Official Hip Hop Thread

[DJTJ]

Anyone thinks Kanye has gone batshit crazy? I cringed at his last twitter rant.

Dude needs help.

He needs to lay off twitter, but the Wiz thing was super funny. Let me insult you while saying I love how you dress is one of the most Kanye thing ever.

And telling Wiz Kanye's the only reason he has a kid? Damn.

 

[Ohio]

It was a publicity stunt to promote his album.

Not the first time he's done it and surely won't be the last.

Kanye knows what he's doing.

 

[NtG]

After a second listen through, Waves and FML have grown on me. So make that 3 songs that are worthwhile on this album. The auto-tune is just so bad.

 

[melecoaze]

It was a publicity stunt to promote his album.

Not the first time he's done it and surely won't be the last.

Kanye knows what he's doing.

I don't know. Asking Mark Zuckerberg for money on Twitter and then saying he's more important than a school in the "country" of Africa is not very smart no matter how people spin it.

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[Ohio]

I don't know. Asking Mark Zuckerberg for money on Twitter and then saying he's more important than a school in the "country" of Africa is not very smart no matter how people spin it.

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He just released an album and this is just another way to get his name in the news for promoting purposes...

It's smart if he cares about getting more sales. As for his reputation, he clearly has never given a shit.

 

[camakazee]

Graduation is by far my favorite Kanye album, personally. I love Yeezus, and I know a lot of people don't, but I respect artists doing what they want. That album went hard. It was gritty. And grungy. And a shocking album put out by a master of classic beats.

For me, TLOP is next level. It's a gospel album. He said it. The material, largely, is Kanye growing up; realizing his life now exists to put food on the table for Kim, North, and Saint. It's about his relationship with God. It has amazing features. Chance is top five for me right now. Very, very close to breaking through the top three of Cole, Drake, Kendrick (the order changes weekly). Frank Ocean is thankfully alive.

I adored TLOP simply because of the production. It's obvious Kanye never goes hard. It's obvious the material isn't as talented as anything pre-Yeezus. His talent in production is unmatched. You can listen to the whole album, and you can hear how much work is put into the beats, which is a lost art.

Kanye/J. Cole are probably my two favorite producers/rappers. Tyler The Creator is also incredibly talented behind the scenes.

I overvalue production, obviously. Hope that answers your question, man!

I appreciate the feedback and I see where you're coming from regarding the production values. But I feel like lyrically Kanye fell off of a cliff five years ago. I mean, I get nostalgic regarding the album, but I hear lyrics like this from The College Dropout:

Kanye West - Never Let Me Down
[Verse 2: Kanye West]
I get down for my grandfather who took my mama
Made her sit in that seat where white folks ain't want us to eat
At the tender age of 6 she was arrested for the sit-ins
And with that in my blood I was born to be different
Now niggas can't make it to ballots to choose leadership
But we can make it to Jacob's and to the dealership
Swear I hear new music and I just don't be feelin' it
Racism's still alive, they just be concealin' it
But I know they don't want me in the damn club
They even made me show ID to get inside of Sam's Club
I done did dirt and went to church and get my hands scrubbed
Swear I've been baptized 'least 3 or 4 times
But in the land where niggas praise Yukons and getting paid
Its gonna take a lot more than coupons to get us saved
Like it take a lot more than doo rags to get you waves
Nothing sad as that day my girl's father passed away
So I promised to Mr. Rainey I'm gonna marry your daughter
And you know I gotta thank you for the way that she was brought up
And I know that you were smiling when you see the car I bought her
You sent tears from heaven when you seen my car get balled up
But I can't complain what the accident did to my left eye
Cause look what an accident did to Left Eye
First Aaliyah now Romeo must die
I know I got angels watching me from the other side

And I see great rhyme schemes, conscious rap, social calls to action, and lines everyone can relate to.

