Mecca & The Soul Brother is the gold standard.

[ThaRealness]

As far as jazz rap goes

Pete Rock captured the essence of jazz so well. Its why Jazz musicians always give him mad respect

Digable Planets, Tribe Called Quest and Primo also did some cool shyt with jazz but they werent purists

 

[Non Sequitur]

I was with you until you threw Tribe under the bus

Did you seriously mention them and Digable Planets in the same breath?

 

[Invisible Man]

It's a great album with two of the goat songs (T.R.O.Y. and Lots of Lovin), but The Main Ingredient's production has aged far more gracefully.

Example:



And I'd argue that Queen Latifah peaked jazzy rap on Black Reign in '93.

 

[ThaRealness]

I was with you until you threw Tribe under the bus

Did you seriously mention them and Digable Planets in the same breath?

Did I throw tribe under the bus? How so??

 

[Pazzy]

mecca and the soul brother wasn't even that good. the low end theory shyts all over that album twice over.

 

[Non Sequitur]

Did I throw tribe under the bus? How so??

You made it seem like they were in the same class as some footnotes like Digable Planets.

Also, Low End Theory vs MatSB would be a great debate.

Its just way closer than you made it seem, that's all.

 

[feelosofer]

You didn't have to bring down Tribe and Digable Planets to put this album on a pedestal, it stands on it's own. It's a great album but so it LOE and Reachin.

 

[Yoda]

You really did not have to diss digable planets - they are jazz rap essential.

 

[ThaRealness]

mecca and the soul brother wasn't even that good. the low end theory shyts all over that album twice over.

Im not saying Mecca & The Soul Brother is better. Im sayin its like Jazz and Hip Hop in equal concentrations, whereas Low End Theory was more hip hop then jazz. Also, Q Tips sound draws heavily on soul-jazz and even prog-rock records.
Pete Rock fused jazz and hip hop better then anyone

 

[ThaRealness]

You made it seem like they were in the same class as some footnotes like Digable Planets.

Also, Low End Theory vs MatSB would be a great debate.

Its just way closer than you made it seem, that's all.

Nah what Im talking about is the fusion of jazz and hip hop. Pete Rock was the best at that.

From a hip hop perspective hes pretty much on the same tier as Q Tip an Premo.