The 'Art' of Rap - Introduction

Inspired by Henry Louis Gates Jr's article in FT Weekend Magazine - or to be more truthful, Kagan McLeod's illustrations of hip hop stars - I have decided to review a few hip hop 'artists' and rate their quality.

Here is the 'mark scheme':

Freshness (Originality):
Embodied by Will Smith, 'The Fresh Prince'(#68), 'freshness' is an important factor in hip hop. Awful hip hop is a quick-fix of sluggish, bloated, unimaginative dross that leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth. But listening to rap music should be as invigorating as eating a breath-mint or the endorfin-flood of a sprint: freshness. Saul Williams (#6) compares this experience of freshness to sitting on a mountain top.

Roots (History):
A word synonymous with Reggae - but don't you know that 'rapping' originated in Jamaica when MCs would 'toast' - talk - over their sound systems? - so it makes perfect sense to use 'roots' to refer to a genre which, like the face of Janice, looks awe-fully backwards but also hopefully forwards. For an example of this listen to 'Be Healthy' by Dead Prez (#23).

Gangsta (Suffering):
For me the worst thing about hip hop, but an essential element in the formation of the genre and the creation / destruction of many of rap's heroes. Luckily there have always been peace-makers: from Africa Bambaataa (#78) to KRS One (#66) see below...

Soul (Hope):
Not just a reference to the soul music genre - although this is no doubt important and influencial - but also an endurance of spirit: compassion, love, community spirit / justice that groups like Public Enemy (#71) up-hold (despite the drugs and violence of the gangsta culture).
"I pray to God; I feel like I've got a church in myself," (Public Enemy, 'Bring That Beat Back')

Lastability:
This can be a good thing - like the legacy of 'The Message' (#80) - or a bad thing - stereotypical tat which has had a great impact on culture such as the Black Eye Peas.

Finally, dedications:
I have dedicated some of these tracks to friends who have introduced me to some of these artists and also to friends and family who will hopefully share the happy memories that these tracks produce in my mind.

Thanks

Art of Rap 3

Inspired by Henry Louis Gates Jr's article in FT Weekend Magazine - or to be more truthful, Kagan McLeod's illustrations of hip hop stars - I have decided to review a few hip hop 'artists' and rate their quality.

#61 Tupac: Freshness: 7 Roots: 3 Gangsta: 10 Soul:6 Lastability: 10 'Classic' Track: 'Changes' ... or that one with Elton John haha
#62 NWA: Freshness: 6 Roots: 3 Gangsta: 10 Soul: 1 Lastability: 10 'Classic' Track: 'Straight Outta Compton' Trivia: Dedicated to Compton Road, Lindfield, West Sussex
#63 Kool Keith
#64 Biz Markie
#65 Big Daddy Kane
#66 KRS One: Freshness: 8 Roots: 10 Gangsta: 6 Soul: 9 Lastability: 9 'Classic' Track: 'Sound of the police' Also try: 'U Must Learn'
#67 Rakim
#68 Fresh Prince: Freshness: 10 Roots: 4 Gangsta: 0 Soul: 6 Lastability: 10 'Classic' Track: 'Fresh Price Theme tune'
#69 Doug E Fresh
#70 Slick Rick: Freshness: 9 Roots: 4 Gangsta: 6 Soul: 4 Lastability: 6 'Classic' Track: 'The Ruler's Back' Dedicated to Sam Dransfield
#71 Public Enemy: Freshness: 9 Roots: 10 Gangsta: 4 Soul: 10 Lastabiltiy: 10 'Classic' Track: 'Public Enemy Number 1' also try: 'Welcome to the Terrordome'
#72 The Beastie Boys: Freshness: 9 Roots: 7 Gangsta: 0 Soul: 7 Lastability: 9 'Classic' Track: 'Integalactic' also try: anything they have ever done -- it's all good. Dedicated to Harry Hasson.
#73 Schooly D
#74 The Fat Boys: Freshness: 6 Roots: 1 Gangsta: 0 Soul: 3 Lastability: 5 'Classic' Track: 'Are you Ready for Freddy?' Also dedicated to Ham.
#75 Rammelzee
#76 Run DMC: Freshness: 8 Roots: 6 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 6 Lastability: 10 'Classic' Track: 'It's Like That'
#77 Kool Moe Dee
#78 Afrika Bambaataa
#79 The Sugarhill Gang: Freshness: 5 Roots: 7 Gangsta: 5 Soul: 6 Lastability: 9 'Classic' Track: Rapper's Delight'
#80 Melle Mel: Freshness: 9 Roots: 9 Gangsta: 7 Soul: 9 Lastability: 8 'Classic' Track: 'The Message'
#81 Gil Scott Heron: Freshness: 7 Roots: 8 Gangsta: 1 Soul: 9 Lastabiltiy: 7 'Classic' Track: The Revolution will not be televised'

