Best Ever Albums

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

Skinny — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:23:26 GMT

Author: Skinny

Posted: 01/22/2021 16:23

1996 wins, 8-6.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

baystateoftheart — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 21:08:18 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 01/21/2021 02:08

June 27th: 3.5/5
Coming For Your Soul: 3/5
One Day: 5/5
Ghetto Smile: 3.5/5

1996 Total: 15/20

Late Registration: 4.5/5
Beauty And The Beat: 4/5
Bucky Done Gun: 4.5/5
Antidote: 2.5/5 if confirmed single; 0/5 if not

2005 Total: 15.5/20 or 13/20

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

baystateoftheart — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 20:50:53 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 01/21/2021 01:50

I can't find any source on Antidote being an actual single and not just an album track. Anyone have a link?

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

Repo — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 21:53:30 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 01/15/2021 02:53

Fuck yeah!!! 1996 is easily my idea of the perfect team. Two albums that I had never even heard of knocking me upside my head, dragging me to its lair, having its way with me, and then I get all Stockholm on her ass. I'm never leaving, BITCH! I'm here for good, ya hear me!! I've moved in! Where's the motherfucking remote?!?!

The easiest vote yet. '96 for life!

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

Repo — Sat, 9 Jan 2021 05:27:39 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 01/09/2021 10:27

Tha1ChiefRocka wrote:

Repo wrote:

Skinny wrote:

Please note that the version of DJ Screw's June 27th on Spotify is not the original tape. You can find the actual version here.

Link

I think I'm going to have to be baked out of my mf'n mind for this one! Putting it the cue for tomorrow night after Brady crushes that nameless Washington team.

Technically you should probably have a cup of lean Repo. But I'm not going to advocate for that sorta thing. 8-[

Haha! I had to google it! It's been a good long while since I've overdosed on some heady cough syrup. How did we ever get better?!?! lol

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

Tha1ChiefRocka — Sat, 9 Jan 2021 02:07:16 GMT

Author: Tha1ChiefRocka

Posted: 01/09/2021 07:07

Repo wrote:

Skinny wrote:

Please note that the version of DJ Screw's June 27th on Spotify is not the original tape. You can find the actual version here.

Link

I think I'm going to have to be baked out of my mf'n mind for this one! Putting it the cue for tomorrow night after Brady crushes that nameless Washington team.

Technically you should probably have a cup of lean Repo. But I'm not going to advocate for that sorta thing. 😨

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

PossiblyMichigan — Sat, 9 Jan 2021 01:46:07 GMT

Author: PossiblyMichigan

Posted: 01/09/2021 06:46

I will not tolerate any Screw slander! Look y'all I made the 05 time and I'm voting 96. It's okay to admit you're wrong

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

Repo — Fri, 8 Jan 2021 21:58:18 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 01/09/2021 02:58

Skinny wrote:

Edan - Beauty and the Beat

How do they know what I like? R they in the HOUSE?! It's like YouTube made a mixed tape for me! Thanks, YouTube!

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

Repo — Fri, 8 Jan 2021 21:26:34 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 01/09/2021 02:26

Skinny wrote:

Please note that the version of DJ Screw's June 27th on Spotify is not the original tape. You can find the actual version here.

Link

I think I'm going to have to be baked out of my mf'n mind for this one! Putting it the cue for tomorrow night after Brady crushes that nameless Washington team.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

kokkinos — Fri, 8 Jan 2021 15:07:14 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 01/08/2021 20:07

My ranking for the singles:
1st: UGK - One Day.
If most rappers are cobras, in the sense that they go for a fast kill, this is a boa constrictor. They know you can't escape and they slowly but surely suffocate you (weird analogy, I know, but I think you get the point).
2nd: B-Legit - Ghetto Smile (ft. Daryl Hall)
Love the production. It could carry any rapper to greatness.
3rd: M.I.A. - Bucky Done Gun
Wow, this was a time machine. Brings back lots of memories. Maybe I'm ranking this too low, but the two above were sublime choices.
4th: Antidote - Antidote
This would thematically fit better in the 1996 team. Not bad not great.
So, 1996 is a clear winner in the singles department, but it's not enough to overcome the lead 2005 had. So, it has to be 2005 for me. Case closed.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

kokkinos — Fri, 8 Jan 2021 13:25:42 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 01/08/2021 18:25

