good hip hop

[NESK]

i typed a long ass reply to you sean, but it fucked off somehow.

to rephrase: rj is awesome with blueprint, but both times ive seen him solo ive felt i would have been better off staying home and listening to his albums. then again, i wasnt even digging shadow when i saw him. chemist floored me though.

[Sammy You]

honestly, the best part of the tour wasnt rj or blueprint

it was one be lo

all he had was an ipod connected to the speakers and a mic

thats it

he killed it

[NESK]

i absolutely agree. even though i was amazed by one be lo, it was lessened by the fact that i had seen him before. this was before sonogram came out, and he did alot of those tracks acapella.

im glad i dont go to scribble jam anymore. you see people before they master their lvie show, and even though its cool to know whos gonna be wrecking shit in a year or two, it spoils it for when they acutally leanr to rock parties consistently. and on be lo danced to get down for the hwole track before his set. that shit was awesome.

[todesengel]

Anyone who hasn't heard of Jehst should go give him a listen. He's got a similar style to Roots Manuva. Also he's white, and good, which is suprising.

[mike lowrey]

I remember Jehst from several years back, does he have anything new out? I dont think he had an album or anything back then, I was downloading random tracks.

[78]

MF Doom - Special Herbs vol. 0 - 9 set.

'nuff said.

[todesengel]

I remember Jehst from several years back, does he have anything new out? I dont think he had an album or anything back then, I was downloading random tracks.

Yea he has a few albums out now, one just came out last year. They're all damn good.

[lamscott]

Cormega?????? wow. just wow.

[lamscott]

lupe is not that good and his voice kills.

[Darkadious]

totally.

he's mediocore

[ktothe]

Im not the biggest fan of Lupe, but mediocore? Bold fucking statements...

My biggest problem with him is his best song was on Kanyes album.

[78]

Im not the biggest fan of Lupe, but mediocore? Bold fucking statements...

Yes mediocre. Throw him in the ring with Vast.

And the bitch can't skate... kick push... that's all he can do... you see that ollie at the end of the clip... hahahahahahahahaha

[C0C0]

i agree i've been anti-lupe since day one! lol

[sean_]

Cormega?????? wow. just wow.

i am praying this is in a "wow. just wow. cormega is amazing" way

son i was a young nigga hustlin

me servin a d was unheard of unless a d served me

speak words superbly

its clear you heard me

your idea of a real nigga changed

im into bigger things

tryina maintain the same aim as prisoners

drug dealers and my niggas who gangbang

the game changed shit is on fire

niggas went from greatness to statements and wires

so scared to face bids they betrayed they suppliers

so niggas outta state you want weight you pay higher

im condemned yet exalted for words spoken cautious

i seen some of the biggest drug dealers blow fortunes in bathrooms

niggas was sniffin like vacuums

reminisce to 88, the year crack ruled

i had

nike delta forces with them clear capsules

5 for 40

crackheads like i only buy from corey

[mike lowrey]

i agree i've been anti-lupe since day one! lol

look.

say whatever you want, but lyrically Lupe is a whole different level than 99% of hiphop today. his lyrical skills are above the majority if not all of todays rap artists, he's very skillful when it comes to wordplay and can craft great stories. in addition I think that he has a good flow and presence on the mic and having seen him on stage, hes also a good live performer.

now if thats not your thing then no one expects you to like him. but in the hiphop world today consisting of lyrical retardness and idiots shaking their booty and getting their chicken dance on, saying your anti-something thats one of the few fresh things in the scene is somewhat ignorant.

Now come on everybody, let's make cocaine cool

We need a few more half naked women up in the pool

And hold this MAC-10 that's all covered in jewels

And can you please put your titties closer to the 22s?

And where's the champagne? We need champagne

Now look as hard as you can with this blunt in your hand

And now hold up your chain slow motion through the flames

Now cue the smoke machines and the simulated rain

But not too loud 'cause the baby's sleepin

I wonder if it knows what the world is keepin

Up both sleeves while he lay there dreamin

Me and my robot tip-toe 'round creepin

I had to turn my back on what got you paid

I couldn't see half the hood on me like Abu Ghraib

But I'd like to thank the streets that drove me crazy

And all the televisions out there that raised me

ya'll might be in the wrong topic, I think there was one about Jim Jones' christmas album.

