Music Recs!

[brigdh]

Oh, flist, source of all knowledge: give me recommendations for 'smart' hip-hop. By smart, I mean with lyrics about politics, culture, racism, sexism, art, religion, etc.* Links to downloads would be awesome, but are not necessary.



* This is not to say that there's anything wrong with hip-hop with lyrics about dancing, drinking, hooking up, Apple Bottom jeans/boots with the fur, etc. I love that kind of hip-hop also. I just love it to the extent that I don't need help finding it, and probably already have too much.

Comments

[ladysisyphus.livejournal.com]

If you haven't already, you should get my Persona 3 mix (http://ladysisyphus.livejournal.com/614323.html) and Fresh Prince of Bryn Mawr mix (http://ladysisyphus.livejournal.com/614323.html). Also, anything by Saul Williams.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

I do have those, thanks! The Fresh Prince of Bryn Mawr is one of my favorite playlists.

[cozzene.livejournal.com]

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/06/18/brother_ali/

Local artist, great sound.

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

Lady Sovereign's first album, Vertically Challenged oops, it's called Public Warning, is smart, sassy, has a good beat, and you can dance to it. She comes out of the projects in London, has some choice words about class, and is pretty funny to boot.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Oh, I have a few of her songs, and I adore her style. I will definitely have to look for more.

[vom-marlowe.livejournal.com]

Hope by Faith Evans is one of my favorite songs in the *whole world*. I love it.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's a gorgeous song. Thanks!

[airspaniel.livejournal.com]

Mos Def is my favorite for this kind of thing. Talib Kweli is awesome, as is Lupe Fiasco, though I may be straying a bit from the definition of hip hop, here.

I can throw up some downloads when I get home, if you're interested.

Raises Hand

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

Excuse me, but what is 'hip-hop?'
KIDDING.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Fort Minor's The Rising Tide. Worth the price for "Remember the Name" alone, which is ostensibly a history of the band but really a meditation on being an artist: "Ten percent luck/twenty percent skill/fifteen percent concentrated power of will/five percent pleasure/fifty percent pain/and a hundred percent reason to remember the name."

The album also has lots of politics and social commentary, including "Kenji," a song about the internment camps for Japanese-Americans based on the history of the songwriter's grandfather.

[ladyofthelog.livejournal.com]

Jedi Mind Tricks!

Their debut album is entitled "The Psycho-Social, Chemical, Biological & Electro-Magnetic Manipulation of Human Consciousness." I think that says it all.

[pocketmouse]

The Flobots. Especially the Fight With Tools album.

[worldof-wonders.livejournal.com]

ooh, my fave! if it is hip hop. which I think it is...

Rise Against! Aw, political, and... echoing.
Behind Closed Doors (http://download.yousendit.com/MnFnNHA0WlRHa00wTVE9PQ) Political Prisoners
Worth Dying For (http://download.yousendit.com/MnFnNHA2bEo1aWJ2Wmc9PQ) Reality of Struggle
From Heads Unworthy (http://download.yousendit.com/MnFnZUN0UnEyWGV4dnc9PQ) Need for Social Change
Long Forgotten Sons (and daughters) (http://download.yousendit.com/MnFnZUNpZ2d0TWswTVE9PQ) Persistence (Fortitude?) in Struggle

Linkin Park! now I'm pretty sure they are hip hop...
Hands Held High (http://download.yousendit.com/MnFnZUN1K3g5eFh2Wmc9PQ) Bush, Responsibility and Surrender of Responsibility
No More Sorrow (http://download.yousendit.com/MnFnZUN1K3hsMHhjR0E9PQ) Condemnation of Social Suffering in the Face of an Agenda of Greed

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the downloads. I used to be so into Linkin Park, years and years ago, heh, but their sound has really changed a lot since then! I like all these songs.

[catiechu.livejournal.com]

Okay, so I don't care how uncool this makes me: I love Kanye. :p

I'm fairly certain you've already heard all of his hit songs, if you listen to the radio at all (I don't, and so it was only in the last year that I really listened to him).


Kanye West - Heard 'em Say (Feat. Adam Levine of Maroon 5) (https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=YkxJT2pHRStwTVd4dnc9PQ)
Kanye West - Touch the Sky (Feat. Lupe Fiasco) (https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=YkxJT2pHRStkMnRFQlE9PQ)
Kanye West - Gold Digger (Feat. Jamie Foxx) (https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=YkxJT2pHRStrWS92Wmc9PQ)


This is a good one:


General Electrics - F'acing that Void (https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=YkxJT2pLa0Q5bEJFQlE9PQ)


Oh, and check out Wax Tailor. It's interesting stuff: French hip-hop, which is distinctly unique. Actually, the artist behind General Electrics is also French (as is Daft Punk, who knew).


Wax Tailor - Que Sera (https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=YkxJT2pGaTF0QTFjR0E9PQ)
Wax Tailor - Walk the Line (https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=YkxJT2pERndEbUx2Wmc9PQ)
Wax Tailor - There Is Danger (https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=YkxJT2pPYStsamV4dnc9PQ)

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

I love Kayne, too! XD Which kinda makes me ashamed, because I hear he's an asshole in real life. But the music is so good! My favorite of his is 'Jesus Walks'.

Thank you so much for the downloads! These are wonderful.

[supremegoddess1.livejournal.com]

A lot of the Black Eyed Peas stuff that *doesn't* get played on the radio has this tone to it.

Same with OutKast.