BYHH GW1: Group A - 1998 vs. 2012

[Skinny]

Chalk Aes down as another whose work I appreciate more than I enjoy. The sheer density of his words can have a calming effect if I'm in the right mood, and there's no doubt that he is an elite-level writer (and, probably since around the time this dropped, a much better on-record performer too, less likely to try to fit too many syllables into too small a space), but I want to emphasise that I really have to be in the right mood, otherwise the entire enterprise just becomes oppressively dense. Also, I've just never liked his voice, which isn't his fault but which does prove a major barrier to my enjoyment of his work. It's an album I was already familiar with, and have enjoyed in the past, but finishing it just felt like an absolute chore. Maybe a 3/5, if I was being generous, for a record that I definitely thought more of around the time of its release.

As for everything else here, 'Crew Love' is kinda everything I hate about Drake, with whom I have a love/hate relationship, whilst being saved by a strong Weeknd feature. (Let's be honest, The Weeknd is essentially lead artist here.) 'I Don't Like' is the best single across either team, just a thrilling piece of controlled aggression that feels ageless. good kid, m.A.A.d city is a masterpiece.

The problem is that the 1998 team contains two masterpiece LPs, both of which I'd say are as good as, if not better than, gk,mc. If I had to rank, I'd probably go: 1) Aquemini; 2) good kid, m.A.A.d city; 3) The Miseducation; with Skelethon in a laughably distant fourth place. Also, whilst I wouldn't rank either 1998 single amongst my favourites, they are both very good, particularly 'Changes'.

For me, the consistency of 1998 is more than enough to overcome the shining lights of Keef and Kendrick.
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2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.

[Repo]

OMG! Lauryn's Hill" Intro" was just foreshadowing!

Lauryn Hill. Lauryn Hill? Lauryn Hill... Where did u go, Lauryn Hill?

[junodog4]

1998. By a hair.
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Finnegan was super bad-ass.

[19loveless91]

I'll be going with 2012 actually. GKMC is my favourite here, Aquemini is also great, but I always thought it loses some steam towards the end. Skelethon is not my favourite Aesop album but it's still good, and to me about on par with The Miseducation... and, I don't know, a better "hip hop" album.
Not thrilled about any of the singles, but I do quite like I don't Like, and unlike some I like it more than I like Love Sosa.

[Repo]

I'm going with the team that has two Hip Hop albums.

[RoundTheBend]

(11.75)

OutKast - Aquemini (3)
Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (2.75)
2Pac - Changes (ft. Talent) (3)
The Roots - Adrenaline! (ft. Dice Raw & Beanie Sigel) (3)

vs

(9)
Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city (3)
Aesop Rock - Skelethon (2)
Drake - Crew Love (ft. The Weeknd) (1.5)
Chief Keef - I Don't Like (ft. Lil Reese) (2.5)

[LedZep]

OK, I'm gonna do the ratings thing too since this is very close.

OutKast - Aquemini (4.5)
Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (4)
2Pac - Changes (ft. Talent) (3.75)
The Roots - Adrenaline! (ft. Dice Raw & Beanie Sigel) (4)

Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city (4.75)
Aesop Rock - Skelethon (4.25)
Drake - Crew Love (ft. The Weeknd) (3)
Chief Keef - I Don't Like (ft. Lil Reese) (3.5)

1998 is on 16.25
2012 is on 15.5

The thing is that I prefer 2012 albums and I really value albums as collections of songs more than individual songs... It's tough. I guess I'm gonna go with 98'.
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Finally updated the overall chart

2020s
90s

[Skinny]

1998 wins, 11-6.
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2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.