Learning to love hip hop

Hello! So, basically, from the last year on, my musical views changed a lot.

Basically i grew up with the thought of like “Every genre that isn’t rock or metal sucks” due to influence of my uncle and cousins, and around a year ago, i finally started to set myself free from this way of thought, and i’ve been listening to many genres since then, soul, jazz, ambient, house, etc., but the one that stuck with me the most was hip hop.

I made a video talking a little more about that story, and also sharing what i’ve been enjoying in this hip hop circle during this period: A Metalhead Learns to Love Hip Hop - YouTube

The point of this topic is, based on what I talked about on my video in therms of favorite artists and albums so far, could you guys send me recommendations of what to listen next? I’d really appreciate some help to broaden my horizons a little. Thanks! =]

There is a thread on here called “help me broaden my hip hop horizons” which will help I think!

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Oh cool, thanks for that! I’ll definitely take some stuff from this list haha.

But any new recommendations in specific are still welcome here. =]

@moderators probably worth merging this thread into the

one

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Rolling HipHop thread too

https://community.drownedinsound.com/t/2020-rolling-hip-hop-thread/

@theShipment had an amazing thread on old DiS about his favourite 90’s hiphop tracks which was a great source of discovery for me. Can’t access it anymore sadly. Do you still have the list?

Watch HipHop Evolution on Netflix

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Follow the breadcrumb trail of rappers who feature on other stuff you like

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Check out the Take It Personal podcast: Extensive hip hop knowledge, untouchable tributes and great curation

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i dont think i wrote it down anywhere :confused:

sorry dont really want to sit through that youtube video. can you just list some of the acts you like?

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Sure thing, in the video i did three top tens, the ones of my favorite rappers so far, favorite songs and favorite album, here’s how they go:

List of albums i’ve already heard: https://i.imgur.com/lcX6ohV.png

List of albums i already want to listen (one per artist): https://i.imgur.com/bQBV1JV.png

Top 10 Rappers so far:
10 - Wyclef Jean (Fugees)
9 - Vinnie Paz (Jedi Mind Tricks)
8 - DMX
7 - The Notorious B.I.G.
6 - Tkay Maidza
5 - Black Thought (The Roots)
4 - R.A. the Rugged Man
3 - Kid Cudi
2 - Nas
1 - Lauryn Hill (Fugees)

Top 10 rap songs so far:
10 - “The Champ” - Ghostface Killah
9 - “Gangsta’s Paradise” - Coolio
8 - “New God Flow” - Kanye West & Pusha T
7 - “The Day” - The Roots
6 - “The Message” - Nas
5 - “Sky Might Fall” - Kid Cudi
4 - “Angelic Boy” - R.A. the Rugged Man
3 - “On the Eve of War (Meldrick Taylor Mix)” - Jedi Mind Tricks
2 - “Shook Ones (Part 2)” - Mobb Deep
1 - “Family Business” - Fugees

Top 10 rap albums so far:
10 - “Legacy of Blood” - Jedi Mind Tricks
9 - “Illmatic” - Nas
8 - “All My Heroes Are Dead” - R.A. the Rugged Man
7 - “The Score” - Fugees
6 - “Be” - Common
5 - “Man on the Moon: The End of Day” - Kid Cudi
4 - “How I Got Over” - The Roots
3 - “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” - Lauryn Hill
2 - “Deltron 3030” - Deltron 3030
1 - “It Was Written” - Nas

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Wyclef’s album the Carnival is lots of fun. Has one of my favorite rap tracks on it that shouts out the old school. Lauren’s verse on it is :fire:

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was gonna recommend this one since hes a fan of miseducation. carnival is a personal classic for me. a total mix of styles.

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really enjoy that you’ve crossed off albums by black eyed peas and ksi before stuff like 36 chambers or low end theory :smiley:

loads of classics on your want list so that’ll be fun to work through, I’d add resurrection by common and no need for alarm by del since you like them already

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pretty interesting group of stuff you have here. def missing a bunch of classics! you need to venture south and west a bit too, lets see here… some southern stuff to bounce you around a bit

  1. ugk - super tight (or any of their first 3 albums)
  2. outkast - aquemini (or any of their first 5 albums, bonus listen goodie mob - soul food)
  3. scarface - the diary (or any of his first 7 albums)
  4. devin the dude - just tryin ta live
  5. t.i. - trap muzik (or any of his first 4 albums)
  6. lil wayne - tha carter 1 or 2 (or my personal fav wayne album like father, like son)
  7. jeezy - thug motivation 101 (or any of his first 3 albums)
  8. 3 6 mafia - most known unknown
  9. young buck - buck the world
  10. future - pluto (or his classic run of mixtapes monster/beast mode/56 Nights)
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i can guarantee you the more rap you listen to the further down vinnie paz will drop on your list.

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venture out west a bit with…

  1. snoop - doggystyle (lump in dr dre - the chronic here)
  2. 2pac - me against the world (or all eyez on me)
  3. comptons most wanted - music to driveby
  4. dj quik - rhythmalism (has been my all time favorite album since 98, nasty raps and all)
  5. ice cube - death certficate (or any of his first 3.5 albums)
  6. spice 1 - 187 he wrote (or any of his first 4 albums)
  7. e-40 - refer to this thread
  8. mac dre - young black brotha for the mob stuff and genie of the lamp for hyphy stuff)
  9. the coup - kill my landlord (or any of their first 3 albums)
  10. the jacka - jack artist
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also read through these three threads if you have a couple months to spare:

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Hey guys! Thanks a lot for your suggestions, i’ll definitely check them out. Especially the wyclef jean one.

Yeah haha, I opted to check out stuff that is less “Acclaimed” too, just so i can compare the differences of what makes good and bad music (even though i didn’t hate the black eyed peas record and the KSi one was pretty okay). But both 36 chambers and low end theory are records that are very up there in my to listen list, i believe i will hear them this week still. haha

Perfect! I was looking for some stuff that I didn’t know and this list has plenty of it, i only know outkast, ti, lil wayne and future from there (maybe jeezy, isn’t he featured in that rihanna song?). I’m glad i’m seeing some unknown names, i will add them in my to listen list for sure, thanks! :smiley:

I see what you mean, I do like a lot his delivery style, but i agree that at points his lyrics are of a very questionable nature, especially when it comes to the homophobic stuff (that is the main reason why he isn’t in the top 5 in my list). But in general what i like the most about JMT is the beats so i feel less "raunchy’ listening to them. Hopefully vinnie will leave the top 10 soon, but i doubt On the eve of war will leave the top 10, i love that song so much xD

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