I think I like HIP HOP again. Tell me about all the great things I missed in my 4 year hiatus

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The only album I have bought in the last few years is Madvilliany, and I have felt little desire to listen to all my old hip hop stuff for quite awhile.
But recently I listened to Road to the Riches while driving around Chicago and it sparked something. Just now I found myself digging a bunch of songs on the radio, such as that 50/Game one and that Mike Jones one.
What were the highlights of the last few years, and what should I be on the lookout for as far as new stuff goes? Pointing me to other threads and/or sites would be appreciated, too.

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:37 (twenty years ago)

The Streets?

― Aerodynamic (Aerodynamic), Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:43 (twenty years ago)

Haha

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

If you like the mike jones one, his album drops April 19th!

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Thursday, 7 April 2005 23:10 (twenty years ago)

But you only "think" you like it again. Maybe you should wait a while to be sure.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 7 April 2005 23:13 (twenty years ago)

haha

but yeah there are samples of the album up here:

http://store.wbr.com/store/product.asp?upc=093624932529&sys=wbr

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Thursday, 7 April 2005 23:19 (twenty years ago)

yeah i went to buy that mike jones today thinking it already was out. more stuff like that please!
xpost

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 7 April 2005 23:19 (twenty years ago)

You can always buy some of the swishahouse mixes too. I like "The Day Hell Broke Loose 2" but there are a bunch out there. Same kind of stuff.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Thursday, 7 April 2005 23:20 (twenty years ago)

The samples on that site are all fucked up by the way.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Thursday, 7 April 2005 23:22 (twenty years ago)

like they work but are all mislabelled.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Thursday, 7 April 2005 23:22 (twenty years ago)

Busta Rhymes - "Pass the Courvoisier" has been ruling my world lately.

― What we want? Sex with T.V. stars! What you want? Ian Riese-Moraine! (Eastern Ma, Friday, 8 April 2005 01:42 (twenty years ago)

what were you listening to these past 4 years that made you forget about hip-hop, oops?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 8 April 2005 01:44 (twenty years ago)

david. banner.

― strng hlkngtn, Friday, 8 April 2005 01:58 (twenty years ago)

haha we've clearly changed psychic places though

― strng hlkngtn, Friday, 8 April 2005 02:01 (twenty years ago)

More great things:

Devin the Dude, Just Tryin' Ta Live (Rap-a-Lot), To Tha X-Treme (Rap-a-Lot)
Lyrics Born, Same !@#$ Different Day (Quannum/Epitaph)
Atmosphere, Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EPs (Bird Cage/Rhymesayers), God Loves Ugly (Fat Beats/Rhymesayers), Seven's Travels (Rhymesayers/Epitaph)
De La Soul, Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump (Tommy Boy), AOI: Bionix (Tommy Boy), The Grind Date (Sanctuary Records)
various artists, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai - The Album (Epic/Razor Sharp/Sony Music Soundtrax)
The Streets, Original Pirate Material (Locked On/Vice)
M.I.A., Arular (XL/Beggars)

― Pete Scholtes, Friday, 8 April 2005 02:12 (twenty years ago)

Grime. Run the Road.

― jmeister (jmeister), Friday, 8 April 2005 02:20 (twenty years ago)

TEH GREY ALBUM LOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLLOOLLOLOLOL

ill 2nd david banner

― jake b. (cerybut), Friday, 8 April 2005 02:35 (twenty years ago)

TI - trap muzik

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 8 April 2005 02:54 (twenty years ago)

Mannie Fresh - The Mind of Mannie Fresh

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 8 April 2005 02:59 (twenty years ago)

three 6 mafia - da unbreakables!!!

― jake b. (cerybut), Friday, 8 April 2005 03:00 (twenty years ago)

TTC - Batards Sensibles/Sensitive Bastards. Yes, yes, Big Dada/backpacker/whatever, but seriously, this is fucking awesome. It is Le Merde. Try "Dans Le Club," "Girlfriend," "Batard Sensible" or pretty much any of the other tracks.

― Telephonething, Friday, 8 April 2005 03:11 (twenty years ago)

slocki otm

― Sym Sym (sym), Friday, 8 April 2005 03:12 (twenty years ago)

where were all the trap muzik fans when we did the 00's poll?

