Beats, Rhymes, and Life

I just finished the doc Beats, Rhymes, and Life which profiles on of my favorite hip hop groups A Tribe Called Quest. This movie is directed and produced by Michael Rapaport a fine actor and New Yorker who has stared in Higher Learning, Friends as Phoebe’s cop boyfriend Gary and my favorite Beautiful Girls. I have loved hip hop since I was in elementary school. It was in 5th grade when I was first introduced to “Explicit Content” rap. I would buy any tape (a tape was a music album that followed A-track and preceded CD ‘s for anyone under 30 reading this) with a black label on it. My collection consisted of anything N.W.A , Geto Boyz, and Ice T but I didn’t discriminate there I also listened to Kid n Play, M.C. Hammer, and Run DMC. So I became a certified hip hop fan and by high school was searching any used record store (a record store was a store that sold music tapes , records, and cd’s for anyone under 30 reading this) for underground hip hop music. I have discovered a lot of fabulous music and I am happy to present to you my All Time Top 10 Hip Hop Albums

#10 Murs and Ninth Wonder: Murray’s Revenge

Murs name means "Making Underground Raw Shit,” which should tell you all you need to know about this MC. His brand of music is just fun, catchy, hip hop. Think driving on the PCH on a summer day with the top down. You could blast this and wouldn’t be considered an obnoxious douche. The song L.A. is perfect for this kind of leisurely drive.

#9: Pharoahe Monch: Desire

Pharoahe Monch has been a mainstay in the Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing Compilations. He was originally a member of the group Organized Konfusion and went solo when he signed with Rawkus Records. He is a unique dude and worth researching on the internet. His best work is his second album Desire and the title track sets the precedent for the whole album

#8 The Roots: Things Fall Apart

Similar to Common I have to bring down this group a peg or two because they sold out on me by becoming Jimmy Fallon’s late night shows house band. But they still are a innovative hip hop group. They are one of the few hip hop bands that uses a full band in their music. They also have two members who act as human turn tables, Scratch and Rahzel. Famed music produce Scott Storch (Brittany Spears , Justin Timberlake) got his start with the Roots. I recommend any early album by The Roots. Things Fall Apart his my favorite and features the track You Got Me featuring Erykah Badu

#7 Common: Like Water for Chocolate

Let me first just say that Common is my all time favorite hip hop artist. I celebrate his whole catalog. I m putting him number seven because he has gone Hollywood on me and I just have to dock him a few points. Before he dated Serena Williams, became a Gap spokesman, and starred in television shows and movies (Check out Hell On Wheels on AMC, my new favorite show starring Common), he was making pure hip hop. It was hard to pick this album or One Day It Will All Make Sense as my favorite album but I m going to go with this one because it has three classic Common songs. The Sixth Sense, The Light, and Thelonious. I have had the privilege of seeing Common in concert along with all five of the Marley brothers. Its hard to see rap live sometimes but Common was phenomenal.

#6 Danger Mouse and Jemini the gifted one: Ghetto Pop Life

Before Danger Mouse became part of Gnarls Barkley he produced this album from the mc Jemini. I remember picking this album out in Borders because I thought the album art was cool. I was not disappointed. I love each and every song on this album. Its hard to find Jemini’s other albums on the internet. This is the only full album offered on ITUNES. Check out the track Don’t Do Drugs.

#5: Jedi Mind Tricks: Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell

I m not exactly sure how to describe Jedi Mind Tricks. They are hardcore, horror-core, with extremely violent lyrics rapping about anything from Islamic terrorism to the Vietnam War. They mix hard and catchy beats with very complex lyrics to form a unique brand of hip hop that I have never heard from anyone else. They have numerous albums always staying true to there sound. It was hard to pick a favorite album but Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell has two of my favorite JMT tracks on it Razorblade Salvation featuring the GZA from the Wu and Uncommon Valor featuring R.A. the Rugged man. Uncommon Valor features an unbelievable verse from R.A. which tells the true story of his fathers history in Vietnam and his death due to Agent Orange.

#4 Digable Planets: Reachin (A New Refutation of Time and Space)

Anyone from the 90's knows the song Rebirth of Slick(Cool like Dat), but the whole album is worth a listen. They were the quintessential jazz hip hop group. This album was my jam in middle school and I play it every time I get nostalgic. Nickel Bags is my favorite tune on the album.

#3 K’Naan: My Life is a Movie

A Somali born rapper, K’Naan having spent his childhood enduring the Somali Civil War (think Black Hawk Down). K’Naan left Somalia at the age of 13. He eventually moved to Toronto and established himself as a important part of the Canadian hip hop Community (no thats not an oxymoron, check out K-OS for some other good Canadian hip hop). This is one of his early albums and features my favorite K’Naan track Voices at the Crossroads which he samples the Tracy Champan song by the same name.

#2 A Tribe Called Quest: The Love Movement

The reason I love this album is because of the large presence of Busta Rhymes. Busta is another case of a rapper gone bad. Before he started collaborating with P-Diddy and Will I. Am , Busta was part of the group Leaders of the New School and unofficially part of A Tribe Called Quest. This album is one of the more mellow and jazzy albums that Tribe released. It is also their last album before they split. The song Steppin it Up is Tribe at its best with guest spots by Busta and Redman

#1 Deltron 3030: Deltron 3030

Besides Common Del the Funky Homosapien has to be by next favorite MC. This collaboration between Del and Dan the Automator is the most far out and creative album I have ever heard. Its a concept album in which Del raps about the world in the world 3030 behind the Automators futuristic beats. The album needs no more explanation, download it, buy it, pirate it, JUST GET IT. I have seen Del in concert and it was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Favorite song on the album is Things You Can Do.

Side-fact: Del is the cousin of N.W.A founding member and now Hollywood sell out Ice Cube. Cube tried to make Del mainstream with the song MistaDobalina which had some commercial success in the 90’s. The song is NOT a good representation of Del. Soon after that song Del decided to say F it to fame and resumed making pure hip hop.