This, also, is way off - NWA resonated all over the map, from punk kids and skate rats, to suburban mall jocks and frat boys, to stick up kids on the east coast and gangbangers on the west, nerds to hair metal groupies, all the way to the white house. Don't get it twisted, NWA is easily one of the most influential groups in American pop music of ANY genre, any time period. Not just "us and our friends" (which on this site is a grouping so amorphous as to be rendered practically meaningless)
This whole subject is weird though. I wouldn't say "NWA is the Gen-X version of the Beatles" but I wouldn't say that about ANY group unless I was making a sonic comparison.
because so far dude summed it best here (both points)
additionally, seems even third-world gen-x'ers resonate alot more with rap music & inherently nwa's influence.
otherwise, tonyphrone's right about PE as sonic innovation.
everyone else, "do you like rap?" (or still see it as the global force that it is, arguably)
but in the end, its impact has been exaggerrated over the years
Maybe not for the average head or SStrut headcase, but how many people in this demographic (still) own and listen to this record (even if it is once a year) as opposed to others mentioned in the thread?
And to properly compare it to Sgt Pepper, are we not considering if people will be buying and listening to it 40yrs from now?
I just see it as...PE's undoubtedly amazing concept took off for a minute there but then died a quick and horrible death.
As opposed to, you can still readily find 10 groups just like NWA in any given city.
Black Power rap lasted more than a minute. The Coup? NWA? Brand Nubian? X-Clan...etc.
NWA and PE came out at just around the same time so how could they influence each other?
Going from memory. Bum Rush came out around around 8 months before and the Posse. And college radio was playing tracks from Nation around 5-6 months before SOC dropped.
Public Enemy's first album is way before that.
Yeah, my memory must be fading. I seem to remember at the beginning of 87 while and the Posse was late summer 87. But whatever.
In any case. I would not trade any of the PE shows that I went to from 87-92 for anything. While the one NWA I got to was
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
but in the end, its impact has been exaggerrated over the years
Maybe not for the average head or SStrut headcase, but how many people in this demographic (still) own and listen to this record (even if it is once a year) as opposed to others mentioned in the thread?
And to properly compare it to Sgt Pepper, are we not considering if people will be buying and listening to it 40yrs from now?
I just see it as...PE's undoubtedly amazing concept took off for a minute there but then died a quick and horrible death.
As opposed to, you can still readily find 10 groups just like NWA in any given city.
Black Power rap lasted more than a minute. The Coup? NWA? Brand Nubian? X-Clan...etc.
but in the end, its impact has been exaggerrated over the years
Maybe not for the average head or SStrut headcase, but how many people in this demographic (still) own and listen to this record (even if it is once a year) as opposed to others mentioned in the thread?
And to properly compare it to Sgt Pepper, are we not considering if people will be buying and listening to it 40yrs from now?
I just see it as...PE's undoubtedly amazing concept took off for a minute there but then died a quick and horrible death.
As opposed to, you can still readily find 10 groups just like NWA in any given city.
Black Power rap lasted more than a minute. The Coup? NWA? Brand Nubian? X-Clan...etc.
mad cats were biting that shit.
And where are they now?
Get familiar
Plaese, plaese...no.
U might omit Kanye but he did speak out against Bush.
Common never dropped the Black Power stuff.
And Nas' new album is PE level shit.
So to think that PE's influence to the game is completely gone kinds suspect to me.
NWA and PE came out at just around the same time so how could they influence each other?
Going from memory. Bum Rush came out around around 8 months before and the Posse. And college radio was playing tracks from Nation around 5-6 months before SOC dropped.
Public Enemy's first album is way before that.
Yeah, my memory must be fading. I seem to remember at the beginning of 87 while and the Posse was late summer 87. But whatever.
In any case. I would not trade any of the PE shows that I went to from 87-92 for anything. While the one NWA I got to was
i saw nwa in 87 right after they dropped and never saw them live again. it was a good show, but yeah, nothing like PE.
i remember having the NWA record with me at school once right after it came out. i remember cause nes had a shout out and i was pointing it out to someone. hell, i don't remember for sure or care, i'm positive they were influencing each other at some point anyway... and thats enough from me on this topic.
I'll do a quick poll of how many people born between 60 and 70 have certain records in their collection if I knew where the hell the pollling function was![/b]
I'll do a quick poll of how many people born between 60 and 70 have certain records in their collection if I knew where the hell the pollling function was![/b]
I don't think the rest of us have heard so much as a new single from Nas, much less the album.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
but in the end, its impact has been exaggerrated over the years
Maybe not for the average head or SStrut headcase, but how many people in this demographic (still) own and listen to this record (even if it is once a year) as opposed to others mentioned in the thread?
And to properly compare it to Sgt Pepper, are we not considering if people will be buying and listening to it 40yrs from now?
