The classic album issue

[Mastamimd]

The Eminem thread made me make this thread...

It seems like mad cats out there are throwing this "classic album" label to many albums that don't really deserve it, or just because it has sentimental value or its really good. There were mad albums that came out in the 1990s that people would have NEVER been called classic back in the day but people are starting to call them classic now(granted some albums deserve this label, but many of these albums don't). Questions to be asked: first off, what makes a classic to you, and second do you agree with this revisionist sentiment?

 

[Ninjaz In Paris]

Because music is subjective & classic to one might be trash to another. The problem is the average hip hop fan used to have the 5 Mic System to at least base their classic "barometer" but since the Source lost credibility every album that comes out gets called a classic by somebody. Check everytime an album is released... the usual buzz is everyone either calling it a classic or trash. We've seen every major rap album released this year whether it was Kanye or Cole or Kid Cudi get called classic by more then a few people...

This is why nobody's opinion should mean shyt to the next person... it's all subjective... somewhere out there someone thinks Macklemore's album is classic...

 

[altruicsense]

classic =

=

NOT classic =

=

 

[Deltron]

I have a shyt load of personal classics that have that sentimental value.




I would honestly say objectively, there's maybe 10-20 tops game changing widely agreed upon classic, classics.

 

[Layla Hunnam]

Good album =/= classic album

This is the confusion that people have...

 

[bl2k8]

Classics are pretty much agreed upon by the majority and widely accepted as classics.

Ain't nobody denying illmatic as a classic

Nobody denying ready to die as a classic

Theses dudes naming shyt like Take Care as a classic are just trynna make sure their favorite artist has one under their belt

 

[Ninjaz In Paris]

Classics are pretty much agreed upon by the majority and widely accepted as classics.

Theses dudes naming shyt like Take Care as a classic are just trynna make sure their favorite artist has one under their belt

This is the problem though. The "majority" of who calls something a classic is different to everyone. "Take Care" is considered a classic by a lot of new school cats who were born into the late 90's. Just because we're older doesn't take away what impact it has on their life or how influential it is to the youth...

The cats who think "Take Care" is trash call "G.K.M.C." a classic & vice versa when both could easily just be "average" albums... it's all subjective, even the majority...

 

[bl2k8]

This is the problem though. The "majority" of who calls something a classic is different to everyone. "Take Care" is considered a classic by a lot of new school cats who were born into the late 90's. Just because we're older doesn't take away what impact it has on their life or how influential it is to the youth...

The cats who think "Take Care" is trash call "G.K.M.C." a classic & vice versa when both could easily just be "average" albums... it's all subjective, even the majority...

I guess for me it's that I've seen older heads call GKMC a classic as well as dudes my age(I'm 23) and dudes younger than me. I knew illmatic, ready to die, ATLiens was classic shyt when I first heard em all the way through at 15-16 years old and I wasnt bumpin that shyt right there when it came out.

With that said I think the only classic album to come from a new artist the past few years is Food and Liquor and GKMC

 

[Icantspell]

\


im missing a few of his albums but theyre all classics

 

[Ninjaz In Paris]

I guess for me it's that I've seen older heads call GKMC a classic as well as dudes my age(I'm 23) and dudes younger than me. I knew illmatic, ready to die, ATLiens was classic shyt when I first heard em all the way through at 15-16 years old and I wasnt bumpin that shyt right there when it came out.

With that said I think the only classic album to come from a new artist the past few years is Food and Liquor and GKMC

I get that & agree with it but thats also because those albums sound closer to what was considered a classic in the earlier days of Hip Hop. Kendrick is the Anti-Mainstream Mainstream Artist that every generation has. In the 90's you had Tupac & Biggie, 2000's had Jay & Nas & in this generation its been Drake & a bunch of substitutes that can't seem to fulfill the "Nas" lane of the new school. It was supposed to be Lupe... he didn't live up to the hype & neither did Jay Elec or J Cole & right now Kendrick has it. Kendrick & Drake are on par to be this generations Jay/Nas or Mainstream/Anti-Mainstream Mainstream Artist if that makes sense...

 

[bl2k8]

I get that & agree with it but thats also because those albums sound closer to what was considered a classic in the earlier days of Hip Hop. Kendrick is the Anti-Mainstream Mainstream Artist that every generation has. In the 90's you had Tupac & Biggie, 2000's had Jay & Nas & in this generation its been Drake & a bunch of substitutes that can't seem to fulfill the "Nas" lane of the new school. It was supposed to be Lupe... he didn't live up to the hype & neither did Jay Elec or J Cole & right now Kendrick has it. Kendrick & Drake are on par to be this generations Jay/Nas or Mainstream/Anti-Mainstream Mainstream Artist if that makes sense...

Eh I hate the Jay/Nas Drake/KDot comparisons because Drake will never be able to do what Jay does lyrically, and KDot will probably still end up having more radio friendly sht than Nas did too while not being able to see him lyrically. They are they own man

 

[Ninjaz In Paris]

Eh I hate the Jay/Nas Drake/KDot comparisons because Drake will never be able to do what Jay does lyrically, and KDot will probably still end up having more radio friendly sht than Nas did too while not being able to see him lyrically. They are they own man

True but they are the exact opposites while still having both mainstream & underground appeal. I have a feeling neither will be able to even achieve half of what Jay & Nas have done because I think in this ADD generation of fans they're gonna burn themselves out by their 3rd albums. Drake is on his 3rd Album & you have cats already talking about him losing his impact & falling off & not being as relevant. You didn't hear that kind of talk when Jay-Z dropped his 3rd album... short attention spans all around... these dudes wouldn't know a true classic because they follow hype over reality...

 

[MoeDollaZ$]

two types of classics
personal classics
culture classics(captured a moment in the culture)

 

[Taadow]

There are many reasons something is called "classic", so i've learned to chill on that.

But I do draw a distinction between "classic", "seminal" and "masterpiece".
Some people act like those are interchangeable. They are not.

 

[Juanito]

Yeah tbh the word classic may mean something different for each person. Having sentimental value or something like that could be cause for someone to rate an album you might not consider classic in that category. Like I said in the other thread its all opinions basically. There needs to be some sort of criteria laid out or something if someone is gonna make a thread and people are gonna take it serious.