With this thread it depends on the mood I'm in. When drunk and in party mode, it's all mainstream Kanye West, T.I, etc. When listening daily it's artists with thought provoking lyrics or artists with an awesome flow Notorious B.I.G, Aesop Rock, etc. When hittin the gym or goin for a jog it's hip hop fused with rock, metal, hardcore punk sounds by artists like Beastie Boys, Esham etc.

Into many different kinds of rap music, I enjoy listening to older stuff (oldies) such as N.W.A. & Public Enemy (P.E. is my absolute favorite from the '80s)
I enjoy a variety of Shaolin style rap music (Wu-Tang Clan, Killa Beez, Wu-Syndicate, Killarmy, Sunz of Man, Grave-Diggaz, etc) and I like some Dirty Souf (Gucci Mane, etc.) listening to 1988's Public Enemy - Don't Beleive the hype.

I listen to 'underground' primarily. But I think I'm more underground than most. I don't mean Immortal Technique, or The Roots underground, though not out of the question. I'm listening to a lot of California local hiphop. Norcal or Socal or Bay Area hip-hop. Most of it's mellow, stoner hip-hop. Lyrically intensive, funky chill beat.

But for my in your face fix, El-P usually does the trick. He's intelligently aggressive. Deep Space 9mm.

You an E-40 fan? Revenue Retrievin' went HARD

huh?

Got all the E-40. I didn't sleep on it. I've got so much other stuff going on. But I threw on E-40 a couple weeks ago, rockin Federal. I'll bump RR next time.

yee Federal is tha S***, Ive had RR for a while, just listened to Day Shift the whole way through today, if you think he strayed from his roots with Ghetto report card a bit, then this goes straight back to what he knows, minimalist-like.

So who else would you suggest from the Bay? I don't know as much from there as I would like.

If you like E-40's flows, Gift of Gab (From SoCal, but residing Bay Area now) has pretty much that same guttural windpipe thing going. Relentless rhymes. Spit like 32 bars a breath hahaha. Serious. Check Gift of Gab for starters. What sets him apart from E-40 is their lyrical content. Gab goes more mellow more of the time. He's got some hard hitters, and they hit hard, but his most replayable tracks are the smoothest cuts. Or where he lyrically melts your face off.

Of course Hiero crew. Souls of Mischief dropped a new album finally, Montezuma's Revenge. Del the Funky Homosapien released a free mp3 album, a name-your-price album (free, if you want), and a couple other hard-copy drops as well as one or two more to come as we roll into '11. Check the Youtube video Souls of Mischief - Won One and Casual - Rock My S#it to see what's on the horizon. Opio of SoM released a Big Lebowski tribute EP which I personally loved b/c The Big L. and Hiero are amazing to me.

Living Legends crew
Eligh dropped Grey Crow this year. Him and The Grouch have been touring it around with Brother Ali.

Magic Heart Genies is another NorCal act that's making waves with their live shows up and down the West Coast. Can't say enough about these guys live and on album. Production is fairly unique and the lyricism and flow is unbelievably great at most times.

Zion I as well are becoming an institution.

and Mac Dre are other big classics from the Bay. Too Short. Mistah Fab. Keak da Sneak. In case you're interested. DJ Shadow does some sick tunes with some of these cats on his Outsider album.

i am mostly into upbeat rap i like eminem he is about the fastest singer
alive.

Stoner rap?