I originally posted this on m3rck.net a few years back, but figured I would relay it along here as it seems appropriate now.
Gabe’s top 10 most influential hiphop albums to him (chronologically):
1. A Tribe Called Quest* - Peoples Instinctive.. (1990), Low End Theory (1991), Midnight Marauders(1993), Beats, Rhymes and Life (1996)
2. Wu-tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 chambers) (1993)
3. Nas - Illmatic (1994)
4. Mobb Deep - The Infamous (1995)
5. Smif-n-Wessun - Dah Shinin’ (1995)
6. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (1995)
7. The Roots - Illadelph Halflife (1996)
8. Dj Premier - Haze Presents : New York Reality Check 101 (1997)
9. Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus (1997)
10. Aesop Rock - Float (2000)
*one slot cause they could take up half the list, always way head of the curve, the afx/ae of hiphop
WHAT!?!?! you totally forgot gza - liquid swords
blasphemy
Well… that definitely crossed my mind when constructing that list. The GZA’s first album is my second favorite solo Wu album for sure. And quite frankly I think all the first batch of solo albums by Wu members are great. Specifically ODB, Meth, Gza, and Ghostface. BUT, I feel that those albums are about %50 or less, gems, and %50 or more, filler.. thus they got the cut when it came to the final list.
I just can’t stomach Wu tang–highly overrated in my opinion. I like the “weird” stuff, all of Dalek’s and Antipop Consortium’s stuff destroys everything out there, and of course Grand Buffet. The status quo would most likely disagree.
Yeah, Antipop does absolutely nothing for me. I think to appreciate the Wu-Tang stuff, you kinda had to be there in that era, it was an extremely fresh sound at the time (their contemporary stuff is uninteresting at best). Just like listening to the Polygon Window album now, it doesn’t really have that flare as if you were hearing it in 92-94.
Good point. I know it’s all a matter of opinion, but an electronic music head like yourself–a man who knows his tunes not digging Antipop? Have you seen/hear ‘em live? I think heads just weren’t/still aren’t ready. Earl Blaze’s production, High Priest’s voice and flow, Bean’s rhymes, and M. Sayyid’s raw attitude and skill–shit’s unstoppable. Ok, ok, sorry to go on like I’m their prommoter or something. Still, I have to give you cred for this good list. You into any of the older stuff at all-KRS One, Public Enemy, Sugarhill? How about the classic electro cuts? About ten years ago Rhino released what was like a ten disc set of old eighties electro called “Street Jams” (yeah, horrid name, I know), which included the likes of Cybotron’s “Clear”, Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock” and Hashim’s “Al-naafiysh (the Soul)”, the latter I heard at a breakdance competition in DC last summer–gave me chills up my spine. I wonder if they’re still available (I onluy bought three of ‘em unfortunately).
Oh, and btw Gabe, I was there believe it or not–I’m 35. I was teaching middle school kids who dug the Wu when they were hot. Yeah, I know, I should be married and changing diapers and listening to Michael Bolton cds now but instead I’m still buying and listening to lots of good music and making (ok) art again.
I think the kids are into the geetars, tight jeans and shaggy do’s these days–that’s the stuff that don’t do it for me.
Thanks for re-posting this. Was actually looking for this list a couple months ago, but couldn’t find it.
Midnight Marauders would probably be my #1.
Yea… i was pretty hype about the idea of Antipop when i first heard about them and heard some clips, but they really didn’t pan out like I had hoped. I was hoping more for something along the lines of the early Sound-Ink style stuff.
In 1992 I heard the first Wu-Tang stuff, and it opened some mental doors for me. Before that I listened to only Metal and Industrial, and didn’t like rap/hiphop much at all. But that first album changed that, and started me down the dark path to the obscure crap I listen to all day now. Nonetheless, I respect all the pre-1992 hiphop… but I don’t find myself wanting to listen to it by choice.
Yeah, i was actually really into the fat boys and did lots of beatboxing performances for money (not by choice though) and even had a small outfit going in middleschool. I dug metal in fifith grade and was heavy into industrial in my late teens and early twenties. I still love Front 242 and most Skinny Puppy and it seems a lot of us electronic and experimental heads came up from listening to that stuff.
wow…. no rakim?
rakim >> nas
Yeah… I just never ended up hearing his stuff, not sure why. Maybe because I was well below the age to be going to clubs to hear new underground stuff. And I had basically no friends who were into Hip hop more than I was, to show me much new stuff. But looking back on his stuff now I definitely have respect, just wasn’t something that i heard in the early days.
ahh.. much respect. I was too young back then to go clubbin’ too, but got older kids to buy me the tapes with P.A. stickers, heh (damn u, tipper gore)
whodini was good, not in the same league though (more of a first wave artist), and KRS-One was up there with Rakim. IMHO, he (Kris) is hip-hop, more than Jay-Z. personally, I think Doom is one of the second wavers that has truly reinvented the art of rhyme. if Dilla survived, and connected with Doom, it would’ve been “game over” (no disrespect to dabrye).
what? no Main Source?