I’d never been a big fan, and am generally much more into punk and ska, but I’ve been listening to a few songs lately that I’ve really enjoyed, notably Straight outta Compton* 99 problems, and Ridin’
I could use some suggestions as to what to check out next.
I’d start with P.O.S. He used to be a punk rock guy and brings that same ethic to hip-hop music. Ipecac Neat is an excellent album.
You can’t go wrong with Public Enemy Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black. It’s the album with “Bring tha Noize” with Anthrax and the rest of the album is just as hard, minus the metal guitars.
I recall from way back when that The Chronic (Dr Dre/ Snoop Doggy Dogg) was pretty good.
I’m not a huge rap fan, but I really enjoy k-os (from the album Joyful Rebellion). I think he’s more musical than hardcore rap, with really good beats.
It’s obvious but definitely check out N.W.A. and Jay-Z further, their albums Straight Outta Compton and The Blueprint are widely considered classics, two of my personal favourite hip-hop albums of all time. Jay’s The Black Album is also really, really amazing. That’s the album ‘99 Problems’ is from.
These may or may not fit your taste but I think they’re similar to the songs/artists mentioned in the OP:
Nas - his debut Illmatic is on par with the albums I mentioned above. His best song in my opinion: ‘It Ain’t Hard To Tell’
The Game - ‘Hate It Or Love It’ (ft. 50 Cent), one of my favourite songs from the last decade.
2Pac - An amazing storyteller. ‘Brenda’s Got A Baby’
Outkast - Their later work got further and further away from traditional hip-hop but all of it is still really good. ‘Rosa Parks’
Kanye West - He produced a lot of Jay-Z’s classic work so you might like his solo stuff too. ‘All Falls Down’
Wale - Just because I take every opportunity to direct people to this song: ‘The Kramer’
Other artists I love that don’t fit quite so well with the songs in the OP, but I’ll mention them anyway:
Missy Elliott (‘Work It’)
Eminem (‘Renegade’, with Jay-Z - the YouTube video says “Eminem ft. Jay-Z” but it’s actually from Jay’s album The Blueprint)
Public Enemy (‘Fight The Power’)
Run-D.M.C. (‘It’s Like That’)
T.I. (‘Live Your Life’ ft. Rihanna)
Doomtree in general, as well. My favorite performers in their collective are Dessa and Cecil Otter.
Great list multimediac17.
I’ll second listening to more Jay-Z. Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, and the Black Album are widely considered to be his best works.
I would also check out Kanye West’s new album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. All the songs are great, but I consider Monster to be the best rap song off that album.
For Rap from the past, you can’t go wrong listening to Tupac, NWA, Dr. Dre, or Biggie Smalls. Biggie only has two albums (made before his death), both are considered classics.
If you’re looking for modern rap that makes white people uneasy, then I would check out Tyler the Creator or his hip hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All.
Here’s Tyler’s creepy video for Yonkers.
And here is Odd Future’s awesome performance on Jimmy Fallon.
Love this song. Too bad everything else by The Game is pure asshole.
Another vote for Public Enemy. They have a very D.I.Y. “fight the power” message, so if you like punk, you should be able to get into them as well.
A personal favorite of mine is Kool Keith from the Ultramagnetic MC’s.
Gangstagrass - Long Hard Times To Come
I like the combo of actual music (and a type I really like) and rap rhythm.
I think that Public Enemy’s best, by far, is “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.”
I loved the first (maybe only) record by the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy.
Snoop Dogg’s first, “Doggystyle,” is an absolute classic.
Joe
Jurassic 5
I’m not a huge rap fan - my musical tastes come from pretty much the same place yours do, Attack - but Blazing Arrow, by Blackalicious, is one of my all time favorite albums. [Chemical Calisthenics is one of the better cuts.
Also a fan of [url=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf2qtXsTH84”]Jurassic Five](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS6YuujSSPY) and Lyrics Born.