If I were to ask you “Where’s my killer tape at?” you would undoubtbly know that “Shameek from 212 got bust in his head two times and he was laying there like a new born fucking baby god with all types of fucking blood coming out”
Or if in passing I said “torture muthafucker torture” you might inform me that you would indeed “stab my tongue with a rusty screwdriver”
Let’s say you were hungry and wanted to get some food that was best described as “some marvelous shit to get your mouth watering” you would know who to see.
How is it that we would all know this?
Well from our number four album Enter the 36 Chambers by The Wu Tang Clan.
Released in 1993 it revolutionized production and offered up a bevy of styles from GZA’s traditional rhythms and cadence to ODB’s madman with a mic style, it was unlike anything that any of us have heard at the time and since then artists have been trying to replicate it with expectedly boring and lackluster results….I’m looking at you white people.
My first experience with the Wu was at the Wiz on Central Avenue in Yonkers. I spent my summers working on a Coors truck and every Tuesday I would go to the Wiz and by all the new releases whether I heard them or not. Towards the end of that summer I bought the cassette single for Protect Ya Neck b/w Method Man. The art work could best be described as non-descript, basically plain white cover with a logo. I never heard them, but I read about them and people suggested I check them out. I went back to my car, at the time a Colt Vista Wagon, aka a piece of American shit that Detroit has become famous for, and played the single for a good 45 minutes before pulling out of the parking lot. It was that good and different. Even U-God came off, which is usually the case when he limited to 8 bars or less.
Needless to say I was stuck. I waited and waited until the album came out that fall. The wait was worth every second. The album dropped and it felt like everything changed, at least it did for me. Production now had to be moody and cinematic, lyrics had to be strong and layered and flows had to be insane. The album feature 3 of the greatest songs in the history of rap (Protect Ya Neck, CREAM, and Can It Be All So Simple) and I guess you can argue for a fourth with Method Man, which for my money was a great song for the 90s but not all time.
Everything about the album (with the exception of the song Tearz) is perfect, even the skits are enjoyable to this day. What other album has had skits that spawned hours of conversations and inside jokery, t-shirts, Youtube clips, etc. There are none.
I can’t believe I considered leaving this album off the list.
I recently decided that I needed to put together the definitive list of the top 10 bestest hip hop albums of all time. It is an on-going process which I hope will finally put this discussion to rest. I have set up some ground rules that include the following:
1. No albums released before 1988 or after 2005 are eligible, when the last great rap album (Kanye West’s Late Registration) was released. Sorry Raekwon, Cuban Linx two was good but not great. We need to be honest with ourselves in that historical significance and record sales have nothing to do with the quality of the record, which is why you won’t find any Run DMC, EPMD or Dre on here.
2. The album must still be good. I don’t care if it was great in its heyday, if it isn’t good today it won’t be considered. You need to compete in all eras of the music to be considered one of the all time greats, again see any Dre or Snoop album.
3. If half the album sucks it doesn’t matter how good the rest of the album is, so this rules out all NWA albums, all BDP albums, all Eric B and Rakim albums, and so on. Many of the most impactful albums in rap music were half bad. They were fortunate that they came at the right time and the portion of the album that was great was revolutionary enough that they could ride into the history books.
4. We will not confuse a long career of good with a onetime moment of trancendent greatness. Jay Z while a great MC with many great songs never had a trancendent moment. The same goes with Biggie Smalls. While Ready to Die is a great album it’s not trancendent and just because he died early we like to remember him as the greatest ever, when in reality he was probably top 10-15.
5. Any album on this list must get the “I see where you can make a case for this being on here even if I don’t agree” seal of approval.
6. The album must be known to at least a few hundred thousand people. This means no obscure underground shit. If your album wasn’t good enough to spawn some sort of movement, even if it was just among active hip hop fans then you aren’t on here.
7. Finally – No Tupac….he fucking sucked. Tupac fans are right up there with white kids with dreads and vice interns as the most annoying group of people ever.
This is going to be a long journey, it will probably take us at the very least a few months to get through it all but I imagine that by the time we are done you will agree that this is the most complete list of the top 10 rap albums ever:
Coming in at number 10 we have the aforementioned Kanye West with Late Registration. Originally I had this ranked higher at number 7. Partially because I feel it is a phenomenal album and partially because I knew placing it that high would piss people off and start up some discussion. When I bounced the idea off some friends I consider to be knowledgeable on the subject they all felt the mere inclusion of Kanye in this list would spark the same discussion and emotions. So I rightfully moved it to the 10 slot, the album is only four years old and has yet to stand the test of time.
