2005-02-09


My favorite hip hop people are Nas and Ghostface. They have a feel of authenticity, humor (more in Ghost�s case), a care little attitude about the money and fame, although those things are still very important. They both know where they come from, and are planted firmly in their stance. On �Last Real N***a Alive�, Nas raps about how GF stole his slang in the mid nineties, along with Raekwan and JZ. Its true, probably, I have to believe him, having not been there myself.
And then the personal stories that they reach for are great. Nas says on �Warrior� that he just buried his mother last year and � your ma�s the closest you�ll ever get to God, son�.
Ghostface�s �Supreme Clientele�, 2001 album, is an amazing collection of whimsical, perfectly delivered mind spinning rhymes, crimes, sublimes. Its hilarious, and sets the standard for the future of an art form. He�s literally creating stuff that hasn�t been heard before. The pace and ease that he does it is masterful.

The albums that I want to get to bone up on my hip hop collection:
Nas, Illmatic, his first album, released when he was very young, in �91. Considered a classic.

MF Doom, aka Victor Vaughn, aka MadVillain. He released three albums this year under different names, and he only appears with Dr. Doom mask. What�s not to like? But I want to get his first release from a few years ago. Don�t know what it�s called. Can anybody out there help me out?

Kanye West, The College Dropout, all these rave reviews recently can�t be all wrong.

Raekwon, Cuban Linx... Ghostface appears on this mid nineties album a lot, and word on the street is that its the shiit. Made during the reign of Wu.

Mos Def�s new album. I saw him on broadway a few years ago in a play. He�s original and takes chances; f** gangsta stereotypes.

Anything by Dead Prez., political rappers, which definitely need more of. Public Enemy showed us the power of the word in hip hop when the word is applied like it was made to do. To tell us what the hell is going on.