What is it about Kanye West?

Well, I may be wrong, but I imagine that if any of us had asswipe money like Mr. West does and we truely wanted to be sure that little kids didnt dig our diamonds, but rather adults being paid a reasonable wage, it would be very possible.

Again, I may be wrong. I agree with you here though. Its the very same reason I dont rock any stones.

Dafunk13...voted way above--my first for this month--being kinda stingy cause I ran out last month. I'ma fan of hiphop (its the only culture I got).

I like Kanye. He's not on Em's level when it comes to being a lyricist. But, all that arrogance and charm and of course his dope beats make up for that. In today's hiphop you have the money, ho's, and clothes artist out there and you have your underground with a social focus and then there is Kanye. He does a lil of everything kinda like Tupac but without the gun music. He speaks to a generation on their level. These kids won't be preached to and just like Pac he understands that. When Pac spoke about Jesus most times it was in a negative way or with a guilty conscience. Kanye seems to have a good relationship with Christ. When both men speak about religion it's on an experience basis...if a artist has had a good relationship with religion that is what he will pump in his music. Anything else especially in hiphop would be dishonest or fake. Religion is such a big part of everyone's life whether they adhere to a certain faith or deny it. In hiphop, where life experience is a tool of the art, an artist faith or lack thereof will eventually come out.

I like how Kanye talks about his materialism and the materialism in the hiphop community in general--it's a crutch almost a codependency. I love when I see chicks singing gold digger that are just the stereotypical female that he's addressing. I think that speaks to black women in general because we are raised with certain attitudes and our attitude toward money and men quite frankly is warped. It takes a bit of retraining to get out from under that "what you gone do for me?" mind-set. Kinda like Pac's Wonder why they call you B? Just classic stuff that addresses issues that most just ignore or don't know exist.

I'ma fan.

even though I compare Kanye to Pac a lot--I don't think they are on the same level so far as GOAT...because Pac is the GOAT...no doubt. I think Kanye fashions some of his methods after Pac as most of today's rappers do.

'Preciate it Saph...

Just like you said, hip-hop is an art that is supposed to encompass a culture and a lifestyle that is based on reality. So much of popular hip-hop is running away from this and into the realm of fiction so all the little junior high kids will know you are the hardest rapper on the block. I remember the good old days when it was about who was true to the culture, not who could fabricate the hardest possible lifestyle, buy the most bootie-shake friendly beat for the kiddies in the club, and maybe make it rhyme if possible. People like Kanye stay true to what he knows. He preaches his experiences...much like Pac.

I hate to be the only one who remembers Kool G, and Eric B., and EPMD, and Rakim, and even the semi-old stuff from Common, BIG, The Roots, Scarface, Talib Kweli, Nas, Mos Def, and Pac. These are just examples of a few greats that talked about both God, guns, and girls...but in a way that was related to the culture. In a way that everyone understood because it wasnt fabricated to impress you...thats what your lyricism is supposed to do.

Any who are interested in some good hip-hop should check out a few lesser-knowns that I have been diggin:

Jedi Mind Tricks
Apathy
Non Phixion
Brother Ali
and Atmosphere (I have turned a lot of ladies on to Slug from Atmosphere. He is IMO the best living "emotional" rapper. He has a way of writing from his heart. He is a poet first, MC after.)

This way you won't have to hear Gold Digger on the radio again, and you can impress your friends with some music they haven't heard. Any album by the aforementioned artists is well worth the price, and most can be found @ Best Buy if you dont mind funding a corporate beast. I just buy from the labels.

I love my hip hop and rap but I have no love for Kayne West.
Because his arrogance and cockiness about his skillz is overkill. There is something to be said for being confident but this guy is just way too confident. Some of his songs are okay and yeah after while of constant airplay I too start to like them, but lyrically he can't sing, he raps are nothing fresh, new or different and there are far many more individuals who I would consider as better rappers than him.
I think he and 50cents share the same attitude, they are using their bullet wounds as some sort of shield against the world and everyone else. Somehow they feel that because they survived and made some records they are now better than anyone else in the game.

[edit on 16-3-2006 by tropicallee]

I am curious to see who everyone likes better. I already said I give Kanye a C+. Just a little above average as an MC. I applaud his other work in the industry. He brought soul to the game. You all know whats been in my cd player as far as hip-hop. What do your "Kanye Haters" dig? Please dont say GGGGGG-unit. Its more like GGGGGG-unot. (Stole it from The Game....not his biggest fan either, but gotta love somebody bringing the OG west coast flow...You guys hear 300 bars and runnin?)

We are going nowhere fast with this "Kanye sux... nu uh" thread. So Ill try to highjack it to who is better and why. Just lyrically now kids...not who makes you dance the most. "Ill take ya to the candy shop...." what a thug...

