Best Ever Albums

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

Skinny — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:25:17 GMT

Author: Skinny

Posted: 01/22/2021 16:25

1994 wins, 11-5.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

Repo — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 01:06:13 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 01/14/2021 06:06

Nas' Illmatic has grown on me (a lot!) with repeat listens over this tourney. I now understand why it's so revered. BUT, I still prefer El-P's Fantastic Damage AND Clipse's Lord Willin' over it. have always loved those records, especially Fantastic Damage. I'm not crazy about Project Blowed, although the scene it hails from sounds awesome, so this a pretty easy victory for 2002.

2002

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

baystateoftheart — Sat, 9 Jan 2021 22:47:30 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 01/10/2021 03:47

Illmatic: 4.5/5
Project Blowed Vol. 1: 4/5
Juicy: 4.5/5
Shake It Fa Ya Hood: 4/5

1994 Total: 17/20

Fantastic Damage: 3/5
Lord Willin': 4/5
Work It: 4/5
Luv(sic) Part Two: 3.5/5

2002 Total: 14.5/20

This one's not particularly close for me, but I have to thank babyBlueSedan for nudging me to finally listen to Lord Willin' in full, which is great. Work It would have gotten an extra .5 without the casual racism directed at Chinese people that I noticed on this re-listen. The Nujabes single would have gotten an extra .5-1 if it were instrumental.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

babyBlueSedan — Wed, 6 Jan 2021 14:48:34 GMT

Author: babyBlueSedan

Posted: 01/06/2021 19:48

Just listened to Project Blowed to complete this match-up, and I really enjoyed it. I listened to Innercity Griots probably 4-5 years ago and remember not really connecting with it, so we'll have to see if my opinion has changed when I get to the 1993 match. Minus that reference point, what this album reminded me the most of was Hieroglyphics, both because it was full of fun and interesting ideas and because those ideas didn't always coalesce into solid songs. I enjoyed the energy and diversity more than anything; the samples were fun and recognizable and it sounded pretty ahead of its time.

As for my thoughts on the rest of the match:

1. Illmatic is my favorite album of the bunch, but Lord Willin' is not far behind. In fact, I listen to "Virgina," "Grindin," and "Gangsta Lean" way more than I listen to anything off Illmatic, despite the fact that I consider "Life's a Bitch" to have two of the greatest rap verses of all time. Clipse's first two albums are pretty close quality wise for me, but I'd consider Lord Willin' to have the highest highes whereas HHNF is more consistent. So despite Illmatic being a verifiable classic that I don't really have much to say about, the top two albums on each team are kind of a wash for me.

2. I tend to agree that El-P isn't all that fun to listen to on Fantastic Damage. But I don't really care, because the production on the album is just so good. It doesn't hold a candle to The Cold Vein, and I agree with Skinny that I'll Sleep When You're Dead is better. But I think it's just so fun to listen to that I can get past the occasional clunky line or rushed delivery. And every so often there's a line like "My name is El-P, I produce and I rap too" that isn't exactly genius but which is perfect for the moment it appears. It's an album that I'd lump in with the completely unrelated Die Lit and The Chronic as albums that I listen to mostly for the music and kind of just vibe to the vocals regardless of what they're saying. And like The Chronic, it's an album I listen to yearly at a certain time of year - The Chronic is in the middle of spring, Fantastic Damage is after the first snowfall in January. Also, Stepfather Factory is my favorite song in this match-up.

3. 1994 definitely has me beat on singles. Juicy is Juicy and Shake It Fo Ya Hood was so much fun. Probably about on par with Work It, which makes the Nujabes song my least favorite here. I wish I could have nominated the Blessin' It remix, but only the original version was released as a single. Like with a lot of Nujabes songs, I absolutely love the beat but don't care for the lyrics; I was kind of banking on the BEA userbase being drawn more to the beat than the rapping 🤣

In the end this is really close, but I'm going to be a homer and vote for 2002. I'm weighing albums a bit more heavily and I think my preference for the 2002 albums outweighs my preference for the 1994 singles by a hair.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

Streams — Wed, 6 Jan 2021 09:44:49 GMT

Author: Streams

Posted: 01/06/2021 14:44

'94. Illmatic is pretty much a standalone trump card but most other stuff is good too

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

kokkinos — Wed, 6 Jan 2021 09:19:33 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 01/06/2021 14:19

