that voicemail is probably the best skit on a record for 15 years
All of em tie the whole record together. I had some serious teenage flashes listening to this. I'm not feeling the over the top throaty ish at the end of Backseat Freestyle and the puberty cracks on m.A.A.d city, but otherwise this is a real solid album and one of the best rap records I've heard in a long, long, long time. Classic talk is warranted. I just bought it today and I think the purpose and execution creates the big picture. This is a focused album that needs a whole listen all the way thru. Dude is on it.
But my take on the sweeping positive reaction to this album is more people are hard up for something/anything to champion than it is an actual reflection of how good the album is.
Then again, Kendrick seems harmless to me and actually skillful/interesting in several ways, so I'd much rather it be him than lesser rappers getting all this pub.
Yeah this is spot on to how I'm feeling about it right now. It's a well made album but it's just not flooring me at the moment - I admire it but am not feeling an overwhelming urge to listen to it again and again. Willing to give it time though.
I still feel like there's a certain amount of collective eagerness from people to hold this up and say "See! See! Rap isn't all monosyllabic chants over trance beats or sickly shite from Canadians! Here is a proper album" and can't deny that I'd also like to see it do well based on the relative risk they've taken here (credit to the PR people here for the work they've done in crafting a marketable image for Kendrick based around this idea as well.)
Bassie, I agree on your view of Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q - I just tend to find that with Kendrick and Ab-Soul I lose interest when they're not paired with a more dynamic rapper. They can easily hold a track by themselves but their voices paired with the kind of production they favour has a sedating affect on me and I zone out on what they're actually rapping about. Schoolboy is the most interesting for me on that level, haven't heard enough Jay Rock.
Oh yeah - do people really thing he's parodying Kanye? Based on Section.80 my impression was that the baring of the soul displayed on MBDTF was actually an inspiration for the route he was taking than a point of parody.
If no, then props for being chilled enough that Bitch doesn't kill his vibe, no matter what Bitch does. That must annoy the hell out of her.
If yes, or should be barring grammatical lapse, then it becomes an imperative. If you have to order Bitch not to kill your vibe, time to move onto more accommodating Bitch methinks. One a tad less prone to vibicide.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
Junior said:
I still feel like there's a certain amount of collective eagerness from people to hold this up and say "See! See! Rap isn't all monosyllabic chants over trance beats or sickly shite from Canadians! Here is a proper album"
I understand what you mean here, but I'm not interested in paying those people too much attention. Personally, I think it is a "proper album" in the sense that it's something I'd want to listen to from end-to-end, but I don't know if that matters too much to anyone else, if indeed it should. It makes no difference to me whether or not other people experience music in the same way as I do. Sometimes people like to act that the rap album as self-contained, immersive listening experience has become a bit of an aberration, and that the only thing that really matters is what's hot on the block and then on to the next one. I happen to think rap's healthier as a whole when there's plenty of variety, and it's all of a decent standard. I also think 2012's been a solid year for rap, not least because rappers like Kendrick have stepped on all that wanky "I'm the answer to blabla/I'm the opposite of yadayada" condescension that certain rappers have made their hallmark and rendered it utterly redundant. All those Black Hippy kids sound to me as if the only thing they're interested in is being rappers, and that's why I like them. Let Common focus on his acting career, Lupe can finally fuck off altogether, and the rest can form an orderly line at the exit. Their plates just got cleaned.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
Side note here, but can we agree that Aquemini isn't Outkast's best album? For me, not only do I turn to their 1st couple albums more frequently, but that breaking from the mold action that Outkast started with Aquemini...which is what people seem to identify the album by...doesn't earn props from me as it's precisely what sent Andre especially into non-rap hyperbole. Point being, innovation is one thing, but abandoning the tried-and-true for any ole thing that a more pop-oriented audience will approve of just ain't where it's at to me.
Listening to Kendrick's song with MC Eiht on repeat right now...and when Kendrick comes back in once the beat changes, he sounds like a nervous 13 year old on the mic. Otherwise, the song is pretty much awesome.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
HarveyCanal said:
Side note here, but can we agree that Aquemini isn't Outkast's best album? For me, not only do I turn to their 1st couple albums more frequently, but that breaking from the mold action that Outkast started with Aquemini...which is what people seem to identify the album by...doesn't earn props from me as it's precisely what sent Andre especially into non-rap hyperbole. Point being, innovation is one thing, but abandoning the tried-and-true for any ole thing that a more pop-oriented audience will approve of just ain't where it's at to me.
