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These are my selection of albums.I hope some of you read my old reviews on the top 5 albums.Here are 10 to 6.These are still good though.
10)Eminem-The Marshall Mathers Lp
‘You see I’m just Marshall Mathers/I’m just a regular guy/I don’t know why all the fuss about me.’
Surely Eminem knows what the commotion is all about. A samurai sword-sharp, white boy comes out and shakes up hip hop and upsets the moral majority – and much of the immoral minority too – causing everyone to go into spasms of delight/disgust. With ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ it seems Eminem is confused, lost and disorientated. The reason? Fame.
Toned down is the sick, violent attitude to the world that has given him nothing and in its place is a sad and bitter disappointment at the way his new life has panned out. He’s still funny but it’s less quotable laugh out loud commentary. Songs like the genuinely disturbing ‘Kim’ and the soul-searching ‘Marshall Mathers’ show a man who is looking deep into himself and staring hard and the world to find what is wrong. And even if he offers no solutions, that’s a rare and impressive thing in hip hop. Be warned though, his crystal clear deliver means there is nowhere to run from his tough subject matters.
But to portray this album as a downtempo, downbeat, down and beat affair does it no favours. There is more life in Eminem than a thousand Puff Daddys with their talk of the ‘Benjamins’, especially with more great production. Dr Dre is back in the production team but this time he takes an executive role and lets F.B.T. and the legendary 45 King get on with most of the legwork. One track he takes control of is the first single off the LP, ‘The Real Slim Shady’ with its simple My First Sampler and Fisher Price Piano feel. Elsewhere there is a rougher and darker edge to match Em’s tone.
‘The Slim Shady LP’ was the fantasy album of a frustrated young man who had nothing but his quick wit. ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ is Eminem in an altogether more difficult situation of having the world at his feet but not wanting it. An honest, emotional (albeit anger mostly) album which is a unusual treat in the polished world of 21st century hip hop. The bad boy comes good. Kind of.
9)Dr Dre-2001
Featuring appearances from Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige and more
LA’s Dr Dre is perhaps better-known for his producing talents rather than as a competent rapper. However, the leader of west coast gangsta rap (and pioneer of his very special G-Funk) has his own album out this time, after the recent success of one of his protégés, Eminem, with “The Slim Shady LP”.
The former NWA member released “The Chronic” in ’92, celebrating the gangsta lifestyle, along with the magic of using marijuana for recreational use! Snoop Doggy Dogg featured heavily on the album, and the following year, Dr Dre produced his debut, “Doggystyle”. “The Chronic” made a huge impact, and hip-hop was introduced to the masses as it was made more mainstream by countless other artists.
“The Chronic 2001” has moved on from Dr Dre’s earlier work, and features strings and reggae, along with a whole host of rappers and singers, the best of which are the aforementioned Snoop and Eminem.
Mary J Blige brings a touch of class to the proceedings, but some of the lyrics on this album are a little tasteless and vulgar. However, “The Chronic 2001” is hard to take too seriously, especially with those ever-present gangsta references. Enjoy.
8)Limp Bizkit-Significant Other
If you’re in any way into rapcore, then this is an essential album for your collection. ‘Three Dollar Bill Y’all’ may have launched the Bizkit into the rock world, but it was ’99’s ‘Significant Other’ that made this band huge, with fans all over the world. Yes, Korn did help out the Bizkit in the early days (what with the ‘Family Values’ tour and all that), but they can stand on their own two feet now. However, for ‘Significant Other’, they’ve wheeled in a few guest vocalists – Jonathan Davis (Korn), Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) and Method Man (Wu-Tang Clan).
More like the Offspring than Korn, the band sing, jump, rap, dance and play their way through some classic tracks, including the kids’ favourite, ‘Nookie’ – ‘I did it all for the nookie’ screams singer Fred Durst, and you can believe his sincerity. Other highlights include the funky ‘Break Stuff’ and ‘Re-arranged’, both veering more towards the rap/hip hop side of things that MOR rock.