― bitchbitchmoanblah (sym), Friday, 8 April 2005 03:13 (twenty years ago)

avoiding polls

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 8 April 2005 03:18 (twenty years ago)

fair enough

― Sym Sym (sym), Friday, 8 April 2005 03:22 (twenty years ago)

(i didn't mean to sound bitchy! those threads were just totally overwhelming)

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 8 April 2005 03:24 (twenty years ago)

neither did I. And they were overwhelming. And filled with pointless bitching about the lack of/preponderance of hip-hop. But hey, oops, if you want to find the good hiphop of the last 4 years, those threads prob aren't a bad place to start.

― Sym Sym (sym), Friday, 8 April 2005 03:39 (twenty years ago)

Thirding trap muzik and david banner, seconding unbreakables (also good as S&C, much more so than the David Banner albums to me). I'm one of the people who likes latter-day Jay-Z almost as much as the crazy mid-period shit, so Blueprint -> Black Album is good, Lil Jon's albums plus the whole Pitbull/Trillville/Scrappy/YingYang/Youngbloodz axis is pretty hot too. There's the whole Houston mixtape thing too, of course.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Friday, 8 April 2005 04:05 (twenty years ago)

immortal technique, nappy roots, and bubba sparxxx

― Sym Sym (sym), Friday, 8 April 2005 04:44 (twenty years ago)

El-P, Cannibal Ox, MF Doom.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Friday, 8 April 2005 04:49 (twenty years ago)

brother ali, trick daddy, freeway

― Sym Sym (sym), Friday, 8 April 2005 04:54 (twenty years ago)

the One Be Lo record has been my favourite hip-hop release of this year so far, assuming we don't count M.I.A. like someone did above - that ain't hip-hop, not on my slide rule. over the last four years, i'd second the man DOOM, but you'll already know a lot about what he brings to the table if you've got Madvillainy.

― Lee F# (fsharp), Friday, 8 April 2005 07:38 (twenty years ago)

It appears the new Common album has leaked! I like what I'm hearing.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Friday, 8 April 2005 07:54 (twenty years ago)

El-P and Cannibal Ox are good reasons to have stayed away from hip-hop during the last four years.

It's all about David Banner.

― Le Tallac, Friday, 8 April 2005 11:37 (twenty years ago)

david banner - mississippi

lil wayne - tha carter

ghostface killah - the pretty toney album

bubba sparxx - deliverance

petey pablo - still writing in my diary...the 2nd entry

trick daddy - thug matrimony

lil jon - crunk juice

lil scrappy/trilville album

lil flip - u gotta feel me

ludacris - the red light district

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 8 April 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

Non-Phixion!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 8 April 2005 12:41 (twenty years ago)

Oh yeah and listen to more MF Doom!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 8 April 2005 12:42 (twenty years ago)

8ball & MJG - living legends

― adam (adam), Friday, 8 April 2005 13:31 (twenty years ago)

I strongly second Lethal Dizzle, Def Jux and MF DOOM are excellent.

― jmeister (jmeister), Friday, 8 April 2005 13:39 (twenty years ago)

what were you listening to these past 4 years that made you forget about hip-hop, oops?

Jamaican stuff circa '65-'85.

Oh I forgot I do have some other recent stuff from DOOM in addition to Madvilliany: MM Food and the first Viktor Vaughn, both of which I like.
I remember borrowing the first AOI from De La from my sister and being totally underwhelmed. That was one of the releases that started my meh attitude towards hip hop in general.
I liked Cold Vein a bunch when I first heard it, and less and less each time after that. "Pigeons" and "Phoenix" are still great though.
David Banner---from what little I've heard from him---seems right up my newly-formed alley. Lil Jon's beats are great, but I dunno if I could stand his obnoxious interjections for an entire album.
Almost picked up the new Non-Phixion yesterday, but since I'm totally outta the loop I didn't wanna take the risk of it being crap. Plus it may be too smart for me. I don't want clever, complex rhymes. I want something that I can turn up to 10 in my car and will rearrange my intestines.

― ()ops (()()ps), Friday, 8 April 2005 14:03 (twenty years ago)

Don't buy the newest De La album, but download or burn or something the last track from it, "Rock Co. Kane Flow", with Doom on it. It's one of the sickest songs of all time!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 8 April 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

The first AOI is probably De La's weakest album, but I hope you don't miss out on Devin the Dude and Atmosphere as a result of my including it up there... Madvillainy is my favorite hip-hop album in years.

