What is a classic?

[ManBearPig]

classic is whatever you make it out to be.

 

[obarth]

A classic is something that won't ever occur anymore because half the demographic of hip hop fans are old heads that will refuse to give props to any new cats and the other half of the demographic of hip hop fans is split into various stan groups who will refuse to give props to any artist that isn't the one they stan.

But the culture itself dictates what is classic and what isn't. Stans will insist their favorite artist's album is classic but when the culture has forgotten it in 10 years those stans will just be like that dude in the barbershop nobody agrees with. Ready To Die for example is classic because the culture made it so. It impacted the culture, was embraced by it and the culture has preserved it for the ages. That fits the actual definition of classic;

clas·sic (klsk)
adj.
1.
a. Belonging to the highest rank or class.
b. Serving as the established model or standard: a classic example of colonial architecture.
c. Having lasting significance or worth; enduring.

 

[CrimsonTider]

not a skippable track. great beats and lyrics. stands the test of time. had an impact

otherwise it's a personal classic or just a good/great album

There are hiphop albums that people say are certified classics that dont contain any of this.

How do you measure impact?

How do determine if a track is skippable

Great Beats? Not everyone hears music the same.

I'm pretty sure there are renowned classics that don't have great lyrics

according to coli its an album that drops by an artist you like.

your a nas fan? life is good is classic

your a kanye fan? cruel summer is classic

your a rick ross fan? god forgives, i dont is classic

How can you tell someone what isn't a classic?

No one hears music the same.

if the music resonates with you and you can play that album at anytime then its a classic.

This is the only definition.

There is no consensus on any hiphop album ever created

 

[CrimsonTider]

A classic is something that won't ever occur anymore because half the demographic of hip hop fans are old heads that will refuse to give props to any new cats and the other half of the demographic of hip hop fans is split into various stan groups who will refuse to give props to any artist that isn't the one they stan.

But the culture itself dictates what is classic and what isn't. Stans will insist their favorite artist's album is classic but when the culture has forgotten it in 10 years those stans will just be like that dude in the barbershop nobody agrees with. Ready To Die for example is classic because the culture made it so. It impacted the culture, was embraced by it and the culture has preserved it for the ages. That fits the actual definition of classic;

This is one of many problems I have with "classic" albums

A majority of the time classics are albums that you grew up on a resonated with you as you are growing.

That's why you get threads every other week like "what is the last classic album", "hiphop isn't what it use to be" and all that other garbage

 

[W.I.Z.E.]

This is the only definition.

There is no consensus on any hiphop album ever created

Illmatic
The Chronic

 

[CrimsonTider]

Illmatic
The Chronic

Not everyone in hiphop feels the same about those albums

I think RD is 10 times the album that Illmatic is.

You can find plenty of people who listen to hiphop day in and day out who don't think those albums are great

 

[W.I.Z.E.]

Not everyone in hiphop feels the same about those albums

I think RD is 10 times the album that Illmatic is.

You can find plenty of people who listen to hiphop day in and day out who don't think those albums are great

1. you said consensus the first time NOT everyone
2. it's been seen on COUNTLESS polls from the 90's till now that those two albums consistently score in the top 10 of greatest hip hop albums ever and "classic"
3. I would add RD and a few others to the list but I added the albums that there has been a consensus of being considered classic.

Con-sen-sus
a : general agreement
b : the judgment arrived at by most of those concerned <the consensus was to go ahead>

 

[CrimsonTider]

1. you said consensus the first time NOT everyone
2. it's been seen on COUNTLESS polls from the 90's till now that those two albums consistently score in the top 10 of greatest hip hop albums ever and "classic"
3. I would add RD and a few others to the list but I added the albums that there has been a consensus of being considered classic.

Con-sen-sus
a : general agreement
b : the judgment arrived at by most of those concerned <the consensus was to go ahead>

Those polls are not Most?

Every argument you can make for those albums to be classic I can make a counter argument on why they are not classic.

 

[Taadow]

A classic is something that won't ever occur anymore because half the demographic of hip hop fans are old heads that will refuse to give props to any new cats and the other half of the demographic of hip hop fans is split into various stan groups who will refuse to give props to any artist that isn't the one they stan.

But the culture itself dictates what is classic and what isn't. Stans will insist their favorite artist's album is classic but when the culture has forgotten it in 10 years those stans will just be like that dude in the barbershop nobody agrees with. Ready To Die for example is classic because the culture made it so. It impacted the culture, was embraced by it and the culture has preserved it for the ages. That fits the actual definition of classic;

I agree with the theory of this.

A "classic" is not just one because of its content (even though that is a large part of it). It has to be accepted by the majority of the demographic as such. This is why you have people who will concede that _____ is a "regional classic", because most hip-hop fans in/around that locale would agree it is.

I will add that the pitfall most encounter is that people don't realize that it is extremely rare for something to be considered "classic" in its own time. Even as the definition previously posted says, a "classic" is something that can stand the test of time. If an album comes out now and it goes 2x plat, that doesn't mean it is a classic. On the other had, if an album came out in 1988 and it was considered "classic" in the moment, but doesn't stand the test of time, is it still a "classic"?

In my opinion, an album is a "classic" if it is all of these:

- entertaining
- lyrically strong (not just cadence or rhyme scheme, but what is said)
- original (like if it has a new sound, or is seen as inspirational/imitatable)
- cohesive (especially if it has a theme)
- (this is the tough one) general accepted as an exceptional album

 

[Taadow]

Every argument you can make for those albums to be classic I can make a counter argument on why they are not classic.

But do you know what "generally" means?

 

[CrimsonTider]

But do you know what "generally" means?

There is nothing that proves it is "generally" agreed upon though.

I just think the whole What is what isn't classic is stupid.

 

[Taadow]

I just think the whole What is what isn't classic is stupid.

Why?

 

[CrimsonTider]

Why?

Because people don't hear music the same.

I think the only classics are personal classics.

There is nothing about Illmatic that makes it classic to me.

I think Stillmatic, God Son, LIG and It was written are better albums than Illmatic.


A lot of how I feel about Illmatic comes from the fact I didn't hear when it came out and cause I was too young.

When I was old enough to listen to it, I didn't understand its impact or any of the traits people give to classics.


But, what to new age posters start posting on here and saying stuff like C2 are classics. Watch how old heads recoil.

Its just a pointless conversation to me

 

[HoLLaBaCK]

Everyone has their own definition to what's classic.

To me...

- it's gotta sound fresh out the gate.
- high replay value.
- skipable tracks & weak interludes/skits are kept to a minimum.
- cohesiveness, the album has to have a certain vibe or feel throughout.
- definitely friendly.

 

[Taadow]

Because people don't hear music the same.

I think the only classics are personal classics.

There is nothing about Illmatic that makes it classic to me.

I think Stillmatic, God Son, LIG and It was written are better albums than Illmatic.


A lot of how I feel about Illmatic comes from the fact I didn't hear when it came out and cause I was too young.

When I was old enough to listen to it, I didn't understand its impact or any of the traits people give to classics.


But, what to new age posters start posting on here and saying stuff like C2 are classics. Watch how old heads recoil.

Its just a pointless conversation to me

I would argue that people DO hear music the same - they just feel differently about it.

Case in point: I think Illmatic is vastly overrated myself, but I won't fight a nicca about it. I think it's a "regional" classic, and I could see how some would see it as a "personal" classic. I also think God's Son and Stillmatic are better albums than it is.

I also don't think C2 is a classic, it's just a good album. There's no shame in that.

But in every art form that ever existed, there is classic material. And I don't think there's anything wrong with recognizing that.