1) There is nothing especially wrong with rhyming about all the neat shit you have and all the hot women you've fucked. What's stupid is saying "oh that's all these MCs talk about nowadays, their chains and their cars and their hos" when the motherfuckin' Sugarhill Gang spent almost the entirety of the first widely-regarded rap hit rhyming about how they had Lincoln Continentals and Cadillacs and had larger penises than Superman. The next time someone says "man what the hell is up with all the corny money-flashing videos, I miss Rakim" I give you my full permission to hit him in the eye. Not hard enough to keep him from watching the video to "Follow the Leader" afterwards, though (as an audio-visual-eye-jammie educational value package). See also: Slick Rick.
2) Fine, so MC Madlyrixx the Underground Space-Rap Assassin is living out of his Subaru Brat and eating reduced-price hot dogs from the "slightly irregular" items bin at Safeway, and it sucks that he isn't hugely recognized and can't afford to buy Steve McQueen's Porsche from Le Mans. But MCs who tailor their shit to a specific underground niche or spit things that the general public can't relate to all that much (average inner-city hip-hop fan in not being intimately familiar with sci-fi anime and skateboarding shocker!) probably realize they aren't going to reach the same people 50 Cent is reaching and are actually not really that torn up about it.
3) BUT. It is pretty ass when you're an MC that raps about how good he is at being an MC and does it better than many other MCs yet isn't all that wealthy and doesn't have videos and rocks 3 year-old FUBU hoody sweats that smell like small-club Newport miasma. Holy fucking shit, get this -- many underground MCs who don't cater specifically to the braniac robot Pharoahe Monch/Allan Ginsberg crossover demographic actually want to get paid and drive awesome Italian sports cars and be seen with super-fine ladies just like those mainstream rap stars you dislike!
4) I have no idea what "underground" means anymore. I joked in City Pages that it might as well apply to any MC who never sold crack (that's the media's problem, not the MCs) but when you have the Chapelle Show guest star/Jay-Z backup/Rahzel-says-Twix-are-tasty Roots, new-funk underground/wants-to-produce-Ludacris RJD2 and ultra-nerd-possibly-hip-hop but maybe something else Anticon all draped under the same "undie" banner something is kind of weird here.
5) If Bill O'Reilly hates you, you must be doing something right.
6) Ass-shaker party rap and abstract jazzbo future beats can coexist in the same record collection. So can gangsta and conscious. For years I've been the kind of person who could love both the Velvet Underground and Van Halen; why I couldn't feel the same way about hip-hop until recently I don't know.
7) No, I have not sold all my indie-rap CDs and 12"s. I'm just gradually liking the mainstream stuff on the same level now.
8) I have said in a few public forums that Jay-Z is not a good MC or things to that effect. As penance, I have been punching myself in the groin repeatedly until I pass out.
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:19 (twenty-two years ago)
― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:23 (twenty-two years ago)
― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:24 (twenty-two years ago)
c'mon people is this really necessary? This is the only place I see people spending this much time debating "pop" hiphop as opposed to "conscious/undie/backpacker" bla bla
most people i know happily switch between Black star and Jay-Z and this ongoing agonizing or dispragement of one or the other is getting really tired.
can this topic be dropped now please, or at least discussed in a more interesting way
― H (Heruy), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:32 (twenty-two years ago)
― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:35 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:35 (twenty-two years ago)
x-post - ok i know that but see above
― H (Heruy), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)
Not hatin' on Jay-Z, I got the Blueprint 2.0 and it's great though for a double CD that's a hell of a lot of filler, but it least it doesn't have all the lame-o skits that the Li'l Kim album has (runs to hide from trife
― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:38 (twenty-two years ago)
(I will still defend El-P to the death, though. That bit on the Weathermen Conspiracy mix CD where he rhymes over the "Gossip Folks" beat = OH DEAR LORD)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:44 (twenty-two years ago)
― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 June 2003 23:46 (twenty-two years ago)
― autovac (autovac), Friday, 20 June 2003 05:56 (twenty-two years ago)
― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Friday, 20 June 2003 06:00 (twenty-two years ago)
― oops (Oops), Friday, 20 June 2003 07:58 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 20 June 2003 08:55 (twenty-two years ago)
is "afro puffs" by lady of rage considered canonic? everything else on this cheapie threefer compilation i did actually hear of art least once
― mark s (mark s), Friday, 20 June 2003 08:58 (twenty-two years ago)
― alext (alext), Friday, 20 June 2003 09:59 (twenty-two years ago)
-- Nate Patrin (natepatrin550...), June 20th, 2003.
That Dobby character from Harry Potter has inspired masochists all around the world.
― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Friday, 20 June 2003 11:45 (twenty-two years ago)
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 20 June 2003 13:29 (twenty-two years ago)
(does trife REALLY like the skits on the lil' kim album?)
― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Friday, 20 June 2003 13:30 (twenty-two years ago)
Also, Nate something you touched on - how boring is 'undie' when it's all "I'm doper than you" "I keep it real" "I educate the youth" the upteenth time around. I'd rather hear someone rapping about plasma screen TVs.
― scott m (mcd), Friday, 20 June 2003 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)
― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Friday, 20 June 2003 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)
― Neudonym, Friday, 20 June 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 20 June 2003 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)
― Neudonym, Friday, 20 June 2003 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 20 June 2003 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)
IT DAMN WELL SHOULD BE.
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 20 June 2003 15:15 (twenty-two years ago)
― Neudonym, Friday, 20 June 2003 15:19 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 20 June 2003 15:45 (twenty-two years ago)
So... whatcha sayin'?
