Classics Discussion: Notorious B.I.G., Digable Planets & Mos Def

[Inspect Her Deck]

Keep deflecting,...
Now, that is four important cultural discussions you just whiffed on.
The last after your bytchass gon say you know more about Wu tang than me.

You sir are a toy,......


Art Barr

 

[Inspect Her Deck]

Bruh, this was in the era that most albums got 2 or 3 singles. That's not noteworthy.

To contrast, I love UGK. They are arguably my favorite group. And even though I LOVE Dirty Money,
I didn't vote it as a classic when we did their thread. The deluxe version has 6 singles on it...but the original
issue only has 3.

The average rap fan might know or be familiar with those singles, but they may not know or have even cared to hear
the rest of the album. So I couldn't in good conscience call that a classic.

Ok what are your barometers for rating something a classic?

My first thing is quality. It must pass the quality barrier. Let me give you two examples: Cuban Linx and Blowout Comb.

Now the former also has additional variables, relevancy, impact, influence even to an extent beyond rap culture. Definite classic.

Blowout Comb has quality, but suddenly you look at what's outside it and you realise there's nothing else it can hang its hat on. Not a classic.

Now back to Black on Both Sides, I feel it has the quality, at least just enough to progress to 'round 2' of my assessments. I also think it is relevant, has stood the test of time, and was pretty influential on shaping that particular sub-genre of rap, though arguably Black Star album was more instrumental in it. I feel this is a 1/2 way album, whether you say yes or no it doesn't matter so long as you have reasons for doing so.

 

[BmoreGorilla]

But dig - you may be right about people not knowing "Jam 4 U" like that...but I bet you people who aren't huge Redman fans
WOULD BE able to quote "How To Roll A Blunt" and "A Day of Sooperman Lover". That's why I voted that one as a classic.

And like I said about Black On Both Sides, I have no reason to believe what you said here is wrong. But, what was the chit
on there that everybody knew that wasn't on the radio or TV?

If that's the criteria your using for classic albums than theres a very very short list of classic albums. If your not a huge Redman fan theres no way your quoting those songs. We all kno The Score is a classic but other than the singles I cant give you one quote from that album. Why? Becuz I was never a fan of the Fugees and that album was bigger than any album Redman thought about making

 

[Redwing80]

I personally didn't mention those two because I wasn't the one listing everything that was filler on that album,
that was somebody else...but while we're at it? Those two are filler. So is "Nasty Boy" and "Another".
That doesn't mean all of those songs are bad, but they weren't necessary on this album.

Anyway:

- every rappers' album is about their "transistion from the broke and fukked up state" they used to be in.
- that's for bringing up "Brooklyn's Finest". "I Love The Dough" is like a not-as-good version of that.

Every rappers album is not about making a transition. You know better than to make a generalization like that

Ready To Die is purely about Biggie being broke, depressed and trying to make money. Life After Death has 0 songs about him being poor. I gave you examples before. Mo Money Mo Problems, You're Nobody Till Somebody Kills You, Love The Dough etc have the same theme. So how is it filler? How can a song trading bars with Jay Z be made for filler? That makes sense to you?

You thinking that it's as good as Brooklyn's Finest is completely irrelevant. Guess your opinion of filler is songs you don't like.

 

[The Ruler 09]

Nasty Boy is the song I like least on LAD cause of the beat, it's ok but it's not up to par with the rest of the ish. I still give the album a classic rating though cause of the elite level of a lot of the other tracks, Big was making classics upon classics.

 

[kingofnyc]

I'm 23, take that as you will

anyway bro I'm saying The Source is not the be all and end all of ratings, though it is extremely credible, remember it still gave albums like Liquid Swords 4 mics...

I think what you perceive my ignorance to be on LAD is how I feel about you on WTF

convince me LAD is a classic and ticks all the boxes, and I may change my vote

im not getting at u for your age -as an old head im trying to give u perspective of what was the feeling back then

im telling u - u COULDNT be a rea hip hop head if u didnt subscribe, read the entire issuse at least 2 times & take those articles, reviews, commentaries etc... etc... as word as born - the source mag
liquid swords getting 4mic - '95 is one of dem years were it was just too much hot shyt dropping plus LS was thr last wu solo album thst dropp'd that year problaby they felt wu tang overkill


LAD dosnt need convincing of it being called a classic
but ill drop a few gems on u
•5 mics source mag
•1st (real rap album -NOT mc hammer) to go diamond
•1997 artist if the year (when real hip hop {not commercial shyt} was never was accepted to the mainstream)

 

[JayBaldacci]

im not getting at u for your age -as an old head im trying to give u perspective of what was the feeling back then

im telling u - u COULDNT be a rea hip hop head if u didnt subscribe, read the entire issuse at least 2 times & take those articles, reviews, commentaries etc... etc... as word as born - the source mag
liquid swords getting 4mic - '95 is one of dem years were it was just too much hot shyt dropping plus LS was thr last wu solo album thst dropp'd that year problaby they felt wu tang overkill


LAD dosnt need convincing of it being called a classic
but ill drop a few gems on u
•5 mics source mag
•1st (real rap album -NOT mc hammer) to go diamond
•1997 artist if the year (when real hip hop {not commercial shyt} was never was accepted to the mainstream)

mo money, sky's the limit and hypnotize are all commercial singles. missing you, i love the dough, nasty and fukking you tonight are all radio friendly songs. Life After Death is all over the place.

edit: and it really only sold 5 mil, it was a double album. that's still a lot though.