Yes, the mighty Bizkit are childlike at times, but this isn’t just a record for 15 year-old kids. There’s a lot more substance to them than that, as proved on some of the other tracks. And with some extra tunes on this re-release, including a great live version of ‘Nookie’, it’s essential listening.This is probably the album that made Limp Bizkit the massive phenomenon of the rock community that they are. Drawing obvious influences from Korn, whom they often cover on live shows, this record has some of the best rap-metal songs ever released and my own personal favourite from the band?s catalogue ?Break Stuff?. The opening line of the song ?just one of those days when you don?t wanna wake up? is so powerful, it is brilliant. ?Nookie? is also a very good song with the immortal chorus ?I did it all for the nookie?. ?Re-arranged? and ?Show Me What U Got? are the other notable songs. The second CD is quite a nice addition.
7)Green Day-Warning
Hurray! The Kings of popular punk are back, with more great singalong, crowd-pleasing tunes. After a year or two of the likes of Limp Bizkit and the mighty (yet peculiar) Slipknot, Green Day bring a little sunshine into the (often heavy) world of rock, with ‘Warning’. Previous albums, especially ‘Dookie’, have done ridiculously well, and the band’s punchy pop punk rock revivalist sounds (phew!) have been lapped up by many a fan. But can they do it again, delivering the goods that we want to hear? In a word, yes. There’s always a worry that your favourite band will go a bit middle-aged, and ‘past it’ (having kids and all that grown-up stuff), but for Green Day, the music comes first, and ‘Warning’ will have you dancing around your living room in no time at all.
It was always going to be hard for Green Day to follow up the huge success of ‘Dookie’. ‘Insomniac’ and ‘Nimrod’ were both great, but ‘Warning’ sees the band return to what they were doing on ‘Dookie’ and it’s a veritable return to form at that. Things kick off in fine style with the catchy title track. Recent single ‘Minority’ is here (destined to become a live favourite), and ‘Misery’ is a bizarre (yet utterly superb) ditty, complete with accordion and Russian-esque beat! Other highlights include the funky ‘Jackass’ (great intro, with a bit of a punk ‘Alright!’), surely destined to be a single, and the lovely acoustic feel of ‘Macy’s Day Parade’, not as speedy as other tracks here.
WARNING: Buy this album, because it’s great and you’ll regret it if you don’t! Punk will never die! Three-chord tunes have never sounded so great.
6-Linkin Park-Hybrid Theory
There’s a lot of rapcore around at the moment. The Limp Bizkits of this world may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fear not, because US band Linkin Park have come to bring a breath of fresh air to the whole rap/metal scene with their debut offering, ‘Hybrid Theory’. In fact, Hybrid Theory was the original name of the band, who sound like an intelligent Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach’s siblings.
And the hybrid in question is in fact a melange of the aforementioned rap and metal, along with alternative, pop and electronic tweakery. But perhaps it’s the vocal blend of singer Chester Bennington and MC/vocalist Mike Shinoda that makes this record stand out from the rest, coupled with fine melodies. They’ve even got a DJ who gives an old skool vibe now and then, with his mighty fine scratching (check out ‘Cure For The Itch’). Highlights include opener ‘Papercut’, the funky ‘With You’, the pop-tinged ‘Points Of Authority’ (also on the ‘Little Nicky’ soundtrack) and closer ‘Pushing Me Away’, but there’s really not a dud track on the album.
So for some entertaining yet intelligent rapcore, check out Linkin Park. They’re going to get bigger and bigger in the coming months.
My First five were.
5-Blink 182-Enema of the State
4-Offspring-Conspiracy of One
3-Green Day-Dookie
2-Red Hot Chilli Peppers-Californication
1-Nirvana-Nevermind.
Thanx for reading my topic.
10)Eminem-The Marshall Mathers Lp
‘You see I’m just Marshall Mathers/I’m just a regular guy/I don’t know why all the fuss about me.’
Surely Eminem knows what the commotion is all about. A samurai sword-sharp, white boy comes out and shakes up hip hop and upsets the moral majority – and much of the immoral minority too – causing everyone to go into spasms of delight/disgust. With ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ it seems Eminem is confused, lost and disorientated. The reason? Fame.
Toned down is the sick, violent attitude to the world that has given him nothing and in its place is a sad and bitter disappointment at the way his new life has panned out. He’s still funny but it’s less quotable laugh out loud commentary. Songs like the genuinely disturbing ‘Kim’ and the soul-searching ‘Marshall Mathers’ show a man who is looking deep into himself and staring hard and the world to find what is wrong. And even if he offers no solutions, that’s a rare and impressive thing in hip hop. Be warned though, his crystal clear deliver means there is nowhere to run from his tough subject matters.