― Pete Scholtes, Friday, 8 April 2005 14:17 (twenty years ago)

I have picked up and put back a Devin the Dude album more than once in the last few months. Probably cause I found some reggae thing I wanted more. Atmosphere I liked when I heard him a few years ago, but I think would know fall into the "too smart/complex/subtle for me now" camp.
Thanks for all the recommendations though y'all!

― ()ops (()()ps), Friday, 8 April 2005 14:23 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, that last Trick Daddy albums has been growing on me more and more.

Can someone point me to a good case in favor of David Banner and/or Petey Pablo? I just have zero interest in either one, but people seem to really like them...

― Eppy (Eppy), Friday, 8 April 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

David Banner >>> Petey Pablo

Petey is more a case-by-case dude, although his last album definitely had some enjoyable moments (esp. the extremely-jocked "Get On Dis Motorcycle" and the singles)

Even if you don't like Can Ox, I don't see how they could be suggested as a representative of what's "wrong" with hip-hop from the last four years; its not like there's a bunch of cannibal ox's in the underground or something.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Friday, 8 April 2005 15:10 (twenty years ago)

Pablo is definitely just very uneven (with the highs being very high) whereas David Banner is pretty consistently great (his albums are unfortunately just too damn long--after 35-40 minutes I get really weary which is too bad cuz the second halfs of both records have tons of gems.)

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 8 April 2005 15:15 (twenty years ago)

I downloaded To The XTreme and was pretty disappointed.

And since the thread is practically begging me to pimp it again...

Azeem - Show Business, also Lyrics Born, "Later That Day" (I didn't realize "Same Shit, Different Day" was out yet - better pick that up), Aceyalone "Love and Hate", all that MF Doom stuff of course, RJD2 "Since Last We Spoke", CeeLo Green "Soul Machine" and "Perfect Imperfections", Murs "3:16 The 9th Edition", Shock G "Fear of a Mixed Planet", Maroons "The Ambush" (this has nothing to do with Maroon 5, don't worry.)

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Friday, 8 April 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

Oh shit! And Ghostface, "Pretty Toney"

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Friday, 8 April 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

don't know about all that but pretty toney is heavy. my favourite wu tang record since liquid swords.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Friday, 8 April 2005 17:26 (twenty years ago)

That Aceyalone album is DEATH. Bad. Stay away. (Do you really like it and dislike Devin the Dude?!)

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Friday, 8 April 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

The new album by Sage Francis "A Healthy Distrust" on Epitaph is now available and the song Sea Lion with Bonnie Prince Billy (yes Will Oldham going Hip Hop!) is great!http://www.epitaph.com/bands/index.php?id=410

― Ajar, Friday, 8 April 2005 17:50 (twenty years ago)

El-P and Cannibal Ox are good reasons to have stayed away from hip-hop during the last four years.

Fuck you.

It's all about David Banner.

OK, fine, unfuck you.

Everyone else has already gone over most of the albums I'd mention so I guess... uh, Edan's Beauty and the Beat (which I've gone from love to hate to love in a weirdly short timespan) and Wiley's Treddin' on Thin Ice and maybe the Shystie album and WTF, man, Brooke Valentine (if that's hip-hop enough for yez)

― Stupornaut (natepatrin), Friday, 8 April 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

David Banner's 'Mississippi: The Album' is a lost five mic classic. It has everything you'd want in a hip-hop album (almost reminiscent of PE's 'It Takes...' or Cube's 'Amerikkkas...' in that sense).

― Alf Stewart, Friday, 8 April 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, the Edan album was like 'great beats!' at first but I doubt I'll ever listen to it again. The rapping reeks of some nerd doing a parody of what they think are meant to be the 'legit' rap influences. Lil Scrappy shits on him as a rapper.

― Alf Stewart, Friday, 8 April 2005 17:59 (twenty years ago)

Mr. Dizzle, I wouldn't lie about a thing like that.

I suppose I can give Devin another try, though.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

I can tolerate Edan's voice enough when he's not saying things like "a dog takes a shit on the floor and grows wings" or whatever. And the cover with dudes like LL and KRS rocking beatnik hippie hair makes me laugh for some reason I can't entirely explain.

