classicmaterial

hip hop encyclopedia

[thatclassicmaterial]

Personal life and past history aside, Rick Ross makes excellent music. Once again Rozay delivers a diverse yet solid project as "Mastermind" was for some reason slept on or unfairly hated (many probably still were recovering from the let down of "God Forgives, I Don't) but is overall an amazing record full of bangers, gems, top notch guests and even a reggae joint! On the opening track "Rich is Gangsta" Rick Ross immediately showcases how his deep voice over epic beautiful production is the perfect combination that's contributed to his years of success. A remake of sorts of "You're Nobody Til Somebody Kills You" gets the Puffy co-sign and patented shit talking from Diddy. And speaking of tributes to legends, French (who does the hook on the aforementioned track) also shows up to pay tribute to the Wu (particularly ODB) on the hyped up banger "What a Shame". The reggae joint comes in the form of "Mafia Music III" featuring Sizzla and Mavado and is a wonderful call back to the times when every rap album had a reggae track on it, and it definitely passes the dutch test as well. "War Ready" is a little....different...and admittedly I cut Rozay right off that track, added in the Tech N9ne verse from the remix, kept Snow (beef squashed!!) and made a listenable 2 minute song. The Weeknd comes through for some epic drug fueled R&B greatness on "In Vein" and Kanye takes "Sanctified" way left and as is normally the case with Yeezy, it works. To close out the proper release we once again get a golden age rap tribute as "Thug Cry" uses the same sample as 93 Til Infinity while an uncredited female singer whispers a soothing hook and Rozay reminisces on life. Of the bonus tracks, the Marvin Gaye-esqe "Paradise Lost" is the highlight as Rozay takes the opportunity to deliver some socially conscious words for the soul. Mastermind is a solid album from start to finish as Rick Ross never lets it get boring, whether it's due to constantly switching up styles or continuing to deliver an all star supporting cast (I didn't even mention the Jay-Z appearance). This is one of those albums that you can keep on repeat for months #rickross #rozay #mastermind #rap #hiphop #albumreviews

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After years of delay during which the Clipse had to resort to dropping two mixtapes of straight bars, we finally got the sophomore album of the Brothers Thornton and the label of "coke rappers" very quickly went from being a somewhat backhanded compliment to the definition of the best in a highly underrated category of rap. The sound on here is so dark and the lyrics match it as a song like "Keys Open Doors" will give you chills with a beat built over an ominous chant that sounds like if Candyman was set in the arctic and lines like "open the frigidaire, 25 to life in here / so much white you might think your holy christ is near". The intro kicks in immediately with neck breaking drums and Malice and Pusha T roaring in with a vengeance ready to prove that they were never just relying on Neptunes production but instead were perfectly complementing it. "Mr. Me Too" is a callback to the success of "Grindin" but ever the brave souls they used their single to take shots at their label which is likely why this record wasn't promoted like it should have been. The sound of this whole record is in such stark contrast with the jubilant dance and trap rap of the time that to be honest I actually didn't even appreciate this album until recently but have found that it has actually aged the best out of the Clipse's three offerings. Whether it's the creeping accordion line of "Momma I'm So Sorry" or the smooth "Dirty Money" The Neptunes continued to add to their catalog of experimental yet accessibly infectious beats. Pharrell blessed multiple hooks too while Ab-Liva makes a couple of welcomed appearances to round out the best example of the diversity and rawness of rap's all time (second) best coke rap duo (Ghost x Rae will probably never be topped). Maybe not the best album to get introduced to the Clipse (that would still be Lord Willin) but certainly their finest work. #clipse #pushat #malice #nomalice #neptunes #theneptunes #pharrell #abliva #reupgang #goodmusic #startrak #hellhathnofury #wegotitforcheap