My ranking for the singles
1st: The Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy
Yeah, no surprises there. He kills it as usual. Still it perplexes me that you didn't go with the album, though.
2nd: Ricky B - Shake It Fo Ya Hood
Silly and funny, nothing to complain about.
3rd: Nujabes - Luv(Sic) Part 2 (ft. Shing02)
If it were an instumental, it would be much better. Not a fan of the rapping at all.
4th: Missy Elliott - Work It
I am in the minority here, but this doesn't do anything for me. I can't take it seriously, neither does it work -for me- as a "fun" song.
So, 1994 is a winner in both albums and singles, but credit must go to babyBlueSedan for making it closer than it should, especially regarding the albums.
Case closed.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

Skinny — Wed, 6 Jan 2021 07:26:24 GMT

Author: Skinny

Posted: 01/06/2021 12:26

Skinny wrote:

This is probably the hardest decision of the whole tie for me. Need to relisten to a few bits, but never vibed with FanDam nor the Project Blowed crowd particularly, which basically leaves me with trying to decide if Illmatic and those ridiculous singles bring me more enjoyment than Lord Willin' and 'Work It'. (I really have zero opinion on that Nujabes single, having listened to it three times now.) It's fucking tough. El-P vs. the Project Blowed relistens will be the decider here, I feel.

Right, so I definitely preferred Fantastic Damage to Project Blowed, the latter of which I struggle with for the same reason I've never totally connected with Innercity Griots, but which is undoubtedly a step down from that record and just a bit of a mess. I don't hate it, and there's loads of cool stuff going on, but I just find it exhausting to listen to. There are strong moments, without doubt: Tray Loc engages in some playful, Pharcyde-esque storytelling on 'Once Upon a Freak', which flips the same Isley Brothers sample as Biggie's 'Big Poppa', albeit with less finesse, but with very enjoyable results; The Nonce don't attempt to do that free-associative flow thing that's so prevalent here, which alleviates my growing headache and adds some much needed textural variety, even if they might have the most unfortunate name in music history; the album ends on a high note, with a couple of relatively drum-starved beats that don't feel like they're constantly fighting against Acey and Abstract Rude's vocals (the sort of sound that they'd later use to great effect on the first Haiku d'Etat record). But overall, this whole album is more miss than hit, for me.

Fantastic Damage is good. Do I love it? No. Do I think El-P went onto undoubtedly greater things? Yes. (I'll Sleep When You're Dead, his next solo record, is a major leap forward.) El-P's flow kinda annoys me, but when the lines hit he has undoubted charisma, and some of the beats here do some really interesting things. I'm no Def Jux fanboy, though, and the more I think about it, the more I believe the genius of The Cold Vein is the exception and not the rule. However, this album still easily trumps Project Blowed for me.

I'm gonna use an out of five rating system here, despite my inhibitions, because I can't figure out how else to decide which team to vote for.

1994:

Illmatic - 5
Project Blowed - 2
Juicy - 5
Shake It For Ya Hood - 5

Total - 17

2002:

FanDam - 3
Lord Willin' - 6
Work It - 4.5
Luvsic - 2.5

Total - 16

So, whilst I am loath to vote against Clipse, I just think 1994 is (juuuust about) a stronger team all round, largely buoyed by those killer singles. I could also change my mind at a moment's notice. This probably isn't my favourite matchup in terms of selections, but it is the one that has proven to be the most difficult for me to decide about.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

kokkinos — Wed, 6 Jan 2021 06:47:07 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 01/06/2021 11:47

