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 03/16/2021 20:24; edited 1 time in total
That 2005 team is my favourite of this round of matches. Z-Ro's best solo album (I'll say something more about it at a later date, but he's one of my very favourite rappers and this album should've made him a superstar above the Mason-Dixon line), one of the greatest mixtapes ever made (at least in that classic sense of a mixtape being rappers taking well-known beats and absolutely destroying them), plus 'Stay Fly', which was always a staple of my DJ sets and just one of the best hip-hop songs ever made. I don't dislike that 2012 team by any means - I listened to those TDE albums a lot at the time, and have particularly fond feelings for Habits & Contradictions, plus that Meek Mill single was genuinely exciting at the time, and has led to a host of copycats in the years since, most notably that Cardi B album intro - but there isn't a team in this whole round of matches that would get my vote over these 2005 selections. In fact, the past two 2005 teams have been bulletproof, and both have appear to have been tailored to my tastes, after a slightly underwhelming Gameweek One team. _________________ 2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.
You know that was a good lesson. Ever since I've just been making teams for myself without much clout consideration. Just wish I didn't sacrifice Arular, cracking record
Beginning the matchup with Clipse - We Got It 4 Cheap, Vol. 2 feels slightly awkward, but let's get it out of the way - not that I have too much to say about it anyway. I've already expressed my thoughts on mixtapes during the first round of the tournament, so I guess there's no point in repeating myself. I never got them and most likely never will. However, I have to say I found it somewhat ok, especially in comparison to most similar tapes I've listened to, I would almost call it enjoyable - or at least as close as it's ever gonna get- but still would be rather difficult to compare it with a "proper" album.
To sum it up, undeniably great but undeniably not for me.
Next one is gonna be Z-Ro - Let the Truth Be Told.
Z-Ro - Let the Truth Be Told is an album I suspect I would rate significantly higher hadn't Guerilla Maab - Rise been nominated during the very previous round. The high level of team chemistry showcased there created an atmosphere of coziness and familiarity that is hard to be replaced, even though Z-Ro's performance here - as usual - leaves nothing to be desired, both touchingly passionate and impeccably technical. Another thing this album has going for it is variety, there's something for everyone. It begins with an exemplary display of freestyle("I rhyme so long, rhyme so strong I flex my bicep then I swoll on Get on, the motherfucking bench And when the laws hit the corner, I hit the fence They wonder where I went, they keep looking I don't give a fuck, like Tyson I keep hooking Or maybe like Lennox, I'm strong to the finish I'm like the ghetto Popeye, but I don't need spinach"). Then, there are some super fun tracks that can get any party going - pretty much every track from The Mule ("Ma thinking bout gripping ass thats why I hit it swift and fast I'm a put this log on you you gon' feel it all in your calves A gangsta so I'm raw with it I know what I'm doing Thats why she pop up at my residence trying to see what I'm doing") all the way to I'm A Soldier ("But when I say somethin homey I mean what I say I'ma murder you straight up or I can lean when I spray Z-Ro the "fuck everybody" nigga from Screwed Up Click Now I ain't gon' let you bend over to tie your shoes up bitch I'ma launch a Bernard Hopkins type of blow in your jaw That's the way I police my perimeter, Ro is the law"), but there are some serious and dark subjects developed as well, for example in 1 Night ("It'll be nice to have Emo and Jody and LL back My nigga Best and his big brother E. Roy Love Dem people ain't never comin' back But if only for one night My nigga could make a decision he shoulda made Make it where the situation turned out another way And ain't a day go by I don't wish I didn't have to miss my momma This ain't livin my nigga this just drama If only for the night when the storm'll live calmer Cause seem like they wanna give a lifetime sentence To a nigga with a pistol and a pound of marijuana") or in Help Me Please ("This is the sea of life, and I'm drownin I know I can swim, but feel like I keep sinkin down in These waters and I cain't breathe, I feel like I'm gon' blow it I can see people holdin a life jacket but they won't throw it Entertained by my struggle and they'd love to see me die Why not love to see me live instead of helpin my family cry?") or in Another Song ("It's bad enough I lost a family my luck ain't live Mama died when I was 6 and Daddy ain't have enough time To kick it with me-like I wanted him to kick it with me Now that I'm incarcarated you wanna come and visit with me But I ain't holdin no grudges Daddy I love you that's my word Even though you had me sleeping on a curb ... I wish I had another song"). The length is not a big issue, but a small trim wouldn't have been a bad idea at all, as consistency is not exactly its strongest point.
To sum it up, I 'm probably underrating it due to the above mentioned comparison, but I would rank this slightly ahead of We Got It 4 Cheap, Vol. 2.
Next one is gonna be Ab-Soul - Control System.