[78]

look.

say whatever you want, but lyrically Lupe is a whole different level than 99% of hiphop today. his lyrical skills are above the majority if not all of todays rap artists, he's very skillful when it comes to wordplay and can craft great stories. in addition I think that he has a good flow and presence on the mic and having seen him on stage, hes also a good live performer.

now if thats not your thing then no one expects you to like him. but in the hiphop world today consisting of lyrical retardness and idiots shaking their booty and getting their chicken dance on, saying your anti-something thats one of the few fresh things in the scene is somewhat ignorant.

What defines "today"?

Lupe is mediocre. I'm sorry. Mediocre in the sense that he is not doing anything new or innovative but just rehashing what is around him. He is so safe it's not funny. He's not pushing the envelope.

He is NOT creating stories like Can Ox "BBoy Alpha" or Buck 65/Stinkin Rich/Captain Climax "Language Arts" or "Vertex or Slug "Nothing But Sunshine" or Latyrx "Lady Don't Tek No" and many more. Strike One

His word play is bland and predictable (cool/pool). RZA (anything) or GZA "when I swing my sWORDS are choppable" even Talib in terms of creative rhymes smoke Lupe. Lupe is not releasing a Wu Manual anytime soon. Nuh uh. Lupe is so accessible it just gets boring to me. Strike Two.

Now if Lupe isn't as great a story teller or as deep with the metaphors/rhyme patterns/imagery... then maybe he's a good 'club' or 'party' MC? Cam, Juelz, Rich Boy, Eclipse, Luda, E40 and what not make party music that gets so hyper it makes Lupe quiver. Strike three and you're out.

I guess Lupe's comparable to Mcenroe (peanuts & corn)... but where Mcenroe leaves Lupe for dead is that Mcenroe ain't trying to be more than he is. The self reflection is honest and the beats are real - you know the guys got dusty fingers. What Lupe has done is make hip hop nice and more accessible for the kids who don't like the guns, booty and jewels. I should say kids who don't know how to search out real innovative creative hip hop.

Nothing against you Mike... just Lupe!

[homi29]

lupe is the truth

lyrically he's able to craft stories and lines which touch on social problems and concepts that are entirely foreign to mainstream hip-hop today

im not saying he's hip-hop's saviour, but he's brought a fresh feel and sound to an overcrowded genre

[78]

lyrically he's able to craft stories and lines which touch on social problems and concepts that are entirely foreign to mainstream hip-hop today

Talib has been doing this for years.

Mos Def has been doing this for years.

The Roots have been doing this for years.

Who was it that said, "George Bush doesn't care about black people"?*

*sarcasm

[homi29]

Talib has been doing this for years.

Mos Def has been doing this for years.

The Roots have been doing this for years.

Who was it that said, "George Bush doesn't care about black people"?*

*sarcasm

i aint saying he's the first or best to do it. just that i find it funny that you would be ragging on him, when theres plenty of crap hip-hop out there which is way under any of the artists you mentioned..

i see artists like lupe , or the roots as part of the same movement to create intelligent hip-hop, that was all my post entailed

[evisu 2000]

no such thing. here's lord finesse mixing the stax catalogue...

http://dl4.ohshare.com/v/8394415/01_Morceau_1.mp3.html

http://dl4.ohshare.com/v/6757218/02_Morceau_2.mp3.html

sorry i'm hatian.

[PG2G]

New (and free) little brother mixtape - http://www.thejustusleague.com/lawn/index.php?showtopic=31817#

haha, how dope is it hearing kweli mention rocking japanese denim

[sean_]

lupes record was a fiasco

HAHAHA

[poopie boy]

just noticed this thread as i never ever really check any forums besides supershopper and supermarket..

but i have to say that 78 is completely on point.

lupe fiasco is the definition of mediocre. he's that rapper you would probably get introduced to after listening to a lot of nonsensical pop rap and then consider lupe fiasco a lyrical genius.

[sriracha hot sauce]

I dont care if you think Lupe is a poser or not. His debut album was very solid....

I heard that 9th Wonder is not part of Little Brother anymore. That would be a shame.

[mike lowrey]

His word play is bland and predictable (cool/pool). RZA (anything) or GZA "when I swing my sWORDS are choppable" even Talib in terms of creative rhymes smoke Lupe. Lupe is not releasing a Wu Manual anytime soon. Nuh uh. Lupe is so accessible it just gets boring to me. Strike Two.

Now if Lupe isn't as great a story teller or as deep with the metaphors/rhyme patterns/imagery...

well that just proved that you really dont get it. not deep with metaphors? that more then proves that you really dont know what youre talking about here. I'm sure you recognize talent in the artists you mentioned but you clearly haven't paid attention in Lupes case. like his voice or not, like his album or not, but theres absolutely no way you can say hes not good with metaphors or imagery.