The last album for this match up was Clipse - Lord Willin'. Before commenting on the listening process, I have to confess my love for the cover of this album. One might argue that it's a completely irrelevant aspect, but here it's not so much about Its aesthetic value as a standalone piece of art, but more as an accurate representation of what you are about to hear. It has this refreshing attitude that is typical of the whole album. Even though they are dealing with serious and dark themes, like life on the streets and drugs, they never take themselves too seriously with many punchlines ( "I tried being humble, humble get no respect Now the first sign of trouble, that's a hole up in your neck", or "I could lose it all today, be back the next day Still up in the same way As I left ya, all in three gestures: down, up and aim I can define death better than Webster, wet ya") that hit hard and prove once more the well established axiom that the deepest truths are better told through a joke. But this observation doesn't have to do only with the lyrics, it is reflected on their sound too. They manage the rare combination of sounding rough and chill at the same time, if that makes any sense. Also, it sounds so 2002. I don't mean it in a negative way, it simply has this extra charm due to nostalgia. In terms of rapping, they sound very much alike and it's easy to mix them if you aren't familiar with them. After getting more used to them , I found myself developing a slight preference towards Pusha T.
Noting the most remarkable moments of the album, Grindin' is the obvious one. A monumental beat with a little disco touch that remains irresistible and unmatched. The energy is out the roof. Some other highlights include Pusha T's introduction (the 1st verse of Intro), the horns in Young Boy (there are many instances throughout the album where they add a nice touch, but here they shine the brightest, and the destined for the clubs but with a jazzy twist When the Last Time. On the other hand Ma, I Don’t Love Her stands out as the weak link. Overall, I found the first half better than the second.
If I had to point out some negatives, I didn't find any of the guests particularly awe-inspiring (even though FamLay Freestyle is better than you'd expect considering the absence of both No Malice and Pusha T). The two bonus tracks/Grindin' remixes were an overkill, I don't think they were necessary in any way. I am not sure how I'm feeling about the skits. Usually I don't have such a problem. (As a general rule I tend to enjoy them. On many occassions I have heard someone complaining about a skit and say that he likes an album despite its skits and I find myself thinking that I like it exactly because of them.) Here I fail to see how they add something more to the album.
To sum it up, I would rank this on the same tier as El-P - Fantastic Damage and Various Artists - Project Blowed vol. 1 and behind Nas-Illmatic . This means that 1994 is still ahead with only the singles remaining.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

mickilennial — Mon, 4 Jan 2021 15:20:46 GMT

Author: mickilennial

Posted: 01/04/2021 20:20

PossiblyMichigan wrote:

Project BlowedThe Good Life Cafe as an institution is what gave LA's weirdos an outlet to freestyle and perfect their craft. Without Project Blowed The Good Life we might be seeing a very different Open Mike Eagle, Busdriver, Nocando, etc or maybe even not at all.

Fixed that for you. Project Blowed would not come to be without The Good Life as their outlet.

Link

Find a copy of this doc (used to be on Netflix and Hulu, dunno if it still is). Ava directs it herself and it goes over how the entire alternative hip hop culture kind of coalesced around an alternative life cafe in the early 90s/late 80s in LA. Abstract Rude, Busdriver, Freestyle Fellowship, etc. lots of people in it. Lot of perspective and lesser known history.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

kokkinos — Mon, 4 Jan 2021 14:56:41 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 01/04/2021 19:56

