Rap help

**dklaiman** · 08-22-2010, 05:49 PM

My 13 year old listens to a lot of rap. I think most of what he listens to is closer to cr*p.

We live in MN, so we get a fair amount of Brother Ali, Atmosphere, POS, Dessa, etc on the radio, but he doesn't care for that. The issue (for me) is he likes samples with more "hooks" but he doesn't listen to the lyrics. So, can anyone recommend an artist with decent, almost pop hooks with decent lyrics?

I'm not averse to the language in the songs, just the stupidity of the lyrics in the songs he listens to. I'd post the names of some of his favorites, but he has his iPod with him.

Thanks.

**perry** · 08-22-2010, 06:39 PM

Maybe Black Eyed Peas? More pop-like, if that's what you're looking for? I used to listen to some rap and they appeal to me.

[YOUTUBE]4m48GqaOz90[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]uSD4vsh1zDA[/YOUTUBE]

You can plug an artist in to Pandora and have it track down similar groups..

**Shane** · 08-22-2010, 07:52 PM

Have him listen to acts like Aesop Rock, El-P, Jurassic 5, Blackalicious, Murs, Mr. Lif, etc. Artists like this are great lyricists and do innovative things with the beats and music behind them. I'm with you in your post; much of the commercial rap is poor quality.

**mmadha** · 08-22-2010, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Shane

Have him listen to acts like Aesop Rock, El-P, Jurassic 5, Blackalicious, Murs, Mr. Lif, etc. Artists like this are great lyricists and do innovative things with the beats and music behind them. I'm with you in your post; much of the commercial rap is poor quality.

These are great rap artists and suggestions. I listen to a lot of rap and hip-hop music, especially as of recently. I would say Mos Def, Common, Kanye West, Little Brother, Talib Kweli, and Drake are all decent artists that use innovative samples as well as pop sounding hooks. Little Brother is especially of note if you want a pop rap sound with innovative lyrics:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLReIhRgVS8&feature=search[/YOUTUBE]

**Spacegeezer** · 08-22-2010, 11:48 PM

This guy Shad is amazing:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy4ZZtoviXA[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-mAMH5S6VA[/YOUTUBE]

**DFrancis** · 08-23-2010, 12:20 AM

maybe K'naan? (yes I'm plugging my fellow Canadian

)

**PlasticCity** · 08-23-2010, 01:16 AM

Have him check out Evidence, Sick Jacken, MURS, The Alchemist, Kid Cudi, Charles Hamilton for some off the top of my head.

**BEAR DEN** · 08-23-2010, 01:37 AM

He must go COLD TURKEY! It can take up to a month, some even longer to get rap out of a loved one system...support him, and only after all rap desires are bannished...then, and only then introduce him to Led Zeppelin, The Who, Jimmi Hendrix etc... best of luck to you.

**bjh618** · 08-23-2010, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by mmadha

These are great rap artists and suggestions. I listen to a lot of rap and hip-hop music, especially as of recently. I would say Mos Def, Common, Kanye West, Little Brother, Talib Kweli, and Drake are all decent artists that use innovative samples as well as pop sounding hooks. Little Brother is especially of note if you want a pop rap sound with innovative lyrics

+1 on all these. Great artists that actually skilfully and cleverly rhyme.

I also recommend Dead Prez and Matisyawho (not the correct spelling, I think).

**gaseousclay** · 08-23-2010, 05:32 AM

Originally Posted by Shane

Have him listen to acts like Aesop Rock, El-P, Jurassic 5, Blackalicious, Murs, Mr. Lif, etc. Artists like this are great lyricists and do innovative things with the beats and music behind them. I'm with you in your post; much of the commercial rap is poor quality.

does he like older stuff from the 90's like The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest or even De La Soul? there's a wide variety of rap/hip hop out there spanning a couple of decades that have great 'hooks', a lot of which came out in the 80's and early 90's.

**dklaiman** · 08-23-2010, 05:39 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. We're taking a family trip later this week. It will be a good time for us to listen to the suggestions and, hopefully, get him to drop some of the selections from his iPod.

**_MementoMori_** · 08-23-2010, 05:49 AM

Good recs here. I'd like to throw in Del tha Funkee Homosapien/Deltron. You've probably heard him rapping on a Gorillaz song or two. He's a stunning lyricist and he has a great flow. He's one of my favorites.

Also, in regards to the Mos Def and Talib Kweli recommendations, I'd suggest checking out Black Star. It's both of them together, and it's incredible.

Also, Nas is great and The Roots are great.

**jin** · 08-23-2010, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by _MementoMori_

Good recs here. I'd like to throw in Del tha Funkee Homosapien/Deltron. You've probably heard him rapping on a Gorillaz song or two. He's a stunning lyricist and he has a great flow. He's one of my favorites.

Also, in regards to the Mos Def and Talib Kweli recommendations, I'd suggest checking out Black Star. It's both of them together, and it's incredible.

Also, Nas is great and The Roots are great.

+1 on Del, and the rest of the Hieroglyphics crew. The Roots, too, are awesome.

Heard an article the other day on Pakistani (?) hip-hop and rap, that it was really good. Has anybody listened to anything like that? That would be a great cultural exchange, but probably wouldn't get him listening to the lyrics any more than he is

**justinp** · 08-23-2010, 09:00 AM

Immortal Technique, Dead Prez, and Blackalicious all come to mind.

As far as commercial hip-hop goes, Eminem and Lil Wayne are both surprisingly good lyricists once you get past the lead singles on the albums. IMHO, of course... privileged white boy out.

**wimbouman** · 08-23-2010, 10:10 AM

InI comes to mind:

Mind over Matter
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keBO5ZUuIB8[/YOUTUBE]

Center of Attention
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq4GE-TrasA[/YOUTUBE]

Or Q-Tip & Norah Jones:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMIs3WYLZbY[/YOUTUBE]

Common?

The Light
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_-qRcHAhzk[/YOUTUBE]

**C Reed** · 08-23-2010, 10:18 AM

look into DJ Red Alert some of his playlists form the 80's for Kiss FM in NYC are available on line, but you would have to do some goggling. Get that kid started with the classics.

I listen to alot of Jay-Z, ASPCi, Bobby Digital, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Dead Prez, DJ Shadow, RJD2, Kid Cudi, NWA, Major Lazer, Kanye, ect.

Grime was big in London when I was living there, and its kinda hitting the west coast right now. Rouge Status/ DTA just put out a really good mixtpae of what's going on in LA right now. you can down load the "grimetape" off their blog: http://www.thesmogcheck.com/music (push the big button on the right)

**wimbouman** · 08-23-2010, 10:18 AM

And if you speak a bit of German:

Fantastischen Vier

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQCjGyxoxEQ[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcPxSfQKQ7U[/YOUTUBE]