Listening to Kendrick's song with MC Eiht on repeat right now...and when Kendrick comes back in once the beat changes, he sounds like a nervous 13 year old on the mic. Otherwise, the song is pretty much awesome.
It's an interesting point, but what I personally think makes Aquemini stand out isn't any perceived attempts at reaching a pop/crossover audience. I don't actually get too much of that from Aquemini, although perhaps you were alluding to how it affected the subsequent ones. But what always impressed me about it was the way they broadened a range that was already pretty broad to try and place themselves firmly at the heart of that whole continuum of Southern music.
Also I think that effect on m.A.A.d city is intentional. I read that particular part as Eiht playing the hardened gang-banger and Kendrick the shook kid who's out of his depth.
it's precisely what sent Andre especially into non-rap hyperbole.
Yeah, in retrospect, that really is a big-time shame. But at least Andre is killing it on that album.
Personally, I consider Southernplayalistic to be their best album. Most of my friends vote for ATLiens. But everybody holds Aquemini in very high regard, perhaps because it's the cap of an amazing three-album run (who else can go three-for-three and match that quality?), perhaps because it's the last great Outkast album.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
but that breaking from the mold action that Outkast started with Aquemini
didn't this start with ATLiens? who the hell saw ATLiens coming after something like Southernplayalistic?
not sure Outkast ever had a "mold" to begin with.
but yeah, Aquemini not the best.
I've been trying to come up with the last rap album to tell a "Day in the life" story from start to end......Help
You and I think Day bring up a good point - what are the more recent good "day in the life of a teenager" rap albums? Can't really think of any, but my mindgarden classics from the genre include Souls of Mischief's 93 til Infinity, Mobb Deep's the Infamous, NWA's Straight Outta Compton (granted, dudes were already old when that came out), and Snoop's DoggyStyle.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
edpowers said:
I've been trying to come up with the last rap album to tell a "Day in the life" story from start to end......Help
I've been trying to come up with the last rap album to tell a "Day in the life" story from start to end......Help
Sorta...
I was listening to Kenrick this morning and had a similar thought: what was the last good rap "concept album"? The first one that came to mind was Slaughtahouse and A Long Hot Summer was the second. I never really checked for Prince Paul's concept joints. They seemed too forced to me, but Kendrick pulls it off.
And precisely because good kid, m.A.A.d. city is a concept album, I'm not hearing any Aquemini similarities.
I'd also like to take a moment to big up Herm's comment about Dre's ghostwriters, Ed's Dr. Octagon snap, skel's hilarious punctuation/vibicide tangent, and pretty much everything Doc McCoy typed in this and all other threads.
Side note: the fact that I've only really listened to this album and the new Band of Horses all week seems to portend some sort of midlife crisis.
Comments
:comedy_gold:
^^^^^^^^^ Lupe Fiasco fan
All of em tie the whole record together. I had some serious teenage flashes listening to this. I'm not feeling the over the top throaty ish at the end of Backseat Freestyle and the puberty cracks on m.A.A.d city, but otherwise this is a real solid album and one of the best rap records I've heard in a long, long, long time. Classic talk is warranted. I just bought it today and I think the purpose and execution creates the big picture. This is a focused album that needs a whole listen all the way thru. Dude is on it.
Yeah this is spot on to how I'm feeling about it right now. It's a well made album but it's just not flooring me at the moment - I admire it but am not feeling an overwhelming urge to listen to it again and again. Willing to give it time though.
I still feel like there's a certain amount of collective eagerness from people to hold this up and say "See! See! Rap isn't all monosyllabic chants over trance beats or sickly shite from Canadians! Here is a proper album" and can't deny that I'd also like to see it do well based on the relative risk they've taken here (credit to the PR people here for the work they've done in crafting a marketable image for Kendrick based around this idea as well.)
Bassie, I agree on your view of Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q - I just tend to find that with Kendrick and Ab-Soul I lose interest when they're not paired with a more dynamic rapper. They can easily hold a track by themselves but their voices paired with the kind of production they favour has a sedating affect on me and I zone out on what they're actually rapping about. Schoolboy is the most interesting for me on that level, haven't heard enough Jay Rock.
