Plenty of times I've asked myself this question in regards to the content of hip-hop music and have had conversations with numerous people about what we need in terms of the content of hip-hop music to help educate, empower, and uplift the community. Yet and still, I pop in Young Jeezy every morning followed by (and perhaps this is my conscious playing a part) Kanye's Late Registration.
Young Jeezy's album is just hot to me. Lack of lyrical ability, positive content, etc., it's a HOT CD in my opinion. I have told people for years I live my thug life vicariously through hip-hop artists. So I like to credit my affinity for music from artists like Scarface, Beanie Sigel, Young Jeezy, etc. to my desire to live the thugged-out, crack-selling, street-fame life through these cats. Because God (and anyone else who knwos me) knows that's not me in real-life. But I digress!
Instead of thinking about what hip-hop needs in terms of content, this morning I thought about what hip-hop needs in terms of collaborations!!! So without any further banter and/or adieu, I give you guys my list of collabos we need in HIP-HOP. Feel free to add your own to this list (no real order of precedence here, just numbered so you can specifically address them by number if necessary):
1.
Jay-Z and Nas on a song together or album: We all know that hip-hop would go crazy if we had this collaboration between two of the most talented artists in the game. A song would be nice. An album is more like wishful thinking (shot out to Vivian Green) at this point. But perhaps a song together would start enough of a buzz for an album. Perhaps, yeah right! No doubt it would start a helluva buzz!2. Nas and AZ album:
This thing is years in the making. After their collabos on Illmatic, Stillmatic, and AZ's Aziatic, we all need a dose of the "Flyest Gangsta's"! "Whose the target? Now watch how they close the market!"3. A Cam'Ron CD with all the production done by Kanye:
Maybe it's just me, but it seems like Cam'Ron sounds ten times better over a Kanye beat. Down-and-Out or Gone on Kanye's latest album both ROCK! Even with Cam's off-beat and weird rhyming style, I think that he and Kanye could make a bangin a$$ album together. Maybe it's just me! I know people either like Cam or hate him (shot out to Dane), but I think the it would sice me (yes, I said SICE!) if they did an album with Cam rapping and Kanye doing beats. Hell, Kanye could spit a bar here or there, wouldn't hurt.4. A Nore CD with all beats by the Neptunes:
"Show you ni99as how to rhyme over Neptunes beats". YES, Nore, you did! But you didn't show us how to do anything over anyone else's beats. Nore's either good over a Neptunes beat or with Capone. That's it! Otherwise, the dude doesn't really impress me too much. But back when "Oh-oh-oh-oh NO!!!" first dropped, it was the certified SHYT! You know it, I know it, and even if you're in denial, you know that joint was HOT! Not to mention "N.O.R.E....We on the run eatin'..." whatever that joint was. That was hot too! And I know a lot of people are gonna hate on #4 on my list, but it's all good. I effs with Nore over a Neptunes track!5. Freeway, Beans, and Jigga CD:
"Think it's a game when them things come out!" That's all I gotta say. Beanie Sigel CD...The Reason. Jay spits one of his all-time best verses on this joint (in my tainted opinion). "Ice pinky ring in the air drinking my drink up..." When these three get on a track, it's a done deal! "What We Do" off Freeway CD is one of my favorite songs of all time!6. Talib Kweli CD with all Kanye production:
Is it me or do you guys think Kanye could do for Kweli what he helped do for Common (BE)? I got $10 towards the "Get Kweli some Kanye beats" Fund!7. Mary J Blige and Jay-Z cd:
The true best of both worlds! And you know Mary don't want "No Drama" like Kellz!8. Beans, Scarface, and Jay-Z CD:
Guess who's bizzack! Face is a legend in the game, Jay is one of, if not the best to ever do it (I won't go on my pro-Jay-Z rant here), and beans is one of the sickest spitters in the game when he wants to be. This is a classic waiting to happen9. Any Mobb Deep or M.O.P. CD:
These dudes been on the shelf so long I'd like to hear any full-length CD they put out. Just to see if they still got it. Mobb got me excited with the outta control remix with half-dollar (50), but will they really be able to do it with G-UNIT? And I just wanna hear M.O.P. yell some ignorant shit over a hot beat! Imma be real with that one! I mean, Jeezy pretty much gives me that right now (Yeahhhhhhh, ha haaaaaaa, chyeah!, etc.) but M.O.P. does it so much better!10. An album by Nas that tells a complete story from beginning to end:
We all know that Nas is hands-down the best story-teller ever in hip-hop. Even better than slick rick (yes, I said it!). If Nas took the time to put together an album of 10-12 songs that told a story, I think it would be FAR more interesting (to me at least) than the R. Kelly adultery-thon series called "In the closet" (which was culminated by one of the wackest MTV award performances I've ever seen). I think Nas could keep me intrigued for an entire album telling one story. And I don't mean the same beat for 10-12 songs, I mean separate songs, but all telling the same story. Kinda like what he did on Street's Disciple for a couple songs. That was DOPE!