So, El-P - Fantastic Damage. Even though El-P has been one of the pioneers of the experimental/abstract hip hop rise right after the turn of the 21st century, which I am a big fan of, I have the tendency to terribly underrate him (I even called him a poor man's Aesop Rock once). Anyway, if you wanna get more into him, I guess this is a good starting point. The lyrics are at least very good with many moments of greatness, though they are at several points let down by the delivery, which leaves a lot to be desired. Production is the album's major attraction. Fantastic Damage is the opening track. Its futuristic (I read somewhere a criticism that the beats sound "mechanical", but that's more or less the point in the context of the album) vibe introduces us to a post-apocalyptic (or rather post- 9/11) scenery ("The Fabulous structure that's coaxed out of rubbles puddles splash Mechanisms burn with beeping sounds that own their humans sold as Ruthless rounds of radio dust, Cranial mush, men get flattened out Radials spun on dusted combatant joust") that is gonna be present throughout the whole album. It seamlessly transitions to Squeegee Man Shooting which sound-wise is a straight follow up to the previous track, even though the lyrics points to a different direction and among other stuff contain a little lovely nod to his father ("Dad played jazz when he drank, it's no accident Hands on the piano and make my foot tap to it Different path, same love, dad, thanks for passing it"). Deep Space 9mm is one of the highlights of the album. It is a protest againist modern society (" Monks hung halo teach Hung by the math where the cable reach A hundred and sixty-six channels lit The train that animal shit") but for me it mainly stands out because of its super-cool sound. The next song, Tuned Mass Damper, is also one of my favorites. It sounds so manic, but at the same time it has a ghoulish charm, so to speak (" You're not promised tomorrow "). In Dead Disnee the paranoia goes on ("Slayed Bambi, sprayed his whole family"), but some of his -at first glance more style than substance- references do make a point ("But look a little closer, the jails are not empty The rabbit hole, made for the meek and re-entry You're on the wrong side of the looking glass now Paw, face it"). I have a soft spot for Back to the Future, so I couldn't possibly dislike a song named Delorean. Speaking of Aesop, their back and forth interaction is highly enjoyable. In the following sequence, I get the impression that the songwriting gets more focused and direct, showing how life on the streets provides better education than any school ( Truancy - "Went with truancy and the bad apple, and it slowly formed my spirit So when I couldn't fit the scholastic structure of my peers I didn't fear it") or the consequences of war (The Hang, The Front, The Bush And The Shit - "Corpses act animate Walk around the back yard munching on brain cabinets Sad but erratic Irregular predator with bad brain magic") or Orwell-inspired politic/social commentary (Accidents don't happen - " City life is practice, casket truancy That's the rule of you and me, brash unmasked lunacy") or reflections on technology (Stepfather Factory - "Electric doodads and whizzer apps and such to keep the munchkins entertained But get replaced by newer versions or just break down systematically"). T.O.J. is as unique as a song about a broken heart can get, followed by Dr. Hellno And The Praying Mantus, where things get kinky. Although they are not bad as individual songs -especially T.O.J.-, they don't seem to fit the general theme. Considering that the albums suffers from being too long, maybe you could make a case for omitting them. Lazerfaces' Warning has some great lines, but it's another song I could do without, as it is rather forgettable. Innocent leader is an instrumental. It makes for a very interesting listen (it's sampling David Bowie after all), but it's way too short to be properly enjoyed. It's more promising than finished product. Constellation Funk is a big one. It is so aggressive, it comes determined to get stuck in your head. In Blood, the closing track, it's family business, so it gets personal and it is always nice getting to see a softer side, but the "Do right" concept is too repetitive and gets dangerously close to the point of becoming annoying.
To sum it up, a very good choice, I would rate this as about equal to Various Artists - Project Blowed vol. 1 but clearly behind Nas-Illmatic, so 1994 is ahead by some margin so far.
Despite its flaws, I can definitely see why you'd pick this againist 1994, the contrast in sound is too extreme for an 8-year span. Also, it's a funny coincidence that it got paired againist Illmatic, since they both paint a picture of life in N.Y., though from a slightly different point of view.
Next on the list is Clipse - Lord Willin'.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

Repo — Sun, 3 Jan 2021 11:36:49 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 01/03/2021 16:36

PossiblyMichigan wrote:

Project Blowed as an institution is what gave LA's weirdos an outlet to freestyle and perfect their craft. Without Project Blowed we might be seeing a very different Open Mike Eagle, Busdriver, Nocando, etc or maybe even not at all. This Various Artists comp feels like a frenetic mission statement. Gives me the feeling of stumbling into a warehouse venue only to find that the ticket counter is selling an in house band comp and taking a chance on it. I'd say after a while the record begins to feel like they ran out of talent as the founders are basically present on every beat past the two/thirds mark. Figures of Speech is quite amazing though huh? Did not know Ava Duvernay was present in this project and she's got a delivery of a 60's girl group singer turned emcee. Fun stuff.

Yeah. This is kinda my opinion too. It's a cool document/souvenir of an insanely cool scene, but it's not an album that's going to blow you a way. Like most V/A albums, it's a mixed bag.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

PossiblyMichigan — Sun, 3 Jan 2021 11:20:27 GMT

Author: PossiblyMichigan

Posted: 01/03/2021 16:20

Project Blowed as an institution is what gave LA's weirdos an outlet to freestyle and perfect their craft. Without Project Blowed we might be seeing a very different Open Mike Eagle, Busdriver, Nocando, etc or maybe even not at all. This Various Artists comp feels like a frenetic mission statement. Gives me the feeling of stumbling into a warehouse venue only to find that the ticket counter is selling an in house band comp and taking a chance on it. I'd say after a while the record begins to feel like they ran out of talent as the founders are basically present on every beat past the two/thirds mark. Figures of Speech is quite amazing though huh? Did not know Ava Duvernay was present in this project and she's got a delivery of a 60's girl group singer turned emcee. Fun stuff.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

kokkinos — Sun, 3 Jan 2021 10:39:27 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 01/03/2021 15:39