You probably think I am crazy for including Kanye on this list, but I as I make my case I hope you see my point. I think we can all agree that as a mc Kanye ranks between Phife Dog on the low end of the spectrum and maybe big Boi on the high end. Two 2nd fiddles in legendary groups, who were great as a complimentary voice to the lead vocals of Q-Tip and Andre 3000 respectively. Both have ventured into solo territory with varying degrees of success, Phife being an unadulterated failure and Big Boi having some marginal success and a few good jams. The difference is Kanye was able to pull off the average mc making a great album, outside of Guru he is the only subpar MC to make this list. (more…)
I recently sat down with one of NYC’s finest up and coming MCs, Homeboy Sandman, to discuss his music and history, the state of the NYC scene, the hip hop scene as a whole and what it means for the up and coming artist.
Introduce yourself to the readers, tell them a bit about your history, how you came up, etc.
Peace ya’ll my name is Homeboy Sandman. I came up in Queens. I had not much, more than enough, a purebred sort of a mutt. Growing up I always listened to the nicest cats. Everyone from the Fresh Prince to Black Thought to Redman to Big Pun to Eminem to Andre 3000. I never got caught up in the people everybody talked about who weren’t actually nice, of which there were many.
Since we all are creations of our influences How would you describe your sound and how do you feel they come across in the music you create?I would describe my sound as lyrics so sharp I don’t even need flows and flows so sharp I don’t even need lyrics. The gentlemen I mentioned in my first answer come across in the music I create because they set the bar that I must rise to then go beyond. They inspire me to do things that have never been done before. Find flows never flowed before. Melodies never used, experimentation with wordplay and subject matter, and finally to boldly go where no emcee has gone before. John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, The Dave Bruebeck Quartet, and Spyro Gyra are also among my melodic influences and Billie Joel is one of my favorite lyricists of all time as well.
What is your creative process writing and recording?
I Begin with the beat. Two questions come from that. First, how does this beat make me feel? What’s the mood? What’s the tone? That’s what I’m going to talk about. Something somber. Something happy. Something pure, once I have that I’m ready to go in. Secondly, what should rhymes over this sound like? What melody compliments this music. THIS IS MUSIC. Find that melody. Fit the words into that melody like putty into a crack. God does the majority of the work throughout this process.
There is the idea that the NYC scene is over, I see a bit of a resurgance going on right now, Time out New York even did a piece on all of the open mics and weekly showcases that are going on. What are your feelings on the scene, where it’s been, where it is and where it’s going?
That’s ridiculous. The scene is flourishing mightily. I come across emcees every day, from professionals like Tanya Morgan and Pack FM, to open mic up and comers like YC the Cynic and Top $ Raz, who are making phenomenal music and putting on phenomenal performances. We’re getting stronger every day. It’s going forward towards the creation of hip hop that will be looked at as music first and foremost.Who are some of the up and coming NYC artists that should be on people’s radar?
YC the Cynic and Top $ Raz I mentioned earlier. J Monopoly and The OISD Crew. Kalae AllDay. Brown Bag All Stars. Fresh Daily. P.SO. Jersey cats but always in NYC 8TH W1 and Brokn Englsh, just to name a few.
Hip hop seems to be taking a bit of a back seat to rock on a popular music level, much like metal and rock did when rap took over in the mid 90s. Obviously there will always be rap music around and being created, as an up and coming artist how do you think rap no longer being the cash cow for the music industry will affect the music, on a personal level and a macro level?
This ties into my last answer a bit. As more and more hip hop that is actually music becomes widely available people who love music will check for it. People who love music aren’t checking for this gimmicky nonmusical hip hop byproduct that’s being widely popularized. Why would they? It’s not music. People’s increasing immunity to garbage hip hop will affect the music because people will take note that the age of garbage is behind us, finally. Hip hop has finally matured to an art form where it’s artists say to themselves “oh he/she did that?! Well then I have to go even further and do this, or take another direction and do this,” rather than “oh he/she did that? Well then I have to do that too.”
