Music Cup Round 7 - Hip Hop

Once again the lead has changed hands with me back in front (woo hoo!)

This round is a mixture of some old school classics and modern. I give to you...Hip Hop!

2Pac - Dear MaMa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNcloTmvTeA
Eminem - My name is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNPnbI1arSE
Grandmaster Flash - The Message https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4o8TeqKhgY
Jurassic 5 - Concrete Schoolyard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZmQIGLNxBs
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFK6H_CcuX8
Jay Z - 99 Problems https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwoM5fLITfk
Sugar Hill Gang - Rappers Delight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diiL9bqvalo
2Pac & Dr Dre - California Love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37wSwAJ98Zk
Jay Z ft. Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjsXo9l6I8
2Pac - Changes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Y9-JlSRXw

As usual please pick your 3 favourite choices!

That's an awful list. Jay Z?

even though mine is the best on that list, I should have gone for 'you cant touch this' by mc hammer - might have stood a chance then!

I don't agree with the way this is going. AT. ALL.

I actually agree that the choice you made was one of the best (along with Davie's).

Hero wrote:I actually agree that the choice you made was one of the best (along with Davie's).

It was the only one I knew

Jay Z is one of the pioneers of Hip hop.

You can't take away what he has done for the scene.

Some people these days ..

Holymiky wrote:Jay Z is one of the pioneers of Hip hop.

You can't take away what he has done for the scene.

Pretty sure 2-Pac and Dre set the bar long before Jay Z!

King Beer wrote:

Holymiky wrote:Jay Z is one of the pioneers of Hip hop.

You can't take away what he has done for the scene.

Pretty sure 2-Pac and Dre set the bar long before Jay Z!

I have no dobut they did mate, that's why i said one of.

Out of those it has as to be California Love, then Tupac Changes and it's a toss up between Tupac Dear Mama and Gangsta's Paradise for third in my opinion.

Technically though Miky, being a pioneer would mean being one of the first to try the new methods. He wasn't really one of the first was he?

He is certainly a massive name and has pushed it on to new levels, but I'm not sure I would class him as a pioneer.

I'm surprised nobody picked Warren G - Regulate or NWA - Straigh Outta Compton or NWA - Express Yourself.

Shockingly poor round.

King Beer wrote:I'm surprised nobody picked Warren G - Regulate or NWA - Straigh Outta Compton or NWA - Express Yourself.

Shockingly poor round.

Regulate is a great shout. That is a fantastic track.

I was sorely tempted with a NWA track or a Public Enemy one.

I know that Jay-Z is one of the guys whos most popular within that culture DT, that's what made me say it.

2pac and Dre were the two that really kick started the genre, but for other guys that are absolutely brilliant you need to give Nas a listen to. Another one that actually talks sense when he raps.

Here is another debate starter - 2pac or Biggie?

I'm not denying his popularity Miky...just the choice of terminology.

Pioneer was perhaps the wrong word which lead to KB making his statement about Tupac and Dr Dre.

There is no doubting Jay-Z's place in Hip Hop as a genre, but the other tracks on there surpass his for me.

The other thing I would say generally is - are the people nominating these tracks actually nominating their favourite? Or are they nominating what they think will get votes?

Other mentions...

Run DMC - It's Like That
Notorious BIG - Notorious
Dr Dre ft Snoop - Still D.R.E

I think it's a mixture DT.
My choice is a popular one but it's one that is well documented that I like so I've not steered away from it just to get the votes in.
Like last round I had Joy Division, Ian Curtis lived in Macclesfield and the song is something I grew up with, but I also knew it would cash in on the votes.

I voted for my 3 honest favourites.

Or Snoop - Who Am I? That would probably have been my choice.

Big fan of Ludacris too...so may have picked something by him.

Ludacris features in Justin Bieber - Baby but no1 is rushing to vote for that.

I've chosen my favourite song for every round so far and not what I think will get votes.

That would never even make it to nomination.

I'm actually disgusted that you know that Miky. Seriously.

Usher featuring Luda - YEAH is another great track.

Snoop - Who Am I.

Perhaps and Old Skool Hip-Hop and Modern would've been better.

Personally i think Jay Z - I.Z.Z.O and Renegade ft Eminem are better than 99 Problems.

Usher is RnB, anyone who considers that Hip-Hop should be shot, although for the benefit of Sweep from 606 i mean that in a jestful way.

Luda's part isnt too bad in it DT.

Eminem is another guy whos done brilliantly for Hip Hop/Rap.

King Beer wrote:Usher is RnB, anyone who considers that Hip-Hop should be shot

Funny that RnB in this context was stolen from another genre anyway.

RnB was originally stuff like 60s Rolling Stones, Spencer Davis Group etc

Eminem has been good for it, but he's not had the same influence that dre has, and to an extent, Jay Z.

Dre has constantly reinvented himself and as such reinvented Hip-Hop as a genre, Eminem has constantly pushed the boundaries, which is great, but it's also affected his music.