Nas-Illmatic is the stuff of legend. An absolute classic, the album of albums. Nas creates his magnum opus already on his debut and everything else he's done since is simply oveshadowed by this once in a lifetime achievement. If you 've only heard one hip hop album, there is a good chance it's this one (or at least it should). If you asked me which is my favorite hip hop album, I wouldn't pick it. If I was asked to name what I consider the best hip hop album, it would be one of the main contenders, but I 'm not sure if I'd pick it. But if you asked me what hip hop is or how it should sound, I would immediately and without any hesitation point to Illmatic. Comprised of 10 tracks and clocking in at just below 40 minutes, he doesn't put a foot wrong throughout the whole thing, making it so very accessible. I don't think I've ever heard a negative review of it and any arising disagreements have to do with the comparison of the songs (I can remember pretty much every song except the intro getting the nod by at least one person as the best of the album), but the overall quality of the album is beyond any kind of dispute.
The album is a masterclass in every aspect. An impressive lineup of producers manage to create a sound that on the one hand is a product of its time, based on boom bap with many "jazzy" vibes, but they cram enough innovations so that after all these years it isn't dated at all. The structure of the songs is verse-heavy and the choruses are kept to a minimum, allowing Nas to shine through the captivating delivery of his lyrics. Yeah, his lyrics. Not much to say there, universally appraised and endlessly quoted since day one.
The intro is titled Genesis and makes it clear from the get-go that this is gonna be the Bible of hip hop. N.Y. State of Mind is considered by many to be first among equals i.e. the best song of the album. It has been noted that sampling Rakim's Mahogany was a symbolic move indicating that the heir to the throne is here. More importantly, though, it sets the scene for the rest of the album, introducing us to life in New York ("The city never sleeps, full of villains and creeps That's where I learned to do my hustle, had to scuffle with freaks") and of course contains the iconic line "I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death" which perfectly encapsulates the New York state of mind. Next comes Life’s a Bitch, which is actually my favorite song of the album. It is the only one featuring a guest (AZ). He is nothing short of spectacular, giving Nas a run for his money and almost stealing the show. The song explores some typical existential themes from a unique point of view and demonstrates their attitude towards life ( AZ: "So, until that day we expire and turn to vapors Me and my capers will be somewhere stackin' plenty papers", Nas: "I switched my motto; instead of sayin', "Fuck tomorrow!" That buck that bought a bottle could've struck the lotto") and contributes another huge quote in "Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we get high ‘Cause you never know when you're gonna go". In The World Is Yours it's that charming piano sample that stands out, plus we get a rare moment of softness/weakness ("Born alone, die alone, no crew to keep my crown or throne I'm deep by sound alone, caved inside, 1,000 miles from home I need a new nigga for this black cloud to follow ‘Cause while it's over me it's too dark to see tomorrow"). Two of the next three songs, namely Halftime and One Love, are for me the two -I don't wanna say low points, because they aren't low at all- least memorable tracks. Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park) has a soul-ish touch that does a lot for the song itself and also works in the context of the album. One Time 4 Your Mind feels somewhat underrated ("Shit, cold, be starvin' make you wanna do crimes, kid But I'ma lamp ‘cause a crime couldn't beat a rhyme"), I appreciate that they went for something different and followed a slower approach. Represent is my second favorite, as it has to my ears the best beat and an all around amazing sound. The closing track
It Ain't Hard to Tell is one of the best bragging songs -sampling MJ can't be wrong - you can possibly encounter ("It ain't hard to tell, I kick a skill, like Shaquille holds a pill").
To sum it up, it sets the bar ridiculously high and it would take a miracle from the 2002 team to turn the tables.
Next on the list is El-P - Fantastic Damage.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

travelful — Sat, 2 Jan 2021 20:42:30 GMT

Author: travelful

Posted: 01/03/2021 01:42

I liked this matchup a lot. I think BabyBlueSedan was put into a tough spot opening against 1994 and did a great job picking forward thinking hip-hop to counter, as mentioned. I'm a huge fan of Nujabes so I love seeing that single in here, and if it wasn't for Biggie's single it would easily be my favorite single of the bunch. Missy Elliott and Ricky B singles are good too, but aren't anything that blow me away.

Illmatic is the obvious heavy hitter here and is quite clearly the best project on either team. Lord Willin' would be my second choice and is still one of my favorites in the first round. The record is a bit underrated honestly... I think there's a couple skips on the project to keep it in the shadow of HHNF but the highlights are everywhere. The opening track run is ridiculous, banger after banger. The Neptunes really shine on the record as well.

