Hip Hop

DownIsTheNewUp said:
Everyone mentions El-P, Madlib and Doom but shout out to Ant and Blockhead as it pertains to 00's underground.

Good to see Kenny Segal mentioned as far as modern underground.
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It's weird for Blockhead.

In the early-aughts I was big into "underground" in general and Def Jux, specifically. In fact, I didn't get into hip hop till I was like 19/20 and it was specifically 'cause a co-worker introduced me to Cold Vein, FanDam (actually we went to a Tower Records and it was Cold Vein & FanDam that he specifically handed for me to buy - and I did; FanDam had just been released too), some Living Legends and Hieroglyphics. From there, I branched out into appreciating mainstream stuff as well and catching up to a lot of the stuff that came out in years prior.

Anyway, I picked up Blockhead's first three albums as they came out (Music By Cavelight, Downtown Science, Uncle Tony's Coloring Book). I really liked them back then. There were some especially strong tracks on Downtown Science, IMO. But now...I find his albums really boring. Although, his production shines when there is a competent MC over them (Aesop being case in point).

This may be an oversimplification but I kinda feel like I get a similar vibe from Blue Sky Black Death that I do from Blockhead's solo production. Like a kind of post-Shadow cinematic aesthetic. Except I'd be much more inclined to spin BSBD.

No real opinion on Ant. I never really liked Atmosphere so I'm already biased.
 
Believer101 said:
No one mentioned Dj Paul & Juicy J.
Rude.
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Actually, DJ Paul was mentioned

DownIsTheNewUp said:
Everyone mentions El-P, Madlib and Doom but shout out to Ant and Blockhead as it pertains to 00's underground.

Good to see Kenny Segal mentioned as far as modern underground.
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Aesop knows his way around production, himself.

I think Blockhead is an interesting case, because, when Music By Cavelight was released by Ninja Tune, it put him on a roster of electronic producers like Amon Tobin, Funky Porcini, and Bonobo, which almost made it feel like he existed in two different worlds, depending on how you were introduced to his work. It's almost like his success with solo instrumental releases might have made people forget about his work with Def Jux or even more recent collabs with folks like Billy Woods. Similarly, DJ Shadow is a legend, but he's most likely going to be viewed through Endtroducing and being a scratch DJ. Blockhead definitely deserves recognition for his beats, though. Meanwhile, his "Art Of The Sample" library record that he did for De Wolfe is just one great release from him that I feel was slept on.
 
DownIsTheNewUp said:
Everyone mentions El-P, Madlib and Doom but shout out to Ant and Blockhead as it pertains to 00's underground.

Good to see Kenny Segal mentioned as far as modern underground.
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I should have mentioned Ant too. The Dynospectrum is one of my favorite albums of all time and I also just had The Day Before Halloween on heavy repeat not to long ago.

Ant is definitely up there for me.
 
Lord Diaper Baby said:
It's weird for Blockhead.

In the early-aughts I was big into "underground" in general and Def Jux, specifically. In fact, I didn't get into hip hop till I was like 19/20 and it was specifically 'cause a co-worker introduced me to Cold Vein, FanDam (actually we went to a Tower Records and it was Cold Vein & FanDam that he specifically handed for me to buy - and I did; FanDam had just been released too), some Living Legends and Hieroglyphics. From there, I branched out into appreciating mainstream stuff as well and catching up to a lot of the stuff that came out in years prior.

Anyway, I picked up Blockhead's first three albums as they came out (Music By Cavelight, Downtown Science, Uncle Tony's Coloring Book). I really liked them back then. There were some especially strong tracks on Downtown Science, IMO. But now...I find his albums really boring. Although, his production shines when there is a competent MC over them (Aesop being case in point).

This may be an oversimplification but I kinda feel like I get a similar vibe from Blue Sky Black Death that I do from Blockhead's solo production. Like a kind of post-Shadow cinematic aesthetic. Except I'd be much more inclined to spin BSBD.

No real opinion on Ant. I never really liked Atmosphere so I'm already biased.
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Man I still love the shit out of all three of those solo albums. Ditto for Float/Labor Days/None Shall... where as of Aesop's later work, only the Impossible Kid has really hit me. Also, the technology that those guys guys were working with is so different than the shit that low budget producers have at their disposal now. Take a glance at the jarring differences in electronic music for reference. Even a relatively groundbreaking group like Infected Mushroom has portions of their discography that sound extremely outdated.

I think sampled based producers are at an advantage in that regard. Which is probably why Madlib's stuff has aged so timelessly.

Kr00ked said:
I should have mentioned Ant too. The Dynospectrum is one of my favorite albums of all time and I also just had The Day Before Halloween on heavy repeat not to long ago.

Ant is definitely up there for me.
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Shadows of the Sun + Lucy Ford + GLU + Seven's Travels + A Tribute to Lisa Bonet + Dynospectrum. Plus Lemons which is less up my alley but was a pretty visionary album. Atmosphere's By The Way imo... in that it laid marked the end of constant evolution and the beginning of fresh formula that soon grew stale.
 
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DownIsTheNewUp said:
Man I still love the shit out of all three of those solo albums. Ditto for Float/Labor Days/None Shall... where as of Aesop's later work, only the Impossible Kid has really hit me. Also, the technology that those guys guys were working with is so different than the shit that low budget producers have at their disposal now. Take a glance at the jarring differences in electronic music for reference. Even a relatively groundbreaking group like Infected Mushroom has portions of their discography that sound extremely outdated.

I think sampled based producers are at an advantage in that regard. Which is probably why Madlib's stuff has aged so timelessly.
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I also like them and The Music Scene as well. I think Aes's production on Skelethon is also great. Awesome drums.
 
got a splatter copy of Conflicted. I haven't listened to the soundtrack to even know if I want it.
 
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Jdiddlydawg said:
Reject 2 bootleg, I seem to remember people were following this release but idk
waxhunter.com

Conway The Machine - Reject 2

Unofficial reissue.
waxhunter.com waxhunter.com

I'm inches away from finally buying bootlegs. Act 2 and Eccojams are hard to resist & never gonna happen
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