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What separates Pusha T from other artists is his ability to drop not just great songs but straight up epic sermons. A few years back he blessed us with "My God" where over a powerhouse beat he triumphantly entered the realm of a solo artist by delivering two verses of endless quotables. He recently did that again with "Untouchable", this time letting a slick Biggie sample ride a simplistic yet neck breaking track as King Push once again gave us reason to keep pulling back his bars to catch every gem he dropped. Followed by the infectiously hot "M.F.T.R." with The-Dream (who he always seems to bring the best out in) the stage was set for the follow up to his incredible debut album, and at only 10 tracks and just over 30 minutes Pusha T subscribes to the "less is more" mantra by giving us a diverse yet well sequenced helping of coke rap luxury raps mixed with powerful social messages. "M.P.A." finds Pusha reflecting on the three strongest vices over a beautiful piano line courtesy of Kanye while on "Sunshine" the subject of police brutality and racial disparities are addressed just as poignantly as Talib Kweli would tackle the current events. "Keep Dealing" features the long desired feature of Beanie Sigel who, even with some vocal issues, absolutely bodies his verse and makes the wait to hear these two together on a track more than worth it. Timbaland provides an amazingly left field backdrop to "Got Em Covered" while Re-Up Gang general Ab-Liva showcases why he still consistently gets features on anything Pusha drops and the eulogy to all other rappers' careers is found on "Crutches, Crosses, Caskets". With the whole album being executed produced by Kanye, Pusha T has truly cemented his place as a legit solo artist and has indisputably gotten himself on the list of best rappers in the game. Even a more weird sounding track like "Retribution" will grow on you over time which is why this is one of those records that you can keep on repeat for weeks without getting bored. #pushat #kingpush #darkestbeforedawn #theprelude #kanye #kanyewest #timbaland #goodmusic #abliva #beaniesigel #rap #hiphop #albumreviews #classicmaterial

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Chipmunk Soul Pt. 5: While much of the focus was on the rap titans rivalry, few at the time predicted that The Blueprint would go on to become a genre changing album. The flashy shiny suit era of the 90s was finally replaced but a smooth soulful sound as Jay-Z's masterpiece album created a fresh air climate of lush soundscapes backed by the glorious production of Just Blaze and Kanye West who together made this album a classic with gems like "Izzo" and "Heart of the City". But while Kanye and the Heatmakerz went on to define the chipmunk soul sound, the true architect of the era was Just Blaze as "U Don't Know" was a powerhouse anthem leading the charge with Hov boasting his greatness over the shrieking vocals while banging drums carried the track into an immediate standout and with that the chipmunk soul era truly came into its own. A year later Just did it again on the remix while Kanye gave us "Poppin' Tags" and "Good to You" on Talib's solo debut and by the time the Heatmakerz blessed the Diplomats on their double disc the sound had become a staple in hip hop and would continue on through the early to mid 2000s to define an era in rap which is arguably one of the best times in hip hop history. The sound has somewhat died out but every once in a while it gets revisited like this past year on "All Your Fault" from Big Sean's album. From RZA in 1995 to Kanye and Just Blaze and the expert Heatmakerz the chipmunk soul sound was a unique twist that defined the genre for years and perfectly combined the beautiful soul music of decades with the incredible production of the aforementioned legendary beat makers. #chipmunksoul #jayz #theblueprint #kanyewest #justblaze #heatmakerz #rap #hiphop #classicmaterial

[thatclassicmaterial]

Chipmunk Soul Pt. 4: In 2000 Jay-Z provided a formal introduction for his well assembled Roc-A-Fella army on the Dynasty album off the strength of a hit single with a then still relatively unknown Pharrell. Aside from containing arguably the greatest intro of all time and the debut of Freeway on the smash 1-900-Huster, the record also contained a little gem called "This Can't Be Life" produced by an even lesser known producer than Pharrell named Kanye West. The somber track featured a legendary verse from Scarface which the story goes he wrote after receiving a phone call while in the studio and a very soulful vibe punctuated by a vocal sample throughout. Elsewhere on the album another fairly unknown beat maker Just Blaze made "Soon You'll Understand" which contained the high pitched vocal sample and so it became that the two in-house producers for Roc-A-Fella (shouts to Bink! who also has a resume of gems) made the Dynasty compilation the true bridge for this sound as a year later they'd both show up yet again on a Hov solo record that would ultimately be the final piece in the puzzle to signify an entire era of hip hop beginning... #chipmunksoul #kanyewest #jayz #justblaze #rap #hiphop #classicmaterial

[thatclassicmaterial]