But to portray this album as a downtempo, downbeat, down and beat affair does it no favours. There is more life in Eminem than a thousand Puff Daddys with their talk of the ‘Benjamins’, especially with more great production. Dr Dre is back in the production team but this time he takes an executive role and lets F.B.T. and the legendary 45 King get on with most of the legwork. One track he takes control of is the first single off the LP, ‘The Real Slim Shady’ with its simple My First Sampler and Fisher Price Piano feel. Elsewhere there is a rougher and darker edge to match Em’s tone.
‘The Slim Shady LP’ was the fantasy album of a frustrated young man who had nothing but his quick wit. ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ is Eminem in an altogether more difficult situation of having the world at his feet but not wanting it. An honest, emotional (albeit anger mostly) album which is a unusual treat in the polished world of 21st century hip hop. The bad boy comes good. Kind of.
9)Dr Dre-2001
Featuring appearances from Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige and more
LA’s Dr Dre is perhaps better-known for his producing talents rather than as a competent rapper. However, the leader of west coast gangsta rap (and pioneer of his very special G-Funk) has his own album out this time, after the recent success of one of his protégés, Eminem, with “The Slim Shady LP”.
The former NWA member released “The Chronic” in ’92, celebrating the gangsta lifestyle, along with the magic of using marijuana for recreational use! Snoop Doggy Dogg featured heavily on the album, and the following year, Dr Dre produced his debut, “Doggystyle”. “The Chronic” made a huge impact, and hip-hop was introduced to the masses as it was made more mainstream by countless other artists.
“The Chronic 2001” has moved on from Dr Dre’s earlier work, and features strings and reggae, along with a whole host of rappers and singers, the best of which are the aforementioned Snoop and Eminem.
Mary J Blige brings a touch of class to the proceedings, but some of the lyrics on this album are a little tasteless and vulgar. However, “The Chronic 2001” is hard to take too seriously, especially with those ever-present gangsta references. Enjoy.
8)Limp Bizkit-Significant Other
If you’re in any way into rapcore, then this is an essential album for your collection. ‘Three Dollar Bill Y’all’ may have launched the Bizkit into the rock world, but it was ’99’s ‘Significant Other’ that made this band huge, with fans all over the world. Yes, Korn did help out the Bizkit in the early days (what with the ‘Family Values’ tour and all that), but they can stand on their own two feet now. However, for ‘Significant Other’, they’ve wheeled in a few guest vocalists – Jonathan Davis (Korn), Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) and Method Man (Wu-Tang Clan).
More like the Offspring than Korn, the band sing, jump, rap, dance and play their way through some classic tracks, including the kids’ favourite, ‘Nookie’ – ‘I did it all for the nookie’ screams singer Fred Durst, and you can believe his sincerity. Other highlights include the funky ‘Break Stuff’ and ‘Re-arranged’, both veering more towards the rap/hip hop side of things that MOR rock.
Yes, the mighty Bizkit are childlike at times, but this isn’t just a record for 15 year-old kids. There’s a lot more substance to them than that, as proved on some of the other tracks. And with some extra tunes on this re-release, including a great live version of ‘Nookie’, it’s essential listening.This is probably the album that made Limp Bizkit the massive phenomenon of the rock community that they are. Drawing obvious influences from Korn, whom they often cover on live shows, this record has some of the best rap-metal songs ever released and my own personal favourite from the band?s catalogue ?Break Stuff?. The opening line of the song ?just one of those days when you don?t wanna wake up? is so powerful, it is brilliant. ?Nookie? is also a very good song with the immortal chorus ?I did it all for the nookie?. ?Re-arranged? and ?Show Me What U Got? are the other notable songs. The second CD is quite a nice addition.
