Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Severian
I agree that last year was the best year for hip-hop in ages, but this year has produced some really strong rap records, and some downright transcendent hip-hop albums that border on revelatory. Don't make conclusive statements aboht his year's releases until you've heard, at least, the following:
Underachievers- Cellar Door
Shabazz Palaces- Lese Majesty
Run the Jewels- RTJ2
Future- Monster
Pińata
You're Dead!
Travi$ Scott- Days Before Rodeo
Gotta check thesr if you're going to shit on 2014.
But it's true that. This has been a year for Electronic music, one of the best in ages. Even the less memorable albums like RUSTIE'S Green Language are still fresh and revealing new hidden pleasures with each listen.
Fuckin' synths n' shit yo.
|
EDIT:
OH! And...
(f***in' duh!) SpaceGhostPurrp - IntoXXXicated
How did I even miss that for a second?
Diamond D - Diam Piece
The Roots - ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
Rich Gang - Tha Tour pt. 1
Black Milk - If There's A Hell Below
HS87 & Hit Boy - We The Plug
Raekwon - Picasso 2
Open Mike Eagle - Dark Comedy
Wow- I still feel like I'm forgetting so much! I think this year has actually been pretty dope for hip-hop, it just hasn't been a great year for major releases. Even the good ones (Honest, Mastermind) fell a little short of expectations. And some massive stars fell... Hard.
Even though I love 50 & I'm down with Jeezy (don't dislike him, just never got super into it), and I think their 2014 albums are actually quite good, it's pretty clear that the mainstream rap fans and the fairweather, fickle rap audiences basically stopped paying attention completely, leaving both Animal Ambition and Seen it All: the Autobiography to (mostly) collect dust on the shelves.
And in addition, this year's seen Lil Wayne fall even further from grace, with every empty promise, every boasting Tweet about how dope Carter V will be, and a series of seripusly forgettable guest spots on albums by artists who used to look up to Weezy like a turtle might look up to a God. The Game, for instance, even in less than top-form, released a stronger LP this year than anything we've heard from Wayne in years. And Weezy's cameo on that LP is arguably one of the albums worst moments!
He's watched
**Drake turn into the gen-pop favorite, and go-to guest rapper for any newbie looking to make a splash or score a hit. He's been basically bumped out of Young Money's throne by Nikki Minaj, who just keeps coming back, and spent the entire year in the headlines and on the charts with just singles and the
promise of what will certainly be an epic trailblazing and ambitious new album.
Weezy's become less relevant than YMCMB's water-testing new Rich Gang duo, a pair that has only one mixtape to their name.
I think the evidence is stacking up that these former giants (50, Jeezy, Wayne) are quickly becoming artifacts of another era. Hip hop is a competitive industry... I'm sorry to say it, but I think even TI is holding onto relevance moe than Weezy/Jeezy & 50 combined.
They'll either weather the storm, and spend some time regrouping out of the public eye, only to return with a more artistic and mature sound (like Fabolous, another rapper who you wouldn't expect would top the efforts of these kingpins in 2014... until hearing Soul Tape 3 that is) or they'll just kinda fade away. Like the Ludacrises and DMXes before them. I genuinely hope this doesn't happen... But I have to admit that the standout stars of the last couple years, like A$AP, Earl, Pusha T's re-ignited solo persona, Vince Staples and m*****f***in Kendrick, are earning their stripes by producing extraordinary work, making this sea change feel like more of a "Better class of criminal" style revolution than just your average changing of the guard. I'm not even sure if Tha Carter(s) II & III compare favorably to albums like “Long.Live.A$AP” or “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City” ... Now I'm not sure about that, but I can't help but feel like the first two, though classics, are less intelligent, less experimental, less sonically textured than the latter two.
Anyway my fucking stupid ass point is something about new and lesser known hip hop artists, mixtape/unsigned, and newer acts making more in 2014 than most of the established acts we've all spent the past decade+ with. I think The Roots are probably the one classic group to actually hit a new artistic high in 2014. "...Shoot Your Cousin" is their weirdest, darkest album in a minute, and I won't even front: it's better than everything Jeezy, Wayne, 50, Drake, Nikki, Rick Rosay, or Game put their stamp on this year.
** (I have to admit, "Tuesday" is catchy as hell, even though I fear Drake is starting to become an embarrassment to himself and every male who ever bought his records.. The ladies love him, but I think he's pushing it with all that fucking singin' shit; the ESPN blooper reel moments have not helped his "badass" quotient either)