Really GOOD rappers.

[TheGreatAndPowerfulZOG]

No mention of Definitive Jux yet??? Dude, check that label out. It's pure gold. I think it's out of commission now but for the last decade they were putting out almost exclusively brilliant shit. El P, one of the founding members is a fucking genius producer and a pretty damn good rapper as well, check out anything he was involved with, particularly Cannibal Ox. Aesop Rock was on that label, I see he's gotten a couple shout outs already. Defnitely check his shit out. None Shall Pass is probably his best album IMHO. Mmmm, Cage was on there, his stuff is pretty raw, especially the earlier stuff, but he's very creative lyrically and he's got a style that's completely original.

Atmosphere was good though Anything recorded after 2008 is shit though. Check out his side project, Deep Puddle Dynamics, really technical rapping, deep lyrics, good beats, and it totally throws most rap conventions. Also on that album are Sole, Dose One, and Alias, of the Anticon label. That label put out some pretty good shit too, though a little on the pretentious/hipster end of the spectrum for me. Dose One, personal tastes aside, is one of the best technical rappers ever.

Blueprint's a phenomenal rapper, I loved his project with RJD2 called Soul Position. GREAT lyrically and very technical.

Also, Mos Def. Listen to the classic Black on Both Sides or his newer album Ecstatic. Fuckin genius, musically and lyrically.

I gotta concur with everyone who said Del. His old band Heiroglyphics was awesome too.

 

[Vault101]

sage francis...most rappers pale in comparison

 

[Vault101]

I really like Nicki Minaj. I'm not going to trollface that, as I seriously do like her style.

The fact that she's bit insane is a bonus.

ahhh niki minaj..she is my ultimate guilty pleasure...(aww hell mabye not even guilty)
funny thing is she kept popping in up in other peoples songs....

anyway I have a problem with drake in that he has a gratingly annoying voice (almost as bad as lil wayne)...espeically when he sings somtimes

 

[Ghostbody]

http://youtu.be/tDYBX5VLj_E
Mr.Lif. That is all

 

[Dango]

Er, I'm jiggy, yo?

 

[Benny Blanco]

sage francis...most rappers pale in comparison

Second this. I saw him open for Buck 65 in 2003 (when Buck 65 was good) and he blew me away.

Some of his stuff is a little... odd, but he uses words more cleverly than most people could dream of doing.

Personal track recommendations:

Just about ever track on "Personal Journals"

A Healthy Distrust is good, especially

"Gunz Yo"
"Dance Monkey"
"Sun vs. Moon"
"Slow Down Gandhi"

I didn't personally enjoy "Human the Death Dance" all that much, but it had merit. I didn't buy his last 2 albums as I'm poor...

2 anthemic singles you can find online easily:


"Makeshift Patriot" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rCVxPtjJC0
"Conspiracy to Riot" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFVp3ZKSsRM&feature=related

Also, check out his work with Joe Beats as Non-Prophets (the "Hope" LP is mint)

There's a great deconstruction of "99 Problems" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdePMafCyG0

 

[Vault101]

while kanye might be mainstream he has his moments, this is my favorite..mabye for the production more than anything else


this is probably one of my favorite sage francis songs (though with him almost anything is gold)

 

[Nouw]

Mike D, MCA and AD Rock. Those three are all the rap I need.

10 posts in and I find the answer I want. Beastie Boys are the only hip-hop group I listen to a regular basis, here's why.


Of course I do like the rapping in the Gorillaz songs. Clint Eastwood and Superfast Jellyfish come to mind.

 

[Owen Robertson]

-Necro: His lyrics are violent, crude and some times it focuses on movies (ok lyrically it's not amazing but the beats are awesome).

Looked through three pages and there's only ONE Necro recommendation, and about 4 Immortal Technique. NOT LYRICALLY AMAZING?! Are you sure? To each his own I suppose.

I don't think that selling-out makes you all that bad (in terms of skill). Instead of listening to a person talk about life, we're listening to a persona talk about parties. It's still entertaining. I would direct any and all who like to shit on wannabes and posers to Bo Burnham's "Art Is Dead" It provides some useful speaking-points for making emo, punk, and metal seem trivial. That's not my goal, it's just what seems relevant.

 

[Nyce1]

Old School but still fun to listen to!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaGKxAgCguU

Bloodhound Gang!
also did this gem featuring Vanilla Ice!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYLwMZ_3ZsM

 

[brumley53]

The best wrappers sample Spiderman cartoons.