Originally posted by DaFunk13
I am curious to see who everyone likes better. I already said I give Kanye a C+. Just a little above average as an MC. I applaud his other work in

You have voted DaFunk13 for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have one more vote left for this month.

well... i had to specially after knowing you dont rock any stones

anyway ...back to the hip-hop... i can't sy i like verything ... but i have to say that Jay- Z and "99 problems"...is probably one of my favorites...

That was a good song.

You get the Grey Album? It was a Dj by the name of Danger Mouse who took the accapella version of Jay-Z's Black Album (only spoken word, for you dummies) and made all the beats with the Beatle's White Album. Hence...Grey Album. Its amazing. It took time, but after a couple days in my cd player it became one of my favorite albums of the year.

Jay-Z+The Beatles = Genius!

I agree with the original poster that Kanye West is a very annoying individual. I kind of like some of his music, but his personality is what really gets me. Can anyone say egomaniac? I remember when he didn't win best new artist at the AMA's and he threw a temper tantrum. Also, I love how he raps about the plight of diamond mine workers while wearing diamonds and other "bling". He also raps about Jesus, who was quoted in the Bible as saying, "The meek shall inherit the earth." I guess Kanye didn't read that part. The worst thing though was that I saw a magazine a while back with Kanye on the cover and it said "Class Act". What?!

Originally posted by Lysergic
here's a song dedicated to him I found jayzus

That is sick, dude.

how did I miss this one???

I'm NOT a fan of Kayne West, obnoxious imo and overrated. He does have really great beats on his tracks but his rapping is mediocre.

And I don't like fiddycents either

Kanye West has some of the best beats.

However I like rap artists with more intelligent lyrics, like Dead Prez, for example.

Originally posted by DaFunk13
That was a good song.

You get the Grey Album? It was a Dj by the name of Danger Mouse who took the accapella version of Jay-Z's Black Album (only spoken word, for you dummies) and made all the beats with the Beatle's White Album. Hence...Grey Album. Its amazing. It took time, but after a couple days in my cd player it became one of my favorite albums of the year.

Jay-Z+The Beatles = Genius!

well...let me get my dictionary to decifer this one ... I'm not a fan of any kind of musin in particular...i like a lot of styles and when i hear something i like ...it sticks with me ... i dunno about the rest of the Album... i know i very much identify with the so ng "99 problems" even tho i'm not a guy or balc... but it hits home...i don't have a b$tch either ,....lol

I'm not a Kanye hater but a list of what I dig can be done...I'm somewhat of a snob, cause I respect what some emcees do but I can't stand them.

But, my list of favorites...

Pac--specially, Me Against the World and DK7
Nas-specially, God's Son and Illmatic
Aesoprock-specially, Labor Days
Mos Def-specially, black on both sides but, anything I can get my hands on...Black Star in effect!
So yes, add Talib Kweli-specially, Reflection Eternal which has my favorite hiphop track of all time on it Four Women I got the name Saphronia from that song. I like Black Girl Pain off of The Beautiful Struggle even though that project was a big let down for me.
Lil Wayne-I fell in love with the Block is Hot. I just love him don't know why.
Been bumpin Twista-Tha Day After...just gotta respect his flow
Jay Z? I liked the Black album...I don't care too much for Jay Z though.
99 problems--is ill! Okay, I love it. I can admit it.
The Roots-maaaan! Phrenology, nuff said. Black Thought, nuff said.
Dead Prez--maaaan! Turn off the Radio!! (Yall seen Dave Chappelle Block Party yet...hype! I'll prolly never see the Prez in concert... stuck in the middle of America)

could go on and on for ever. shoot...i didn't even get to the old school.

Saph, You forgot BIG.

I thought I recognized the Saphronia...its a pretty memorable name...I just learned a lot about you just remembering what song that came from. I remember Nina Simone's origional for that track.

I am done defending Kanye because I think I am comming off as sounding like his # 1 fan...this is very far from the truth. I have loads of respect for him. He is the flagship of his trade (beats IMO) and is raping the industry with his rhymes. All the while he has avoided the hardcore, clap you for fun, hustle crack, gangsta that has encompassed all the crap making charts lately.

He is cocky like Terrel Owens is. You either appreciate it or you hate the guy. While it definately isnt me...I dont hate em for it. TO is the best. He knows he is the best. He demands top$. If he doesnt get his way, he is ridiculed as a spoiled crybaby, but it doesnt change the fact that he is the best. Kinda like Kanye.

Back to good hip hop...Everybody check out Animal Rap by Jedi Mind Tricks (good Philly hiphop) featuring Kool G Rap (the LEGEND). It is a prime example of hip hop that has stayed true enough to its roots that Kool G even cameos. Its been my favorite hip-hop track of the last few weeks. Also check out Caught Between Worlds by Non Phixion.

Sorry for the highjack, but I feel like I need to push a little positive hip-hop influence to people that may not be exposed to more than Mtv and the top 40. Check it out kids...

