Looking for rap artists
 

I'm hoping that someone can recommend a few good rap artists / albums for me to check out. What I'm looking for is an artist who raps about real things, not just lyrics with words that rhyme and sound good next to each other(although a mixture of the two would be ideal). I also want to hear that the artist is putting some feeling into his work. I want to hear him sound angry / sad / happy / whatever, but I want it to sound real.

I would rather not name some artists that I've found (I've only found 1 or 2) that match my criteria because I don't want that to interfere with your recommendations.

I hope I'm not being too vague. I'm really looking forward to see what you throw at me. Thanks!

NWA "straight outa compton"
Dead Prez "lets get free"
thats all i can come up with in mu current sleep deprived state

Aesop Rock, Atmosphere, Blueprint, Dilated Peoples, Immortal Technique, Mos Def, Sage Francis would all fit what you're looking for. They have meaningful lyrics, and plenty of songs that seem personal or real.

Albums i'd recommend in no particular order are:

Soul Position (RJd2 and Blueprint)
Labor Day - Aesop Rock
God Loves Ugly - Atmosphere
Overcast - Atmosphere
Personal Journals - Sage Francis
Revolutionary 1/2 - Immortal Technique
I wish my brother george was here - Del the Funkee Homosapien
Deltron3030

There are a ton of other good hiphop artists out there who don't sing about the usual bullshit you hear on the radio, it just takes a while to find some of the better ones. Try and check some of the stuff out I listed and post if it's what you were looking for, if not I can recommend some more and we'll see if it matches.

Sole - Selling Live Water

Blackalicious - NIA
Full of concious hiphop.

MF Doom - Mmm... Food
Full of hiphop about, erm... Food. Amazing none the less.

big ups to the recomendations by nico

I will add the folowing artists to the already fantastic suggestions:
2 Skinnee j's
Aceyalone
Antipop Consortium
Buck 65
Busdriver
Jurassic 5 (about as mainstream as this list will get)
Kool Keith (aka Dr. Octagon, Dr. Doom, Black Elvis, etc.)
MC Chris
MC Frontalot (frontalot.com for free downloads)
MF Doom also has albums out under Viktor Vaughn, Metal Fingers, and Madvillain
Pharcyde (90s hip hop - not quite as "out there" as some of these other suggestions)
Princess Superstar (chick-hop... kinda gimmicky, but tight as hell)

Hope you find something you enjoy listening to in this list

Warcloud - Smugling Booze in the Graveyard
Dizzee Rascal - Boy In Da Corner
Big Pun - Capital Punishment
Buck 65 - Secret House Against The World
The Streets - Original Pirate Material
Jedi Mind Tricks - Visions of Ghandi
Ghostface - The Pretty Tony Album

oh damn... and most definitely

RA The Ruged Man - Die Ruged Man, Die

but he dont want fans who dont know who G Rap is.

I see you already had a recomendation for Sage Francis... but if you dont dl his album, I would definitely recomend that you get "Crack Pipes"... its the most intense song Ive ever heard (and its not about crack cocaine... its about extreme fluctuations of temperature that can crack pipes....). "Majority Rule" and "Makeshirt Patriot"

Also, you should check out some Cage - a lot of people find him a bit much (threatening to kill Eminem's daughter on a track, stating a desire to have died in 9/11, etc... ) - the thing about Cage is that no one really knows if the whole crazy thing is an act, or he is really nits... but check out "The Ballad of Worms" - a very intense and sad song.

Necro and Ill Bill have some incredible beats, they can both be a bit adolescent sometimes in regards to the lyrics, but the beats are sick.

Apathy is sick too. "Where's Your Album" is hot. And also I'd recomend having a look at Agallah.

If you have checked out Sixtoo, Sage, Buck 65, Sole, Apathy, and if you like one of them you probably will like all of them, and the whole kind of Anticon movement.

yo, I I love Princess Superstar. She was the female Eminem a long time before Em came on, and people thought of having a white version of Eazy E. I loved "I hope I sell a lot of records this Christmas Time" and "NYC C***"!

Wow, looks like I have a lot of people to check out.

Sage Francis was one of the guys who I've found, but I only had his <i>A Healthy Distrust</i> album. I started listening to Personal Journals and I like that so far.

I have this page bookmarked and will be checking out some more of these as soon as I can.

Thanks for the recommendations =)

Personal Journals is really incredible. Also, if you like Sage Francis look for Non-Prophets-Hope and the Sick of... series. Non-Prophets was Sage francis and a dj who's name escapes me at the moment, and the Sick of... albums are collections of freestyles, live material, and unreleased Sage Francis songs.

It looks like many people already hit upon most of who I would recommend, but i'd like to add recommendations for Murs, Illogic, Blueprint, One Be Lo, Louis Logic, and Kanye West (yes, really). Also, Cage's new album is supposed to be alot in this vein. He's supposedly given up alot of the horrorcore stuff in favor of a more Slug/Sage Francis sound (although Ballad of Worms is still one of the more powerful hip-hop songs I've heard, despite it probably being considered horrorcore).

Highly reccomend "foreign exchange" as well. That album is hot.

Kool Kieth. It don't get no realer.

There is a brand new album from a group called "Blood of Abraham."

The album title is "Eyedollartree."