I just see it as...PE's undoubtedly amazing concept took off for a minute there but then died a quick and horrible death.
As opposed to, you can still readily find 10 groups just like NWA in any given city.
Black Power rap lasted more than a minute. The Coup? NWA? Brand Nubian? X-Clan...etc.
mad cats were biting that shit.
And where are they now?
Get familiar
Plaese, plaese...no.
U might omit Kanye but he did speak out against Bush.
Common never dropped the Black Power stuff.
And Nas' new album is PE level shit.
So to think that PE's influence to the game is completely gone kinds suspect to me.
None of their music sounds a darned thing like PE though.
I mean, if you are going to attribute any rap-related dissent to PE, you might as well skip to the chase and credit H. Rap Brown or Bobby Seale, or fuck it...Nat Turner.
I'll do a quick poll of how many people born between 60 and 70 have certain records in their collection if I knew where the hell the pollling function was![/b]
I'll do a quick poll of how many people born between 60 and 70 have certain records in their collection if I knew where the hell the pollling function was![/b]
"ownership" would still be an inaccurate measurement to the album's impact.
I'm surprised Prince hasn't been brought into this thread.
I realize that we as a group have realized that coming up with a Gen X Sgt. Pepper is largely a fool's errand, but if I were to throw out one more album that was..
a) Commercially successful
b) respected and loved even decades after its release
c) embraced by a large swath of the listening public
I don't think there is a definitive Sgt Peppers for our generation. Things are too varied for youth culture compared to back then. No matter what side of the rock/rap fence you are looking at it from, both sides are too strong. Back when Sgt Peppers was around, the rock side was definitively stronger with the mainstream youth so that is why that album gets loved & placed at the top of the lists. With Gen X it's too hard for a rock perspective to not step on the rap perspective's toes. Also I think location needs to be factored in, a UK point of view would probably be pretty different to a US point of view as far as Gen X is concerned.
I'll do a quick poll of how many people born between 60 and 70 have certain records in their collection if I knew where the hell the pollling function was![/b]
"ownership" would still be an inaccurate measurement to the album's impact.
Yes, but part of that impact imo is if it is relevant in people's lives...enough that they have it in their collection and still listen to it now and then.
99 Luft Balloons had an impact when it came out but how many people own it and pull it out now and then because they miss hearing it? Will record companies be able to thrill fans with new masters and books written around its writing and recording?
Sheeeeit, fools still call into oldies and classic rock radio requesting Lovely Rita....like they don't have it at home already!
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
I'm surprised Prince hasn't been brought into this thread.
I realize that we as a group have realized that coming up with a Gen X Sgt. Pepper is largely a fool's errand, but if I were to throw out one more album that was..
a) Commercially successful
b) respected and loved even decades after its release
c) embraced by a large swath of the listening public
I think you're onto something, but Purple Rain just might have come out too early for too many Gen X'ers. That, and it didn't necessarily "change the game".
though i have a hard time comparing it to sgt pepper and i'd rather listen to nevermind, but this one seems to have had the biggest impact on people from my generation. remember this guy?
disqualified due to conflict of interest. Macca = the boy is mine etc.
NEXT
Disqualifying Thriller? huh. This was the only album that truly reached the heights and popularity of Sgt. Pepper.
I'm surprised Prince hasn't been brought into this thread.
I realize that we as a group have realized that coming up with a Gen X Sgt. Pepper is largely a fool's errand, but if I were to throw out one more album that was..
a) Commercially successful
b) respected and loved even decades after its release
c) embraced by a large swath of the listening public
I think you're onto something, but Purple Rain just might have come out too early for too many Gen X'ers. That, and it didn't necessarily "change the game".
You're right. The "changing the game" category is its weakest. I agree that it wasn't some revolutionary sound odyssey shit, but I think one could argue that not a lot of stuff sounded like it when it came out, so it was kind of on some next shit, musically.
also....
ps, there was kufi rap?
I feel like here there was. You'd want to talk to the one Faux Rillz and perhaps the homie Young Phonics about that, though.
I think you're onto something, but Purple Rain just might have come out too early for too many Gen X'ers. That, and it didn't necessarily "change the game".
You're right. The "changing the game" category is its weakest. I agree that it wasn't some revolutionary sound odyssey shit, but I think one could argue that not a lot of stuff sounded like it when it came out, so it was kind of on some next shit, musically.
The Minneapolis sound was already well established by Purple Rain. It just was embraced at a bigger level.
In the interest of fairness, that's John Legend in that picture?
I thought it was Q-Tip. I didn't look closely enough. I'm not trying to unfairly put Legend in the kufi-rap category.