I first learned of you when I would see colorful photocopies with these amazing stanzas written on them signed “Homeboy Sandman” posted all over the trains. To me it seemed like it was a calling card to, for lack of a better term, real heads and MCs. It wasn’t necessarily something the average Joe or casual fan would understand as far as the patterns and the cleverness of the lines. What was the thinking behind that and what kind of results did that campaign yield.
That’s exactly what that campaign was all about. I’ll get the masses later. Right now let me do something to let all the people that know what nice is know that I’m nice. The lines, the emcees I mentioned, was all geared towards people that really know this art recognizing that I really know it too, thus becoming interested in checking for me. The thinking behind the whole thing was “I’m nice, now all I need is for people to know it.” I’ve always been an outside the box thinker and a do it yourselfer. The results that campaign yielded were a citywide notoriety that allowed me to warp various levels in regards to my visibility, marketability, and my entire career. Companies pay millions of dollars for that type of promotion. Seriously.
So what’s coming up for Homeboy Sandman? What is the ultimate goal?
My third album, The Good Sun is dropping in February. Look for that. Look for The Good Sun art campaign before that, it will be everywhere your eyes can see. If you thought that train idea popped off wait until you see this! My ultimate goal is to be the real life Wyld Stallyons (from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) and make the world a better place with my music. A much, much better place.
Finally, any shows or projects you want to promote?THE GOOD SUN RISES THIS FEBRUARY. OPEN YOUR EARS AND LET THE SUN SHINE IN. And come through Sputnik in BK on November 14th and watch me put in work with PseudoSlang and Loki Da Trixa. And if you’re not in NYC check out the website for road dates ’cause we be putting in road work sun.
As election season nears I have decided I can no long sit idly by and watch the major decisions that affect the things I love be made by someone else who is most likely inferior in every way to myself. Thus I have decided to throw my hat into the ring and run for the Attorney General of Rap. I feel I have the experience, the know-how, and the ability to take kick backs under the table that my opponent just lacks.
While I have been out of the public eye for a little over two years now, I have been able to use this time wisely, and from what I’ve gathered we need a complete overhaul of the system. Granted it is a monumental task, but I think I am up to it. Why, you may ask? Well because I am white and in my mid-thirties. If that doesn’t uniquely qualify me for a position of power in America I don’t know what does.
I have assembled a crack staff of crack heads, racists, homophobes, dullards and un-hirables the likes of which the world has never seen. We have spent many a sleepless night devouring the research and we have come up with the following 5 point plan. A plan that we feel will save rap music from itself, our plan is as follows.
1. Race – We have broken rappers across racial lines and decided that only certain members of each race make contribution of quality to the art. Going forward only artists that fit into the criteria will be allowed to make rap music. The criteria are as follows:
Blacks – as long as you are a natural born or naturalized US citizen from one of the approved regions you will be permitted to make rap.
Latinos – Only Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. Sorry Mexicans and others, if we allow you to rap eventually you make shit like Reggaeton and I will not have that under my watch.
Whites – Only the Irish and the Italians. Because these groups hate black people so much that the hate seems to have emboldened them to bring back a proud minstrel tradition that all white trash/jugaloos can be proud. Plus they are super fun to laugh at.
Asians – Only Filipinos because of they’re great contributions to the art of turntablism.
Any attempts to make music by those that fall out of the accepted ethnic zone will result in an immediate extradition to Queens.
2. Religion – No religions will be allowed to make rap music:
It’s science fact that religion has a long history of fucking up rap music and every group is responsible for it. How so you ask? Well let’s take a look:
Muslims: after All for One nobody wanted to hear your mumbo-jumbo.
Christians: you guys fuck up whatever music you touch, look at metal and hardcore, plus you have country on lock.
Jews: You are responsible for MC Serch and Matisyahu, nuff said. Plus we have already let in the Italians and we don’t need two groups that try to pass themselves off as Puerto Ricans.
Buddhists, Atheists and other new agey types: Def Jux and Rhymesayers artists are established enough that they don’t need any local openers so you are done here.
Should any of you attempt to rap you will be forced to march in gay pride parades and for you new agey types you will be forced to each beef.
