This is the last Ask Me Shit: Clearing the Air Edition.

[aloivas]

Why do hip hop fans feel the need to break down every facet of the music and compile them in to out-of-ten scores in order to determine if an album/rapper is good or not?

 

[Bloodshed]

How's CNU? Unless I'm thinking of someone else.

CNU is okay, the ufckin guy who runs its is busy building all this new shit so there is construction on every corner. I'll spare you the details lol

 

[roaches]

Why do hip hop fans feel the need to break down every facet of the music and compile them in to out-of-ten scores in order to determine if an album/rapper is good or not?

I don't know, those seem like two different things to me. Breaking down the elements of a record and looking at its mechanics analytically is a good way of figuring out what you like or don't like about a record. Numerical ratings are what message board kids do in lieu of an ability to consciously do that or properly articulate that.

"I'm not feeling Talib Kweli. His overusage of bad similes is getting more annoying with the passage of time, and he still hasn't figured out how to write to the beat. Some rappers just rap through the loop and compensate by shortening the next rhyme or rapping a little faster or slower throughout the line to keep their flow, but Kweli tries to cram it all into the last bar of music, and he's been doing it for so long he probably thinks it's dope and part of his signature style. You used to be able to overlook that shit before because of his subject matter and production, but nowadays he's watered down his content to fit in with the mainstream hip-hop audience. As for the beats these days, the beats on this album seem like a haphazard collection of different styles in hopes of eventually pleasing everyone."

vs.

"Talib Kweli's new CD is wack. I rate it:
Track 1: 2/5
Track 2: 3/5
Track 3: 1/5
Track 4: 0/5 (so wack lol)
Track 5: 2/5
Track 6: 2.5/5
Track 7: pi*2/3 / 5
Track 8: square root of 2 / 5
Track 9: 5/5 (best song on the album, he should do the whole thing this style!!)
Track 10: 2/5
Track 11: 3/5
Track 12: 2/5
Track 13: 1/5
Track 14: 3.25/5"

Different things, mayne.

 

[HitEmUp21]

You have two options:

Option 1 is to go to a Red & Meth w/Premo show.
Option 2 is to go to both a Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick and Kurtis Blow "Legends Tour" type show and also a Jean Grae show.

You have enough money for only one, which do you choose?

BTW, you like the artists in option 2 more, however option 1 is promoted much better and looks like a much higher budget and worth the money for entertainment value.

 

[Eric]

Did you know that Alcatraz is actually spelled with a Z?

 

[roaches]

Option 1 is to go to a Red & Meth w/Premo show.
Option 2 is to go to both a Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick and Kurtis Blow "Legends Tour" type show and also a Jean Grae show.

You have enough money for only one, which do you choose?

Option 1 might be "higher budget", but Kurtis Blow, Slick Rick, and Big Daddy Kane? No one commands a stage like those guys do. It IS a hip-hop show, though, so go see whoever's catalog you're more familiar with.

Did you know that Alcatraz is actually spelled with a Z?

Yes, I do.

 

[AmerikazMost]

did you pick your name because you smoke a lot or is your house infested?

 

[Ghetto_Ghost]

What is your opinion on DMX's career as a whole?

 

[S O F I]

What does it mean to be a productive member in a global society?

 

[aloivas]

I don't know, those seem like two different things to me. Breaking down the elements of a record and looking at its mechanics analytically is a good way of figuring out what you like or don't like about a record. Numerical ratings are what message board kids do in lieu of an ability to consciously do that or properly articulate that.

"I'm not feeling Talib Kweli. His overusage of bad similes is getting more annoying with the passage of time, and he still hasn't figured out how to write to the beat. Some rappers just rap through the loop and compensate by shortening the next rhyme or rapping a little faster or slower throughout the line to keep their flow, but Kweli tries to cram it all into the last bar of music, and he's been doing it for so long he probably thinks it's dope and part of his signature style. You used to be able to overlook that shit before because of his subject matter and production, but nowadays he's watered down his content to fit in with the mainstream hip-hop audience. As for the beats these days, the beats on this album seem like a haphazard collection of different styles in hopes of eventually pleasing everyone."

vs.

