems). Also his laugh is totally infectious.
Thereās a great documentary from the Classic Albums series on Reasonable Doubt. He gives very candid interviews about his upbringing and his approach to the lyrical choices he was making. You can pick up a DVD copy up for like two quid online. Clip from it here: The Making of Reasonable Doubt: Dead Presidents - YouTube
Gave him a 4 as his discography is super patchy and hasnāt been doing much for me since Magna Carta.
3 Likes
Used to pop it on every Friday as I walked out the office 
2 Likes
This is me and Illmatic (which I know is heresy).
Stone cold banger
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For a man so well known for celebrating the life of the hustler, he has an extraordinary streak of songs about the down sides of that lifestyle. He raps beautifully about the reasons why people get into that life, and the struggles of living it.
From Reasonable Doubt, his debut album:
āWell we hustle out of a sense of, hopelessness
Sort of a desperation
Through that desperation, we 'come addicted
Sorta like the fiends we accustomed to servingā
āIād rather die enormous than live dormant thatās how we on itā
āMy mind is infested, with sick thoughts that circle
Like a Lexus, if driven wrong itās sure to hurt you
Dual level like duplexes, in unity, my crew and me
Commit atrocities like we got immunity
You guessed it, manifest it in tangible goods
Platinum Rolexed it, we donāt lease
We buy the whole car, as you should
My confederation, dead a nation, EXPLODE
On detonation, overload the mind of a said patient
When it balls to steam, it comes to it
We all fiends gotta do it, even righteous minds go through this
True this, history school us to spend our money foolish
Bond with jewelers and, watch for intruders
I stepped it up another level, meditated like a Buddhist
Recruited lieutenants with ludicrous, dreams of
Getting cream letās do this, against T-D-S
So I keep one eye open like, C-B-S, ya see me
Stressed right? Can I live?ā
āThis shit is wicked on these mean streets
None of my friends speak
Weāre all trying to winā
To be honest, I could quote the whole of both of those songs.
At his peak, he could also rap about money cash and hoes better than anyone. His delivery of these lines is ingrained in my brain.
āOn the canopy, my stamina be, enough for Pamela Anderson Lee
MTV jam of the week
Made my money too long for gamblinā with meā
9 Likes
Was just listening to DāEvils!
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I always found this sad. Something about āside sprayed upā is so gross too.
Hospital days, reflectin when my man laid up
On the Uptown high block he got his side sprayed up
I saw his life slippin, this is a minor set back
Yo, still in all we livin, just dream about the get back
That made him smile though his eyes said, āPray for meā
Iāll do you one better and slay these ****** faithfully
3 Likes
And if you donāt like this, you need better ears:
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Think heās probably the first HGATR pick so far that is very slightly overrated. At his absolute best, over a decent Premier or Timbaland beat, heās pretty much untouchable. He is very inconsistent though, and there is some proper shite in his discography.
Sure Iām in the minority, but way prefer 90s Jay Z to 00s Jay Z. The In My Lifetime albums are patchy af, but make an album from the best tracks from all three and it would make any all timer list. Most of his guest verses from this period absolutely kill as well. Obviously totally rate the Blueprint and Black Albums, but aside from the odd track, he never seemed quite as on it. Kingdom Come was dire, and After American Gangster (which was ok) you really have to sift through some garbage to find anything decent. Havenāt listened to a thing heās done after Magna Carter, cos it put me off him for life. Basically, ālook at all this shit I gotā for an entire album. I truly hope @Bamnan never has to hear it.
Reckon 4 is about right. Beyond brilliant at his peak, but the bad stuff is bad enough to pull him down. Gets bonus credit for smashing his Glastonbury set and making all of the rockist bores that were crying about him headlining DISAPPEAR IN SHAME.
3 Likes
they donāt make 'em like this any more
I like this one best I think, great pay-off right at the end there
3 Likes