By Jrox
The following is a three-part blog about hip hop. I’ve always kept my ears open for different styles of music: Punk, Jazz, Electro, Classical, it didn’t matter, if it sounded good, I bought the record. That being said, Hip Hop has always had Top Billin’ in my collection.
It all started for me around ’88. I remember a classmate making me tapes of “By Any Means Necessary” and “Paid in Full,” I was officially hooked after that.
Things have changed a lot since then. I remember buying Tribe’s “The Low End Theory” and hearing Q-Tip say “Rap is not pop, if you call it that then stop.” Well now it is a huge part of “pop” and being a great (or even a good) MC is no longer a requirement.
So I’m gonna break it down through the ages. Here are three of my favorite MCs from the past three decades of being a microphone fiend.
Late 80s
Rakim: First thing I heard: “I Ain’t No Joke”. Favorite track: it’s a tie between “Microphone Fiend” and “No Omega”
Kool G Rap: First thing I heard and my favorite track: “Streets of New York”
KRS-One: First thing I heard: “The Bridge is Over”. Favorite track: “You Must Learn”
Rakim
The 90s dogville free download
Genius/GZA: First thing I heard: various appearances on “Enter the Wu-Tang” Favorite track: “Liquid Swords”
Nas: First thing I heard: his appearance on Main Source’s “Live at The Barbeque”. Favorite track: “The World is Yours”
Jeru the Damaja: First thing I heard: his appearance on Gangstarr’s “I’m the Man”. Favorite track: “You Can’t Stop the Prophet”.
Gza
2000 and beyond
Talib Kweli: First thing I heard: Blackstar’s “Definition”. Favorite track: “Shock Body”.
Aesop Rock: First thing I heard: “Coma”. Favorite track: it’s a tie between “Daylight” and “No Jumper Cables”
Vast Aire: First thing I heard: Cannibal Ox’s: “Iron Galaxy”. Favorite track: “Pegasus”
Aesop Rock
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Not in the timeline because the first time I heard him was way back on “Peachfuzz”. The next time I heard him was many moons later when he mysteriously returned rhyming behind a metal mask! I’m talking about my favorite, MF Doom.
An example from “Madvillainy”
MF Doom, the man behind the mask
“Yup, you know it, growing up too fast
Showing up to class with Moët in a flask
He ask the teacher if he leave will he pass
His girl is home alone he trying to get the …..
If you want to sip get a paper water fountain glass
How I’m ‘posed to know where your mouth been last
Hands so fast he can out-spin the Flash
Known to smoke a whole mountain of hash to the ash
Boom-bash leave the room with the stash
Assume it’s in a smash, Doom get the cash”
MF Doom came back through the underground on indie labels, under the radar making brilliant records for those who appreciate the true art of rhyming. Creativity, innovation, something fresh and unique; exactly what got me hooked back in the day and is what keeps me wanting more.
Next month, I’ll jump into Part Two about Hip-Hop Producers, the beats behind the rhymes.download brick lane free