Art of Rap 2

Inspired by Henry Louis Gates Jr's article in FT Weekend Magazine - or to be more truthful, Kagan McLeod's illustrations of hip hop stars - I have decided to review a few hip hop 'artists' and rate their quality.

#33
#34 Mos Def: Freshness:8 Roots:9 Gangsta: 5 Soul: 8 Lastability:9 'Classic' Track: 'Hip Hop' / Anything off 'Black on both sides'
#35 Talib Kweli: Freshness:7 Roots:6 Gangsta: 1 Soul: 8 Lastability:6 'Classic' Track: 'Get By'
#36 Will I Am Freshness: 1 Roots: 1 Gangsta: 0 Soul: 0 Lastability: 9 (unfortunately) 'Classic' track: 'Where is the Love'
#37 DMX: Freshness: 5 Roots: 4 Gangsta: 9 Soul: 5 Lastability: 6 'Classic' Track: N/A
#38 Rahzel: Freshness:6 Roots:6 Gangsta:3 Soul:3 Lastability:3
#39 Eminem: Freshness: 7 Roots: 4 Gangsta: 3 Soul: 5 Lastability: 10 'Classic' Track: 'Real Slim Shady' Trivia: Dedicated to my brother Aled Seago, who once performed an Eminem song dressed as the rapper. He even dyed his hair.
#40 Puffy: Freshness: 1 Roots: 3 Gangsta: 3 Soul:0 Lastability: 8 'Classic' Track: 'Bad Boys for Life'
#44 Xibit: Freshness: 2 Roots: 2 Gangsta: 5 Soul: 1 Lastability:6 'Classic' Track: Hosting Pimp my Ride
#45 Jay Z: Freshness: 5 Roots: 4 Gangsta: 7 Soul: 0 Lastability: 9 'Classic' Track:
#46 Coolio: Freshness: 8 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 4 Soul: 4 Lastability: 8 'Classic' Track: Keenan and Kel Theme Tune
#47 Outkast: Freshness: 8 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 3 Soul: 7 Lastability: 8 'Classic' Track: 'Miss Jackson'
#49 Notorious BIG: Freshness: 7 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 10 Soul: 6 Lastability: 10
#50 Nas: Freshness: 6 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 8 Soul: 5 Lastability: 8
#51 Lauren Hill: Freshness: 9 Roots: 9 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 10 Lastability: 8 'Classic' Track: 'Everything is Everything'
#52 The Fugees: Freshness: 9 Roots: 8 Gangsta: 4 Soul: 9 Lastability: 9 'Classic' Track: 'Ready or Not'
#53 Wu Tang Clan: Freshness: 8 Roots: 7 Gangsta: 7 Soul: 5 Lastability: 9 'Classic' Track: 'Enter the Magic Mystery Chambers' (Beatles/Wu Tang Mashup) Dedicated to Tom Caruana
#54 D.I.T.C.: Freshness: 7 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 9 Soul: 2 Lastability: 6
#55 Bootie Brown: Freshness: 6 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 6 Lastabilty: 4: 'Classic' Track: Gorillaz 'Dirty Harry'
#56 Del Tha Funky Homosapian: Freshness: 6 Roots: 6 Gangsta: 3 Soul: 7 Lastability: 5 'Classic' Track: Gorillaz 'Clint Eastwood'
#57 Hieroglyphics: Freshness: 6 Roots: 7 Gangsta: 3 Soul: 7 Lastability: 4 Classic Track: Don't Hate the Player Hate the Game
#58 Black Thought: Freshness: 8 Roots: 10 Gangsta: 3 Soul: 7 Lastability: 8
#59 snoop dogg: Freshness: 7 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 9 Soul: 2 Lastability: 10 'Classic' Track: 'Gin and Juice' - "Home Boy Alone"
#60 Cypress Hill: Freshness: 6 Roots: 4 Gangsta: 10 Soul: 4 Lastability: 7 'Classic' Track: 'Insane in the Brain' feat. The London Philharmonic Orchestra dedicated to Greg Jones