7)Green Day-Warning
Hurray! The Kings of popular punk are back, with more great singalong, crowd-pleasing tunes. After a year or two of the likes of Limp Bizkit and the mighty (yet peculiar) Slipknot, Green Day bring a little sunshine into the (often heavy) world of rock, with ‘Warning’. Previous albums, especially ‘Dookie’, have done ridiculously well, and the band’s punchy pop punk rock revivalist sounds (phew!) have been lapped up by many a fan. But can they do it again, delivering the goods that we want to hear? In a word, yes. There’s always a worry that your favourite band will go a bit middle-aged, and ‘past it’ (having kids and all that grown-up stuff), but for Green Day, the music comes first, and ‘Warning’ will have you dancing around your living room in no time at all.
It was always going to be hard for Green Day to follow up the huge success of ‘Dookie’. ‘Insomniac’ and ‘Nimrod’ were both great, but ‘Warning’ sees the band return to what they were doing on ‘Dookie’ and it’s a veritable return to form at that. Things kick off in fine style with the catchy title track. Recent single ‘Minority’ is here (destined to become a live favourite), and ‘Misery’ is a bizarre (yet utterly superb) ditty, complete with accordion and Russian-esque beat! Other highlights include the funky ‘Jackass’ (great intro, with a bit of a punk ‘Alright!’), surely destined to be a single, and the lovely acoustic feel of ‘Macy’s Day Parade’, not as speedy as other tracks here.
WARNING: Buy this album, because it’s great and you’ll regret it if you don’t! Punk will never die! Three-chord tunes have never sounded so great.
6-Linkin Park-Hybrid Theory
There’s a lot of rapcore around at the moment. The Limp Bizkits of this world may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fear not, because US band Linkin Park have come to bring a breath of fresh air to the whole rap/metal scene with their debut offering, ‘Hybrid Theory’. In fact, Hybrid Theory was the original name of the band, who sound like an intelligent Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach’s siblings.
And the hybrid in question is in fact a melange of the aforementioned rap and metal, along with alternative, pop and electronic tweakery. But perhaps it’s the vocal blend of singer Chester Bennington and MC/vocalist Mike Shinoda that makes this record stand out from the rest, coupled with fine melodies. They’ve even got a DJ who gives an old skool vibe now and then, with his mighty fine scratching (check out ‘Cure For The Itch’). Highlights include opener ‘Papercut’, the funky ‘With You’, the pop-tinged ‘Points Of Authority’ (also on the ‘Little Nicky’ soundtrack) and closer ‘Pushing Me Away’, but there’s really not a dud track on the album.
So for some entertaining yet intelligent rapcore, check out Linkin Park. They’re going to get bigger and bigger in the coming months.
My First five were.
5-Blink 182-Enema of the State
4-Offspring-Conspiracy of One
3-Green Day-Dookie
2-Red Hot Chilli Peppers-Californication
1-Nirvana-Nevermind.
Thanx for reading my topic.
These are my selection of albums.I hope some of you read my old reviews on the top 5 albums.Here are 10 to 6.These are still good though.
10)Eminem-The Marshall Mathers Lp
‘You see I’m just Marshall Mathers/I’m just a regular guy/I don’t know why all the fuss about me.’
Surely Eminem knows what the commotion is all about. A samurai sword-sharp, white boy comes out and shakes up hip hop and upsets the moral majority – and much of the immoral minority too – causing everyone to go into spasms of delight/disgust. With ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ it seems Eminem is confused, lost and disorientated. The reason? Fame.
Toned down is the sick, violent attitude to the world that has given him nothing and in its place is a sad and bitter disappointment at the way his new life has panned out. He’s still funny but it’s less quotable laugh out loud commentary. Songs like the genuinely disturbing ‘Kim’ and the soul-searching ‘Marshall Mathers’ show a man who is looking deep into himself and staring hard and the world to find what is wrong. And even if he offers no solutions, that’s a rare and impressive thing in hip hop. Be warned though, his crystal clear deliver means there is nowhere to run from his tough subject matters.
But to portray this album as a downtempo, downbeat, down and beat affair does it no favours. There is more life in Eminem than a thousand Puff Daddys with their talk of the ‘Benjamins’, especially with more great production. Dr Dre is back in the production team but this time he takes an executive role and lets F.B.T. and the legendary 45 King get on with most of the legwork. One track he takes control of is the first single off the LP, ‘The Real Slim Shady’ with its simple My First Sampler and Fisher Price Piano feel. Elsewhere there is a rougher and darker edge to match Em’s tone.