"Talib Kweli's new CD is wack. I rate it:
Track 1: 2/5
Track 2: 3/5
Track 3: 1/5
Track 4: 0/5 (so wack lol)
Track 5: 2/5
Track 6: 2.5/5
Track 7: pi*2/3 / 5
Track 8: square root of 2 / 5
Track 9: 5/5 (best song on the album, he should do the whole thing this style!!)
Track 10: 2/5
Track 11: 3/5
Track 12: 2/5
Track 13: 1/5
Track 14: 3.25/5"

Different things, mayne.

I see what you're saying.

But even the first scenario... I guess i'm getting sick of analysing albums to the bullshit to decide if it's technically good or not. Most of the time that doesn't even work.

For example, look at a DJ Quik album - say "Safe & Sound" (or, like in the other thread, "Purple Haze". If you're gonna analyse that album (S&S) and break it down technically - obviously the production is incredible - but you look at the lyrics, and "technically" ("technically" meaning what's generally regarded as "good" on the internet) speaking they're average, in that he's not saying anything special/different, and his flow is average. Compare that with something like Big Pun's debut. Pun had what's generally regarded as incredible lyrics and insane flow, matched with some of NY's best producers using heavy samples, thick basslines and hard hitting drums. "Technically" speaking, Pun's album would shit all over Quik's album... but i can tell you that honestly, i would rather listen to Quik's album any minute of the day, any day of the week. "Safe & Sound" is one of my favorite albums ever and i think it's better than a lot of albums including most of Rakim's albums, KRS-One's, Nas', Jay's, Pharoahe Monch's, etc... but if you were to analyse it and break it down, those albums would kill Quik's album.

So, i don't know, fuck analysing and breaking shit down.

 

[roaches]

did you pick your name because you smoke a lot or is your house infested?

Neither. It was random.

What is your opinion on DMX's career as a whole?

Pretty lame.

What does it mean to be a productive member in a global society?

The same as it means to be a productive member of any society, I guess. Know one of the common foreign languages and respect cultural differences?

But even the first scenario... I guess i'm getting sick of analysing albums to the bullshit to decide if it's technically good or not. Most of the time that doesn't even work.

So what would you say is a good way of evaluating the quality of an album, then? Art is subjective, but if that's the end-all be-all... (well, read the reviews of Vanilla Ice's later work on Amazon.com).

I can't find a listenable mp3 of this Molemen song with Buck 65 and Sage Francis.

 

[S O F I]

^I shall up it for you, then?

 

[Khalistani Soldier]

Yes, get a job.

I have a job.

 

[EriMakaveli]

What is currently in Dante's Avatar?

 

[Chronic]

Sup?

 

[roaches]

^I shall up it for you, then?

Please do.

What is currently in Dante's Avatar?

It's the face of the Virgin Mary. Oh my God, it's sacred. Quick, put it on eBay!

Sup?

Prescription painkillers = heaven. You ain't on MSN or Soulseek no mo.

 

[linx]

Who do you think are some of the biggest and most knowledgeable hip hop heads on the forum?

 

[chief_Rocka]

what drugs do you do and how often?
would you say lords of the underground as a group are overrated or underrated?
what is your stand on abortion?

 

[Zero Cool]

What is the size of your penis?

 

[Dave D]

Who is game talking about in this interview?

http://www.allhiphop.com/features/index.asp?ID=1152
AllHipHop.com: Where’s he from?

Game: New York.

AllHipHop.com: Is he known?

Game: He’s real known. He ain’t signed. You can guess… just think about it later.

AllHipHop.com: Give us a clue.

Game: A clue? [laughs] Okay… he knows bars first-hand. That’s a good clue. Us two, it’s too gangsta. It’s gonna be a big move. I’m even tryin’ to sign Lil’ Kim when she get outta jail, f**k it. [laughs]

Also, name a good book to read.