So - let's talk rappers!

They bring it up occasionally on the podcast. Who do y'all like?

DOOM, Nas, Gang Starr, Tyler the Creator, Aesop Rock, Action Bronson, Earl Sweatshirt, Captain Murphy, Madlib/Quas, JayZ, Kanye West, and Wu Tang Clan to name some off the top of my head.

Fabolous, Kendrick Lamar, Ghostface Killah, Young Jeezy, Yelawolf, Bow Wow

I could go on and on.. Watsky

I think Joey Bada$$ is next up. I hope Schoolboy Q makes it big just so he can bring back sun hats.

MF DOOM, Simple Citizens, Blu, MC Ride, and Kendrick are all up there with me at the moment.

Gambino spends most of his lyrics talking about the size of his dick and banging Asian women, but he does it in a mostly entertaining way.

That new Raashan Ahmad album is pretty sick. So is anything Mellow Music Group puts out nowadays.

I still listen to a fair amount of hip hop and rap, but I'm mostly a fan of producers now tbqh

Eminem

2Pac & the Outlawz, Public Enemy, KRS-One, DMX, Vinnie Paz, MC Jin, and Ice-T.

For those who remember the Outlawz, they've upped their game since Pac's death; and I consider two of the three remaining members, EDIDON (aka EDI Mean) and Young Noble to be some of rap's best. EDIDON recently released OG EST 1992 as a free mixtape. You can download it by clicking this link.

Young Noble released his first solo album Last Year, Son of God, which IMO was the year's best rap album. Check out the video for his single Control My Destiny. It's dope stuff.

Lil Dicky and Gambino consistently amuse me

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Eminem, Dr Dre, D12. just that pretty much

From the old guard I'm mostly a fan of the Hieroglyphics crew and Biggie. I've been listening to a lot of local (Finnish) rappers lately, and Killer Mike.

Rap has gotten soooo depressing. I can't stand any of it anymore almost. Anything post-2005 is mostly soulless nonsense to me. I pretend like I still live in the 90s and then things are okay. Gang Starr, Ras Kass, Last Emperor, Mos Def, Xzibit, ATCQ, Jurassic 5, OutKast, Goodie Mob, Common, early-Kanye, 2Pac, Biggie, Nas, Rakim, MF DOOM, Wu-Tang.

I can only deal with very few of the new guys. Like Big K.R.I.T., J. Cole, Jay Electronica. Kendrick Lamar has skills but that album was weak.

Recently, I have drifted farther and farther away from all that, though. Been listening to more and more instrumental music like soundtracks.

Was going to see her in this tiny venue in my hometown in the UK, but unfortunately she cancelled. This she got put on a bigger tour, so I'm happy for her I guess, but it would have been cool to see her in such a small environment.

Whilst I wasn't a big fan of his latest album, P.O.S is probably my favourite rapper. Most of the guys on the Doomtree label are damn good. Dessa just dropped a real banger.

http://www.last.fm/user/JacDG

A lot of rappers.

Pharaohe Monch. Do yourself a favour and listen to Simon Says Remix, and then buy Internal Affairs. Also, anyone who says that Kendrick isn't one of the most interesting young rappers right now is crazy. Chali 2na is also really good, and I think even better than some of Jurassic 5's albums. For the most part though, I am mainly a fan of the harshness of East coast rappers as opposed to the more chilled nature of LA based rappers (I am speaking generally of course) so I can't not mention Biggie and Wu-Tang. Tech N9ne irritates me, because his songs REALLY vary on quality. All 6's and 7's is his best album for things like Worldwide Choppers and Am I a Psycho, but you've gotta live through shit like Fuck Food with Lil Wayne and T-Pain.

YouTube guys are also pretty interesting. Wax and Watsky are fairly well known, but Intuition is really underrated.

I grew up on hip-hop and rap so I love a lot of rappers, but mostly the 90s rappers. Tupac, Dr.Dre, Eminem and Wu-Tang just to mention a few. Nowadays I barely listen to new hip-hop or rap cause it's become to "poppy" which really bothers me.

DOOM and Aesop Rock are my long time favourites, with Killer Mike and EL-P's recent stuff having put them pretty high up there for me (their collaborative thing, Run the Jewels, is going to be fucking outstanding).

As for rappers of late? Chance is my favourite guy to pop up recently (I'm not all that into Kendrick's flow, alas, but that's just an issue of taste).

EL-P's production skills though....https://soundcloud.com/foolsgoldrecs/run-the-jewels-get-it

Scroobius Pip, Sage Francis, B Dolan, Aesop Rock, some Brother Ali stuff though his songs can be hit or miss, Akala, Sound Of Rum, Immortal Technique, Riz MC, Plan B, Atmosphere, Cecil Otter... oh and Middleman.

I'm mostly interested in the samples, loops and all that stuff rather than the rapping itself, so I kinda got more into DJ Shadow and trip-hop stuff.

I found this stuff kinda neat though:

The Infamous Mobb. Their first two albums were pretty much the correct followups to Mobb Deep's 1990s albums as the new millenium rolled around. 'Special edition' is full of grime and has plenty of great Alchemist produced beats. And 'Blood Thicker then Water' is a great album as well. I haven't listened to their last album yet. I just really like the chemistry between Ty Nitty, godfather pt.III and Big Twins.

And yeah I like pretty much everyone already named on this thread. I'm also looking forward to Freddie Gibb's new upcoming album.

I've been listening to a lot of E-40 lately. He'sput out a ton of stuff over the last 5 years. Granted not all of it is great but the majority is good. Him and Too SHort are releasing a double collaboration album soon so I'm kind of looking forward to that. I like some Brutha Lynch and Andre Nickatina as well.