Do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?

I'll give a few examples

I stack my paper and throw off my cents

this is top flow look out below

pennies from heaven is the same as a semi from the second

and i rain supreme

turn your umbrellas upside down

did you even catch the change in theme

hats on tilt

like your snickers aint drop out the vending machine

you gotta put mo money in

and i shake ni**as up

everytime i drop a bar

you see im a roller right so it might be a rover right but every time i drop a R get of the streets it over ight

i wave till i come back a tsunami

never microwaved like the the watches of the way

im wrapped in aluminium foil

waves took out people in the tsunami -> lupe is wrapped in aluminium foil to avoid waves = "never microwaved"

runners at interscope are not a stout as him

please don’t enter scope

its gon be a whole lot of ivene and respirating

if I lean out this window with Irene

stout = adjective or as in steve stoute = vice president of interscope

scope = from interscope into "enter scope" which I think refers to the last line = gun theme

ivene = as in an IV in a hospital maybe? -> respirating

I'm just trying to do the opposite of left

as long as there's the opposite of death

yes if you test then I might just bring the opposite of life

until there's no one the opposite of right

Life ain't meant to come around twice

Yeah, that's why I gotta get it right

They said I got it honest, now I gotta give it life

But sleep on it, that's why God give you night

I mean, I had a dream that, God gave me flight

Too fly for my own good, so God gave me plight

If I wake up in the mornin', now I gotta give 'em sight

Make 'em see, break 'em free, ain't a G, sho' you right

remembering the feeling when they used to get mellow

when they was on back of a nickel like Monticello

I like this one. Monticello = William Jeffersons crib in Virginia -> "back of a nickel"

do my dirt like kweme, until that same soil being pushed into my grave, but im so ahead of my time, the next day they might strike oil or idelyed homie in so crude"

all that gas can't help you but solar might

so just call on sun

drop a S pick up a O, you know (uno)

Put it all on one

so im laying the smack down

act like an ex-addict act now

gateway, now im off to the next habit

tap tap, can't match it

now im laying that down, like nap now

catch the theme?

he said blow it down for me

sticks and stones can break bones

only god's words can stop the wolves

and don't fraternize with pigs them kids'll think you're stool

not at the bar, but tryin to put it behind the bar like a bar tender

3 pigs

to signify how far he goes with his lyrics, heres a line:

"paper on the waist like Henry"

Henry's Paper (a newpaper like journal) http://www.henryspaper.com/

or

The movie "The Paper" - main characters name was Henry Hackett

another example to show how he uses metaphors and multiple meanings, this is from the Dead Presidents freestyle:

you ain't gotta A.S.K.

i fly through, pocket full of J.F.K.'s

ask = ask a question / ASK = Yamoussoukro airport

JFK = John F Kennedy airport / JFK = dead president / JFK = John F was in the 50c coin, hence a "pocket full of coins"

now I'm not saying this should open up to anyone. I know his lyrics go way above some people head and you cant expect everybody to listen thoroughly enough. but for some of us, Lupe truly brings something fresh in terms of content. in addition to that, as I said, I think he sounds good and has a good presence, and hes also a good live performer.

this might not be your thing but saying that Lupe is lyrically mediocre or hes very "accesible" looks very dumb to me, just shows a lack of understanding.

"strike"?

[Egpt]

lupes wordplay is on another level, no one can argue with this.

been a talib, common an the roots fans for years and lupes wordplay is up there with them.

saying lupe is mediocre is pure non-sense.

now that whole lupe can't skate thing is just retarded. just cuz he makes a song about skateboarding does it mean that he has to be a good skater? can't he simply be a person who loves skating and is mediocre at it? it's not like everyone has the time to skate all day to see some improvements.some people have work,school or career obligations that prevent them from doing that.

hate really is the new love.

[78]

Mike I heard AND read all those and well I STILL find that they don't move me. There's something about the way he writes that it feels that he's trying to hard. Far too hard. I read that and the lyrics don't take me anywhere. It doesn't make me sit back and go, "DAMN, did he just say that??!!"

And that's personal preference. I respect that you are NOT a casual listener and DO listen, break down and understand the lyrics cuz not enough kids do that these days.

BUT....

He's got so much money and he's divine that even his change he throws down on us should be considered blessed?

So if you put more money in 'him' he'll rock the spot?

I can't believe he said he wants to be wrapped in foil. Doesn't anyone find that silly?

The Jefferson/Monticello/nickel... so he's repeating himself?