Also: Nobody has mentioned KANYE?! (haha)/(WTF)

― Stupornaut (natepatrin), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:04 (twenty years ago)

Edan's "Run That Shit" = one of the best songs ever.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:06 (twenty years ago)

I was just about to ask about that Edan album. Almost picked it up too yesterday, but again, have heard nothing about it. Loved Primitive Plus.
Pretty Toney is another one that I've picked up and put back numerous times. I assume Ghost is great on it, but how's the production?

many xposts

a few tracks on Primitive Plus are the one of the best songs ever!

― ()ops (()()ps), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:07 (twenty years ago)

OK I will say that post-Cold Vein solo Can Ox has not been v. good. And nothing El-P has done since Fantastic Damage has made me go "holy shit" except maybe the concept of the jazz thing (the results of said jazz thing = "huh, that's neat"; file away for forseeable future) and "Oxycotin".

― Stupornaut (natepatrin), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:07 (twenty years ago)

El-P and Cannibal Ox are good reasons to have stayed away from hip-hop during the last four years.

http://home.flash.net/~flpub/monkeydance/monkey04.gif

ANYWAY, buy Fantastic Damage and Cold Vein are classick. So's Bubba Sparxxx and MF Doom's Madvillainy. RJD2 and CeeLo are fun, but I woudn't really rate them as essential. The Shystie album was a complete letdown, the production didn't fit her flow.

― nathalie doing a soft foot shuffle (stevie nixed), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:08 (twenty years ago)

The Vordul album was surprisingly good.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:10 (twenty years ago)

Better than the Vast Aire record - but still, the two solo albums together are about 25% of Cold Vein.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

Pretty Toney beats = Supreme Clientele beats w/nicotine stains and fine layer of ash

― Stupornaut (natepatrin), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:13 (twenty years ago)

exxxxcellent

― ()ops (()()ps), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:16 (twenty years ago)

Paul Wall & Chamillionaire's 'Get Ya Mind Correct' is a straight focussed classic from 2002.

Cam'Ron's 'Purple Haze' was the best thing out of NY since 'Supreme Clientele'.

― Alf Stewart, Friday, 8 April 2005 18:19 (twenty years ago)

Yeah those are both great, although the first Diplomats record I like more than Purple Haze.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:23 (twenty years ago)

hey dangermouse and jemini's pop-life is pretty good, tho maybe the exact opposite of what you're looking for. and lil kim has had some great songs in the last few years.

― Sym Sym (sym), Friday, 8 April 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)

Crunk Juice is a stone cold classic. "Stop Fuckin' Wit Me" is like powdered rage and adding two gallons of water couldn't dilute it.

― I DESIRE...MACARONI NECKLACES AND SOAP SCULPTURES (Matt Chesnut), Friday, 8 April 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

Dalek?

― some guy, Friday, 8 April 2005 21:17 (twenty years ago)

The new Cassidy song is great.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Friday, 8 April 2005 21:34 (twenty years ago)

Half of the last Trick Daddy album

Some of the Slim Thug album (hear THREE KINGS now!!!!)

NOT LIL FLIP!!!!

Trillville

You can't go wrong with any DJ Smallz mixtape. try that one w Midi Mafia

― Ian Johansen (nordicskilla), Friday, 8 April 2005 21:41 (twenty years ago)

OK hold up some slight corrections:

ALL of the last Trick Daddy album
Some of Slim Thug - hear THREE KINGS and LIKE A BOSS now!!!

NOT LIL FLIP after he started working with heatmakerz beats and cheesy lite-pop "Sunshine" songs - S&C mixtape stuff is A+++, as are guest verses w/ 3-6 and David Banner.

Trillville AND Lil Scrappy! Two albums on one CD!

Correct re: DJ Smallz, i think my favorite is the one hosted by Chamillionaire.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Friday, 8 April 2005 22:12 (twenty years ago)

THE FEDERATION
MESSY MARV
KEAK DA SNEAK
BALANCE
MAC DRE
E40

― ---- (nordicskilla), Friday, 8 April 2005 22:21 (twenty years ago)

oh shit I forgot all about E40 existing. He has such a great voice. What's his best album?