Pharoahe Monch/Organized Konfusion, Brotha Lynch Hung, WC, Too $hort, 4-Tay, Kast, Naughty By Nature, De La, pretty much anything Rap-A-Lot, K-Rino, 90's AWOL records, Three 6......and your standard shit most people love. I do still listen to music on occasion but hardly ever a full album anymore. The last album I fell head over heels in love with was The Money Store and I fucking worship My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Just rather be doing other things right now than listening to music.

And I chuckle whenever the Bombcast crew brings up No Limit Top Dogg as if Bitch Please is the only good song on that album. They need some sense smacked into them whenever they bring that album up.

Kanye West, Tyler The Creator, Eminem, Pusha-T, Pharell , NAS, Earl Sweatshirt and some of Jay-Z and Dr. Dre I would say Frank Ocean too but he doesn't really rap that often.

MGK, 50 Cent, Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Jeremih, Big Sean, Juicy J, Lil Wyte, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Redman, Method Man, Pusha T, Meek Mill, Tech N9ne, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Jae Millz, Tyga

I will refute this and state that Internal Affairs is a terrible album by one of hip hop's best MC's, propped up only by the insane quality of Simon Says.

If you want essential Pharoahe Monch, listen to the Organized Konfusion albums. Or at least this one song and have your mind blown

Rappers: Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Jay-Z, MF DOOM, Aesop Rock, 2Pac, Biggie, Kanyeezus, Ghostface, Nas, Danny Brown, Childish Gambino, Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire, Lauryn Hill, K-Os, Lil B, and Despot.

Rap Groups: Binary Star, The Fugees, OutKast. BlackStar, The Roots, the Wu, the Constructus Corporation, and Das Racist.

I've been hugely into late 80s to late 90s rap lately. Mainly stuff like WC (with or without the Maad Circle), Lords of the Underground, Gang Starr, Raekwon, GZA, Slick Rick, Biz Markie, Ice-T, Leaders of the New School (Chuck D and Busta Rhymes. What?), A Tribe Called Quest, Ultramagnetic MCs, 2pac, DJ Quik, Too $hort (He's from Oakland!), and a ton more.

This video is great, if only because WC crip walks on a Mercedes.

It makes me sad that people have forgotten Del The Funky Homosapien and the fantastic Deltron 3030 album.

This was my jam in 2000, as was this:

Well.

Been listening a ton to Greydon Square lately.

You lot are a bunch of plebs. Jam Baxter is the only answer here.

@mariachimacabre: Dont worry we didnt forget about Del. Somebody already mentioned the hiero crew and Ive been listening to del for the past like week straight haha

These days I really only listen to Lil B Odd Future Childish Gambino Wutang and Outkast

@mildmolasses: I do love Organised Konfusion, and love Bring It On. I still think there are enough great songs to make Internal Affairs worth it.

The last Roots album was one of the best albums I've listened to in years. It's incredible.

I hear you. Most of my friends still listen to the early-late nineties stuff. I've tried playing my old cds in my car, but once I get passed the nostalgia of it the novelty fades. I was rap only from the end of the eighties to 2001, but these days I find myself listening to classic rock and news radio. It's strange, and just one of those things that reminds me how fast the time flew by and how bloody old I am.

Much respect for your list. Awesome to know someone else knows who the hell Last Emp. is. And Ras Kass is a personal favorite of mine. Easily the best thing to come out of the West imo.

Drake, J Cole, and Wale are what I'm listening to right now. Can't wait for The Gifted and Born Sinner

Last Emp gave birth to more styles than half these emcees got through adoption! ;-D

Man, I've been dying for him to finish his Last Emperor and the Wizard's Wardrobe album ... but I guess he's too busy flippin' burgers somewhere :(

These days, I have tough time listening to Gangsta Rap. I still love the music but some of the best music is cursed by some terribly dumb lyrics (seriously Kurupt? "I'm like, fuck a bitch and fuck you too" ...ugh I guess I have to swallow this if I wanna hear Nate Dogg save this one at the end...). It's really great to get a perspective on a very narrow aspect of North American life but once you really learn to appreciate that the world is a lot bigger than drive-bys and selling crack on the corner, it's hard to immerse yourself in that music. Of course there are other topics but they often come hand in hand with a different musical style as well and if you happen to love that funk, you're stuck with the same ol' same ol' :(

As a fan of 80's, 90's and early 00's rap I just wanted to list a few of the current rappers that I enjoy. Hip hop is still alive and kicking.

Antwon, Deniro Farrar, Action Bronson, Flatbush Zombies, Freddie Gibbs, Danny Brown, Kendrick Lamar, Big K.R.I.T., Joey Badass, The Underachievers, SchoolBoy Q, Ab Soul, Jay Rock, Chance the Rapper, Mr Muthafukkin Exquire.

Not to mention all of the older rappers who are releasing great albums and music even to this day: 'Undun', '12 reasons to die', 'R.A.P. Music', 'Trophies', 'Life is Good' & more.

Wu Tang and Notorious BIG

I listen to mostly old school shit.

However, the fact that only two comments on here have used the words "Big K.R.I.T." is a FUCKING SHAME! That man is the future of hip-hop and rap.

Umm, all hail Based God.

Most of the guys on StonesThrow.

@shortbreadtom: I love Tech but you're right, his biggest issue is quality control. The guy puts out an album and like three EP's every year. I appreciate his commitment to his fans, few artists can fuck with Tech on that front, but his albums and output in general could use some serious trimming. All 6's and 7's had 31 tracks when you added in all the different editions' bonus tracks.