Rap/Hip Hop Favorites Discussion

Spiddy suggested maybe some kind of favorite rapper type discussion, so I'll post a few questions here and you can answer what you like. Really we can just use these questions as a jumping off point for discussion. You can do top fives or just list some. Whichever.

Who are your all-time favorite rappers or hip hop artists/groups.



If you were to choose a favorite just lyrically or for their flow (as opposed to the overall package of the music they create) would it be different than the above answer.



What are your all-time favorite albums in the genre?



What about all time favorite songs?



Okay that will get us started. Tried to make it copyable/quotable. If you have another question to pose to the group feel free to.

Man, that Macklemore is really popular, huh? I heard on of his songs on a TV commercial for something or other. His NPR Tiny Desk Concert on youtube is worth a listen if you dig their stuff.

I feel about his jams the way I feel about most pop-rap; I'll listen to it if it's on, but I'm not going out of my way to listen to it.

I prefer the dirty stuff like Death Grips or Wacka Flocka. Now, I'm not saying those guys are musicians by ANY means; I just dig the jams. Youtube it and give it a go if you haven't heard them. And if that doesn't make you nod your head, search Bulgarian rap. Guaranteed to make your head nod.

I actually really like that thrift shop song by Macklemore. It's catchy, and it's just funny to hear a guy rapping about how awesome he is for being an average middle class dude... Though I'm sure he's rich by now.

As someone who doesn't listen to a ton of rap and has no idea what the difference between a mixtape and an album is supposed to be, my favorite rapper is Mos Def. Black on Both Sides is my favorite rap album. I love the lyrics and the music is more than interesting enough to keep me invested throughout the whole album.

for something more recent, I like Shabazz Palaces. Black Up is one of my favorite albums of the decade so far, but I wouldn't say it's the most consistent album out there

Black on Both Sides is one of my favorite albums as well and yet Mos Def's albums since that one have been really disappointing. It's a bummer.

The Macklemore success is really cool because they get most of the profits from sales. They have a publishing deal but are their own label.

Mos Def used to be superb. I haven't listened to him much after...I forget the album, but he just sounded silly.

Most of my favorite flows are East Coast. Growing up in Houston I'm also into UGK and 3rd coast stuff like Outkast and TI.

Some of my other favorite albums are:

Jay-Z - The Blueprint and The Black Album

Talib Kweli - Quality

Common - Be

If you guys like Mos Def, check out Blackstar if you haven't. That was him and Kweli's album. Another album I enjoy that is a bit out of my wheelhouse if The Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury.

I like some Kanye West songs, but that's as far as I go into the world of rap. It's just a musical genre for me. I have 4 of Kayne's albums on my iPod, and I think I like 808's and Heartbreaks the most.