Chipmunk Soul Pt. 3 Having gone from a faint background clip to a small element in an otherwise hardcore beat, the next time that we'd get a glimpse of the potential this sound had was not so much a vocal sample pitched up nor was it even from an old soul song but instead it was Mark the 45 King blessing Jay-Z with what would catapult Young Hov from respected rapper to superstar status with the Annie sample driven "Hard Knock Life". Even though the shrillness wasn't there, the feeling was still invoked and the concept of this type of vocal being the focus of a track is what made this song influential in the style. The same technique would be attempted a couple years later on the bonus track for Beanie Sigel's debut "The Truth" to much lesser success. However that same year a fairly unknown producer from Chicago would make a contribution to Jay-Z's Dynasty album that bridged the gap between RZA's early work with this sound and what would become an unmistakable signature within the next couple years... #chipmunksoul #jayz #hardknocklife #annie #markthe45king #rap #hiphop #classicmaterial

[thatclassicmaterial]

Chipmunk Soul Pt. 2: RZA's 5 year plan for the Wu-Tang culminated in 1997 with the release of their double album Wu-Tang Forever which was led by the smash single "Triumph" which itself was an accomplishment to manage to generate a hit single from a 5 minute song. At the time the Wu was arguably the most popular name in and even out of rap as a joint tour with Rage Against the Machine helped them expand their audience and Wu Wear really was a garment renaissance as the clothing line was wildly popular. The double disc contained an enormous sonic maturity from RZA as the staircase Shaolin samples were abandoned for a more polished string heavy sound. Included in the expansive collection was "For Heaven's Sake" which pushed a step further than "Snakes" and kept the high pitched vocal sample repeating throughout the track. "Cash Still Rules/Scary Hours" followed the same trend although the beats themselves were still dark haunting productions with the vocal cuts playing as a contrast to the hardcore displays of lyricism from the Wu generals. It's no question that RZA set the stage for chipmunk soul on this classic LP, and a year later the breakthrough of a living legend would further edge this production style into focus.... #chipmunksoul #wutangclan #wutang #rza #kanyewest #heatmakerz #ghostfacekillah #cappadonna #inspectahdeck #mastakilla #raekwon #rap #hiphop #classicmaterial

[thatclassicmaterial]

Chipmunk Soul Pt. 1: What often gets missed in the discussion of the epic run that Wu-Tang had from 93 to 97 is that RZA really set the stage of the chipmunk soul era that would follow led by Kanye, who is clearly a student of the Abbot as heard in this drums, sample cuts and of course the first song on Dark Twisted Fantasy being produced by RZA with that unmistakable Wu-Tang signature style that he's abandoned over the years but managed to bring it out with Yeezy in the room. This album is one of the first real instances of the pitched up vocals bleeding through the speakers over some hip hop drums as "Snakes" warms up before a lineup of underrated killa bee MCs swarm the gritty track. The sample is barely audible and in no way appears to be the main focus of the beat which only further speaks to RZA's influence in production in that such a seemingly throwaway part of a song could lend to the birth of an entire movement in rap. It wouldn't be the last time this technique was used by RZA and it may likely be that the next instance of the distinctive squeaky sound was what really sparked the light in producers throughout the genre. #chipmunksoul #wutangclan #wutang #rza #kanyewest #heatmakerz #oldirtybastard #odb #rap #hiphop #classicmaterial

[thatclassicmaterial]

A federal weapons charge hanging over his head clearly focused T.I. as this record is extremely strong and has very high replay value. Any questions about Tip being distracted by his personal life were immediately put to rest as he tore through the intro and kept right on going with "I'm Illy". On "Ready For Whatever" he addresses his charges head on and puts all critics in their place by basically saying he was doing what he had to do and that you can't judge the man whose shoes you aren't in. The two big singles, "Live Your Life" and "Whatever You Like" both go, with the latter being one of the biggest slow two step smashes of the year. And Swizz Beatz does what he does best on "Swing Ya Rag" as the streets got an anthem. This album is really loaded with his as the posse cut "Swagger Like Us" boasts Jay and Kanye both blessing the track over the still fresh M.I.A sample. Oh and "What's Up What's Happening" is an incredibly lethal diss track. "Every Chance I Get" got that chantable triumphant hook and Justin Timberlake provides that crossover sound on "Dead and Gone". Even the contemporary pop attempt on "Slide Show" even if it's kinda reaching. This isn't necessarily his best album but at the same time it is. It's his most accessible but also his most open and real. And if we're being 100% honest it's his last good record. #ti #tip #papertrail #usher #johnlegend #ludacris #rihanna #rap #hiphop #albumreviews #classicmaterial