7 comments:
your man puto here...what you need us for? The whole magazine concept look like its right here, article wise....well put and i feel you on the Jigga, beans and scarface callabos. Seriously though, the article is right on target and it just FLO's lol! good article my nig!
LOL. Thanks man. I think that Jigga, Beans, and Facemob joint would be tight! But would the rest of the world be able to "buy" into it? I dunno. They'd definitely be on some street sh&t the entire CD. None of that filler/formula track stuff like 50 does with his albums. I don't know how much "the people who buy albums for real" would be willing to cop this joint. Maybe Jay's reputation alone would be enough to carry the album sales, but I dunno.
Yeah that's a tight article. I think that the Nas/Jay-z album would be too much to ask for but definitely good for rap. Both of them would bring there A-Game for that one. I think the album with Jay/Beans/Face would probably be the best on that list(yeah I said it, chemistry niggas!) followed closely by the Talib/Kanye (Talib is already far too underrated) but they would be the most overlooked. I honestly don't see why you put Cam'ron or Noreaga on the list though. They both have had hits and distinctive styles but I think both of these rappers are a major part of what's wrong with rap/hip-hop so I can't get behind those. We need a Luda/Eminem track too...in my opinion.
Dane,
Cam and Nore were a stretch, but I was thinking about how I felt the first time I heard those tracks with Nore and Pharrell. Them joints were hot! Also, Cam and kanye have made a couple BANGERS!
So for Nore and Pharrell it's more like that's the only way to bring Nore BACK OUT and have him be successful again.
And for Kanye and Cam I see so much potential for future collabos! But CamRon so unorthodoxed and wild that he'll probably start letting Jim Jones do all his beats or something crazy like that.
Ok, I am mad late, BUT I want to comment on this one because I am a TRUE hip hop head...
everyone has already commented BUT I would like to say
1) YES Cam does sound better on a K. West beat....so I would prolly get that one
2) I think that Beans and Free should do the majority of the album with some Jay in there...just a little bit
3) Hip Hop need L. Hill to get herself together and bring it back
4) Jay and Nas is a far far far far...you get the point, but aw man would that be BIG and what we need right now...
That's all i wanted to say about that
oh, and big ups for giving Face his much much much past due props, he is and will always be one of my top list makers
oh man I didn't mean to publish it anonymous...it was Tiff, T. Clarke man
Beans and Free with a LITTLE bit of Jay? I dunno if I agree with that. I think they would do great if you split it equally...Remember, "What We Do" is wrong??!!
And Jay and Nas might be closer than you think (like one of these two concerts coming up in NJ on Oct. 27 and Philly on Oct. 28). Speculation has been that Jay and Nas might be on stage together in Philly!!! That would be DOPE!
And Lauryn Hill...I hope she's not past her prime and too messed up mentally, but it seems that way to me. I don't have much hope. I wish that it will happen, but I don't really see it. She just seems too far gone with the way she be acting now.
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