matious

i didn't really like much of anything this year.

busdriver was the only thing that stood out.

every artists new album turned out worse then theyre last.
though i still have some more guys to check out, like the cool kids, so mebbe something will surprise me

Rainard Jalen

Well check out Prodigy's Return Of The Mac. Because it's sure as hell miles better than ANYTHING Mobb Deep have done for 10 years.

djchameleon

oh come on , how can you say that? give me some examples of artists that you think their new album was worse than their last

matious

lupe fiasco, aesop rock, jay-z. Kanye was okay, i think it was highly overrated, or maybe im just not able to listen to him easily because im constantly aware of how big a douche he is :-/

im not trying to be a negative nancy, hell, im more then open to suggestions

sleepy jack

Graduation was and is highly overrated, it's high up on so many magazine's lists and the people that are hyping it are more than just rap fans lately. I don't understand why everyone champions Kanye.

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matious

i think how crappy commerical rap has been lately is whats making graduation look so original.

When anybody uses a different technique then recycling the same line over and over again they say its magnificent.

If it wasn't for all this "ringtone rap" being spoon-fed to everybody nobody would give as much credit to kanye as they have been.

Rainard Jalen

I agree that there's been a trend where it's become incumbent to include certain albums very high up on any end of year list in spite of knowledge of probably more deserving ones. Graduation is one of those albums - it is, however, still imo one of the better albums of 2007 (if not quite top 20 material) simply because the mixes are as good as they are. Kanye's a horrid lyricist, tho.

sleepy jack

I wouldn't even say it's top 100 material, mixes alone really aren't enough to warrant that.

__________________
I'm not blind, I believe in you.

djchameleon

I guess to each their own but I don't understand how you can downplay The Cool and American Gangster.

I'm not a big fan of aesop rock so I can't speak for them but as far as lupe fiasco and jay-z go. I think they made improvements on their last albums , especially The Cool.

I thought you were into socially conscious hip hop and all that.
The Cool tackles immigration, obesity in america brought on by the fast food industry, the lives of middle eastern kids that are trained from a young age to become soldiers. There are many other issues as well , I just need to listen to it a couple more times to spot them. I can listen to any lupe fiasco album more than once and always find something new that I missed the last time. He does tend to go over the heads of average people. That's most likely the reason he doesn't sell as much as he should be selling. The Cool is pure genius to me.

I also think that all the credit Kayne gets for Graduation is well deserved. His major downfall is his lyrical skills but his production value is top notch....regardless if you think it's just mixes and doesn't warrant such high recognition.

matious

Oh come on... what bs is "I thought you were into socially conscious rap"as if i haven't shown off my love for public enemy or pharaoh monch enough.

Like i said, i think kanye is okay but people treat him as the next martin luther king..

I think what i like most about kanye, isnt actually kanye, but the people around him. Common, mos def, etc who make him better. I'm not negating on his production skills, his work for common is awesome.

But i dont listen to rap for the beats, i focus mainly on the lyrics and kanye's are so forced and so obvious.. [insert mundane line about george bush not liking black people here]
And ANYBODY who works with t-pain on ANYTHING is just garbage...

As for the cool, ill try to get in another listen, looking at it from your perspective.
As for Jay-Z, no thanks could not care less.