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Roc-A-Fella had offically crashed and burned and when the dust settled we were blessed with one of the most honest and real rap albums ever as Beans poured his entire life, emotions and heart into this undisputed classic which was extra emotional due to it coinciding with him about to begin an involuntary extended time away. Having sided with Dame in the break up as opposed to Jay was looked at with a side eye by many but whether or not it was the better decision in the long run we still got this on the short lived "Dame Dash Music Group" label, complete with an all star roster of guests including Redman, two thirds of Brand Nubian, Snoop, the State Prop family and they even managed to slide a Jay feature on here in the previously released "It's On" which is one of the many examples of how Beans always outshined Jay on records. The lead off single "Feel It in the Air" was a much different vibe than the previous brolic street records from the Broad Street Bully as Beans delivered a more reflective side, not that he hadn't always been open but this was an even more vulnerable man looking back at how he got to where he was and looking forward to what was ahead. This album is soul music. "I Can't Go On This Way" finds Beans lamenting over the hustler's struggle to put food on the table while not having benefits or a dental plan on top of a beautiful yet bleek sample. By far the best use of the often sampled Dramatics "In the Rain" is found on "Purple Rain" which is all about lean and to help lend to the topic is a verse from Bun B along with an amazing hook. The subject matter might be depressing as Beans has been known to have issues with the substance but damn this track is fire when you're fucked up. Elsewhere Sigel flexes his straight up rap skills on the hype "One Shot Deal" and delivers that gangsta rap he's known for on "Flatline" and "Tales of a Hustler Pt. 2" with Oschino and Sparks. After an album full of fear, pain, hunger and regret we get "Look at Me Now" which is an uplifting turn as Beans reflects on his past only to celebrate what he's accomplished and how he's in a good place. It's the perfect ending to a perfect album. #beaniesigel #stateproperty

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This album is a lot better than people give it credit for, especially considering it has one of the best Wu posse cuts on it. Admittedly there was a lot of controversy around it, with Raekwon famously playing air guitar during an interview with Miss Info and Ghostface barely appearing it's understandable why this record is cast aside, yet the members who do show up give their all including Method Man who sounds the hungriest he had been in years. Cappadonna proved why he's always stuck around and even U-God (who is unfairly hated on to begin with) rose to the occasion. Tracks like "Unpredictable" are definite head scratchers but the intro with "Campfire" is perfectly grimey and even though it's way out of character "Starter" is smooth as hell. RZA drops some serious jewels on "Sunshine" and the ODB tribute is tear jerking even with the noticeable absence of Ghost and a verse from RZA that was clearly recorded at a different time than everyone else on subpar equipment. The biggest highlight of the album is "Windmill" which is the most Wu generals we'd gotten on a track in years and everyone who steps into the booth laces the track with a sharp sword. Finally we get a bonus gem in the form of "16th Chamber" which combines old verses from Dirty and Meth but over a RZA beat we'd never heard before which is that classic '93 Wu sound. Casual fans probably won't get much out of this but it's not outright awful and with a couple top tier Wu-Tang tracks this record is definitely worth checking if you slept on it when it dropped. #wutangclan #wutang #8diagrams #rza #gza #oldirtybastard #raekwon #ghostfacekillah #methodman #inspectahdeck #mastakilla #cappadonna #ugod #killabees #killabeez #rap #hiphop #albumreviews #classicmaterial

[thatclassicmaterial]

