Have You Heard the Ocarina of Rhyme by Team Teamwork? (New Hip-Hop Thread)

[dieblucasdie]

Been waiting patiently for the old one to hit 20.

re: Blaqkout's length, yeah, I always appreciated that it wasn't bloated as well, but I think Antero was comparing it specifically to Cuban Linx II, which certainly doesn't suffer for being kinda long.

[Antero]

BlaQKout is also the sort of album that leaves you wanting more.  Really, discounting the rambling skit-speech and the barely-remixed remix of "Whatcha Wanna Do" (which is, all things considered, not my favorite song on there despite Quik's excellent verse), it's just 35 minutes long.  More of BlaQKout-caliber of music would always be welcome, of course, but I'd also appreciate a bit more just so I could vibe with it longer.  Kind of a car-logic thing, I think.

[Antero]

While we're at it, can I strenuously suggest that everyone get on J. Stalin's Prenuptial Agreement?  It's pretty fantastic.

[reebty]

It's a convenient time for a new thread, 'cause now I've got a lot to process from the last one. Next up for me, though, is to listen to How I Got Over, which I just stole from the internet.

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

What I've listened to of How I Got Over is really good. I did not expect those samples of boring indie rock to work at all, but in hip-hop context they sound like fragments of forgotten, inadequate soul records.

[shai faithe]

is it weird to find the roots really boring? i know that black thought is one of the best emcees today and has been for a while, but i can't really get through an entire song much less an entire album. does anyone else feel the same?
(maybe i should just re-approach them. where should i start if i have all of those early albums?)

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

I used to think Black Thought was a really underwhelming MC (and note that I have no opinion on his lyrics on the new record, because he is really easy to ignore), but he had all the best lines on Rising Down, which has no shortage of incredible guests.

If I were to recommend any Roots record post-Things Fall Apart, it would be Game Theory, which I endorse entirely--there is no bad song on it. It also applies the darkness of Illadelph Halflife to the great sample work they've done from Phrenology forward.

[Antero]

I'm with Shai on The Roots being boring.  Sometimes they're really good but manage to still be boring at the same time, which is a confusing feat.  The only song of theirs that I really rep is "The Seed 2.0"  Black Thought is a very skilled rapper, but the skills don't seem to translate into engaging performances.

[dieblucasdie]

Yeah, I'm pretty much with y'all on Jimmy Fallon's house band

[Babar]

me too. i even feel kinda bad out about finding them boring since their definitely one of the most distinct phenomenon in hip hop and i have big up respect for them. plus ?uestlove is one of my favorite drummers. I liked Phrenology alot but i can't remember a single line from it for the life of me. i think it could be Black Thought's delivery that makes the verses so forgettable because if you read the lyrics they're obviously by a very talented rapper. or his voice? it kinda flows into the groove and becomes a part of it so you don't pay attention to the lyrics.

edit: just popped in Phrenology. i think saying i like it is an understatement, it think it's great. still the roots in general are pretty boring.

[ellaguru]

All I really know of theirs is Phrenology.

[shai faithe]

love that g-side tape (and that krit tape).  how does starshipz and rocketz compare?

[Antero]

Good but not as good, basically.  The same sort of thing, but a bit less in every dimension.  They definitely stepped up their flow between Starshipz and Rocketz and Huntsville International

[shai faithe]

yeah listened to it yesterday.  have to say that i like most of the production better.  it's cleaner, and that really works with their overall style.  you're right that they flow much better on huntsville international.  i probably like starshipz and rocketz better overall, but hunts. int. has better standout tracks.  i'll be listening to them much more to get a better feel.

[Antero]

Huntsville is a grower, really.  I wasn't nuts for it until a few spins in.  But trust me on this: get it in a car and turn it up way too loud.  That's basically the listening environment it was designed for.

[Antero]

I would like to voice generalized disappointment with the leaks from Bun B's Trill OG.

[Antero]

http://dipsethaiku.blogspot.com/

Hysterical.

[shai faithe]

and oh yes.  wait a minute.
antero, thank you so much.  this huntsville shit is blowing my mind.  i downloaded a few of the tapes over at southern hospitality (haven't really gotten to them yet, just a little) and this prgz vol. 2.  re-(REALLY)-listened to fear and loathing.  i haven't been this excited about a large body of hip hop since us white kids discovered houston back in '05.  (i think it's telling that houston is huntsville's biggest influence.) and i can't believe that i lived an hour south of this scene for like eight fucking years and didn't hear ANYTHING about it.  what gives?  i might move back down there and introduce the block beataz to some noise and see what sparks fly between us.

[Ah_Pook]

saw that big boi's new album is streaming in full on his myspace, if you wanna check it

http://www.myspace.com/bigboi

just starting it now. i still think that speakerboxx is the only actually listenable part of speakerboxx/the love below, outside of hey ya. and that theyre both way better together than apart, but i guess thats a moot point these days so whatever.

[Ah_Pook]

digging this a lot so far. the janelle monae hook on be still is terrible, thats the first thing thats really stuck out on the first listen. but i dont like janelle monae so other people might like it i guess? i guess shutterbugg is the first single, its pretty bangin.

[Antero]

I'm holding off on listening to the rest of Big Boi's until I can bump it in the car.  Same with Love King.

[shai faithe]

goddammit.  i'm really hoping that i LOVE this album after a few more listens.  right now i'm somewhat unimpressed.  i guess i over-hyped it for myself...

sir luscious will never be released and it's five mics anyway.

oh. right.
listening to love king right now.  the instrumentals on love vs. money made my jaw drop, and i'm a little underwhelmed so far, but...if any of the other tracks are like "panties to the side," i'll be more than happy.  i just noticed that his albums are largely devoid hip hop features (fabolous on love/hate, kanye on love vs. money, t.i. on love king), which i think is really unusual (and courageous) for an r&b artist of this generation.
"tricky" stewart is the guy that works with the-dream on production.  it's those fucking synths: on "umbrella," on "hard," all over love vs. money.  every music critic calls them syrupy (i guess because they started getting used more during the mid-2000's when white people learned about syrup?).  they put kanye's 808 synths to shame.

antero: re: g-side
why doesn't st go solo?  clova is, comparatively, a terrible rapper, and, as far as i can see, adds nothing to the group?  thoughts?
also, southern duos get this all the time, but i'm inclined to agree with southernhospitality and call these guys this decade's outkast.  they make moving, thoughtful, street songs like no group since outkast.  if any other artists come to mind, tell me.

the new t.i. mixtape is really good.

[DanielBurns11]

I finally gave a listen to Freddie Gibbs' midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik recently, after having on my hard drive forever. Which led me to get The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs, and now he's currently occupying the top spot on my weekly last.fm charts. Waited WAY too long to listen to midwestern, it's great.

the new t.i. mixtape is really good.

What's it called? Don't know much about T.I., but I could really go for some new hip-hop right now.

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

I hyped the hell out of Sir Luscious Left Foot too.

It has fulfilled that hype.

[Ah_Pook]

whereas i didnt even know it existed until yesterday morning, at which point i listened to it and thought it was pretty alright. i'll probably buy it when it comes out next week.