It was my first time hearing Project Blowed Vol. 1 and I can say I enjoyed it overall but I do think it's the weakest album of the bunch. It doesn't grab me the same as the others and I think it's because it's not as cohesive of a listen.

EL-P's album is solid but his rapping at this point in his career was a bit clunky. The density of the beats can make the lyrics incomprehensible at times and I find myself basically tuning him out and enjoying the production. I've enjoyed his rapping more later on in his career. I do enjoy Fantastic Damage but I don't think it's enough to turn the tides over to 2002... primarily due to Nas and Biggie.

It's a lot closer than it could have been, but my vote goes to 1994 by just a smidge.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

kokkinos — Sat, 2 Jan 2021 11:04:54 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 01/02/2021 16:04

Various Artists - Project Blowed vol. 1 is an album whose existence I ignored so far, so I thought I should start with it. After listening to it, I wonder how it has escaped my attention up to this point. It is a weird album that needs multiple listens in order to fully comprehend what's going on, but I can already -after 2 listens - confidently say it was more than a pleasant surprise. The main thing that it has going for is that sound-wise it's all over the place (I mean that in a good way). Right off the bat we get warned that there are a lot of experimental elements ("It's the audio auditorial dynamics Don't panic, frantic Put me in the middle and I'll battle, fight 'em off"). There are "noisy" (Jurassick) "spacey" (Strength of A.T.U.), catchy to the point of being addictive (What a Pity, it's more of a semi-interlude than a full song), "jazzy" (mostly Hot, with some horns appearing also on Once Upon a Freak and Narcolepsy), fantastic female vocals (Don't Get It Twisted) relaxing (I Think?, which is another case of a semi-interlude and Maskaraid Part 1 & 2) tracks. The highlight of the album for me -supposing that I had to pick only one, otherwise all the above mentioned were very enjoyable- is Heavyweights Round 2. It manages to blend together many of the different styles showcased throughout the album, even some old school. The lyrics do bring some socio-political commentary to the table that is usually tied with the current state and the purpose of hip hop music, ("Uh—I think hip-hop is our�...black,�...urban youth, slash,�...rebellious interpretation of real life as�...we see it, characterized through the images of the street, all the way up to the images portrayed to us by Hollywood.") but they are by no means the main focus of the album. Production feels somewhat "cheap" at times, but it never gets too annoying. The interludes are as they should. Short enough so that they don't act distracting, but they do have a point and flow smoothly to the following track.
All in all, credit is due to baystateoftheart for such a cool pick.
Next on my list is Nas - Illmatic (it's been some time, but still it should be one of the easiest and fastest listens of the tournament, not much left to discover).

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

KitchenSink — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 06:17:04 GMT

Author: KitchenSink

Posted: 12/31/2020 11:17

very interesting selections here. Illmatic is great (as we all know) but is very cool to see it alongside that project blowed comp, which I'm a huge fan of but doesn't get nearly as much love as I feel like it deserves (especially considering how influential it ultimately became to a lot of the LA underground). And then we have Juicy (a safe but undeniable pick) rick next to the one and only SHAKE FO YA MOTHERFUCKING HOOD IF ITS ALL GOOD which is just such a fun jam, deliciously silly in the best possible way. wish more bounce followed the ricky b template tbh

the presence of Work It already puts the 2002 team in my good graces, and Lord Willin is fucking fantastic as well. The Nujabes track is good but nothing I listen too terribly often, and while famdam was once a favorite of mine, it's kinda come to resemble something closer to a worse Funcrusher Plus for me over the year. I feel like El hadn't really figured out breath control at this point in his career, and his production style kinda sits halfway in between the more subdued stylings of Funcrusher and the more enveloping atmospheres of The Cold Vein, and as a result I feel like it doesn't really excel as much at either mode. there's some gold here but even the best beats get weighed down by El clearly layering like 30 different vocal tracks for one verse, makes me wonder how he ever managed to rap anything live during this era.

hmmm. anyway, while Work It might be my favorite single thing on either team, think I'm gonna have to give the edge to '94 on this one

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

RoundTheBend — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 15:26:37 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 12/30/2020 20:26