The Diplomats were part of arguably the greatest period in hip hop's history as the soul era of The Blueprint had ushered in the chipmunk sound used famously by the Heatmakerz and later perfected by the aforementioned Blueprint architect Kanye. Handling the majority of the production on this album though, it was the Heatmakerz that initially dominated the rise of the infamous high pitched vocal sample and helped the crew of Cam'ron, Jim Jones and Juelz Santana create this double disc of nonstop bangers from "Ground Zero" through to the Just Blaze ignorantly brilliant stadium ready "Built This City". And speaking of Just Blaze, he also crafted what would eventually accompany Killa gracing the stage casually toting a tommy gun during the legendary Source Awards performance, my personal favorite beat in the entire history of rap, "I Really Mean It". While the record boasted a couple of singles, most notably the "Dipset Anthem", this is one of those instances in which the whole album was popping in the streets, partly because many of the songs had been previously released in rough form on the Diplomats mixtapes and also because they really did go in with full force on every single track. When they said that the Diplomats were a movement they weren't exaggerating at all. Tracks like "Purple Haze" resonated with the weed smokers. "My Love" got the ladies hype. The DJ Enuff freestyle was smoking, "More Than Music" broke your neck at the same time you made that "ooooooooooo" squint face from the screechingly soulful sample and the mountain top jumping epic "I'm Ready" is the Heatmakerz at their finest. The fact that I've only touched on less than half this album says something to how powerful this music was, and to further showcase the talents of the Dips, they brought in Master P for a funky swayed out remix of "Bout It, Bout It" and updated (and bested) the classic Bone Thugs anthem First of the Month. There was no denying the Diplomats during this time and this is one of those era defining albums that is filled with timeless classics that still go strong more than 10 years after taking over the rap world. #diplomats #dipset #camron #jimjones #juelzsantana #classic

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It started on Twitter with the announcement of a five song EP. Eventually we learned we were getting an entire album and then we got the apocalyptic "H.A.M." and the hype grew. What really did it though was "Otis" as Jay and Ye went back and forth over a stripped sample over the most basic of beats which was so incredibly hot. Then, after being the first album ever to not leak prior to release during the internet era, we were blessed with this masterpiece which, for some, including myself, initially left a lot to be desired. I'll admit I bumped this for about two weeks then was done with it. When I went back a couple years later though I realized the greatness that these two legends created. The track with Beyoncé is gloriously triumphant. The EDM element is wild experimental but like with everything Kanye has ever done it worked, and since day one I've considered "Murder to Excellence" to be one of the best songs in modern day rap. The Paris track was the obvious single and it was every bit as fire as they clearly intended it to be and the laid back running pace of "That's My Bitch" is classic hip hop. And the final (on the proper release) back and forth between Jay and Kanye to close out "Why I Love You" is one of those endlessly chilling moments. It's moments like these that make you truly feel music, and together two of the greatest of all time gave us a brilliant album that absolutely lived up to the hype, even if it took some time for some people to truly appreciate it. #jayz #kanye #kanyewest #watchthethrone #wtt #rocnation #rocafella #beyonce #frankocean #lexluger #swizzbeatz #rap #hiphop #albumreviews #classicmaterial

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The hype surrounding "No Flex Zone" was huge but most people wrote these two off as just another Kris Kross until they dropped this album which is surprisingly really solid. The catchy hooks combined with the poppy upbeat soundtrack provides for a great escape from the world as these guys genuinely sound like they're having fun in the studio. Even when the hooks make no sense like on "Up Like Trump" they're still incredibly memorable such that after listening to this album a few times you'll find yourself repeating no less than 4 hooks regularly throughout the day. The biggest highlight on here is "This Could Be Us" which is the most musical song with its staccato piano line that builds into a lush chorus and even the breakdown after the second hook is catchy. "My X" is that hard body Lex Luger type song that should be about tossing bricks in the air but instead it's about an ex girl. "Come Get Her" is a cautionary tale with yet another fire hook. Nicki Minaj lends her talents on the two step ready "Throw Sum Mo" and "YNO" once again finds the duo crafting greatness in the form of a chantable hook. The album closes with an 8 bit Nintendo beat on some happy go lucky crew anthem type shit with "Safe Sex Pay Checks". If you want some fun in your life pop this album in and dance. It's important to have fun every once in a while and this is a great record for that. #raesremmurd #sremmlife #mikewillmadeit #noflexzone #nickiminaj #bigsean #rap #hiphop #albumreviews #classicmaterial