The Art of Rap 1

Inspired by Henry Louis Gates Jr's article in FT Weekend Magazine - or to be more truthful, Kagan McLeod's illustrations of hip hop stars - I have decided to review a few hip hop 'artists' and rate their quality.

#1 Lupe Fiasco: Freshness:7 Roots:4 Gangsta: 0 Soul: 5 Lastability:2 'Classic' Track: 'Kick Push'
#2 The Game: Freshness:4 Roots:5 Gangsta: 7 Soul: 3 Lastability:2 'Classic' Track: N/A
#3 Kayne West: Freshness: 8 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 4 Soul: 4 Lastability: 8 'Classic' Track: 'Jesus Walks' Trivia Fact: Kayne West is pretty much over-rated...
#5 T.I.: Freshness: 5 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 6 Soul: 4 Lastability: 5 'Classic Track': N/A
#6 Saul Williams: Freshness: 10 Roots: 10 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 10 Lastability: 9: 'Classic' Track: 'Amythist Rocks' or anything he has ever done Trivia Fact: Saul Williams inspired me to explore poetry, hip hop and pretty much everything that is good and true.
#17 Aesop Rock: Freshness: 6 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 1 Soul: 5 Lastability: 6 'Classic Track: That one off Tony Hawks
#18 Nelly: Freshness: 4 Roots: 4 Gangsta: 5 Soul: 3 Lastability: 6 'Classic' Track: N/A Trivia Fact: I dressed up as Nelly for a Halloween (?) party at uni
#19 50 Cent: Freshness: 3 Roots: 3 Gangsta: 8 Soul: 1 Lastability: 4 'Classic' Track: The 'In the club'/'Thomas the Tank Engine Theme tune'
#20 Rah Digga: Freshness: 3 Roots: 4 Gangsta: 2 Soul:6 Lastability:3'Classic' Track: 'This Ain't No Lil' Kid Rap'
#21 Jay Dee (J-Dilla): Freshness: 6 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 5 Soul:6 Lastability:5'Classic' Track: 'Front Street'
#22 Ludacris: Freshness: 5 Roots: 2 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 2 Lastability: 5 'Classic' Track: N/A
#23 Dead Prez: Freshness: 6 Roots: 10 Gangsta: 5 Soul: 9 Lastability: 6 'Classic' track: 'Hip Hop' but I like ... 'Be Healthy'
#28 Abstract Rude: Freshness: 6 Roots: 6 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 6 Lastability: 6 'Classic' Track: Pigeon John 'Life Goes On'
#29 Wildchild
#30 Madlib: Freshness: 10 Roots: 6 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 8 'Classic' Track: MadVillian 'All Caps' Trivia Fact: Dedicated to Pete Brown. God bless ya, Brother.