This album is exactly what you're looking for.

A few mp3s can be heard here (you'll need Quicktime).

http://mp3.juno.co.uk/MP3/SF189000-01-01-03.mp3

http://mp3.juno.co.uk/MP3/SF189000-01-02-01.mp3

These are by no means the best songs on the album.

Mos Def, Blackalicious, Talib Kweli, Latyrx, Lateef and the Chief *members of both Blackalicious and Latyrx*.

Check out stuff from the Quannum record label. DJ Shadow's label, they put out some consistently good rap stuff..
Just a few off the top of my head.

Hope it helps!

As an emcee myself I'd say everyone mentioned so far deserves a listen if you have the time. Props to Nico n Strange I like your taste.

K-Otix
Black Star
Common Sense
Brand Nubian
Binary Star
One Be Lo
Sleep
Mars Ill
Deepspace 5
K-Os
Canibus
Atmosphere/Slug
El-P
The Roots
Mr. Lif
Pharoahe Monch
Gangstarr
Subconscious
Clokworx
Fugees

Theres a lot of stuff really. I can't think too clearly right now but theres plenty a people here who know what they're talkin about they'll take care a ya.

Asta!!

im not a huge hip hop/rap fan... so i can only suggest saul williams.

"grippo" is my favourite song.

Saul Williams is outstanding! That is one of only CDs I've purchased recently that remains in my car, and still gets played at least once a week.

Most everything I would mention has already been covered, but I still have a couple I think.

-GZA - Liquid Swords
-Ghostface Killa - Ironman
-Raekwon's first CD as well, but the name of it escapes me.
-Jehst, again I can't remember the name of the CD, but the song China Shop Taurus is wonderful.

I was really into Wu-Tang long ago, and looking back, their earlier stuff (for the most part) should be right up your alley, especially, but not limited to, their early solo CDs.

I'd also say The Streets, but personally I like A Grand Don't Come For Free more than Original Pirate Material, but that is just a matter of personal preference. They're both excellent.

anythin by mac dre

Immortal Technique is very good check out Dance With the Devil by them.

...
 

Uh yeah. What he said!! Aesop is tight! I really like his album Float. Off of Labor Days, Daylight is a really good song!
;)

i listened to nas - the lost tapes three times in a row while driving once

Bubba Sparxxx - he gets really deep on Deliverance (the album was slept on goddammit, even though it was some of the best work in Southern Rap.)

Goodie Mob - Still Standing

De La Soul - ANY ALBUM

A Tribe Called Quest

Q-Tip

Rehab - Southern Discomfort and Cuzwecan(gotta download it, never released)

T.I. - Trap Musick (a lot of good introspective stuff on there and a stone cold groove)

Necro and Ill Bill, but like Strange Famous said...If you don't want to hear 1001 ways to kill a person or have anal sex, then you might wanna stay away (they are the shiznat though)

Cee Lo Green...And his perfect imperfections

Common (finally getting some of the spotlight he's deserved since the 90s...thank you Kanye)

Atmosphere - sevens travels
foreign exchange is good also
q tip
souls of mischeif
hieroglphics

Old School: Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Mecca And The Soul Brother

Kurious: A Constipated Monkey

There's one major one I can think of who hasn't been named (that I can see anyway):

Kanye West!

I like a lot of rap. Check this thread for a good rap song.

Random Records just signed Fishe'. He is very original

www.fishe.us

I have a friend that is starting up his career as an MC, and I think his music falls into this category:

www.myspace.com/soulstudents

Umm, I did :p

I can also give an update on the new Cage album. It's definately different than his older stuff. I like the production better than most of his previous work, and he's definately matured. But I'm still not sure if I'm ready for a mature Cage. Some of the songs sound somewhat out of place to someone who liked his older music. But it is undoubtedly quality, just takes some getting used to.

Straight outa Compton NWA is genre defining.
KRS-One from Boogie Down Productions, in the end, will make the most difference, he'd be the guy in the "thank you..." list of every other artist listed here.

youngblood brass band

Atmosphere
Sage Francis
Really good rap with sweet background beats and not like any rap you here on radio. Not normal rap songs

agreed @ sage francis

Cage - Hell's Winter is an awesome album, well worth checking out. and of course, 2Pac - All Eyez On Me.

One of the most under-rated British hip-hop acts is Roots Manuva.

I wouldn't personally recommend buying his albums (except 'Dub Come Save Me') but some individual tracks are among my all time favourites.

'Witness (One Hope)' and 'G.D.M.F.S.O.B.'

In my quick skim of this thread I saw no mention of The Streets. Excellent, excellent british hip hop band.. you may know Fit But You Know It, but that whole album (A Grand Don't Come For Free) is most excellent.

EDIT - Strange Famous beat me to The Streets, but I prefer A Grand to Original Pirate Material.

Check out the Grey Album by DJ Dangermouse/Jay-Z. Jay-Z has certainly come a long way since "Big Pimpin'", and the Beatles as the beat is not only fun and cool to hear, but it is better mixed with Jay-Z than the original Black Album was. You can't buy it anywhere, but it can be downloaded pretty easily.

If you like Sage Francis check out his stuff under the name "Non-Prophets", I think it is a lot better (Joe Beats does some real good, well, beats.)