Right rap fans, any of you heard of Rittz?

[Crayo]

The dude is a dope ass rapper who I've only just discovered. I heard he was discovered or promoted by Yelawolf (another rapper I love), and I know he's signed under Tech N9ne's label "strange music". The guy has so many sick tunes out.



This is one of my favourites but I think it'll be one of those tracks not many people are going to dig, but he has a ton that I think you'll all love. Despite his look (which I think will work in his favour), I think he has mad potential.

 

[Just Kevin]

I am a fan of 80s, 90s, and early 2000s hip-hop..... as far as I'm concerned there are only a few real hip-hop artists out today and most of them haven't made music in a few years.

Rap artists are a different story.. there are tons of rap artists, but rap is a shitty art form now, the word 'rap' doesn't mean the same thing it used to.

 

[Crayo]

I agree and disagree. Hip hop was better in the past for many reasons, but there is still very talented rappers out there now, it's just harder to find them. I too am into classic rap and there's very few current rappers -- or even rappers in the past decade -- who can rival some of the older ones, but to say there is none is wrong imo.

 

[Just Kevin]

I agree and disagree. Hip hop was better in the past for many reasons, but there is still very talented rappers out there now, it's just harder to find them. I too am into classic rap and there's very few current rappers -- or even rappers in the past decade -- who can rival some of the older ones, but to say there is none is wrong imo.

I can tolerate Jay Z and Eminem... they are apostles of the old school... I love The Roots, I think they are and will forever be the best hip-hop band ever (saying that I don't think there were any other bands in hip-hop) lol... but Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Drake, and a lot of others who are at the top of the charts today don't even get close to measuring up to the hip-hop artists of times past. Maybe I'm just stuck in the past and being 37 years old maybe my tastes have just changed that much. I have to be honest and say I find myself listening to R&B and soft rock much more than anything else these days lol

 

[Crayo]

Yeah mainstream rap is pretty poor. Eminem and Jay-Z even aren't half of what they used to be on the mic (or they're not showing it anyway).

 

[Just Kevin]

Yeah mainstream rap is pretty poor. Eminem and Jay-Z even aren't half of what they used to be on the mic (or they're not showing it anyway).

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed "Rap God" though..... best hip-hop song in years... almost made me regain faith until I heard a 2 Chains song and I lost it all over again lol

 

[Crayo]

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed "Rap God" though..... best hip-hop song in years... almost made me regain faith until I heard a 2 Chains song and I lost it all over again lol

I controversially despise that song, because of how poorly it was produced. The bass is horrible and it makes it so annoying to listen to. The lyrics and flow are completely sound - the hook is just DIABOLICAL.

By the way, since you're old school, I presume you're a Nas fan? He has a new album just released, you should give it a listen. I've not had a chance to yet so I'm not sure what it's like (not expecting too much), but it'd be cool to hear your opinion on it.

 

[Just Kevin]

I controversially despise that song, because of how poorly it was produced. The bass is horrible and it makes it so annoying to listen to. The lyrics and flow are completely sound - the hook is just DIABOLICAL.

By the way, since you're old school, I presume you're a Nas fan? He has a new album just released, you should give it a listen. I've not had a chance to yet so I'm not sure what it's like (not expecting too much), but it'd be cool to hear your opinion on it.

Yeah he was on Fallon last week promoting it... did a song off of it.. it didn't sound that bad. Nas kind of fell off after his 2nd album though... he started doing more sing-songy hip-hop.. less street, less genuine... he made a come back with "Stillmatic" though and has stayed solid since. I'll listen and post my opinion..

Question... and this whole conversation has been off-topic so I apologize for that... but, how do you think the hip-hop genre and the artists performing it would be different today if Tupac and Biggie had not been murdered?

 

[Crayo]

Yeah he was on Fallon last week promoting it... did a song off of it.. it didn't sound that bad. Nas kind of fell off after his 2nd album though... he started doing more sing-songy hip-hop.. less street, less genuine... he made a come back with "Stillmatic" though and has stayed solid since. I'll listen and post my opinion..

Question... and this whole conversation has been off-topic so I apologize for that... but, how do you think the hip-hop genre and the artists performing it would be different today if Tupac and Biggie had not been murdered?

Yeah stillmatic was dope as fuck. That come back was lethal, but it didn't really last imo.

And to answer your question, nothing would have changed. It's society and the music industry that has drastically changed. The content and culture around hip-hop years ago isn't socially acceptable now'adays, and it definitely isn't what is best for the music industry. The hip hop culture was filled with top artists going head to head and being competitive. We had top feuds like Nas/Jay-Z and Pac/Biggie which resulted in some of the greatest rap songs of all time. Now, Kendrick Lamar -- a fucking dope ass rapper to be fair -- gets a TON of credit and hype because he dissed -- when he didn't even diss -- a few other known rappers in a cypher. That's proof that the hip hop community wants that kind of competition and realness in their rap, but the music industry will not back that.

This is why you see the heavily watered down shitty mainstream versions of Lil Wayne and stuff. Lil Wayne, believe it or not, was a fucking dope ass rapper at one point. Jay-Z is in many people's top 5, but you wouldn't put him there based on his newer stuff would you? Those two dying didn't change society or create the music industry we have today.

 

[Crayo]

Another great example is Eminem. He was real and was going head to head with everyone (even his own family) while he was at his best, but as soon as the culture changed, he fell off slightly. I get there are a ton of other reasons that happened, but he can't go out there now with the anti-government attitude he used to have saying he puts his finger up at the president and all that shit. The edgyness of hip hop is what has gone and it's sad to see.

 

[Just Kevin]

I agree with you for the most part.... but I think hip-hop would have remained more alive than it is today.. I'm not talking about the beefs, that was all unnecessary shit.. even back then. I mean the artistry, the realness of hip-hop would be more relevant with them alive. They would have both been in their early 40s now and probably not as active in the scene but I believe their mentoring and leadership would have made a subtle change in today's hip-hop world.

Jay-Z is in many people's top 5, but you wouldn't put him there based on his newer stuff would you?

This is a perfect example of what I mean... Biggie was Jay-Z's mentor in his early days, that's part of the reason that "Reasonable Doubt", in my opinion, remains his best work to this day... I think the money, fame, and pressure from executives got to him and made him change his style up somewhat to make him much more commercial than he would have been under Biggie's influence... based on his early work alone Jay still makes it into my top 5 favorite of all time list. His first 4 albums were all great.. and then things started faltering some.. when he made the collabo album with R Kelly I lost respect for him.. he made a few good songs here and there... but after his 4th album I could not listen to another album straight through without stopping.

 

[Rogue]

I controversially despise that song, because of how poorly it was produced. The bass is horrible and it makes it so annoying to listen to. The lyrics and flow are completely sound - the hook is just DIABOLICAL.

By the way, since you're old school, I presume you're a Nas fan? He has a new album just released, you should give it a listen. I've not had a chance to yet so I'm not sure what it's like (not expecting too much), but it'd be cool to hear your opinion on it.

DIABOLICAL?