3. Regions/States – We have decided that only certain areas of the country have made acceptable contributions to the art and therefore they are the only ones allowed to continue to do so. These regions/states are as follows:
East Coast
New York (Tri-state only meaning New York City and parts of Jersey)
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia only)
Georgia (Atlanta only)
If you are not from one of these areas or have not lived there for more than 10 years you will not be allowed to make rap music, any attempts to do so will be punishable by a punch in the dick and a life public school teacher in the “bad” part of town.
4. Women – No women, sorry. Any attempt by a woman to rap will immediately be deemed unacceptable for reproduction or marriage.
5. Foreigners – If the events of 9/11 taught us anything it is this; WE MUST protect our borders at all costs. Luckily, due to the great work by the shadow government and raci….I mean minutemen we have not had another terrorist attack. However our ears have been assaulted with a barrage of sounds from north, south, east and west of the borders and as far as I’m concerned that is just unacceptable. If you elect me, on my first day in office I will enact laws that will keep our stores and airwaves free of this inferior and laughable product. Anyone caught listening to, selling, enjoying or inactively listening to rap that is not American made will be subject to re-education in a class room designed specifically for them, the retarded.
If we can institute my policies I think we can make the world of rap better. I hope that come Election Day I can count on your support and start to make rap a better and slightly less embarrassing place to be.
My Five Point Plan to Save Rap Music
Friday, October 16th, 2009As election season nears I have decided I can no long sit idly by and watch the major decisions that affect the things I love be made by someone else who is most likely inferior in every way to myself. Thus I have decided to throw my hat into the ring and run for the Attorney General of Rap. I feel I have the experience, the know-how, and the ability to take kick backs under the table that my opponent just lacks.
While I have been out of the public eye for a little over two years now, I have been able to use this time wisely, and from what I’ve gathered we need a complete overhaul of the system. Granted it is a monumental task, but I think I am up to it. Why, you may ask? Well because I am white and in my mid-thirties. If that doesn’t uniquely qualify me for a position of power in America I don’t know what does.
I have assembled a crack staff of crack heads, racists, homophobes, dullards and un-hirables the likes of which the world has never seen. We have spent many a sleepless night devouring the research and we have come up with the following 5 point plan. A plan that we feel will save rap music from itself, our plan is as follows.
1. Race – We have broken rappers across racial lines and decided that only certain members of each race make contribution of quality to the art. Going forward only artists that fit into the criteria will be allowed to make rap music. The criteria are as follows:
Any attempts to make music by those that fall out of the accepted ethnic zone will result in an immediate extradition to Queens.
2. Religion – No religions will be allowed to make rap music:
It’s science fact that religion has a long history of fucking up rap music and every group is responsible for it. How so you ask? Well let’s take a look:
Should any of you attempt to rap you will be forced to march in gay pride parades and for you new agey types you will be forced to each beef.
3. Regions/States – We have decided that only certain areas of the country have made acceptable contributions to the art and therefore they are the only ones allowed to continue to do so. These regions/states are as follows:
New York (Tri-state only meaning New York City and parts of Jersey)
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia only)
Georgia (Atlanta only)
Illinois (Chicago only)
Minnesota (Minneapolis only)
Texas (Houston only)
California (Los Angeles and Oakland only)
If you are not from one of these areas or have not lived there for more than 10 years you will not be allowed to make rap music, any attempts to do so will be punishable by a punch in the dick and a life public school teacher in the “bad” part of town.
4. Women – No women, sorry. Any attempt by a woman to rap will immediately be deemed unacceptable for reproduction or marriage.
5. Foreigners – If the events of 9/11 taught us anything it is this; WE MUST protect our borders at all costs. Luckily, due to the great work by the shadow government and raci….I mean minutemen we have not had another terrorist attack. However our ears have been assaulted with a barrage of sounds from north, south, east and west of the borders and as far as I’m concerned that is just unacceptable. If you elect me, on my first day in office I will enact laws that will keep our stores and airwaves free of this inferior and laughable product. Anyone caught listening to, selling, enjoying or inactively listening to rap that is not American made will be subject to re-education in a class room designed specifically for them, the retarded.
If we can institute my policies I think we can make the world of rap better. I hope that come Election Day I can count on your support and start to make rap a better and slightly less embarrassing place to be.
Tags: Alaska, Comedy, commentary, Def Jux, hip hop, indie hip hop, Philaflava, politics, rap, Rhymesayers, rse, satire, Steady Bloggin'
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