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Friday, 20 June 2003 23:31 (twenty-two years ago)
I don't care about that whole indie/undie/whatever stuff, but I don't know where to start with mainstream stuff. I guess Method Man's first album should be on my list.
― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Saturday, 21 June 2003 02:13 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 21 June 2003 02:32 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Saturday, 21 June 2003 02:36 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 21 June 2003 02:46 (twenty-two years ago)
― trife (simon_tr), Saturday, 21 June 2003 07:13 (twenty-two years ago)
'Whut thee Album' and 'Muddy Waters' are worth the 13 or whatever dollars. Course, are those really pop?
― oops (Oops), Saturday, 21 June 2003 07:16 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Saturday, 21 June 2003 07:18 (twenty-two years ago)
― oops (Oops), Saturday, 21 June 2003 07:20 (twenty-two years ago)
― trife (simon_tr), Saturday, 21 June 2003 07:49 (twenty-two years ago)
now answer my question abt afro puffs, yo
― mark s (mark s), Saturday, 21 June 2003 08:46 (twenty-two years ago)
― trife (simon_tr), Saturday, 21 June 2003 09:19 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 21 June 2003 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)
― cybele (cybele), Saturday, 21 June 2003 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 21 June 2003 15:03 (twenty-two years ago)
― oops (Oops), Saturday, 21 June 2003 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)
― d k (d k), Saturday, 21 June 2003 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)
I'd say that, IMHO: Deltron > Wu-Tang > El-P > J5 > Ja Rule > Ca$h Money > Talib Kweli. The bling-bling stuff isn't horrible by default, it's just really played out. Same thing with the "I'm a great MC, I don't rap about flossin" stuff, ok fine we get it. But what I really can't stand is the "save the kids" rap (i.e. Nas' "I Can", one of the worst mainstream rap songs I've heard in a long time). That why the indie-rap of Deltron appeals to me, because the guy's rapping about post-apocalyptic society, and I'm a sucker for that kind of weird shit.
― Brian the Snorf, Saturday, 21 June 2003 23:53 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Sunday, 22 June 2003 00:10 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 22 June 2003 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)
(still ain't entirely right, but c'mon)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Sunday, 22 June 2003 00:29 (twenty-two years ago)
― scott seward, Wednesday, 25 June 2003 23:11 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Wednesday, 25 June 2003 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 25 June 2003 23:36 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Wednesday, 25 June 2003 23:51 (twenty-two years ago)
― faggotry (faggotry), Wednesday, 25 June 2003 23:58 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:03 (twenty-two years ago)
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:05 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:08 (twenty-two years ago)
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:08 (twenty-two years ago)
― oops (Oops), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:11 (twenty-two years ago)
― M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:12 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:14 (twenty-two years ago)
― oops (Oops), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:16 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:39 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:44 (twenty-two years ago)
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:45 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:45 (twenty-two years ago)
― M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:46 (twenty-two years ago)
Now I am really regretting the whole crotch-punching line. It was supposed to be violence-funny, not smut-funny.
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:46 (twenty-two years ago)
I don't get into rooms with guys who say "undie rap" unironically.
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 26 June 2003 00:47 (twenty-two years ago)
I will never like Limp Bizkit because the Undertaker used "Rollin'" as his entrance theme and I do not like the particular professional wrestling stylings of that particular individual.
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Thursday, 26 June 2003 01:00 (twenty-two years ago)
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 26 June 2003 01:01 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Thursday, 26 June 2003 01:09 (twenty-two years ago)
JESUS FUCKING CHRIST MICCIO HELLO "NUTMEG"! "BOMBS OVER BAGHDAD"! "STAN"! "COUNTRY GRAMMAR" EVEN! ARGH ARGH ARGH PUT AWAY THAT TELLTALE PAPER BAG WITH THE WAVY LINES EMANATING FROM THE TOP PLEASE
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Thursday, 26 June 2003 01:13 (twenty-two years ago)
― trife (simon_tr), Thursday, 26 June 2003 02:07 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 June 2003 02:12 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 26 June 2003 02:14 (twenty-two years ago)
― trife (simon_tr), Thursday, 26 June 2003 03:00 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 26 June 2003 03:04 (twenty-two years ago)
1) divine styler - purple delicious saplings of vulnerable soprano ninjas2) through 14) all tracks from jay-z - the blueprint15) amg - bitch betta have my money 200116) picture of eminem
― trife (simon_tr), Thursday, 26 June 2003 03:09 (twenty-two years ago)
― trife (simon_tr), Thursday, 26 June 2003 03:20 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 26 June 2003 04:31 (twenty-two years ago)
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 26 June 2003 04:50 (twenty-two years ago)
― trife (simon_tr), Thursday, 26 June 2003 04:56 (twenty-two years ago)
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 26 June 2003 04:59 (twenty-two years ago)
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 26 June 2003 05:02 (twenty-two years ago)
― trife (simon_tr), Thursday, 26 June 2003 05:09 (twenty-two years ago)
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 26 June 2003 05:16 (twenty-two years ago)
― trife (simon_tr), Thursday, 26 June 2003 05:54 (twenty-two years ago)
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 26 June 2003 06:29 (twenty-two years ago)
― trife (simon_tr), Thursday, 26 June 2003 06:34 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Thursday, 26 June 2003 10:01 (twenty-two years ago)
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 26 June 2003 21:02 (twenty-two years ago)
― M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 26 June 2003 21:07 (twenty-two years ago)
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 26 June 2003 21:09 (twenty-two years ago)
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 26 June 2003 21:14 (twenty-two years ago)
― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 June 2003 21:15 (twenty-two years ago)
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 26 June 2003 21:17 (twenty-two years ago)