Before getting started with Ab-Soul - Control System, I have to highly praise 2012's selection when it comes to albums. I have already mentioned multiple times that I'm an addict for team chemistry and this pair of albums is exactly what the doctor ordered in that regard. If Black Hippy were more of my thing, I can easily imagine this being one of my favorite teams of the whole tournament. Unfortunately, I can't say I'm that excited about this album when evaluated individually. The production is great as it is in most of their projects, drawing some obvious influence from the West Coast, but at the same time sounding super modern. The lyrics are somewhat of a let down ("See, the moral of the story is: She a ho, he a pimp"). Assessing his rapping has always been tricky. On the one hand, he seems to hold his own to a more than decent level againist the guests, and when the guests are guys like Danny Brown or Kendrick Lamar, this is no small feat. On the other hand, I can't quite put my finger on the reason this happens, but he fails to caputre my interest for a longer period of time, maybe he lacks in personality or charisma. Also, the length of the album does him no favors, it's way too long. If I recall correctly, I had managed to listen to it just once back in 2012 and never bothered again in the meantime. However, I have to note that The Book Of Soul easily ranks among my favorites, one of the songs of the year, if not the decade ("Everything I love the most gets taken away My momma and music is next And if that happens before I turn 28 Then I'm going out with Kurt Cobain I still believe in God, we just ain't never spoke Unless we talkin' symbolically—then, I might agree But if you really wanna look at it that way Then, ayy, man, God don't like me").
To sum it up, I would rank this behind Let the Truth Be Told - actually it would struggle to make it past We Got It 4 Cheap, Vol. 2, but it is due to some bonus points because of the team coherence, so I will have a clearer picture of where we stand after finishing the listening of the albums.
Next one is gonna be ScHoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions
The strongest point of 2012's team is - as already emphasised in the above post - how ScHoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions perfectly fits next to Conrol System. Production wise, I would say this is even better, or at least closer to me. This relaxed, hazy, almost dream-like vibe draws you in almost without any resistance, but there's also some eccentricity and unpredictability to keep you guessing. When it comes to rapping, this has to be viewed as an improvement, though Kendrick does steal the show in a way that didn't happen in any track in Control System. The lyrics weren't that spectacular here either ("Niggas already know Q? (Yeah) Niggas already know you? (Nah) I said I'm Quincy, bitch, I'm hella groovy, bitch Niggas already know, I'm with this shit You on that hater shit, I'm on the playa shit I left y'all minors in the majors bitch"). The length issue is relevant here is as well, but far less striking.
To sum it up, I would rank this as equal to Let The Truth Be Told, meaning that 2012 is marginally ahead so far, based mostly on team chemistry as individually there isn't much separating the two teams.
Next one is gonna be the singles.
My ranking for the singles:
1st: Common - The Corner (ft. The Last Poets & Kanye West)
A no-contest, I wish this had come out a couple of months earlier, so I could use it for my team.
2nd: Three 6 Mafia - Stay Fly
A legendary party anthem.
3rd: Meek Mill - Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)
Never managed to connect with it.
4th:Death Grips - I've Seen Footage
Almost pop music by their standards, but still it's a big no.
I have to admit this was one of my least favorite matchups of the whole tournament so far, but the huge difference in the singles department means that the outcome is beyond doubt, it has to be 2005. Case closed.
Post subject: Re: BYHH GW3: Group A - 2005 vs. 2012
TBD...
2005 (captain: PossiblyMichigan) (10.5)
Clipse - We Got It 4 Cheap, Vol. 2 (2.75 to bump if needed)
That white girl clitoris rhyme got my attention I was confused with the intro though, it felt like a commercial (I'm sure on purpose), but I was listening to it on YouTube and had to do a double take... - this is an interesting album. It feels like I'm listening to 105.9 in the early 2000s (https://www.power106.com/) where they almost mix all the tracks together - and the fact I don't have real track listing/track differentiators readily available for me (not that I'm looking for them), it made this listening experience especially interesting. I might lean a full 3 on this... hard to say as I'm not done with the full hour ahead of me (kinda concerned of a bloated one - so I'll reserve .25 for now so I can move forward (my YouTube/non-spotify albums I'm getting to tonight while I type this up)
Z-Ro - Let the Truth Be Told (2.5)
Thanks to Nez I got a taste of his 98 album, which I did like considerably more than this. Instead of perfected production it felt a little bloated to me. I guess I dunno how to party so, maybe that's my problem here. I do like all the different jams/and clearly can manage to pull it all off. idk... for a party album it felt a bit stuffy for me. That clipse album felt more party.
Common - The Corner (ft. The Last Poets & Kanye West) (3)
Easy 3, nuff said
Three 6 Mafia - Stay Fly (2.25)
I can never say I dig Three 6 Mafia... dunno why I just don't care. Even though this is easily their best track, so nice choice from that perspective.
vs.
2012 (captain: eyezayzay) (8.75)
Ab-Soul - Control System (2.25)
ScHoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions (2.5)
Death Grips - I've Seen Footage (2)
This is a better Death Grips track, but I'm just not a fan (plus this isn't hip-hop... hehe, totally screwing with the beastie boy haters)
Meek Mill - Dreams and Nightmares (Intro) (2)
Last edited by RoundTheBend on 03/06/2021 02:49; edited 1 time in total
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I was confused with the intro though, it felt like a commercial (I'm sure on purpose), but I was listening to it on YouTube and had to do a double take... 