 

[Inspect Her Deck]

im not getting at u for your age -as an old head im trying to give u perspective of what was the feeling back then

im telling u - u COULDNT be a rea hip hop head if u didnt subscribe, read the entire issuse at least 2 times & take those articles, reviews, commentaries etc... etc... as word as born - the source mag
liquid swords getting 4mic - '95 is one of dem years were it was just too much hot shyt dropping plus LS was thr last wu solo album thst dropp'd that year problaby they felt wu tang overkill


LAD dosnt need convincing of it being called a classic
but ill drop a few gems on u
•5 mics source mag
•1st (real rap album -NOT mc hammer) to go diamond
•1997 artist if the year (when real hip hop {not commercial shyt} was never was accepted to the mainstream)

I appreciate your way of going about things, unlike the faq who was showing off about living those times and being the end all of knowledge. thanks breh

Now let me say this. I think typically, Life After Death has been given the classic label. I'm not denying that, and what you've shown me has confirmed that LAD brings everything to the table as far as objective measures can be ascertained. But as I said, for my PERSONAL definition, I go by quality first. Das EFX's first album is one of the most important and influential in hip-hop, but it doesn't have the quality imo. I feel the same way about this, but for different reasons.

I just wish I was really living those times so I could read those magazines tho


So if you can convince me the album has minimal filler then it is on THAT basis I will consider giving it a yes vote. But I appreciate the knowledge, seriously.

Also just a question: did this album go diamond before AEOM?

 

[kingofnyc]

#tpc
#tnt
@Nomad1 @AJtheOne @Wally Russell @Rapmastermind @Billy Ocean
Biggie Smalls is the illest

damn breh- u done called da pac wolves out
they gonna fukk my nikka shyt up






edit
i notice LAD only had 4 (no) when u posted this now its up to 7

 

[mobbinfms]

damn breh- u done called da pac wolves out
they gonna fukk my nikka shyt up






edit
i notice LAD only had 4 (no) when u posted this now its up to 7

None of them voted no though
Could it be? Are Pac stans...becoming rational?

 

[Ian1362]

But dig - you may be right about people not knowing "Jam 4 U" like that...but I bet you people who aren't huge Redman fans
WOULD BE able to quote "How To Roll A Blunt" and "A Day of Sooperman Lover". That's why I voted that one as a classic.

And like I said about Black On Both Sides, I have no reason to believe what you said here is wrong. But, what was the chit
on there that everybody knew that wasn't on the radio or TV?

Not "everybody", but def heard a lot of ppl playing Brooklyn. I can recite How To Roll A Blunt and stan Red heavily but fans of hip-hop circa 1992 today aren't "everybody".

Regardless, OP says "take it as you will" as it pertains to your own definitions. I already know about James Murdoch and Rawkus, the notion of how it gave white people a "pass" to culturally enter hip-hop without due paying, or even a grasp of the basis of the genre, how Mos was sold to the public, etc. I also know the music he was releasing leading up to signing on Rawkus was awesome. Make of the behind the scenes decision-making what you will but on the basis @SirBiatch alluded to I'd include BOBS as a classic record, and even in that sense I suppose its debatable because of the shine he got before that anyway off of the Blackstar album.

 

[kingofnyc]

mo money, sky's the limit and hypnotize are all commercial singles. missing you, i love the dough, nasty and fukking you tonight are all radio friendly songs. Life After Death is all over the place.

edit: and it really only sold 5 mil, it was a double album. that's still a lot though.

when i said commercial
I'm talking bout will smith, hammer, music factory etc....

da hell
can these lyrics be considered commercial to main stream / middle of america

Every cutie wit a booty bought a Coogi (haaaaah!)
Now who's the real dookie, meaning who's really the shyt
Them nikkas ride dikks, Frank White push the sticks
on the Lexus, LX, four and a half
Bulletproof glass tints if I want some ass
Gonna blast squeeze first ask questions last
That's how most of these so-called gangsters pass
At last, a nikka rappin bout blunts and broads
t*ts and bras, ménage à trois, sex in expensive cars
I still leave you on the pavement
Condo paid for, no car payment
At my arraignment, note for the plantiff
Your daughter's tied up in a Brooklyn basement (shh)
Face it, not guilty, that's how I stay filthy (not guilty)
Richer than Richie, till you nikkas come and get me

 

[kingofnyc]

None of them voted no though
Could it be? Are Pac stans...becoming rational?

could be their alias

 

[JayBaldacci]

when i said commercial
I'm talking bout will smith, hammer, music factory etc....

da hell
can these lyrics be considered commercial to main stream / middle of america

Every cutie wit a booty bought a Coogi (haaaaah!)
Now who's the real dookie, meaning who's really the shyt
Them nikkas ride dikks, Frank White push the sticks
on the Lexus, LX, four and a half
Bulletproof glass tints if I want some ass
Gonna blast squeeze first ask questions last
That's how most of these so-called gangsters pass
At last, a nikka rappin bout blunts and broads
t*ts and bras, ménage à trois, sex in expensive cars
I still leave you on the pavement
Condo paid for, no car payment
At my arraignment, note for the plantiff
Your daughter's tied up in a Brooklyn basement (shh)
Face it, not guilty, that's how I stay filthy (not guilty)
Richer than Richie, till you nikkas come and get me

mo money is as jiggy as any will record in 1997.

 

[mobbinfms]

mo money is as jiggy as any will record in 1997.