1. Oversimplified and a bit obvious; NAS' Illmatic is so powerful because both the rapping and the backing tracks are amazing. I feel like some rappers think their flows are all there's needed, and no, I can't stand behind that sentiment. There's also a pop quality to it - catchy hooks, etc. Has it all really, and throughout. (3)
2. Project Blowed , I have yet to listen to team 2002, but so far, no this is not a detractor for me. Aceyalone's presence was key, and just like I said above, the tracks and the rapping both marry well, which is a deciding factor for me. There were times when I felt it was better than top selling rappers and other times I felt it being a bit amateur... not 100% sure what to make of that, other than I felt the latter fairly rarely, so not crazy impactful on what I thought. (2.5)
3. Juicy - yeah I think Ready to Die is just such massive album, it's surprising the choice was made to do Biggie as a single. I mean nothing wrong with it either. I actually thought a little myself... hmmm, I wonder if I had done singles and albums that were from the same artist, but seperated them in different posts if people would like that (so saving Biggie's album for last or something in your case). Anyway, I wasted this time talking about strategy, because... well it's Juicy... nothing more to be said. (3)
4. Shake For Ya Hood - this was pretty fun, but somehow fell a little flat for me (2) - I both loved and it bothered me the tune is every feel good hit movie summer ending credits.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________

1. Fantastic Damage - I like El-P more than I do Aesop Rock, but up until I had only heard singles... I'm not a fan of the album by the end, even if some solid work in between. (2)
2. Lord Willin' - I mentioned this already, but the music is super key for me (doesn't hurt Neptunes behind the wheel). The rapping was pretty good too, so clear winner for me (2.75)
3. Work It - if there was a song to represent high school for me it's this track... I was in a dance course with people who actually knew how to dance, and that made this song even more come alive. Also I remember Dave Grohls saying something like she was a fucking genius for using backwards vocals. So far this is the thing that I was most excited to re-listen to. (3)
4. Luv (sic) pt2 - this was some interesting music and rapping too, but somehow when I was done it was completely forgettable (2)

Favorite new lyric: Hip-Hop is not for crackers.

Also, if it wasn't clear already - 94

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

baystateoftheart — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 13:35:00 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 12/30/2020 18:35

If I were picking my round one team today, I don't think Project Blowed would be on it. I was a little too high on it after my first listen, feeling rushed, and wanting to add some balance to my first round roster. I still think it's a great album (if barely) thanks to the strong second half. And it has cool production, interesting ideas, and plenty of variety, all strengths. But it's not a consistent album in terms of quality, and often there's more quirk than substance in the rapping. Anyway, looks like it's the deciding factor for several people, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do... 😨

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

LedZep — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 17:49:17 GMT

Author: LedZep

Posted: 12/29/2020 22:49

I'm a big fan of El-P as a producer. He's probably the GOAT for me. Nothing sounds like Fantastic Damage, even today. While he's not the best rapper around, he's more than capable of delivering damage with his verses, and his songwriting here is fantastic (a terrible joke, I'm sorry). Lord Willin' is not quite Hell Hath No Fury imo, but it's close enough to make this a great matchup. Illmatic is Illmatic, and the 94' singles are crazy strong. I'm not a huge Nujabes fan but that song's solid, the Missy Elliott track is fire. So I really wanna go with 2002 but I can't see myself voting against Nas AND Biggie AND Shake It Fo Ya Hood. The loose concept around the 2002 team is cool, everything about that team is so cool... A very tough one. Project Blowed vol. 1 better be good.

Edit:
Project Blowed is good. It's fun as hell, varied collection of bops. Not very cohesive, but it doesn't need to be. Production choices are solid, there's quite a few beats which were jaw dropping, the MCs are impressive too. Not too many weak moments. However, it's not Lord Willin', Fantastic Damage or Illmatic. This still remains the toughest match in the round imo, but I'll probably have to vote against a rad 2002 team. Sorry babyBlueSedan, it seems Baystate's 94' is the year to beat in our group.

I'm so glad I won't have to go against Illmatic. This leaves only Blowout Comb, The Diary, 6 Feet Deep, The Extinction Agenda, Super Tight, Hard to Earn... Ugh.

Re: BYHH GW1: Group B - 1994 vs. 2002

Hayden — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 12:04:59 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 12/29/2020 17:04

'94 for me.

Found this match-up a little odd for some reason. Probably just because of all the different styles represented.