The ASK/JFK would be dope but he just used the same idea of the coin... a nickel now a 50c... where's the 1/4?

And for a first verse in his first big single... aaaaaaahhh shiiiiiiiit.

First got it when he was six

Didn't know any tricks

Matter fact

First time he got on it he slipped

Landed on his hip and bust his lip

For a week he had to talk with a lisp

This is what I like ...

Yo, birds of the same feather flock together

Congested on a majestic * cuts off * no! no! no!

My feathers and flames are one skin

Hallowed be Thy name in the beginning there was no sin

We in the ninth inning, and I'm God body trying to win

Flying against the wind

But now my shell is weightless and fireproof

But the truth is I'm proof of living fire

I'm not made of organics, not even wires

Just felt my body light up and hurt the choir

See to the common fowl the phoenix is Sire

Most high of all things to ever have wings

Existence is struggle, resistance is futile

Meanwhile we now possess the power of ten suns

To transcend and elevate into one

Famine, disease and senseless dieing is done

Pigeon bird got a breath left

Heart beat no more

Phoenix bird morph and we live off the G-force

folding folding hues

folding deep

thin air devoured

its seeding a droplet sears the stillness of space dissolved

narry aflicter wavers its light breath

seeping through shapes solved heaving about shade after been shaved

gentials swimming formless nature of nature busting in flames

growing silent fury of element

glowing eternity ripples reaching for capture found oxygen needy of oxygen

folding hues of perfect white silk in flowing a gentile-yellow overlaps

past dancing edges orange by fusing the warm casing of winds spinning shadows between the fragile billion of its shed and passionateer

dust roaring tender toward immortal brains replenished to brinks dissappeared prisoner to its purity and nothing more

prisoner to its pure

No hate against Mike or others who like Lupe's Fiasco... but I DO find him mediocre.

peace

[mike lowrey]

I can't believe he said he wants to be wrapped in foil. Doesn't anyone find that silly?

The Jefferson/Monticello/nickel... so he's repeating himself?

The ASK/JFK would be dope but he just used the same idea of the coin... a nickel now a 50c... where's the 1/4?

the point was that hes wordplay is very advanced and those are just a few lines showcasing how many meanings he can include in a line or two. I dont even know if he was referring to a coin, maybe JFK was referring to dead presidents (considering its a freestyle over Dead Presidents) = cash/notes? or perhaps it has something to do with drug talk associated with John F.?

I could take that attitude while reading the lyrics you just quoted:

"My feathers and flames are one skin"

what the dude thinks hes a bird or something? is he on fire? wtf, thats stupid

see?

And for a first verse in his first big single... aaaaaaahhh shiiiiiiiit.

that would pretty much be the radio / single track off of the album, not surprised if it has some dumbed down lines. though I think those still beat every other radio track. I'm sure you can badmouth any artist by picking the most basic lines from a song. bottom line is, that as an mainstream artist, Lupe plays a completely different game then most rappers. his lyricism makes him anything but mediocre.

personally I would say that the quotes you posted dont say anything to me, they're very poetic but make very little sense. while in Lupes case I am constantly at awe when I find a new meaning behind something.

but as you said, thats a personal preference, thats why I'm not calling stuff you listen to mediocre for the sole reason that it doesn't interest me.

[78]

what the dude thinks hes a bird or something? is he on fire? wtf, thats stupid

He's a fiery bird! He's a Phoenix. And a phoenix wins over al-foil any day of the week! hahahahaha

hat would pretty much be the radio / single track off of the album, not surprised if it has some dumbed down lines.

And that is why he's mediocre. Because he comes out with MEDIOCRE lines for the MASSES. What is that? Does he think we're dumb? Where's the integrity Lupe?

personally I would say that the quotes you posted dont say anything to me, they're very poetic but make very little sense. while in Lupes case I am constantly at awe when I find a new meaning behind something.

They are poetic. They make sense. You just have to DIG and keep DIGGING. Vast's a phoenix... why does Vast want to be a Phoenix... Dose's a candle... why does Dose rhyme about being a candle... what do is it all mean?

And so we choose to disagree.

Nice to have an argument that hasn't dissolved into name calling. Much respect Mike.

[NESK]

i see artists like lupe , or the roots as part of the same movement to create intelligent hip-hop, that was all my post entailed

lupe does not make intelligetn hip hop. he simply takes topics that require intelligence to explore and fails mirerably at getting a good point across because hes neitehr intelligent or a skilled mc.

his music is boring. id love to like it, since i can see what hes TRYING to do, but hes shitty at doing it.