― ()ops (()()ps), Friday, 8 April 2005 22:32 (twenty years ago)

i always fuck these things up or forget something but here's what i came up with at work today for my fave rap albums of this past half-decade (america only):

1. Scarface - The Fix
2. David Banner - Mississippi: The Album Screwed & Chopped
3. Missy Elliot - Miss E...So Addictive
4. Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein
5. Clipse - Lord Willin
6. Bubba Sparxxx - Deliverance
7. Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
8. Nelly - Country Grammar
9. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
10. Freeway - Philadelphia Freeway
11. Lil Jon & The Eastside Boys - We Run The South
12. Adam F - KAOS: The Anti-Acoustic Warfare Theory
13. Devin The Dude - To Tha X-Treme
14. Quasimoto - The Unseen
15. Mike Ladd - Welcome To The Afterfuture
16. Federation - The Album
17. Trick Daddy - Thug Matrimony: Married To The Streets
18. 50 Cent - Get Rich Or Die Tryin
19. Lil Scrappy/Trillville (but only the Lil Scrappy "side")
20. T.I. - Urban Legend

― strng hlkngtn, Friday, 8 April 2005 23:19 (twenty years ago)

(it was a really slow day)

― strng hlkngtn, Friday, 8 April 2005 23:20 (twenty years ago)

oh shit scarface. another one with a GREAT voice that I forgot about. Is that album usually well regarded? haven't even heard of it. is that the one with "my block" on it?
more slow days for everyone pls

― ()ops (()()ps), Friday, 8 April 2005 23:25 (twenty years ago)

Um. Em?

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Friday, 8 April 2005 23:34 (twenty years ago)

I've liked a couple things from Em, but overall I find his voice and personality grating.

― ()ops (()()ps), Friday, 8 April 2005 23:36 (twenty years ago)

yeah, it's the one with "my block" and i think it's considered one of his best if not the best. it's SHORT too, only like 13 tracks, which i really appreciate. bring your A-game and leave the fucking skits at home. but yeah i could listen to that voice say just about anything.

― strng hlkngtn, Friday, 8 April 2005 23:47 (twenty years ago)

Yeah I think I still like the Diary more but the Fix is easily one of the best albums from the past 5 years, I always thought "In Cold Blood" was a really strong track that no one ever mentions.

I'd probably pick Devin's Just Trying Ta Live before 2 the X-Treme, as great as that one is.
(How awesome is it that Devin's website is http://herecomesthedude.com ?)

Jess' list is really great though. I'm not really feeling the s&c version of David Banner - to be honest I liked that better in its regular version. but otherwise, yeah that's a tight shopping list right there.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Saturday, 9 April 2005 00:06 (twenty years ago)

Also - DJ Screw - As the World Turns Slow
I don't know when it was recorded but it came out in the early 2000s (or a reissue did, anyway) and I love it.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Saturday, 9 April 2005 00:07 (twenty years ago)

Yeah Clipse!! (strongo's list is pretty OTM for all the things I've heard off it)

I actually think Petey Pablo's most recent album was fairly consistent, relatively speaking.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Saturday, 9 April 2005 02:19 (twenty years ago)

I recently listened to that Clipse album again - that last track (before the remixes) is so moving, i feel it in my chest, as soon as the background comes in behind the kettle drums, those strange, rought-textured shifting synth strings.

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Saturday, 9 April 2005 07:41 (twenty years ago)

there were some shootings, some rapings, some guys calling each other nigger, some guys calling women ho's, some other guys calling some other guys nigger, some chairs getting thrown at guys' heads, even more guys calling even more guys nigger, some dog fighting in a music video, some of those talentless shitballs actually won some awards, eminem is a white guy who thinks he's black and raps about it, some dumbfucks call eminem "nigga" and he calls guys nigger and doesn't get shot like he should...

up to speed now, my nigga?

― angus thermopole, Sunday, 10 April 2005 00:24 (twenty years ago)

Oh dear...

― I DESIRE...MACARONI NECKLACES AND SOAP SCULPTURES (Matt Chesnut), Sunday, 10 April 2005 01:28 (twenty years ago)

oh shit I forgot all about E40 existing

how could you forget about captain save a ho???

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 10 April 2005 07:58 (twenty years ago)

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