Frank Ocean - Biking (ft. Jay-Z & Tyler, the Creator)
Please use the thread to discuss the selections and inform everybody of your voting intentions. A poll will be added at a later date in order to tally votes, once everybody has had the opportunity to listen to all of the selections. If there are specific links to the albums or singles you have nominated (on Youtube, Spotify, etc.) that you would prefer voters to listen to, please post them in this thread. _________________ 2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.
Last edited by Skinny on 02/10/2021 19:51; edited 1 time in total
If it humours Skinny any, this was about a 30 second decision away from being the team I was going to put up against '99. Think I made the right switch though.
Hoping people give the lojii & Swarvy a fair shot. I think it'll be the choice on my board least familiar with people. Completely missed it when it came out myself, I'm not sure how much hype it really got at the time. Feel like it needs a bit more love. Production's ace, and it's got bars. Not sure what else you can ask for. Swarvy's variety of production techniques here are a real showcase. Dude's got a great ear.
And I'm hoping PossiblyMichigan gets a slight kick out of my message I sent to him.
Interesting that both these teams feature an unapologetic concept album. I definitely prefer Brick Body Kids... to SlaughtaHouse in the mini concept album matchup happening here (Masta Ace went onto much better things, whereas Open Mike Eagle was really operating his melancholy peak here), but I mean... fucking Midnight Marauders. It's one of the greatest albums ever made. Singles-wise, I love 'Ain't It Funny' and 'Passin' Me By' pretty much equally, but I don't really care about the others, to be honest. Need to check lojii & Swarvy before I make any decision. It may be the case that it and OME together have enough to overcome an all-time favourite and a rather clunky Masta Ace effort. More relistens are due. _________________ 2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.
tight one for me Passin' Me By and Midnight Marauders are both classics obviously, SlaughtaHouse, like much masta ace, is hugely underrated (and alongside pharoahe monch serves as the template for early eminem, except much better mind you). I've always liked but never loved IAM, but regardless it's a nice single if nothing mind-blowing.
Brick Body Kids Still Daydream isn't my favorite OME album but it's not far off. quite possibly his tightest lyricism, and like many OME releases I appreciate the unashamed sensitivity of it. tbh might be his best in that regard. due rent is also solid af if perhaps a little overlong. remember finding that thing via the Versis feature (apropos of nothing I urge anyone to check out Versis' iLLCANDESCENT which is fucking ace imo) and it represents a solid entry in the same kind of quirky, slightly offbeat, slightly jazzy, and just a little murky weirdo rap that defines a lot of my favorite hip-hop albums from this era, although this isn't necessarily one of those favorites (iLLCANDESCENT is however heh).
Aint it funny also good and Biking is the best Frank Ocean song. reallly hard matchup tbh... _________________ A Variety of Artists
Post subject: Re: BYHH GW2: Group C - 1993 vs. 2017
1993 (captain: cestuneblague) - 10+?
A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders (3) - no words needed
Masta Ace Incorporated - SlaughtaHouse (2.5+?) - yeah this was a great find for me too. I love the light horn samples they mess with. Vocals solid. I think they said homeboy a couple times... actually no I really did pay attention a couple more times... I think what was most intriguing to me was that bit that was like dude is thinking what's he gonna do, that dude over there in the hoodie, and I'm thinking the same thing (of course they said it way better). Checks all the boxes for good hip-hop for me
The Pharcyde - Passin' Me By
That scratch at the beginning... reminds me of something, but can't put my finger on it. (2.25)
IAM - Le dernier empereur - the whisperer stuff felt so french... hehe. Musically this was alright to good, same with flow. (2.25)
vs.
2017 (captain: Hayden) - 8.75
Open Mike Eagle - Brick Body Kids Still Daydream (2.25)
I remember listening to this in 2017 and didn't think much of it. It's kinda luke warm to me and clearly on purpose, musically speaking. The rapping though is top notch, especially that opening track. I do like this more now than I did in 2017, but I can't quite say I like it as a full album. Something about his flow on that opening track is great though.
lojii & Swarvy - DUE RENT (2)
I was like kinda meh with this too. It was just a little too chill, a little too dark jazz room. Like I get why a chill bro would dig. But it was just that for me.