The last album for this matchup is Edan - Beauty and the Beat. (I really have to pick up the pace, way too much stuff I haven't looked into yet and too little time left) Another album I have a soft spot for, though not to the extent of the previous case. I See Colours / The Science of the Two is a single I seriously considered for my team (2004). Also, it's another album that heavily focuses on production. The lyrics are seconday, though they do add to the surreal scenery ("Pour the hourglass sand in the rusted tin can The looking glass man dressed in robes from Japan", or "I frolic in the sand with a colony of ants My particles expand building oxygen in plants From Rakim to Caz, to Lakim Shabazz I logically advance with the knowledge of the past Motivate a giraffe, wrote a page-and-a-half Known for paving a path in the waves with a staff The music is rap, my favorite color is math The plan of attack is bless a planet with wax The caterer, the Darth Vader of the cross fader You should never be afraid of the arm from all laborers"). What separates Edan from other producers that made a breakthrough at about the same era -let's say start of the 21st century- (notorious examples who also happen to appear in this tournament being El-P and Aesop Rock) is that in extreme contrast to their futuristic vibes, he has his eyes set on the past. His influences are not hard to spot. It's meant to be trippy ("My word systems turn your scene to tangerine The kid sees colors flashing wild on his movie screen"), so psychedelic music is the name of the game. There are moments where it rocks, at points it approaches conventional hip hop, but it always maintains a sound funky at its core. He can effortlessly fit many different styles without overdoing it or losing the balance. Many standout moments, if I were forced to pick one I would probably go with Murder Mystery. It somehow reminds me of Chinatown (the movie I mean). Too bad it was released a little too late (only 30 years) to be included in the soundtrack. One thing that stops me from listening to this more often, is that his above mentioned influences are so good themselves I might find myself listening to them instead.
By the way, something i liked about this matchup is that both teams didn't randomly pick two good albums. Both pairings felt like there was some chemistry going on between them. (no matter if one is closer to my taste than the other.)
Next one is gonna be the singles, although at this point it's hard to imagine voting againist 2005.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

Skinny — Fri, 8 Jan 2021 07:02:53 GMT

Author: Skinny

Posted: 01/08/2021 12:02

kokkinos wrote:

Yeah, Kanye never fails to raise some controversy. The Paul wall comment was not meant in the sense that they are in the same category in regard to their artistic value. (Very few would be in the same category as Adam Levine in that case.} I thought it would be clear, because I didn't mention that aspect at all, so the comparison shouldn't be based on that. It had to do with the way Kanye makes these things work, even though they seem destined to fail. In other words, it was more about praising Kanye than diminishing Paul Wall. Anyway, apologies for my phrasing and for sounding too harsh towards Paul Wall.
About the best of the tournament comment, I stand by it. I warned you right off the bat that I can't be objective (if there is such a thing). I never claimed to be an expert of any kind that possesses the absolute truth. From the perspective of a casual - ok maybe a bit more than casual- listener, I haven't encountered anything that comes close since my first exposure to Kanye back when the College Dropout came out. As I wrote in the previous post, if this tournament were to be the revelation, that would be great.

Yeah, that's fair enough. I also made comment about the fact that getting Paul Wall to rap about cars over a smoky jazz rap beat is a lovely (perhaps even genius) inversion of type. Paul Wall's a legend who sounds good over most anything, but it's still very refreshing to hear him outside of his comfort zone.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

kokkinos — Fri, 8 Jan 2021 02:12:55 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 01/08/2021 07:12

Yeah, Kanye never fails to raise some controversy. The Paul wall comment was not meant in the sense that they are in the same category in regard to their artistic value. (Very few would be in the same category as Adam Levine in that case.} I thought it would be clear, because I didn't mention that aspect at all, so the comparison shouldn't be based on that. It had to do with the way Kanye makes these things work, even though they seem destined to fail. In other words, it was more about praising Kanye than diminishing Paul Wall. Anyway, apologies for my phrasing and for sounding too harsh towards Paul Wall.
About the best of the tournament comment, I stand by it. I warned you right off the bat that I can't be objective (if there is such a thing). I never claimed to be an expert of any kind that possesses the absolute truth. From the perspective of a casual - ok maybe a bit more than casual- listener, I haven't encountered anything that comes close since my first exposure to Kanye back when the College Dropout came out. As I wrote in the previous post, if this tournament were to be the revelation, that would be great.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

Streams — Thu, 7 Jan 2021 22:41:48 GMT

Author: Streams

Posted: 01/08/2021 03:41

both, and that's a great record

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

Skinny — Thu, 7 Jan 2021 22:40:57 GMT

Author: Skinny

Posted: 01/08/2021 03:40

I'm just fuming that anybody could put Paul Wall in the same category as Adam Levine, to be frank.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

baystateoftheart — Thu, 7 Jan 2021 21:14:52 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 01/08/2021 02:14

Streams wrote:

kokkinos wrote:

Kanye West - Late Registration...
I am reasonably confident that I’ve just heard the best album of the tournament.

this is gross

There are better albums in the tournament imo, but Late Registration is one of my favorite albums ever. Are you interpreting this comment as closed-mindedness to unheard records, or taking a cheap shot at someone's taste?

