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Comment by porterbeats | Hacker News Reader

Hip-hop can be bland and shallow (like any other genre) but there's lots of unique and interesting music if one takes the time to get into it. Deltron 3030 (self titled) and MF DOOM's MM...FOOD are fantastic on a lyrical and production level

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The parent comment is quoting a classic bar from "My Philosophy" by Boogie Down Productions[0].

[0] - https://genius.com/376131

Thanks. Seems like my comment's getting downvoted which I hope is just people not familiar with KRS-One.

Edit: Never mind, it's gone positive now.

Which in the context of this thread / OP is proof that the history must not only be preserved, but must be promoted, honored, etc.

I could of year ago I work at an agency and one of the new dev starter and said something about being into hip hop. I mentioned Rakim and the reply was, "Who?" Don't get me wrong, I respect Nas, Eminem, etc. (i.e., all the lyrical magicians) but they stand on the shoulders of The R.

Not knowing Rakim would be fighting talk round my way.

A friend asked me a while ago to give him a list of the top ten (or fifteen) hip hop tracks that are important to me or the development of hip hop. I wasn't sure whether to include Last Poets as one of the first "rap" groups or whether Gil Scott-Heron should be considered the jazz ancestor. However, I then got stuck around the Tribe Called Quest and Busta Rhymes era.

Obviously, "Follow The Leader" was my choice of Rakim track, but I'm having trouble with picking a single Tribe track - should really be the whole of Low End Theory along with a cheat sheet of the significant jazz samples that Q-Tip used.

Because it samples Grace Jones' "Slave to the Rhythm", I would have to go with "Bonita Applebum" (UK Remix). OK, maybe there are better ATCQ efforts but the vibe, sample and length (9+ minutes) make it a gem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXeJA5plkD8

p.s. While there are so many memorable Rakim tracks and lyrics, I always like to point out the overlooked "What's on Your Mind". It's fookin' poetic genius. The images so vivid.

The line about Liz Claiborne...you can smell it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWlm2E4fb7E

Edit: Video w/ lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3ENkIho8m4

If I had to pick one ATCQ track that satisfies the condition, I'd pick "Jazz (We've Got)" which has a couple of samples from "Green Dolphin Street" plus the drums from "Don't Change Your Love".

I was more thinking of choosing between Check The Rhime (Grover Washington Jr. and a sublime use of Minnie Ripperton) as it's got such a kicking beat or Scenario (Brother Jack McDuff and a bit of Hendrix) due to its influence and being such a stand-out introduction to Busta Rhymes.

Or Award Tour (Charles Earland, Weldon Irvine) or maybe just cheat and go for Excursions and Buggin Out (what a way to start an album).

Fuck. You guys made me want to grab my ATCQ albums out of the garage. My ears will be far happier than my lower back.

*shakes fist*

Mind if I drop by...and break into your garage? :)

You can dig through the top layer of junk. It'll save my back for going through the second layer.

Agree on all fronts. Would also add Oh My God just for the Busta Rhymes inclusion.

There’s a lot of great producers too on hiphop if one just takes time to appreciate the difficulty of creating a beat.

There was a cool website featured on here a little while back about Dilla-time.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36189583

https://pudding.cool/2023/06/groove/

Thanks for the link!

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