Then I hear something like this from the new album (yes this is the full "verse"):

Kanye West - Waves
[Verse 1: Kanye West]
Step up in this bitch like (turn it up!)
I'm the one your bitch like
Yeah I'm the one your bitch like
And I be talkin' shit like
I ain't scared to lose a fistfight
And she grabbin' on my dick like
She wanna see if it'll fit right
That's just the wave

And it looks like something written by a 10 year old in juvie. It's garbage and I'm just not sure how anyone can think otherwise. I guess I just don't understand "kids these days" in my old age

 

[Ohio]

Yeah he essentially says nothing in about half the songs on this album

Actually, those songs probably would be better off if he literally said nothing Just go Pink Floyd and ride a musical wave for 5+ minutes

 

[MoneyMP3]

I'm very intrigued by the Kayne is a genius/this album is amazing crowd after listening to TLOP. I'm curious as to why these people think that and what else they usually listen to.

Full disclaimer: The College Dropout is one of my favorite albums of all time, but I find it hard to even classify albums like Yeezus or TLOP as hip hop. Not trying to call anyone out in here, but @DJTJ @MoneyMP3 care to elaborate?

I should start this out by saying I'm a huge Ye fan. Dude got me into hip hop. As far as what I listen to, I listen to pretty much every type of rap. Honestly to me, in my opinion, this album sounds like a mix of every Kanye album (sound wise) rolled into one. I won't lie and say its perfect or that its up there with MBDTF cause it's def not. MBDTF is one of the best albums of this century and I'd be amazed if Ye released an album anywhere near that good again. I just really enjoy it.

 

[JJ Smooth]

I'll throw my hat into the Kanye conversation. I haven't had the opportunity to really pore over The Life of Pablo, but I will say I've always been a fan. Talking with one of my buddies as a fellow hip hop aficionado we both subscribe to the idea of Kanye making great concept albums. From a production and mood standpoint he's one of the best, and even the most anti-Kanye personalities might find that hard to dispute. On the other hand, lyrically he stumbles frequently especially with the back half of his catalogue.

Conceptually, his first three albums are perfect in building that narrative starring good ol' Dropout Bear. The harsh realizations of education and life detailed on The College Dropout (just listen to "Starship" or that cynicism in the skits) starts it all off, and with a mix of wit and one liners it's no wonder this is a perennial favorite and all-time classic. Late Registration shows the portrait of the artist as a young man as he comes to self-realization, and finally culminating with the success story detailed on Graduation. I like old Kanye just as much as the rest of you, but as a narrative triptych here that story has been told. As a character on these albums that wide-eyed and snarky Kanye is in full effect, but as he reaches maturation (or that "graduation") into hip hop elite the character turns into something for the worse.

I'm torn on 808s and Heartbreak as I'm always happy when hip hop artists attempt to branch out, and this was a valiant effort. The music genre is sometimes extremely handcuffed, although I feel this past decade has seen something of a resurgence or willingness to break out and be different (arguably led by Kendrick's two socially conscious albums). Okay, back to 808s. This was the best and worst thing for Kanye as it was delightfully different with a few standout tracks, but he's now firmly entrenched into the belief that autotune and singing makes things arty or adds character. I believe this album is kind of frowned on not because of the production values, but it was the start of the Kanye character turn into more simplistic lyrics and the hint at his next direction for the second trilogy of albums.

With My Beautiful, Dark Twisted Fantasy and Yeezus we have the Kanye corrupted by excess, ego, and fame. As if that original George Condo MBDTF cover featuring the demonic Kanye was responsible for all the lyrics. Take the character detailed in "Power" for example and amplify it with a god-complex and anger at critics and you get "Black Skinhead" or "New Slaves". It is in some of those tracks that we see the best example of the new bipolar Kanye. Just when we think he's working on something poignant or meaningful the anger boils up in the form of primal screams ("I Am a God" or "I'm In It"), or tacky lyrics that crush the good will he was just building up (all those Hampton lyrics in "New Slaves" or that "bleached asshole" line on "Pablo"). I'll still categorize MBDTW as a classic, but the reaction to Yeezus was rough because Kanye went down the ugly character rabbit hole too fast and too deep. As a storyteller it fits the narrative, but I just don't give that record too many spins.