 

[Vault101]

sage francis...most rappers pale in comparison

Second this. I saw him open for Buck 65 in 2003 (when Buck 65 was good) and he blew me away.

Some of his stuff is a little... odd, but he uses words more cleverly than most people could dream of doing.

the only song I dont like is "midgets and giants"...I dont know, the whole "im better than other rappers thing" feels kind of distasteful somthing from him, I feel like he is "above" that crap

 

[Ipsen]

There was once a magical combination in Japan consisting of Shing02 and Nujabes, and they got together and made the Samurai Champloo soundtrack in almost its entirety. Then Nujabes died in a car crash a few years ago, and I wept manly tears. My favorite track from them, Luv Sic Pt.2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAxgpHWtLC0

RIP Nujabes, you are missed. Shing02 is still a really good rapper, in both English and Japanese.

I noticed Aesop Rock has been mentioned already, but no El-P yet? Son, I am disappoint. Both are some of the most creative and surprising rappers+producers I've heard.

Since we're sharing links....

Spoiler

I'll also throw out People Under the Stairs for old-school rap style. Great beats, great flow.

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

KitKats have really good rappers...?

OT: I like listning to Ghostpoet. His meloncholly off tune singing, coupled with his chillout/hiphop sound is just awesome. And his lyrics are clever. Also see Faithless.

I suppose these 2 artists are because I prefer Dance music to R&B, but never mind! Hey, you may even find that you like it!

 

[The Floating Nose]

-Necro: His lyrics are violent, crude and some times it focuses on movies (ok lyrically it's not amazing but the beats are awesome).

Looked through three pages and there's only ONE Necro recommendation, and about 4 Immortal Technique. NOT LYRICALLY AMAZING?! Are you sure? To each his own I suppose.

I don't think that selling-out makes you all that bad (in terms of skill). Instead of listening to a person talk about life, we're listening to a persona talk about parties. It's still entertaining. I would direct any and all who like to shit on wannabes and posers to Bo Burnham's "Art Is Dead" It provides some useful speaking-points for making emo, punk, and metal seem trivial. That's not my goal, it's just what seems relevant.

Personnally, i think his lyrics are really cool but im sure some people aren't into these sorts of things but theres something that is Undeniable about Necro, is that he uses some of the most badass beats in rap today. Underound or mainstream.

Madvillain is also a really good one.

P.S. How can i post a video on the forum ? It's not indicated in the FAQ...

 

[Mr_spamamam]

Aesop rock is pretty good, also try immortal technique

 

[Freaky Lou]

If no one has mentioned him yet, Sadistik is great.


EDIT: Mind you, the first verse in this song is done by Vast Aire, who's not nearly as good. Sadistik does the much denser second verse.

 

[savageoblivi0n]

I know they may be considered to be mainstream, but no matter what music mood I'm in I can never turn down some Bone Thugs & Harmony

 

[Sampler]

Ok discovered Scroobius Pip recently and really liked that, and iv been into Rugged Man for a while, but aside from that I havent really found any rappers that amazingly original lyrically. So do you know any, and dont point out obvious ones like Eminem etc. (iv heard of him ).

(oh and this, listen to this if you like good rap)

I've become a big Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip fan a couple of years ago after hearing "A letter from God" on Zane Lowe's show, "Thou Shalt Always Kill" peaked my interest and fandom was sealed with "Look for the woman" - it's meaning resonated with something I was going through at the time.

I picked up their second album without hearing a track off it and loved it, recently done the same with Scroobius Pip's solo album too but it was the second album's "Great Britain" track that I came across 'Akira the Don' who did an awesome remix of it - he also puts all his work up to listen to for free on soundcloud:
http://soundcloud.com/akira-the-don

Dan le Sac has a lot on there too but think he's limited for space as some stuff is gone, probably to make space for the new - it's through following Dan le Sac that I came across Yila (he and Pip did a remix of the ace "Astronaut" track) - original:

Spoiler: Original

Remix:
http://snd.sc/sKCxQb

And also Kid Carpet: http://snd.sc/8Hx80
Sage Francis: http://snd.sc/tqBdAV
And B Dolan who supported them on tour when I saw them in Leeds last year - all artists along a similar vein if you're looking to get into - certainly not the bland generic crap you hear in the charts ala Eminem anyways.

 

[Druyn]

If you want lyrically original and talented, you can go Tyler the Creator for a more mainstream way, but Immortal Technique reigns supreme.