Im a bit of a jazz cat so take that into account. I need more than a beat and “Y’all y’all!.” I know virtually no Hip-Hop but I do have a Digable Planets album that I like. I also love that tune “Aisle 10” by Scapegoat Wax if that helps. Thanks for the recs.
I can merely recommend my favorites:
Ludacris and Nelly
I should say, my current favorites.
I love Eminiem, too. The lyrics are funny and sad and intelligent… And the accompanying music is DOPE.
Yes, I’m a 33-year-old white female hip-hop fan.
Kid,
If you’re a jazz fan, you’ll want to stick to hip hop ladies. They’re the only ones to seem to do it with any class.
Check out :
Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, by L.H.
Acoustic Soul, by India Arie
Who is Jill Scott, by J.S.
The last one is great mood music with hip hop undertones.
Despite her many accolades, I would avoid alicia keys. She’s very talented musically, but she’s a poor songwriter. The only song I thought was written well on her album turned out to have been written by Prince.
HTH.
Don’t forget Mary J. Blige, webguy…
First please disregard Canthearya’s post, which hopefully was in jest.
Second, a jazz fan looking for quality hip hop is like a blues fan looking for good rock and roll, in other words you’ve made the logical choice my friend. Here’s a smattering of some very chilled out, down-tempo hip hop acts that will not disappoint.
Aceyalone
Binary Star
Encore
The Guru
Mos Def
Common
AiM
People Under the Stairs
US3
I gotta recommend Atmosphere. The Lucy Ford ep is spectacular. The Onion once described this guy as Eminem without the misogyny and homophobia who’d spent way too much time in a midwestern college town. Really smart lyrics and excellent syncopation.
I like The Beastie Boys a lot too. I hated them when all I’d heard was Fight For Your Right, etc. Check out Paul’s Boutique, Hello Nasty or their instrumental album, In Sounds from the Way Out. I can fool people pretty easily into listening to the Boys if I play one of their more jazz/groove tracks first. They don’t know what hit 'em.
Might want to check out some old-school Public Enemy too.
MC Solaar
I just happened to “find a friend” with “I Neva Knew” by Aceyalone - that is exactly what I’m looking for. Great tune. Who is the piano sample of?
Check out some classic Digable Planets, too.
With all due respect, Canthearya, I don’t think there is very much jazz influence in Nelly’s, Ludacris’, or Eminem’s styles.
My suggestions, for a jazz fan looking to try out some hiphop.
Tribe called Quest’s Low End Theory
Anything by The Roots, Illadelph Halflife is my favorite.
Jurassic 5’s Quality Control.
Also, I will echo cainxinth’s suggestions of Mos Def, Common, and US3.
This is really good stuff so far - I think I found me a new music. If you happen to know individual tunes that really stand out lemme know. Thanks again.
My fav: Outkast.
And, not at all hip-hop, but you did mention being a jazz fan and I had a thread about it here very recently-- salsa (called latin jazz by the snooty).
Still searching for circa 1970s Willie Colon.
cainxinth and mouthbreather, I said that all I could do is recommend my favorites.
I do NOT appreciate the condescending attitude from either of you.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder… I happen to appreciate a wide variety of music, including the artists you have both mentioned. I also enjoy mainstream hip-hop. Can you handle that, or will you continue to belittle me for something that is completely subjective?
KidCharlemagne, go ahead and disregard my posts… I had no business recommending anything without taking your jazz penchant into consideration.
Canthearya, my apologies, I in no way intended to condescend to you.
Mike Ladd/The Infesticons should be perfect. Check out The Herbaliser, too.
Other than that, have you listened to instrumental hip-hop/turntablism/ambient breakbeat/trip-hop? (a lot of overlap between these genres) You could try DJ Shadow, Prefuse 73, Kid Koala, Cut Chemist, RJD2, Tricky…
Pretty much the entire def jux label is on fire right now. Albums in particular:
Aesop Rock “Labor Days”, “Daylight”
RJD2 “Dead Ringer”
Cannibal Ox “The Cold Vein”
El-P “Fantastic Damage” <---- Album of the Year, so far
Non Def Jux acts:
Sage Francis “Personal Journals”
Atmosphere “Lucy Ford EP’s”, “Overcast!”
Older Stuff:
Common “One Day It’ll all Make Sense”, “Resurrection”
The Roots “Do You Want More?”, “Things Fall Apart”
De La Soul “De La Soul is Dead”, “Buhloone Mindstate”, “Three Feet High and Rising”, “Stakes is High”
A Tribe Called Quest: “Midnight Marauders”, “Low-End Theory”
There’s more, but it’s a start.
It ain’t two turntables and a microphone, but you have to check out Portishead. You should love this. Melancholy smoky jazz feeling with hip-hop beats and gorgeous female vocals.
Massive Attack is good, too.
That’s TRIP hop, he asked for HIP hop.