‘The Slim Shady LP’ was the fantasy album of a frustrated young man who had nothing but his quick wit. ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ is Eminem in an altogether more difficult situation of having the world at his feet but not wanting it. An honest, emotional (albeit anger mostly) album which is a unusual treat in the polished world of 21st century hip hop. The bad boy comes good. Kind of.
9)Dr Dre-2001
Featuring appearances from Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige and more
LA’s Dr Dre is perhaps better-known for his producing talents rather than as a competent rapper. However, the leader of west coast gangsta rap (and pioneer of his very special G-Funk) has his own album out this time, after the recent success of one of his protégés, Eminem, with “The Slim Shady LP”.
The former NWA member released “The Chronic” in ’92, celebrating the gangsta lifestyle, along with the magic of using marijuana for recreational use! Snoop Doggy Dogg featured heavily on the album, and the following year, Dr Dre produced his debut, “Doggystyle”. “The Chronic” made a huge impact, and hip-hop was introduced to the masses as it was made more mainstream by countless other artists.
“The Chronic 2001” has moved on from Dr Dre’s earlier work, and features strings and reggae, along with a whole host of rappers and singers, the best of which are the aforementioned Snoop and Eminem.
Mary J Blige brings a touch of class to the proceedings, but some of the lyrics on this album are a little tasteless and vulgar. However, “The Chronic 2001” is hard to take too seriously, especially with those ever-present gangsta references. Enjoy.
8)Limp Bizkit-Significant Other
If you’re in any way into rapcore, then this is an essential album for your collection. ‘Three Dollar Bill Y’all’ may have launched the Bizkit into the rock world, but it was ’99’s ‘Significant Other’ that made this band huge, with fans all over the world. Yes, Korn did help out the Bizkit in the early days (what with the ‘Family Values’ tour and all that), but they can stand on their own two feet now. However, for ‘Significant Other’, they’ve wheeled in a few guest vocalists – Jonathan Davis (Korn), Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) and Method Man (Wu-Tang Clan).
More like the Offspring than Korn, the band sing, jump, rap, dance and play their way through some classic tracks, including the kids’ favourite, ‘Nookie’ – ‘I did it all for the nookie’ screams singer Fred Durst, and you can believe his sincerity. Other highlights include the funky ‘Break Stuff’ and ‘Re-arranged’, both veering more towards the rap/hip hop side of things that MOR rock.
Yes, the mighty Bizkit are childlike at times, but this isn’t just a record for 15 year-old kids. There’s a lot more substance to them than that, as proved on some of the other tracks. And with some extra tunes on this re-release, including a great live version of ‘Nookie’, it’s essential listening.This is probably the album that made Limp Bizkit the massive phenomenon of the rock community that they are. Drawing obvious influences from Korn, whom they often cover on live shows, this record has some of the best rap-metal songs ever released and my own personal favourite from the band?s catalogue ?Break Stuff?. The opening line of the song ?just one of those days when you don?t wanna wake up? is so powerful, it is brilliant. ?Nookie? is also a very good song with the immortal chorus ?I did it all for the nookie?. ?Re-arranged? and ?Show Me What U Got? are the other notable songs. The second CD is quite a nice addition.
7)Green Day-Warning
Hurray! The Kings of popular punk are back, with more great singalong, crowd-pleasing tunes. After a year or two of the likes of Limp Bizkit and the mighty (yet peculiar) Slipknot, Green Day bring a little sunshine into the (often heavy) world of rock, with ‘Warning’. Previous albums, especially ‘Dookie’, have done ridiculously well, and the band’s punchy pop punk rock revivalist sounds (phew!) have been lapped up by many a fan. But can they do it again, delivering the goods that we want to hear? In a word, yes. There’s always a worry that your favourite band will go a bit middle-aged, and ‘past it’ (having kids and all that grown-up stuff), but for Green Day, the music comes first, and ‘Warning’ will have you dancing around your living room in no time at all.