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After blowing up the charts with the original steal ya girl anthem O.P.P., the trio from Jersey did it again with Hip Hop Hooray which became an ever bigger hit and helped push their sophomore (technically junior if you count Independent Leaders record which no one does) album. I've always considered Treach to be a legend and while the first album is known to be the better of the two I still listen to this one more. The intro sets the record off with a bang and from there we get more gems like "Ready For Dem", "Take It To Ya Face" and the other single which failed to shine but is absolute fire, "It's On". Also, the Beatnuts and Pete Rock both dropped remixes to tracks on this album which are definitely worth tracking down (not Shut Em Down good but still solid). "Cruddy Clique" and "Knock Em Out Da Box" are both solid tracks. Also the wildly inappropriate "Written On Ya Kitten" is infectious and I love this Sleepwalkin track which it was tough to live up to the first one but they did also. Also look out for Freddie Foxxx making a commanding guest appearance (as is usually the case with Bumpy Knucks) along with the Rottin Razkals who dropped their own lost classic which I may one day write about. These guys are so much more than just the jock jams they're known for and this record is a great testament to that. #naughtybynature #19naughty3 #treach #vinny #kaygee #hiphophooray #freddiefoxxx #bumpyknuckles #rottinrazkals #queenlatifah #tommyboy #rap #90srap #hiphop #albumreviews #classicmaterial

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The wait for the follow up to The College Dropout seemed like a lifetime even as Kanye's debut never got old it was more just the desire to keep hearing the greatness that Yeezy was pumping out during this time as his production work for other artists was just as epic as his own music. When "Diamonds" dropped the hype only elevated as the Bond classic remade with those keys set to Ye's African sounding drums and the beautiful chorus provided the perfect backdrop for Kanye to talk his shit again. Once "Gold Digger" hit it was clear that Mr. West was swinging for the fences and had his sights set on a radio smash along with the Grammy he had been robbed of for his freshman effort. Sophomore jinx was not in his vocabulary as this album was every bit as powerful as it was expansive. Some of us were for a moment upset that we didn't get another College Dropout as that soulful backrap that Kanye perfected a year prior was still fresh in our ears but once we realized the depth of Ye's genius it made sense that he would branch out and tackle other styles, whether it was vocally driven pop on "Bring Me Down", the southern drawl Paul Wall assisted "Drive Slow" or straight up orchestral music like "Gone" which showcased how much Kanye had grown as the song itself built over time with various insturment sections being brought in along the way. Whatever Kanye did he did it to perfection and this album is another classic in his near perfect catalog. He even gave Common an entire track just to wax poetic over an amazing Gil Scott Heron sample. Plus who else could get Jay, Nas and Cam'ron all on the same album together in 2005? Honestly this is his weakest effort as far as I'm concerned and it's still a better album than 95% of other artists entire catalogs. #kanyewest #kanye #lateregistration #rocafella #jayz #nas #camron #common #adamlevine #paulwall #thegame #rap #hiphop #albumreviews #classicmaterial

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Xzibit has always been a true rapper's rapper as whether he's delivering a conceptual track or just spitting bars it's obvious that he could rap for hours on end without having to catch his breath or losing speed. This is definitely his most consistent and strongest album in his very solid catalog. Attacking a hardcore selection of funky west coast beats and doing everything from dropping knowledge on "Handle Your Business" to explaining what it's like to take "Shroomz" over a beat also used by the Ruff Ryders, Mr. X to the Z also makes plenty of time for the people who helped him get his start as Tha Alkaholiks and King Tee show up on the posse cut "Let It Rain". Ras Kass and Defari also provide worthy features although Xzibit is more than capable of handling songs by himself as "Los Angeles Times" and "Deeper" along with the single "What U See Is What U Get". Fire production throughout with Xzibit in full beast mode there really isn't a single skippable track on this solid offering from the black John McClane. #xzibit #thaalkaholiks #kingtee #raskass #westcoastrap #westcoasthiphop #defari #saafir #methodman #jayofelony #rap #hiphop #albumreviews #classicmaterial