Other songs that I was contemplating for it...

Beastie Boys – Sabotage (or Intergalatic)
Run DMC – Walk this Way
Wu Tang Clan – Gravel Pit
N.E.R.D. – Lapdance
House of Pain – Jump Around
50 Cent – In Da Club (that would have been purely for the vote)
Dr Dre – Nuthin but a G thang
NWA – Straight Outta Compton
&...Sir Mix A Lot – Baby Got Back

To be fair KB I threw Ushers track in there to show that Luda has worked on some decent stuff...not just Poopie like Justine Bieber.

Definitely not Hip Hop...but any Luda track on it's own would be.

How do you mean it has affected his music KB?

Hero wrote:Other songs that I was contemplating for it...

Beastie Boys – Sabotage (or Intergalatic)
Run DMC – Walk this Way
Wu Tang Clan – Gravel Pit
N.E.R.D. – Lapdance
House of Pain – Jump Around
50 Cent – In Da Club (that would have been purely for the vote)
Dr Dre – Nuthin but a G thang
NWA – Straight Outta Compton
&...Sir Mix A Lot – Baby Got Back

As an aside to this - N.E.R.D. are fantastic live. Saw them as a support act to RHCP once. They really got the crowd worked up.

Holymiky wrote:Jay Z is one of the pioneers of Hip hop.

You can't take away what he has done for the scene.

NWA? Public Enemy? Notorious BIG etc

I hate the fact that people are voting for what they know as opposed to what is best. And due to this being the internet, people tend to be younger than Davie and me!

Which means thaat JayZ etc is going to be considered great, when in 10 years time, the youngsters of tomorrow will have forgotten him.

As a matter of interest - did you listen to any of the songs you didnt know Miky before voting?

The same goes for everyone but I ask Miky as he stated that JayZ is a pioneer - have you listened to some of the older songs on this list before casting your vote?

No it does not say listen to them before voting, it says vote for your favourite, so i did that.

I know and have heard the majority though.

I'm 18 and i hate new music

Holymiky wrote:How do you mean it has affected his music KB?

Well, for every Mosh, Like Toy Soldiers, The Way I Am, Amityville, Till I Collapse there was a Puke, Ken Kanniff, Just Lose It, Ass Like That. Some of his work is brilliant, yet he undoes it with pointless tracks laden with insults and silly voices. Other examples are Business, a rubbish track.

Amityville is a sick song, one of the best beats on his songs, Till I Collapse is lyrically superb as is Won't back Down. But you look at his album history and it's very diluted, his first 2 albums were brilliant and critically acclamied, yet The Eminem Show and Encore are generally panned. Relapse had it's moments and Recovery was him back on form. You look at Dre, The Chronic is probaly up there with Jay Z's The Blueprint as near on Hip-Hop perfection, and he pretty much topped it with Dre2001. There anticipation for Dre's 3rd album has always been huge. Something Eminem probably should've followed suit with.

I actually voted for one of the songs that I’d not heard of prior to the vote going up

Eminem is awful. Never liked him. White men just cannot rap.

AberdeenSteve wrote:Eminem is awful. Never liked him. White men just cannot rap.

How?

Eminem has been one of the most outstanding talents in rap music. Lyrically up there with the best. People tar him with that label cause most people associate white rappers with 'wiggers' when actually, guys like Eminem are actually normal.

Not everyone is Vanilla Ice.

Yes he does have songs that are lyrically brilliant but he completely ruins his reputation with stupid songs like Puke, Just Lose It etc. If he wanted to make himself a stand out in the Hip Hop genre he should have kept to doing the good stuff much like 2pac and Dr Dre did. Everyone of their songs is miles better than the good Eminem stuff.

AberdeenSteve wrote:Yes he does have songs that are lyrically brilliant but he completely ruins his reputation with stupid songs like Puke, Just Lose It etc. If he wanted to make himself a stand out in the Hip Hop genre he should have kept to doing the good stuff much like 2pac and Dr Dre did. Everyone of their songs is miles better than the good Eminem stuff.

Thats exactly what I said!

But that's different from saying he can't rap!

I still feel that if he could rap he'd have made classic track after classic track. I just feel that he could have done a lot better.

Again, i said earlier alot of his albums have been diluted, but you can't question his ability to rap, there is a difference in that and the music he makes.

I'd have gone for House of Pain - Jump Around, Dr Dre - Still D.R.E or Cypress Hill - Insane in the Brain.

I only picked 2 from the list cos the rest are awful! Grandmaster flash and 2pac for me.

2pac



Everybody love's him cos hes dead, im not a fan.

User Name wrote:2pac



Everybody love's him cos hes dead, im not a fan.

That's a rather sweeping generalisation. I'm a fan because he has some great tracks to his name.

I'm shocked this round has probably generated more comments than any other round so far.

If only it were real music