It was always going to be hard for Green Day to follow up the huge success of ‘Dookie’. ‘Insomniac’ and ‘Nimrod’ were both great, but ‘Warning’ sees the band return to what they were doing on ‘Dookie’ and it’s a veritable return to form at that. Things kick off in fine style with the catchy title track. Recent single ‘Minority’ is here (destined to become a live favourite), and ‘Misery’ is a bizarre (yet utterly superb) ditty, complete with accordion and Russian-esque beat! Other highlights include the funky ‘Jackass’ (great intro, with a bit of a punk ‘Alright!’), surely destined to be a single, and the lovely acoustic feel of ‘Macy’s Day Parade’, not as speedy as other tracks here.
WARNING: Buy this album, because it’s great and you’ll regret it if you don’t! Punk will never die! Three-chord tunes have never sounded so great.
6-Linkin Park-Hybrid Theory
There’s a lot of rapcore around at the moment. The Limp Bizkits of this world may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fear not, because US band Linkin Park have come to bring a breath of fresh air to the whole rap/metal scene with their debut offering, ‘Hybrid Theory’. In fact, Hybrid Theory was the original name of the band, who sound like an intelligent Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach’s siblings.
And the hybrid in question is in fact a melange of the aforementioned rap and metal, along with alternative, pop and electronic tweakery. But perhaps it’s the vocal blend of singer Chester Bennington and MC/vocalist Mike Shinoda that makes this record stand out from the rest, coupled with fine melodies. They’ve even got a DJ who gives an old skool vibe now and then, with his mighty fine scratching (check out ‘Cure For The Itch’). Highlights include opener ‘Papercut’, the funky ‘With You’, the pop-tinged ‘Points Of Authority’ (also on the ‘Little Nicky’ soundtrack) and closer ‘Pushing Me Away’, but there’s really not a dud track on the album.
So for some entertaining yet intelligent rapcore, check out Linkin Park. They’re going to get bigger and bigger in the coming months.
My First five were.
5-Blink 182-Enema of the State
4-Offspring-Conspiracy of One
3-Green Day-Dookie
2-Red Hot Chilli Peppers-Californication
1-Nirvana-Nevermind.
Thanx for reading my topic.
10)Eminem-The Marshall Mathers Lp
‘You see I’m just Marshall Mathers/I’m just a regular guy/I don’t know why all the fuss about me.’
Surely Eminem knows what the commotion is all about. A samurai sword-sharp, white boy comes out and shakes up hip hop and upsets the moral majority – and much of the immoral minority too – causing everyone to go into spasms of delight/disgust. With ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ it seems Eminem is confused, lost and disorientated. The reason? Fame.
Toned down is the sick, violent attitude to the world that has given him nothing and in its place is a sad and bitter disappointment at the way his new life has panned out. He’s still funny but it’s less quotable laugh out loud commentary. Songs like the genuinely disturbing ‘Kim’ and the soul-searching ‘Marshall Mathers’ show a man who is looking deep into himself and staring hard and the world to find what is wrong. And even if he offers no solutions, that’s a rare and impressive thing in hip hop. Be warned though, his crystal clear deliver means there is nowhere to run from his tough subject matters.
But to portray this album as a downtempo, downbeat, down and beat affair does it no favours. There is more life in Eminem than a thousand Puff Daddys with their talk of the ‘Benjamins’, especially with more great production. Dr Dre is back in the production team but this time he takes an executive role and lets F.B.T. and the legendary 45 King get on with most of the legwork. One track he takes control of is the first single off the LP, ‘The Real Slim Shady’ with its simple My First Sampler and Fisher Price Piano feel. Elsewhere there is a rougher and darker edge to match Em’s tone.
‘The Slim Shady LP’ was the fantasy album of a frustrated young man who had nothing but his quick wit. ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ is Eminem in an altogether more difficult situation of having the world at his feet but not wanting it. An honest, emotional (albeit anger mostly) album which is a unusual treat in the polished world of 21st century hip hop. The bad boy comes good. Kind of.
9)Dr Dre-2001
Featuring appearances from Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige and more
LA’s Dr Dre is perhaps better-known for his producing talents rather than as a competent rapper. However, the leader of west coast gangsta rap (and pioneer of his very special G-Funk) has his own album out this time, after the recent success of one of his protégés, Eminem, with “The Slim Shady LP”.
The former NWA member released “The Chronic” in ’92, celebrating the gangsta lifestyle, along with the magic of using marijuana for recreational use! Snoop Doggy Dogg featured heavily on the album, and the following year, Dr Dre produced his debut, “Doggystyle”. “The Chronic” made a huge impact, and hip-hop was introduced to the masses as it was made more mainstream by countless other artists.