I didn't forget Big. I mean, I still bump Ready 2 Die, and he's still has the greatest voice rap music has ever heard. My problem with Big and every rapper that bit his style is the money, ho's, and clothes formula. Its killing brain cells as we speak. I know I shouldn't lay it all at Big's doorstep...yeah I loved Big--he's a GOAT--but he was also the first to say "money, ho's, and clothes is all a brotha knows". He was the first to do it and do it well.

Back on Kanye...I don't think its fair to Kanye to compare his style of emceeing to Em or Black Thought or any of the major hardcore lyricist. Very few can do what Em does on the mic. He's extraordinary and to compare the extraordinary to the average is just an unfair comparison. They both are nice with what they do within their talent so far as flow and lyricism. I brought up Twista...I mean, Em can't flow like Twista, nobody can, that doesn't make Em less nice. It just makes Twista extraordinary.

I can see where you give Kanye a C+ next to Em but in the overall game...come on you got Snoop and Pharrell and even worse. Some truly wack-emcees. To me C+ is wack and Kanye aint wack compared to the average in the game.

I'll make a scale and each artist will represent a type of emcee...starting with the GOAT's...(greatest of all time) being an A+. Extraordinary emcees will be your A's. Dope emcees will be A- and B+ level. B's would go to dope but tragically underground therefore unknown. B-, these emcees got flow but we can't bring ourselves to buy their CD's anymore. C+, aight emcees but better entertainers. C, horrible lyrically but the beats are dope and repetitive and folk can shake their booty to it (Lil Jon). D and below complete ear poison

Something like this...(my personal opinion...not scientific)

Pac, BIG, Rakim Allah=A+

Eminem, Nas, Jay Z, KRS1=A

Outkast, Black Star (Mos&Kweli), Black Thought, Scarface=A-

Kanye West, Fat Joe, Mobb Deep=B+

Aesoprock, Common, Dead Prez, J5, J-Live, Jedi Mind, and so on...=B

Nappyroots, Method Man (every solo Wutang), Beanie Sigel=B-

Ludacris, Nelly, L.L. Cool J=C+

MY C's= Snoop, Lil Jon, Pharrell, Fifty

D's= Fabalous, Baby (everyone to come out of cash money except Weezie), Slim Thug (everyone from Houston that aint a Getoboy), Webbie and so on into the cavarn of wack-cees.


[edit on 17-3-2006 by Saphronia]

noone mentioned ladies ???

how about Missy Elliot... i lke some her stuff too.

and Foxy Brown is a good example of how many amazing rhymes the english language has ... is it legal to say all that ???

Nobody mentioned the Fat Boys. *runs and hides*


What happened to Dr. Dre?

Peace

Originally posted by DaFunk13
Saph, You forgot BIG.

She forgot SAF, too! She's one of my favorites! What happened to the link to your homepage?

Originally posted by Saphronia
I can see where you give Kanye a C+ next to Em but in the overall game...come on you got Snoop and Pharrell and even worse. Some truly wack-emcees. To me C+ is wack and Kanye aint wack compared to the average in the game.

This is true, but I think Kanye's popularity is over the top for how good he is.

I don't want to rag on him, I just don't understand his popularity as an A type entertainer when he's really not. I mean he is LOVED! I just don't get it. I don't have a problem with it, I just don't get what everyone sees, but I'll take the word of the posters here that his beats are great. Maybe I'll listen next time. Open my mind a little.

noone mentioned ladies ???

Females don't get much respect in hiphop. I guess its that glass ceiling thing (totally universal and hiphop aint exempt), but I got some female favorites too..those you mentioned specially Foxy, now she had GOAT potential. Missy, nobody does what she does, so she's definitely extraordinary. There's this chick called Mystic--she will blow your mind. Of course Lauryn Hill is a GOAT.

FORGOT ABOUT DRE ??? ... naw, I don't think so. He's not an emcee. Dope producer, though.

BH, I'm tryin to think of a good Kanye song that doesn't pump Jesus or his ego.....I'll get back to you on that.

My homepage is missing? Didn't know that...I actually haven't done anything or written anything outside of poetry in quite sometime between school and work, I stays busy. Thanx for the propers.

He is a racist. PLain and simple. Most people have this tendency to think that blacks can't be racist but I beg to differ. And to the OP what do you mean M&M is more black? Is the term mean something like he acts black? Is acting like you have no self worth black? Is acting like it is such a wonderful thing to live in American poverty such a great thing? Is acting socially unacceptable because you think people are frightened of you such a great thing? Is thinking that the myth of member size grants you the ability to have a quality relationship (and right to act sexual in public) part of it? I don't get it. I mean I live very close to and work in D.C. and whites are genuinely afraid of offending blacks but will get in everyone elses business in a hurry. Disgusting...it is like they have lost thier self respect to equally offend people. If you a going to be a pigheaded idiot don't disciminate just because you think they may hurt you verbally or physically just because you may have some kind of historical guilt that doesn't belong to you anyway. If you are afraid of blacks take a BJJ class and find blacks that are bigger than you and twist them in knots, that is what I did. Works great, no fear anymore no matter the size. That is my .02