What albums would you tell a new rapper to study and why?

[2manyFCKNrappers]

I've seen threads about what we as spectators should listen to. But, if you knew or heard of an up and comer with potential but no real guidance or grasp of what makes a great album and MC, which albums would you tell him or her to really study? What should they be listening for and how does it apply to their success? What should they take away from it and how can they take that and differentiate themselves from everybody else? I'm not talking about biting the style, i'm talking about instilling the wisdom in the album from one MC to another. Sometimes we have a better perspective being on the other side of the industry because we listen for pure enjoyment. We know what works and we know why something lasts and resonates with us. If we want artists to get any better we should start something to try to help them along because the labels aren't doing it. Most MCs today don't have MC "mentors" to tell them this stuff, which is why I believe there is sort of a disconnect with skillset and a developed ear.



****we know there are alot, but personally try to give 1-3 and why because everybody has their own opinion on why something is great. instead of generalizing and blanketing buzz goats or albums, try to specify****

 

[Bugsmoran]

Great Adventures of Slick Rick
To get your storytelling game up u gotta study the greatest that ever did it

 

[BrothaZay]

 

[Mike Statik]

paid in full....456....ob4cl...illmatic, it was written....rd....chronic..nocturnal....da shinin....36 chambers...enta da stage...e1999...doggystyle...mmlp...uptown Saturday night....war report

sooo many classics I prob didn't name

 

[Shadow King]

paid in full....456....ob4cl...illmatic, it was written....rd....chronic..nocturnal....da shinin....36 chambers...enta da stage...e1999...doggystyle...mmlp...uptown Saturday night....war report

sooo many classics I prob didn't name

I'm 10 for 16

 

[SpacelySprockets]

Purple Haze is all u need

 

[up in here]

I would tell him to study some fukking books. We got waaaaaaaaay too many rappers whose sole influences are other rappers. It's boring

 

[ℒℴѵℯJay ELECTUA]

the war report..the chemistry.

 

[Zebruh]

I'm a firm believer that rappers don't need to listen to other rappers when making music. Listen to anything but hip-hop. Draw inspiration and influence from other genres and medians of writing.

 

[Mastamimd]

I'm a firm believer that rappers don't need to listen to other rappers when making music. Listen to anything but hip-hop. Draw inspiration and influence from other genres and medians of writing.

That's what Rakim did...listened to jazz and painted a picture on his own.

 

[2manyFCKNrappers]

nah they need to study because the genre has fallen so off course. rakim didn't need to study because it was still fresh. the reason i bring this up is because hip hop has become stale with no compass or guidance to the original essence of what made us love it. i understand being inspired organically by other influences outside of hip hop. but, new rappers need to understand what made this culture great and the people who did it and how.

 

[Ashtrey]

Read books by Nation of Islam and 5%ers cause rappers that were influenced by them became GOATs... Wu, Nas, Kane, Rakim , Cube, Public Enemy, etc.

 

[2manyFCKNrappers]

Read books by Nation of Islam and 5%ers cause rappers that were influenced by them became GOATs... Wu, Nas, Kane, Rakim , Cube, Public Enemy, etc.

 

[CELL]

I'm a firm believer that rappers don't need to listen to other rappers when making music. Listen to anything but hip-hop. Draw inspiration and influence from other genres and medians of writing.

See that's a great way to alienate your fan base. You end up gearing towards that sound and creating a weird mish mash. Sure you'll get an anomaly here and there but for the most part rappers doing this have made terrible albums.

Back on topic though I'd tell any rapper worth any sort of lyrical credibility to listen to IWW, Reasonable Doubt, All Eyez On Me and Life After Death. To get some sort of idea on flows, concepts, structuring records and mic presence. I'd never tell them to listen to the album and copy it and its concepts but rather listen for inspiration - a lot of rappers nowadays are all over the place in their writing abilities, it just seems like dudes don't know how to make a record anymore. It's the very reason why I'd say don't inspire yourselves from Rock or Electro because that shyt leaves little to be taken away except the emotion on the track. I'd also say listen to GKMC, Long Live A$AP and other artists that are doing well mainstream that would be your peers. Guys need to analyse their rivals shyt more than their own and best that because that's the only way the bar is going to be set higher and higher. It's the only way to be considered better than your peers, you need to lyrically annihilate them and make their music sound dumb.

I wouldn't say cut those other genres out completely but these dudes need to hear the legends and how they did it, they need to realise why a Nas is 20 years in the game. They need to understand why BIG and Tupac are considered GOATS even with their careers being cut short (and yes it is other factors but their music speaks for itself it's A grade a lot of times). To be a great Hip Hop artist, first and foremost you need to be a Hip Hop head and that's what Lupe Fiasco a lot of artists need to get into their heads. This genre is constantly changing, you need to be incorporating what's been done and mix it in with what's being done and create something different and original.

 

[DaveyDave]

Read books by Nation of Islam and 5%ers cause rappers that were influenced by them became GOATs... Wu, Nas, Kane, Rakim , Cube, Public Enemy, etc.

should be reading anything & everything that interests them really. cats like Cube, Rakim & Wu read a gang of shyt fact, fiction, doesn't matter it's all knowledge & inspiration.

there's shytloads of albums to study but i would say start with the bonafide classics and legends like Face, Rakim, KRS, Ice Cube, Nas, Monch, PE, there's lots to name at this point.