Hip Hop Albums you should get if you haven't already

[okayplayer]

I just wanted to post some albums that I have picked up recently and have been impressed with, and maybe some quick thoughts. I don't really post or visit OOT much, except on weekends occasionally, but I had been meaning to post about these (sorry if some of these albums have been reviewed or talked about recently).

DangerDoom: The Mouse and the Mask - MF Doom and Danger Mouse (from The Grey Album fame) come together for a their own Madvillainy. Doom is his usual off the wall, what-the-hell-did-he-just-say self, with his sick flow and Danger Mouse provides some very interesting beats. I am getting a little tiresome of the Adult Swim interludes/skits (I'm not a big AS fan).

Atmosphere - You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having - this is already talked about in another thread, but it's a great album.

Cage: Hell's Winter - I'll be the first to admit, I'm not really a big Cage or Weathermen fan, but the album is good. And he's clean now, so it's not your typical drug talking sht. Lyrically, Cage is VERY good; possibly the most slept-on white boy other than Brother Ali. He enlists some very good producers: El-P, RJD2, DJ Shadow and Blockhead (I'm not a huge fan, but he comes nice here).

Blackalicious: The Craft - This is a great album, one of my favorites this year. Gift of Gab's flow is just sick, and he brings it with this album. Chief Xcel really stepped up his game on this one. Only misstep is Egosonic Wardrums, which isn't really bad (it's actually kind of catchy), but it's not up to par with the rest of the album.

Little Brother: The Minstrel Show - LB's sophomore album is another great one (if you haven't heard the Listening, PICK IT UP!!!). I have been a fan ever since The Listening, and have followed Big Pooh and Phonte through each of their respective projects (Sleepers and Foreign Exchange, respectively), and 9th Wonder's beats have been EVERYWHERE this last year, and to be honest, I was actually starting to get a little tired of the 9th Wonder/Justus League sound, but The Mistrel Show is still a very good album. Hiding Place with Elzhi (he is possibly the top lyricist around) is fantastic.

I'm sure everyone has Common and Kanye, so I won't list them, but I do want to add one more, which came out a while ago and most people haven't heard about it:

Charizma (/Peanut Butter Wolf) : Big Shots - PBW is (well, now was) one of the most slept on producers (he's now concentrating on running his label (Stones Throw)), and he combines here with a great San Jose lyricist who unfortunately found the same fate as Big L. Actually, Charizma and Big L are somewhat similar in their rhyming (both very dope) style. This album was made a long time ago, and it finally found light on shelves a (couple?) year ago. This album gives me that feel-good early 90s hip hop vibe.

[ThaSaltCracka]

Haha, nice thread. I have only listened to Cage's CD once, need to check it out again. The new Blackalicious is dope.

Some other new ones I like.

Three 6 Mafia- Most Known Unknowns.
Mack 10- Hustla's Handbook
Tragedy Khadafi- Thug Matrix


I am liking all three, wirh Tragedy's being the best of the three, followed by 3-6.

[jnalpak]

good post:

I would have to throw -

Handsome Boy Modeling school - White Boy



Probably Prince Paul and D the automators best album together or apart in a long time...

PS. didnt think minstrel show was as great as it was hyped by the critics...

[B Dids]

The Craft and Minstrel Show both blow. Avoid at all costs (and I am/was a huge Blackalicious fan).

[ClassicBob]

[ QUOTE ]
good post:

I would have to throw -

Handsome Boy Modeling school - White Boy



Probably Prince Paul and D the automators best album together or apart in a long time...

PS. didnt think minstrel show was as great as it was hyped by the critics...

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you define "a long time?' Because Handsome Boy's previous album "So, How's Your Girl?" is far superior to "White People."

[Notorious G.O.B.]

Since you mentioned Peanut Butter Wolf, have you ever heard Captain Funkaho? I liked a song of his a long time ago go, but haven't been able to find anything by him since. I'm not a rap expert by any means, incidentally.

[okayplayer]

[ QUOTE ]
Since you mentioned Peanut Butter Wolf, have you ever heard Captain Funkaho? I liked a song of his a long time ago go, but haven't been able to find anything by him since. I'm not a rap expert by any means, incidentally.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, I haven't heard it, but Stones Throw puts out quality music.

<responding to other posts in thread now...>

I do agree that Minstrel Show was a little over-hyped, but it is a good album. The production is good (yes, a little familiar, but still good) and the lyrics are on point. And, they are actually "saying something" instead of just talking about rims, and diamonds and sht. But I do know that some people just don't dig LB, so I can accept that.

Seriously, you thought the Craft blows? I thought this was a very creative album, and a very good one.

Handsome Boy Modeling School was a very solid album as well.

Another great album that was slept on was Edan's "Beauty and the Beat". It is a very creative sound, with Edans quality flow. It's kind of like 60s psychedelic rock meets hip hop.

Another solid album was K-OS, "Joyful Rebellion". A bit eclectic at times, but I like it.

[B Dids]

I can pretty much tell from your username that you and I have dissimilar views on hip-hop.

The Craft is a pale comparison to Blackalicious's better work and it makes me sad.

The Craft :: Melodica : Any Roots albums post TFA :: Organix

[xadrez]

Well, its not exactly an album but Dj Andrew Unkown and Dj Mekalek's mix CD "Aint No Love: The Lost Freestyle Sessions Part 2" is amazing.

Random review I found on google

[Georgia Avenue]

Thanks a lot for the reviews! I've been really into that newest K-os album also...but I haven't bought any new junx in a while.

Ever heard of this NY kid: Rise? Had a song or two with Wordsworth at some point...Incredible. Just got his best of off of the Intrenett (here )