What The **** Are You Listening To?!: The Rap & Hip Hop Edition

**Frownland** · 07-21-2020, 09:02 AM

The new one is grittier/darker with serious/better lyricism, which is closer to El's solo style than their other stuff imo, but ja if there's any solo album that's easy to compare RTJ to it's C4C.

The way I see RTJ's trajectory is that they released the first album as a side project for fun, did RTJ2 as a victory lap, dropped RTJ3 to show that it's no longer just a side project, and doubled down on that with RTJ4 while moving away from a more playful sound into something more dedicated.

SGR · 07-21-2020, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

The new one is grittier/darker with serious/better lyricism, which is closer to El's solo style than their other stuff imo, but ja if there's any solo album that's easy to compare RTJ to it's C4C.

The way I see RTJ's trajectory is that they released the first album as a side project for fun, did RTJ2 as a victory lap, dropped RTJ3 to show that it's no longer just a side project, and doubled down on that with RTJ4 while moving away from a more playful sound into something more dedicated.

It's been a while, but I rememebr thinking RTJ3 was pretty gritty sounding. RTJ4 might be more "serious" oweing to it being somewhat more obviously political.

Your description of their timeline fits exactly with my interpretation of it. Although, (and perhaps this will change with time) I still find myself liking RTJ2 the most. To me, RTJ1 was basically their "Little Boy" - and RTJ2 was their "Fat Man".

**Frownland** · 07-21-2020, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoundgardenRocks

It's been a while, but I rememebr thinking RTJ3 was pretty gritty sounding.

I feel ya, I was mainly referring to the production which is a lot cleaner and less distorted than RTJ2 was.

Quote:

RTJ4 might be more "serious" oweing to it being somewhat more obviously political.

And no dick jokes!

Quote:

Your description of their timeline fits exactly with my interpretation of it. Although, (and perhaps this will change with time) I still find myself liking RTJ2 the most. To me, RTJ1 was basically their "Little Boy" - and RTJ2 was their "Fat Man".

I don't think that they'd like being compared to atrocities but I see what you're getting at. I feel like you could frame 3 & 4 like this as well.

SGR · 07-21-2020, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I feel ya, I was mainly referring to the production which is a lot cleaner and less distorted than RTJ2 was.

I can get behind that completely. The production on RTJ4 is probably the best I've heard from them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

And no dick jokes!

Ha, I didn't notice that! Part of me feels like you must've missed it though - there's gotta be at least one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I don't think that they'd like being compared to atrocities but I see what you're getting at. I feel like you could frame 3 & 4 like this as well.

Yeah, perhaps not the most apt analogy, but all of their albums are explosive efforts to some degree.

RTJ is definitely one of my favorite rap duos of all time. They've got production like Outkast, they've got the class of EPMD, they've got the grittiness of Gang Starr, and they've got the style of Organized Konfusion.

**Frownland** · 07-21-2020, 12:18 PM

I like Shabazz Palaces, Armand Hammer, and Outkast better but aside from that RTJ's definitely the best modern hip hop duo.

SGR · 07-21-2020, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I like Shabazz Palaces, Armand Hammer, and Outkast better but aside from that RTJ's definitely the best modern hip hop duo.

I don't know if I've ever heard of Armand Hammer, I'll have to check them out.

I've honestly become disillusioned with a lot of modern hip-hop. Maybe I'm just not listening to the right stuff, but I get this feeling that a lot of the same ideas are just getting retread.

My all time favorite hip-hop album is Tribe's Low End Theory. A lot of that golden age '90s hip-hop is near and dear. I rarely find hip-hop that gives me the same feelings that something like this does.

It's also a joy when I find new stuff that samples old school hip-hop or reworks it completely.

rostasi · 07-21-2020, 08:19 PM

Mindfulness · 07-22-2020, 10:05 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUIrolORx6M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwfxTmRDS5I
this was a slapper too^

SGR · 07-22-2020, 11:24 AM

rostasi · 07-22-2020, 12:53 PM

Annie Ross (1930 - 2020)

with Count Basie (piano), Freddie Green (guitar), Ed Jones (bass), and Sonny Payne (drums)

07-21-2020, 09:02 AM	#1691 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,548	The new one is grittier/darker with serious/better lyricism, which is closer to El's solo style than their other stuff imo, but ja if there's any solo album that's easy to compare RTJ to it's C4C. The way I see RTJ's trajectory is that they released the first album as a side project for fun, did RTJ2 as a victory lap, dropped RTJ3 to show that it's no longer just a side project, and doubled down on that with RTJ4 while moving away from a more playful sound into something more dedicated. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

07-21-2020, 12:18 PM	#1695 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,548	I like Shabazz Palaces, Armand Hammer, and Outkast better but aside from that RTJ's definitely the best modern hip hop duo. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

07-22-2020, 10:05 AM	#1698 (permalink)
Mindfulness Be aware of the psyop Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Milky Way Galaxy Posts: 9,999	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUIrolORx6M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwfxTmRDS5I this was a slapper too^ __________________ YouTube Videos The Discord Server February 28th, 2024 Last edited by Mindfulness; 07-22-2020 at 11:25 AM.

07-21-2020, 08:19 PM	#1697 (permalink)
rostasi . Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 4,007

07-22-2020, 11:24 AM	#1699 (permalink)
SGR No Ice In My Bourbon Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: /dev/null Posts: 4,326

07-22-2020, 12:53 PM	#1700 (permalink)
rostasi . Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 4,007	Annie Ross (1930 - 2020) with Count Basie (piano), Freddie Green (guitar), Ed Jones (bass), and Sonny Payne (drums)