So Much for the Granta
Section.80 by Kendrick Lamar — this is Lamar’s first album. Some massive talent here . . .
Greatest Story Never Told by Saigon — this album is incredibly solid and diverse all the way through
Cats and Dogs by Evidence — a solid album. What else can I say? The track below samples Philip Glass.
The Family Sign by Atmosphere — this is hip hop at its most “spoken word”
Undun by The Roots — one of my favorite Roots albums in a while
The Abandoned Lullaby by Icebird (Rjd2 & Aaron Livingston) — solid stuff
Shaolin vs Wu Tang by Raekwon (and Ghostface) — pretty solid album by the only arts of the Wu Tang still making music worth checking for.
The Martyr by Immortal Technique — about as solid a mixtape as you’re going to find. Plus, Immortal Technique’s politics are generally pretty right.
Honkey Kong by Apathy — not the most creative subject-matter in the world, but Apathy is a wordsmith
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lol. Of course from a hip hop fan’s perspective this list is as ridiculously unimaginative and unimpressive as a predominantly hip hop fan’s list of favorite books would be to a person who predominantly read books. But it’s titled ‘favorite’ and the writer’s intentions were probably well-meaning, but it’s just so lol because this is a critical site and the writer clearly doesn’t have critical insight into the choices. I imagine this article is meant to convey roundedness or worldliness or … god, I really don’t know why this is here. For variety’s own sake? To project some image? Anyway. keep on at it, no prob.
Not underground enough for you, Ronald? Haha. 1) I think Lamar needs to stop copping Kanye and do his thing. 2) Cats&Dogs is great – how can you argue with the production on that album? and 3) I’d definitely recommend Black Up; Shabazz Palaces…………http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnoBIQWS5bs
Hi Ronald:
I don’t know how old you are, so I’m just guessing, but I think it’s more than likely that I’ve been listening to hip hop longer than you’ve been alive. If you’ve got albums you’d like to recommend to me, go for it.