Danny Brown - Ain't It Funny (was wondering last round if you were going to drop this again in a tourney) - (2.5)
Not much to say I suppose.
Frank Ocean - Biking (ft. Jay-Z & Tyler, the Creator) (2)
Blasphemy, but I've never been able to get into Frank Ocean.
I guess this team was just a little too "Rap Caviar" for me. It's not bad - if anything it's the best, but that's what I have issue with I guess... dunno.
Last edited by RoundTheBend on 01/28/2021 06:00; edited 1 time in total
When the first album of the matchup is A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders, you know the stakes are high (on the other hand, you could argue there's an even more dangerous beast lurking in the shadows of the 1993 camp, so it's not like you went all-in or something). Now, it may come as a shock, but I have to confess this is one of those classics (actually there are alarmingly many albums that belong in this category, both in hip hop and in general) I appreciate more than I enjoy. If you ask me to name a negative attribute of this, I will most likely reply with some awkward silence and a helpless look. I mean, all of its elements are of the highest standard. Production-wise they go for a sound that feels like the natural evolution of their previous album. It is based on the same jazzy yet energetic background, but a bit more challenging, more daring, that's why it might not be as accessible during the first couple of listens, you need some repeats to properly evaluate it. The rapping is at least at the same level and arguably even a slight improvement in comparison to their previous album, Phife Dawg and Q-Tip seem to have found the perfect balance here. The lyrics combine socio-politcal commentary with captivating storytelling ("There's activities a-plenty in the nighttime For the ghetto child it seem to be the right time See, kids be getting stuck with jewels and fly gimmicks Shorty see the action and then start to mimic Running to the corner, the dice game is blazing Looking at the loot, it seems so amazing Puts the short down, to be exact one pound He shakes the stones in his hand, then he lets it down Scared money don't make none He threw a trip on the ace now he's out son Hits the local bodega to wolf down a hero Son is on a midnight run like De Niro"), some typical rap themes ("Musically, the three, poetically we be The enchantment on the airwaves, kids just fade Obey the MCs, cos the MCs say We flipping on niggas like we Super Dave ... Moving with the grace, here we go, let's begin Making people jump out their goddamn skin Lyrically, we bite like we Rin Tin Tin Peace to Grand Pu and his many many skins Don't mark us for the 'L' cos you know we get the wins It's the Ab, Shaheed, and the Dawg for the blend") and their trademark rhymes ("Told you in the jam that we can get down Now, let's knock the boots like the group H-Town You got BBD all on your bedroom wall But I'm above the rim and this is how I ball A gritty little something on the New York street This is how I represent over this here beat"). And to think they came up with this right after The Low End Theory, which at the time seemed like mission impossible to repeat or even come close to it, makes their achievement even more impressive.
To sum it up, it may not be among my biggest favorites, but it's status as an absolute classic is undeniable and well-deserved.
Next one is gonna be Masta Ace Incorporated - SlaughtaHouse.
And to think they came up with this ( Midnight Maurauders) right after The Low End Theory, which at the time seemed like mission impossible to repeat or even come close to it, makes their achievement even more impressive.
Amen! One of the greatest achievements of the 90s! Musically or otherwise! lol.
And to think they came up with this ( Midnight Maurauders) right after The Low End Theory, which at the time seemed like mission impossible to repeat or even come close to it, makes their achievement even more impressive.
Amen! One of the greatest achievements of the 90s! Musically or otherwise! lol.
I would go further and add their debut for consideration, too. One of the all-time great three-album sequences, regardless of genre. Taking into account Q-Tip's wider production work as well, despite him not being massively prolific compared to other hip-hop beatmakers, it's obvious that he's one of the most singularly talented artists of his generation. Midnight Marauders is usually the Tribe album I tell people is my favourite, but all of the first three are untouchable. _________________ 2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.
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