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

KitchenSink — Thu, 7 Jan 2021 19:01:04 GMT

Author: KitchenSink

Posted: 01/08/2021 00:01

Skinny wrote:

I mean no offence to Edan or his fan here, but I think it's pretty fair to say that the beats are the main draw here, right? Like, his rapping is totally fine, and he has a nice line in absurdist boasts, but it feels a little rote and overtly in thrall to his forebears..

not an Edan superfan by any means, but I will say that even moreso than the absurdist boasts I do quite like how he can take his G Rap/Organized Konfusion influence and use it to paint some really fun surreal vignettes of general Dali-style nonsense, Beauty being a prime example. It's all a bit silly but I feel like he has the personality to pull it off. Other than that yeah beats are prime pull, and following up on your critiques I think the tracks with the most breathing room (Making Planets being a major highlight) are the strongest here. Album isn't as significant to me as it once was but I feel like it's a consistently fun ride with a lot of replayability.

anyway mostly just commenting to reassert that the 96 team is p much the best thing ever

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

Streams — Thu, 7 Jan 2021 18:46:54 GMT

Author: Streams

Posted: 01/07/2021 23:46

kokkinos wrote:

Kanye West - Late Registration...
I am reasonably confident that I’ve just heard the best album of the tournament.

this is gross

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

kokkinos — Thu, 7 Jan 2021 16:53:23 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 01/07/2021 21:53

Kanye West - Late Registration
Spoiler alert: The upcoming review is totally biased.
I am not sure if I can maintain the slightest degree of objectivity (not a fan of the term when it comes to music, but you get the point) To my mind Kanye West is a godlike figure not only in hip hop but music in general. To say he single – handedly ignited my interest for this particular genre would be a fair assessment. One might argue that he leans towards the poppier end of the spectrum, so it’s understandable that I find him more accessible than other hip hop greats. He is not too hip hop, but also not too non hip hop, if that makes sense. Maybe that’s the case. No matter how he did it, he opened a whole new world for me and made me realise the endless arising possibilities. Ok, I am a fanboy, point taken, let’s move on.
To follow up the widely acclaimed and commercially successful College Dropout was no easy task, but he delivered. Production is once more the major attraction, it’s head and shoulders above every other aspect of the album. Lyrics are often the center of attention in hip hop. Well, not here. For all I care, he could be mumbling random nonsense that nobody understands and it would still sound majestic nonetheless. I don’t mean to suggest that he does, there are many great lines here. In the space of a year he managed to reinvent the sound of his debut album. The themes are a bit more serious (though there are still some moments of fun) but he doesn’t hold anything back, he is as honest and ever. The sound is, well, massive. Bigger than a Hollywood blockbuster, more epic than Homer’s poems, you name it. The variety is also outstanding. Every song is unique. The core of his sound is still a pop take on soul/funk, but he has expanded in many different directions.
Picking some highlights would be close to impossible, it’s more or less the whole album (yes, even the skits were entertaining). In Heard’ em Say he struggles dealing with the difficulties of life (“So this is in the name of love like Robert say Before you ask me to go get a job today Can I at least get a raise of the minimum wage? And I know that the government administer AIDS So I guess we just pray like the minister say Allāhu Akbar and throw in some hot cars”) , but he accompanies it with none other than Adam Levine (crazy, I know). He makes a song with Adam Levine work, for that alone he deserves full credit, don’t know who else could have pulled that off. Touch the Sky comes with a pinch of disco, followed by the club/party oriented Gold Digger which provides tons of fun. Drive Slow has an irresistible jazzy vibe, the saxophone is on steroids. By the way, Paul Wall also belongs to the Adam Levine category. Crack Music is another cool tune with a wonderful gospel touch as the icing on the cake. Roses flows as smooth as anything I can think of. Kanye is on top form there (as a rapper I mean). Even the silly Addiction is so addictive (these cringeworthy puns are becoming a thing). Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix) is just a huge song. Not a fan of remixes in general, but this is exemplary. If I had to pick one track that represents the whole album the most accurate, it would most likely be this one. We Major features Nas and is considered one of the weaker tracks. This speaks volumes about the depth of the album. Hey Mama is the pinnacle of songwriting, one of the most emotional and touching songs you can possibly encounter (“I wanna tell the whole world about a friend of mine This little light of mine and I'm finna let it shine I'm finna take y'all back to them better times I'm finna talk about my mama if y'all don't mind”). Then, as the title suggests, it’s time for Celebration- and deservedly so. And after all this insane ride, it seems he saved best for last. Gone keeps improving verse by verse. That’s what it means to go out with a bang. It’s worth noting that what I usually complain about in other album, here works the other way around. The most obvious example is the duration. It is 70 minutes long and it feels so short, it leaves you thirsty for more.
Considering 2010 is not represented and 2004 is my year, I am reasonably confident that I’ve just heard the best album of the tournament. Of course I’d be more than happy if this statement were to be refuted.
Next one is Edan - Beauty and the Beat. I wanna say it’s case closed already, but it’s more about the process than the outcome, so there’s no reason to abstain from listening to this.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group A - 1996 vs. 2005

mickilennial — Wed, 6 Jan 2021 18:14:19 GMT

Author: mickilennial

Posted: 01/06/2021 23:14

Gotta listen to the 1996 selections still, but 2005 is pretty strong and I'm familiar with it well.