Oh yeah - do people really thing he's parodying Kanye? Based on Section.80 my impression was that the baring of the soul displayed on MBDTF was actually an inspiration for the route he was taking than a point of parody.
Is there a comma after Bitch?
If no, then props for being chilled enough that Bitch doesn't kill his vibe, no matter what Bitch does. That must annoy the hell out of her.
If yes, or should be barring grammatical lapse, then it becomes an imperative. If you have to order Bitch not to kill your vibe, time to move onto more accommodating Bitch methinks. One a tad less prone to vibicide.
I understand what you mean here, but I'm not interested in paying those people too much attention. Personally, I think it is a "proper album" in the sense that it's something I'd want to listen to from end-to-end, but I don't know if that matters too much to anyone else, if indeed it should. It makes no difference to me whether or not other people experience music in the same way as I do. Sometimes people like to act that the rap album as self-contained, immersive listening experience has become a bit of an aberration, and that the only thing that really matters is what's hot on the block and then on to the next one. I happen to think rap's healthier as a whole when there's plenty of variety, and it's all of a decent standard. I also think 2012's been a solid year for rap, not least because rappers like Kendrick have stepped on all that wanky "I'm the answer to blabla/I'm the opposite of yadayada" condescension that certain rappers have made their hallmark and rendered it utterly redundant. All those Black Hippy kids sound to me as if the only thing they're interested in is being rappers, and that's why I like them. Let Common focus on his acting career, Lupe can finally fuck off altogether, and the rest can form an orderly line at the exit. Their plates just got cleaned.
Listening to Kendrick's song with MC Eiht on repeat right now...and when Kendrick comes back in once the beat changes, he sounds like a nervous 13 year old on the mic. Otherwise, the song is pretty much awesome.
It's an interesting point, but what I personally think makes Aquemini stand out isn't any perceived attempts at reaching a pop/crossover audience. I don't actually get too much of that from Aquemini, although perhaps you were alluding to how it affected the subsequent ones. But what always impressed me about it was the way they broadened a range that was already pretty broad to try and place themselves firmly at the heart of that whole continuum of Southern music.
Also I think that effect on m.A.A.d city is intentional. I read that particular part as Eiht playing the hardened gang-banger and Kendrick the shook kid who's out of his depth.
Yeah, in retrospect, that really is a big-time shame. But at least Andre is killing it on that album.
Personally, I consider Southernplayalistic to be their best album. Most of my friends vote for ATLiens. But everybody holds Aquemini in very high regard, perhaps because it's the cap of an amazing three-album run (who else can go three-for-three and match that quality?), perhaps because it's the last great Outkast album.
didn't this start with ATLiens? who the hell saw ATLiens coming after something like Southernplayalistic?
not sure Outkast ever had a "mold" to begin with.
but yeah, Aquemini not the best.
the hook on poetic justice reminds me of aaliyah.
this is wow:
http://rapfix.mtv.com/2012/10/25/shyne-dislikes-beats-kendrick-lamar-album/
ab and schoolboy albums are also highlights this year. (nibiru is dope too. reminds me of sped up massive attack.)
Um.
oh, is it? i could be wrong. it sounded like a sped up janet to me.
edit: okay, now i recognize the song!
You and I think Day bring up a good point - what are the more recent good "day in the life of a teenager" rap albums? Can't really think of any, but my mindgarden classics from the genre include Souls of Mischief's 93 til Infinity, Mobb Deep's the Infamous, NWA's Straight Outta Compton (granted, dudes were already old when that came out), and Snoop's DoggyStyle.
Sorta...
I was listening to Kenrick this morning and had a similar thought: what was the last good rap "concept album"? The first one that came to mind was Slaughtahouse and A Long Hot Summer was the second. I never really checked for Prince Paul's concept joints. They seemed too forced to me, but Kendrick pulls it off.
And precisely because good kid, m.A.A.d. city is a concept album, I'm not hearing any Aquemini similarities.
I'd also like to take a moment to big up Herm's comment about Dre's ghostwriters, Ed's Dr. Octagon snap, skel's hilarious punctuation/vibicide tangent, and pretty much everything Doc McCoy typed in this and all other threads.
Side note: the fact that I've only really listened to this album and the new Band of Horses all week seems to portend some sort of midlife crisis.
last line on the track with MC Eiht '(Compton, USA) Made (me an) Angel (on) Angel Dust'
This maad LP is fantastic in my opinion.
decent read...