I'm digging the limited listens I've done for "Pablo" as it represents the redemption album of the character started in MBDTW. A god-like character experiencing a little introspection and salvation, and thus that "gospel" tag truly fits. The solid production goes miles and makes up for some lackadaisical lyrics (still), but I plan to really dig in soon. It's a satisfying conclusion to the narrative wrapped in a piss-poor album cover. Like Picasso, it makes me wonder what period Kanye will enter for his next album.

 

[camakazee]

I should start this out by saying I'm a huge Ye fan. Dude got me into hip hop. As far as what I listen to, I listen to pretty much every type of rap. Honestly to me, in my opinion, this album sounds like a mix of every Kanye album (sound wise) rolled into one. I won't lie and say its perfect or that its up there with MBDTF cause it's def not. MBDTF is one of the best albums of this century and I'd be amazed if Ye released an album anywhere near that good again. I just really enjoy it.

Once again, I appreciate your feedback. I guess this raises my ultimate question: Does Kanye West have such a dedicated, unabashed following that he simply cannot go wrong?

After listening to TLOP and seeing so many positive reactions I've become Mugatu screaming "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!" as everyone praises Derek Zoolander for all of his "different" looks.

Has Kanye become art to the point that he can rap "what the fuck right now? what the fuck right now? what the, what the fuck right now? what the fuck right now? what if we fucked right in the middle of this motherfuckin' dinner table?" in the middle of a song (Freestyle 4) and people will tell me I "just don't get it?" That's the only realization that I can come to. It's art.

 

[NorthCoastBias]

Well, another wacko rant from Kanye and it looks like his album won't be available anywhere but Tidal. Not about to pay $40 a month for a third rate, failing music streaming service to listen to what's been described as a pretty average to mediocre album.

 

[Ohio]

Once again, I appreciate your feedback. I guess this raises my ultimate question: Does Kanye West have such a dedicated, unabashed following that he simply cannot go wrong?

After listening to TLOP and seeing so many positive reactions I've become Mugatu screaming "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!" as everyone praises Derek Zoolander for all of his "different" looks.

Has Kanye become art to the point that he can rap "what the fuck right now? what the fuck right now? what the, what the fuck right now? what the fuck right now? what if we fucked right in the middle of this motherfuckin' dinner table?" in the middle of a song (Freestyle 4) and people will tell me I "just don't get it?" That's the only realization that I can come to. It's art.

Yes, Kanye has stans. Plenty of them.

 

[camakazee]

I'm digging the limited listens I've done for "Pablo" as it represents the redemption album of the character started in MBDTW. A god-like character experiencing a little introspection and salvation, and thus that "gospel" tag truly fits. The solid production goes miles and makes up for some lackadaisical lyrics (still), but I plan to really dig in soon. It's a satisfying conclusion to the narrative wrapped in a piss-poor album cover. Like Picasso, it makes me wonder what period Kanye will enter for his next album.

This is a very good write-up. And I fully agree with the bulk of it until this last paragraph. The admittedly lackadaisical lyrics keep it from having any sort of real theme or cohesiveness. I think the fact that he changed the tracklist a couple of times heading into the release shows that he was just throwing tracks together at the end.

The funny part is that I've seen a few professional reviews reference the whole Picasso thing and that's not even who the album is named after. Kanye admitted it's named after Paul the Apostle, who he must think was hispanic.

 

[MoneyMP3]

Just saw the Ye is reworking some songs before he actually releases the album. Which is good. but man, this album release has been nothing short of a clusterfuck.

 

[Ohio]

Wait, so it isn't actually done yet?

What the fucking fuck....