[MERIT]

I'm just a huge fan of his lyrical content, the things that he talks about are actually relavent. I agree that after listening to lots of his songs, some of them do tend to sound a little bit alike, and that some of them sound like a poetry jam with a beat added to it. He does use big words, but it's done with intent and (usually) personal knowledge/experience of what he's saying.

It's kind of hard to recommend one of his albums over another, because each one has it's specific shining points. I will say that the production value of the tracks increased greatly from Revolutionary Volume I, to Volume II, to the 3rd World. Just check him out on YouTube (if you want to, of course), but he's not everyone's cup of tea.

hoof123

This is a long ass reply, but please take the time to read it.

He doesn't try too hard at all, the best thing about him is that his music is simply him expressing his emotions, he couldn't give 2 flying ****s about being judged on it, not by me, not by you.

I will agree that he is the weakest link in slaughterhouse, but only because of the type of music that the slaughterhouse produce, it harkens back to old school rhyme styles, bravado & **** waggling with witty lyricism. I think that there all better solo, when they get to express themselves with different styles.. Theres no room for the bios or farewell summers in slaughterhouse. Royce is also one of my favourite artists, but for me his best work is 'Death is Certain' (with the exception of Gangsta!!) because it carries a darker tone, and is again Royce expressing himself and his feelings through that time in his life. I personally think that Crooked I is the weakest artist in Slaughterhouse, because of what I have heard (not allot, only his hip-hop weeklys and some circle of boss stuff and one other compilation album) I find he comes off as being quite one dimensional. Sure he's skilled with lexical and syntax structure but he doesn't paint that pretty of a picture.

Now thats the thing about Budden, he's three dimensional, he can do the different levels, and combine them. He speaks deeply about issues that he believes in or has been through and he does it with finesse. Sure some songs might be more lyrically inept than others, but I don't think just being skillful with words constitutes you as being the best. You've gotta have more than just being good with words. I mean, Robert Frost isn't exactly a wordsmith, but he still manages to write poems with deep meanings and complex metaphors. For another example check out this song by D-Sisive:



No gimmicks, no complex wordplay, no in depth metaphors, just a guy talking about missing his father. But yet it's still great poetry and it makes great music.

That's not too say Budden ISN'T skillful with words, more to the point he's incredible, he's got more quotables than I have time to write, but here's a few.

"Ride or die, do both nigga, ride till' the death, I'll acapella the whole left side of his chest." (I hope you know what an acapella is?!)

"Focused on tomorrow, done seein' my friends in the rearview, thinkin' we really closer than we are"

"I aint Gilbert I never met a Wall I can't conquer." (Gilbert Arenas & John Wall)

"Leave the past in the past, tomorrows not promised and todays just a gift i guess thats why its the present."

"I never cared I was careless, feared being afraid or maybe I'm afraid to be fearless or fear being fearless but fearful, so even in my fearlessness i gotta be careful."

"Don't drive I like shotguns, never pulled L's, I like shotguns, hate .22's I like, shotguns, non-descrip's talkin bout they got guns, like tecs 4-5s and shotguns, really they never shot guns"

"The past is the past, I'm presently thinkin' about the future."


Here's some Budden songs you should check out:



The whole last verse is a personification of his depression, if you don't think thats skillful then you need to study more poetry techniques.





Cool concept thats evident in the erratic nature of the verses.



Beats whack, but the lyrics are a good denotion of Budden's deep style.



Casually having a conversation with god about the morality of his decisions, as you do.



The actual song is actually 10minutes (& 2 seconds long.)





And theres about a million more.

So in conclusion, he puts the lyrics to the emotions and makes incredible music that's instantaneously immensely relatable. I don't know if thats only because I've suffered from severe depression, been through the drug use, and lost somebody. So I find it more relatable than the average, but I still think that everyone can hear parts of themselves or thoughts they've had in Budden's music.

Anyway THAT's why I think that he is a genuine contender for the title of best rapper alive, possibly even the greatest of all time.

In Joey's own words "When you hear Joe you hear that conviction, and diction, that open emotion, devotion is different."

Have a listen & a think about him.

"A little food for thought, you feelin malnutrition."

Thanks for actually reading this if you made it this far.

hoof123

As for Immortal Technique, I definitely know what you mean about his music becoming a little bit too contrived and a bit preachy at times. But he's still pretty dope. Though I think that Revolutionary Vol. 2 was his highest point, Am I right in saying Southpaw handled most (if not all) the production on that album? That's a strong album imo, dope lyrics, good message, fresh beats. Green Latern kinda ruined 3rd World for me, and it felt like a rushed out mixtape, it wasn't as well rounded as Vol. 2 was.

Know denying that this isn't one of his best songs though!

djchameleon

I read that whole thing but I just need to go through and listen to each budden track you posted but I just wanted to make this comment first though if you are talking about best rapper alive don't you think he SHOULD have all facets covered? Sure, he may have some poetic lines here and there but I saw you mention a couple of his weaknesses and imo if you are the best alive you should have all strengths and no weaknesses

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Fame, fortune, power, titties. People say these are the most crucial things in life, but you can have a pocket full o' gold and it doesn't mean sh*t if you don't have someone to share that gold with. Seems simple. Yet it's an important lesson to learn. Even lone wolves run in packs sometimes.

hoof123

His poetic lines are not just here and there, they are interspersed in all of his music, honestly there are some many flourishes of genius, quotables & metaphors, it would be like writing an novel of epic proportions.

So what I was trying to say is that he doesn't have any weaknesses and he does have everything locked down. Pours out his heart for his own therapy & does it so poetically.

I'll use painting as a metaphor, surely you can't expect somebody to talk so deeply in complex rhyme schemes and wordplay ALL THE TIME, every second of every song, every syllable of every word, because it would be unrealistic to think that was possible without detracting from the overall emoting painting. It would be like a Jackson Pollack piece, with colorful paint strewn everywhere, sure its pretty to look at (listen too), but it rarely carries a deeper meaning, and if it does, its too complex and dishelved to make sense off. When Budden paints, he creates a stunning piece rich with history and meaning and uses the colorful paint to embellish and enhance the image.

Kinda a daft way to put it, but I hope that you understand what I'm trying to say!!

hoof123

PdotS

Did you like that D-Sisive song?

Sparky

Lil b-1

Joe Budden-0

BTown

(Del The Funky Homosapian)

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djchameleon

Inspectah Deck - 1

Joe Buddens - 0

__________________

Fame, fortune, power, titties. People say these are the most crucial things in life, but you can have a pocket full o' gold and it doesn't mean sh*t if you don't have someone to share that gold with. Seems simple. Yet it's an important lesson to learn. Even lone wolves run in packs sometimes.

Sparky

Why does jo have so much beef?