Although he is, evidently, a part of the V-neck sweater mafia. V-neck soul?
there's no unfair anything. he belongs right next to those guys in the Gap ad of music at this point. objectively speaking he's also the least talented member of that trio.
my pick is Nevermind - the comparison to Sgt Pepper is not going to be blow by blow because the world is a different place now. But I think Nevermind reached/es across all genres and fans and the impact of that record is going to last. You didn't have to like the music to see that it was not like anything else on the TV or radio at the time and how many indie record labels got above the poverty line as a result of the genre and its off-shoots blowing up. The breaking ground in sound and recording doesn't have to mean some fancy footwork in the studio, it just has to have a ripple effect over time. Kids everywhere were inspired to start bands seeing they didn't really have to know how to play well and the opportunity was there to go from bar band to megastars if the right people heard you. This may all be common sense to us and known to folks into music, but I think Nevermind brought it home for the general public. I would also mention the hype around the band and its members after the demise of Nirvana, the death of Cobain, the vilification of the woman is his life, the ink spilled, interviews given, clips shown and tabloid covers and all of it.
Comments
Its obviously Nirvana's Nevermind. Why? Because both have been worshiped by the editors and readership of Rolling Stone since the day they came out.
additionally, seems even third-world gen-x'ers resonate alot more with rap music & inherently nwa's influence.
otherwise, tonyphrone's right about PE as sonic innovation.
everyone else,
"do you like rap?" (or still see it as the global force that it is, arguably)
Get familiar
Yeah, my memory must be fading. I seem to remember at the beginning of 87 while and the Posse was late summer 87. But whatever.
In any case. I would not trade any of the PE shows that I went to from 87-92 for anything. While the one NWA I got to was
Plaese, plaese...no.
U might omit Kanye but he did speak out against Bush.
Common never dropped the Black Power stuff.
And Nas' new album is PE level shit.
So to think that PE's influence to the game is completely gone kinds suspect to me.
i saw nwa in 87 right after they dropped and never saw them live again. it was a good show, but yeah, nothing like PE.
i remember having the NWA record with me at school once right after it came out. i remember cause nes had a shout out and i was pointing it out to someone. hell, i don't remember for sure or care, i'm positive they were influencing each other at some point anyway... and thats enough from me on this topic.
^^^^THE TRUE RECORD TELEPATH!
I don't think the rest of us have heard so much as a new single from Nas, much less the album.
None of their music sounds a darned thing like PE though.
I mean, if you are going to attribute any rap-related dissent to PE, you might as well skip to the chase and credit H. Rap Brown or Bobby Seale, or fuck it...Nat Turner.
Oh. OK, thanks.
"ownership" would still be an inaccurate measurement to the album's impact.
I realize that we as a group have realized that coming up with a Gen X Sgt. Pepper is largely a fool's errand, but if I were to throw out one more album that was..
a) Commercially successful
b) respected and loved even decades after its release
c) embraced by a large swath of the listening public
and to a lesser degree
d) sonically/musically innovative and/or groundbreaking
I'd have to put up Purple Rain.
on a side note....
Is "V-neck sweater rap" the new "kufi rap?"
Yes, but part of that impact imo is if it is relevant in people's lives...enough that they have it in their collection and still listen to it now and then.
99 Luft Balloons had an impact when it came out but how many people own it and pull it out now and then because they miss hearing it? Will record companies be able to thrill fans with new masters and books written around its writing and recording?
Sheeeeit, fools still call into oldies and classic rock radio requesting Lovely Rita....like they don't have it at home already!
I thought about him too.
Prince > The Beatles
Is "V-neck sweater rap" the new "kufi rap?"
on a completely unrelated note, john legend is the lik.
ps, there was kufi rap?
ouch!
I think you're onto something, but Purple Rain just might have come out too early for too many Gen X'ers. That, and it didn't necessarily "change the game".
Disqualifying Thriller? huh. This was the only album that truly reached the heights and popularity of Sgt. Pepper.
- spidey
Yeah, I think we should be looking very late 80s (89)-very early 90s (92) ??
You're right. The "changing the game" category is its weakest. I agree that it wasn't some revolutionary sound odyssey shit, but I think one could argue that not a lot of stuff sounded like it when it came out, so it was kind of on some next shit, musically.
also....
I feel like here there was. You'd want to talk to the one Faux Rillz and perhaps the homie Young Phonics about that, though.
The Minneapolis sound was already well established by Purple Rain. It just was embraced at a bigger level.
In the interest of fairness, that's John Legend in that picture?
I thought it was Q-Tip. I didn't look closely enough. I'm not trying to unfairly put Legend in the kufi-rap category.
Although he is, evidently, a part of the V-neck sweater mafia. V-neck soul?
there's no unfair anything. he belongs right next to those guys in the Gap ad of music at this point. objectively speaking he's also the least talented member of that trio.
folks are still buying the record too if I'm reading this correctly...
lol - I don't know if John Legend pissed in your cheerios or left you after a one-night stand but dude plays piano - well - and can sing his ass off.
He played a lot on Kanye's records if I'm not mistaken.