Introduce me to hip hop

My knowledge of hip hop is confined to the "basics" (The Chronic, Illmatic, some Snoop records) but I want to learn more. What is solid hip hop? I don't want any modern club bullshit like Kanye or 50 Cent.

Wu-Tang
Nas - Illmatic
A Tribe Called Quest
NWA
Cannibal Ox
Tupac/Biggie (not my thing but others will say this)

A hip hop artist named Weird Al Yankovic is doing some real innovative stuff.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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A hip hop artist named Weird Al Yankovic is doing some real innovative stuff.
I almost went to a Weird Al concert once. I think that is the whitest thing in the world

what kind of hip hop do you like? mellow, soulful old school beats? or more modern, heavy use of synthesizers and drum machines? fast rap? funny one liners? good story rap? multisyllabic rhyme schemes that make you want to memorize lyrics? christian rap? -_-;

I like old school ****, early gangsta rap and some of the late 80's NWA type stuff.

Originally Posted by Connemara

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I like old school ****, early gangsta rap and some of the late 80's NWA type stuff.

when I look at you, the first thing I think of is "gangsta rap"

Originally Posted by edmorel

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when I look at you, the first thing I think of is "gangsta rap"
I guess you didn't know about my rap persona, Lil' Sack. I also go by Drop 4.

Originally Posted by Connemara

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My knowledge of hip hop is confined to the "basics" (The Chronic, Illmatic, some Snoop records) but I want to learn more. What is solid hip hop? I don't want any modern club bullshit like Kanye or 50 Cent.

Big L
Gangstarr (Moment of Truth, a must)
Raekwon
AZ

Originally Posted by SField

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Big L
Gangstarr (Moment of Truth, a must)
Raekwon
AZ

I think if Big L were still alive, no one would care about him. He'd probably be some Dip Set loser.

for that old school sound i really like people under the stairs (stepfather is one of their better albums), Gangstarr (they have to compilation albums, i like the first one (full clip) better) is a safe choice. And who can forget Handsome Boy Modeling School's white people. if you like hip hop instrumentals I love DJ Shadow's Entroducing (first hip hop album I listened to when I was 12) and I love RJD2 first two albums (deadringer and since we last spoke).

for early gangster rap with that james brown/funk sound Ice Cube's AmeriKKKa's most wanted is pretty famous and public enemy's fear of a black planet is good (to be honest the genre's pretty played out as they all sound the same

and i think if there are any albums you should definitely listen to it's EPMD's strictly for business and Pharaoah Monch's Internal Affairs, and Big L's Lifestylez ov da dangerous and poor (or however you spell it)

Originally Posted by edmorel

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I think if Big L were still alive, no one would care about him. He'd probably be some Dip Set loser.
inclined to neg rep, but obviously can't. I think Big L was the second best lyricist and even today nobody really touches him. and i thought of another "gangster" rap artist I like. Listen to Big Pun's Capital Punishment album (his compilation album's pretty good too).

Originally Posted by SField

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Gangstarr
+1. A great place to start.

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

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Wu-Tang
Nas
A Tribe Called Quest
NWA
Biggie

+100. Solid choices to with.

Also check out De La Soul, Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth, Main Source, Show Biz & A.G.