Ok Daytime DUers, I'll ask you - Do you know who Cannibal Ox is?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

Night time folks didn't respond. If you don't you should, if you like quality underground hip hop.

[vi5]

1. Yes.....although I'm not a fan...

I'm really not a fan of any of that underground, Def-Jux hip hop.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy good hip-hop, and I really don't like most bling-bling, crunky, gangsta rap type stuff at all. My favorites are most pre-'94 rap such as PE, KRS-1, LL Cool J, NWA, De La Soul, Slick Rick, etc.

My problem with most of this underground rap stuff is that I can appreciate it in theory, but there's no sense of melody or rythm or hook to it. A lot of these artists (El-P, Aesop Rock, Cannibal, etc.) just sound like they're rapping almost independently of the rythm track. I like their flow and their rhymes a lot of times but the overall effect isn't cohesive enough for my personal tastes.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

2. Fair enough - My brother said the same thing

to me It's expirimental and fresh. I will say that I prefer El P's production to his rhyming. Aesop, on the other hand is my FAVORITE.

You ever listen to Illogic?

[vi5]

3. I haven't heard illogic.....

I do agree that the experimental nature of a lot of El-P's production work is really good. What's weird is that I like the production/songs, and I do like the rhyme/flow of most of the MC's. My issue is that they don't always seem to go together well.

But even though I'm not personally a fan, I would love for one of those artists to blow up big and maybe put a more fresh face on popular rap.

If I have to see one more crazed looking rapper holding a big chalice of some sort, screaming and sticking his face into the tv camera and rapping what amounts to "Huh! C'mon! Yeah!" I'm going to scream. It pains me that guys like that can have hit songs and albums while guys like Chuck D and KRS One struggle to have their music heard.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

4. Exactly - the nature of the industry isn't artistry its money money money

it chews people up and spits out the seeds. The real artists are left to fade away. With the exception of De La Soul. God bless De La!

[vi5]

5. Even De La doesn't get the respect they deserve...

I think they are actually the perfect balance between mainstream rap and a lot of the more underground stuff. They should be much bigger than they are.

I agree that the industry is scuzzy, but a lot of the artists and the fans are to blame as well. If they didn't buy the stuff and there wasn't a market for the lowest common denominator stuff, then the industry wouldn't push it.

When the intelligent rap of the late 80's, early 90's was popular, that stuff got the push. Once the whole thug life stuff was brought into it that started selling much more because it didn't require people to think critically or examine issues.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

6. I agree 100%

I also feel that more experimental styles of rapping that really challenge the ears as well as the brain don't get out enough. It's one thing for the dirty south speed rhyming to be big but I'm talking about the kind of stuff aesop rock does. It requires multiple listenings to get it.

[RandomKoolzip]

7. Aren't they kind of like the Ying-Yang twins?

(just kidding)

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

8. They ain't the Pizzicato 5 - that's for sure

[RandomKoolzip]

9. They do that song "What the Hook Gon' Be?," right?

"All I need is a track in the background," etc....

God, I hate fucking radio hip hop.

[chenGOD]

10. Yeah sure.

CanOx is pretty decent.

cLOUDDEAD's new record is pretty damned good too.

you like Buck65?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

11. I've only heard a little. Is he part of Anticon?

[chenGOD]

12. Not really...

He's released a couple of things on Anticon, but he's Canadian, and I don't know who he's with now.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

13. You familiar with Blueprint and Illogic?

[chenGOD]

14. I've got Blueprint

haven't picked up illogic yet, but I might do when my budegting skills improve.

(I have heard it though....tsk tsk)