WHAT IS THE STATE OF UNDERGROUND HIP HOP?
RAJ
tenacious local 7,782 Posts
I haven't paid attention in a few years. Kids still wear backpacks and like nasaly white MCs who speak in tongues? Clue me in.
Comments
1-Holders on
Back when underground hiphop popularity was at a high a lot of random groups started coming out guetting support from the scene (the market was bigger). Like a micro version of all the new rapper explosion now. For all the Atmosphere's getting real big success there are the demigodz, apathy, copywrite etc. that were hot for a minute but have not released shit yet and a lot of crew subsiduaries (psychological getting broken down into individual rappers, jedi mind solo shit etc, and a bunch of justice league variations)These groups enjoy a loyal fanbase (holders on) but there output is not super relevant, and there are about a million of them. (think about ordering all the new releases from hiphopsite that are hyped per month)for the record though i have barely listened to any of this shit. Think about it as the opening shows for a good rapper in your local town. There are 3 opening acts from youre city. Some cuts are dope some beats are cool. Will you remember a lot of these guys let alone cop there album...?
2- The grinders
Cats that were able to distinguish themselves, Murs, Felt, SV, aesop, blueprint, blockhead and putting out relatively good material (varying on taste please no Faux scratch out) but are oscilating in the underground/commercial limbo and still broke at the end of the day.
3- Next level shit
Cats like madlib, Jneiro jarel,count bass D the broken beat/downtempo philly scene, bbc1 that are experimenting with hiphop roots and are branching out to jazz musicians and brazilian musicians and are inter-collaborating. They get high accolades from the "alternative media" and set themselves up with nice situations good label/fanbase/music ala stonesthrow
thats it
hard to keep up with this shit though as rap is sprawling faster than California suburbs yet fueled by those same suburbs. Ironic isnt it.
yeah theres da rant
If you want I can burn you a copy of my mix-cd. Pretty much underground hip-hop that hopefully won't make you cringe (no white rappers).
Chops "Virtuosity" was the last underground rap cd i bought like 2 years ago. anybody else like it?
DOOKEY (so was "Chilltown, NY" which I bought at the same time)!!!!! (flush sounds in background).
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
LETS OPEN THIS SHITS UP
I dare you to argue!
Yeah, that would be nice.
i thought each track really complemented the emcees, and the album as a whole was well made. i'm really surprised that nobody likes it, besides myself. I thought Bahamadia, Talib Kweli, Planet Asia, all of 'em killed it. Course there's like 5 songs that are crap, but i just skip those. I also think it grew on me, cuz it got a lot of play in the car. I'm not one for sloppy beats and rhymes, ala Hieroglyphics, MF Doom, etc.
????
There's plenty of good stuff out there.
But everyone knows Soul Strut is not the place to find any love for it.
Only constant shit bagging & crap talking from people who probably in all likelihood, haven't actually heard what they are castigating.
What I love is the Irony.
I guess Jay Dee is the exception to the rule. He was basically a lot of underground heads production hero.
Or do others not consider what he made underground. I thought he was contributing a fistful to the state of the underground scene. Or has he conveniently been take out of that equation by the selective few who are uncomfortable with the domain in which he worked? Just curious.
Just some recent favourites...
Nah, i'm not up for an argument today, just saying that there is plenty of good music within the scene.
First of all, AYO![/b]
Now,
But everyone knows Soul Strut is not the place to find any love for it.
Only constant shit bagging & crap talking from people who probably in all likelihood, haven't actually heard what they are castigating.
What I love is the Irony.
I guess Jay Dee is the exception to the rule. He was basically a lot of underground heads production hero.
Or do others not consider what he made underground. I thought he was contributing a fistful to the state of the underground scene. Or has he conveniently been take out of that equation by the selective few who are uncomfortable with the domain in which he worked? Just curious.
Dude, just because Dilla was somebody's "production hero" doesn't mean that they are making music as good as his. If I had a dollar for every shit band "influenced" by the Beatles...
Anyway, I don't think many people here are hattin "underground" shit just for the sake of it, so whether or not Dilla was a part of said underground is meaningless. I think people just dislike what they see as a real lack of quality within that scene as a whole right now. That's all.
That just wasn't my "flava" of hip-hop. I found it quite corny and soulless, honestly. I didn't like one track.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Nah sucka, but you never sent me a copy!
The scene is massive, so I can't see how everyone can be so judgemental on it's content when they haven't heard a lot of it.
We get sent loads of stuff.
There's a lot that isn't much chop, but there is also a heap that is great. Our magazine is primarily focused on the 'underground' sound. So naturally we are privy to more than the average head & therefore I see things differently.
Of the 9 records above, how many can honestly say, 'Yes I listened to every minute of every track on them & hated them all'. No, my assumption (and it is an assumption) is that people are dismissive because it's the cool thing to do these days.
I'm still wondering wether the DJ Shadow factor will make Keak Da Sneak hip in the UK press.
You mean much in the same way someone can go to a club in Australia see White people imitating Black pop culture in America (very poorly at that) and think that they don't want anything to do with it?
you impress me.
I was actually surpised that I enjoyed this album as much as I did. I really wanted it to suck because I don't like the cunninglynguists but it's kind nice.
What the fuck is wrong with Keak?
Turn your brain on & don't manipulate to your own fantasy agenda.
Cashless... I really don't know what to say to you dude.
Except. You're one amazing dude who has his pulse on the inner workings of the entire world.
Where's that 'invisible' power switch? ha!