best hip-hop acts past and present?

since nic's thread about eminem is moving into whether one appreciates rap or not, here's a place to give a big shout out to those hip-hop acts you like and why.

as for me:

public enemy--the best ever. chuck D has the strongest voice and their music transcends stereotypes. 'it takes a nation...' and 'fear of a black planet' are two of the finest albums of the last 25 years in any musical style.

de la soul--another fantastic group, at least in the early days. '3 feet high and rising' was trippy and cool and still sounds fresh (i'm listening to it right now, actually). they even introduced me to steely dan with 'eye know'.... this album was always on my stereo my senior year of high school (1991-92).

LL cool J--the man's always had style. 'round the way girl' was one of my favourite songs in high school.

and, yes, i do quite like eminem. in fact, i rather fancy him!:D

Originally posted by AgentWood since nic's thread about eminem is moving into whether one appreciates rap or not, here's a place to give a big shout out to those hip-hop acts you like and why. as for me:public enemy--the best ever. chuck D has the strongest voice and their music transcends stereotypes. 'it takes a nation...' and 'fear of a black planet' are two of the finest albums of the last 25 years in any musical style.

Agree 100%

Sugarhill Gang Grandmaster Flash NWA Beastie Boys Fugees Massive Attack Outkast

Public Enemy Beastie Boys LL Cool J Dr. Dre Fugees

Still have lots of old singles by people like Doug E. Fresh, Kool Moe Dee, Whodini, Big Daddy Kane, Grandmaster Flash, etc. Have always loved the EPMD single of Strictly Business.

Run DMC, Public Enemy and the Beasties of course, Eric B. and Rakim, NWA, Outkast.

We listen to an urban station at work a lot, and I like a lot of what's played today, but I tune the music out when Ja Rule and Ludacris are on

i forgot about the fugees. i went to college with lauryn hill, and i was one of three music directors of our college radio station. we were the first station in the entire country to play 'the score' (spring of my senior year, lauryn's junior year). our urban music director, zuhairah, was good friends with her, so we got a really advanced pressing.

I worked as PR Manager for Trash nightclub in Glasgow between 97 and 2000 and put on a lot of monthly hip hop shows during that period mostly featuring old skool guys. I was the first person to bring Grandmaster Flash to Scotland ('97) and having booked him twice since then would have to say that out of them all he was the best showman by a mile.

My favourite all rounder however would have to be Grandwizard Theodore. Advance sales for the gig were slow and so as a solution he came round the pubs with the PR team on the night of the show and personally handed out fliers and gave everyone the sales pitch. Top bloke and a very talented (yet underrated) DJ.

Worst attitude award goes to Afrika Bambatta, party animal of the year to Schooly D.

Originally posted by AgentWood LL cool J--the man's always had style. 'round the way girl' was one of my favourite songs in high school.

I used to play that record repeatedly when I first bought it...I could probably still rap it all the way through if I got drunk enough

Fave hip hop acts for me are De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, Outkast, Jurassic 5, KRS-1 and Missy Elliot. Saw Grandmaster Flash at Sankeys just a couple of months ago, and it was absolutely awesome. Proper crowd pleaser :D

As for Eminem...much prefer the stuff he's bringing out now to the earlier material now he doesn't put on that whiny Cartman voice on so much. 'Cleanin out my Closet' was a load of chuff though. And he looks like Jimmy Saville.

Originally posted by Kezzie From The Block As for Eminem...much prefer the stuff he's bringing out now to the earlier material now he doesn't put on that whiny Cartman voice on so much. 'Cleanin out my Closet' was a load of chuff though. And he looks like Jimmy Saville.

but i swear i don't fancy jimmy saville!

Massive Attack, but they're trip-hop, which I prefer, apart from Eminem.

Actually, David Hasselhoff has done some great work with hip-hop. Being a white man popular in Germany with a large movement of fans, he would naturally be able to conquer the rap world....and most of Europe, except for England and Russia

Ultramagnetic MC's, Kool Keith, Doctor Octigan, Pharcyde.

Where is Eric B. and Rakim? They are legends who haven't even been mentioned on this post.

Originally posted by Lickmodem Where is Eric B. and Rakim? They are legends who haven't even been mentioned on this post.

well there you go. now they have.

Originally posted by The Happy One am I the only one here that has even heard of Diggable Planets???

i'm cool like that....we out....

Based on the one song I've heard by them, I'd like to mention Bone, Thugs, and Harmony.

Also love De La Soul (very anti-thug back in the day)

Originally posted by Lickmodem Where is Eric B. and Rakim? They are legends who haven't even been mentioned on this post.

Originally posted by Green Run DMC, Public Enemy and the Beasties of course, Eric B. and Rakim, NWA, Outkast.

I beg to differ!

Well, they shoudln't be an "and". They should be an "of" because they are the cornerstone of hip hop. Rakim is Jordan-like in hip-hop terms and should be respected as such.

You probably never heard of these but anyways...

X-clan Bran Nubian Grand Puba Poor Riteous Teachers Kamm Dana Dane Askari X Das EFX

Some current artists that I quite like:

RJD2, Peanut Butter Wolf, J5. Blackalicous and you can probably put DJ Shadow there as well.

Originally posted by Isamu You probably never heard of these but anyways...X-clanBran NubianGrand PubaPoor Riteous TeachersKammDana DaneAskari XDas EFX

das EFX is pretty damn cool. could never get over grand puba's name, though. a little too similar sounding to something else....

Blackalicious and Anti-Pop Consortium..

I do not like hip-hop generally but on New Years Eve they played quite a lot of songs from De la Soul, and I had forgotten how good they used to be. Me, myself and I was undoubtedly the highlight of the night and I quite liked their unassuming looks, too. Rap aesthetics (prosthetics more like)really puts me off.

One I forgot to mention Arrested Developement, thanks to Spianl Tap, I remebered them.

Originally posted by Isamu You probably never heard of these but anyways...X-clanBran NubianGrand PubaPoor Riteous TeachersKammDana DaneAskari XDas EFX

X-Clan ...... "The RED the BLACK and the GREEN! SISSY!!!!"

Originally posted by Budvar Huber I do not like hip-hop generally but on New Years Eve they played quite a lot of songs from De la Soul, and I had forgotten how good they used to be. Me, myself and I was undoubtedly the highlight of the night and I quite liked their unassuming looks, too. Rap aesthetics (prosthetics more like)really puts me off.

You mean you DON'T like seeing a rented all-wheel drive Lambo Diablo turning on it's own axis on wet tarmac?!?!?! :D (I can't remember the artist's video where that appeared.)

Originally posted by Grigori Rasputin..the mad monk is back! am I the only one here that has even heard of Diggable Planets???besides these folks...I also like...Public EnemyRun-DMCBeastie BoysConsolidated (white liberal rappers from San Francisco)MC 900 Foot Jesus (white rapper from Dallas)Audio Assault (more rappers from Dallas)Ice-Tand I'm sure there are a few that I have left out...but you all know what a simpleton I can be at times!!!

If you like Consolidated, have you ever checked out the MC 5? I think you'll find them Consolidated's spiritual forebearers.