“The Chronic 2001” has moved on from Dr Dre’s earlier work, and features strings and reggae, along with a whole host of rappers and singers, the best of which are the aforementioned Snoop and Eminem.
Mary J Blige brings a touch of class to the proceedings, but some of the lyrics on this album are a little tasteless and vulgar. However, “The Chronic 2001” is hard to take too seriously, especially with those ever-present gangsta references. Enjoy.
8)Limp Bizkit-Significant Other
If you’re in any way into rapcore, then this is an essential album for your collection. ‘Three Dollar Bill Y’all’ may have launched the Bizkit into the rock world, but it was ’99’s ‘Significant Other’ that made this band huge, with fans all over the world. Yes, Korn did help out the Bizkit in the early days (what with the ‘Family Values’ tour and all that), but they can stand on their own two feet now. However, for ‘Significant Other’, they’ve wheeled in a few guest vocalists – Jonathan Davis (Korn), Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) and Method Man (Wu-Tang Clan).
More like the Offspring than Korn, the band sing, jump, rap, dance and play their way through some classic tracks, including the kids’ favourite, ‘Nookie’ – ‘I did it all for the nookie’ screams singer Fred Durst, and you can believe his sincerity. Other highlights include the funky ‘Break Stuff’ and ‘Re-arranged’, both veering more towards the rap/hip hop side of things that MOR rock.
Yes, the mighty Bizkit are childlike at times, but this isn’t just a record for 15 year-old kids. There’s a lot more substance to them than that, as proved on some of the other tracks. And with some extra tunes on this re-release, including a great live version of ‘Nookie’, it’s essential listening.This is probably the album that made Limp Bizkit the massive phenomenon of the rock community that they are. Drawing obvious influences from Korn, whom they often cover on live shows, this record has some of the best rap-metal songs ever released and my own personal favourite from the band?s catalogue ?Break Stuff?. The opening line of the song ?just one of those days when you don?t wanna wake up? is so powerful, it is brilliant. ?Nookie? is also a very good song with the immortal chorus ?I did it all for the nookie?. ?Re-arranged? and ?Show Me What U Got? are the other notable songs. The second CD is quite a nice addition.
7)Green Day-Warning
Hurray! The Kings of popular punk are back, with more great singalong, crowd-pleasing tunes. After a year or two of the likes of Limp Bizkit and the mighty (yet peculiar) Slipknot, Green Day bring a little sunshine into the (often heavy) world of rock, with ‘Warning’. Previous albums, especially ‘Dookie’, have done ridiculously well, and the band’s punchy pop punk rock revivalist sounds (phew!) have been lapped up by many a fan. But can they do it again, delivering the goods that we want to hear? In a word, yes. There’s always a worry that your favourite band will go a bit middle-aged, and ‘past it’ (having kids and all that grown-up stuff), but for Green Day, the music comes first, and ‘Warning’ will have you dancing around your living room in no time at all.
It was always going to be hard for Green Day to follow up the huge success of ‘Dookie’. ‘Insomniac’ and ‘Nimrod’ were both great, but ‘Warning’ sees the band return to what they were doing on ‘Dookie’ and it’s a veritable return to form at that. Things kick off in fine style with the catchy title track. Recent single ‘Minority’ is here (destined to become a live favourite), and ‘Misery’ is a bizarre (yet utterly superb) ditty, complete with accordion and Russian-esque beat! Other highlights include the funky ‘Jackass’ (great intro, with a bit of a punk ‘Alright!’), surely destined to be a single, and the lovely acoustic feel of ‘Macy’s Day Parade’, not as speedy as other tracks here.
WARNING: Buy this album, because it’s great and you’ll regret it if you don’t! Punk will never die! Three-chord tunes have never sounded so great.
6-Linkin Park-Hybrid Theory
There’s a lot of rapcore around at the moment. The Limp Bizkits of this world may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fear not, because US band Linkin Park have come to bring a breath of fresh air to the whole rap/metal scene with their debut offering, ‘Hybrid Theory’. In fact, Hybrid Theory was the original name of the band, who sound like an intelligent Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach’s siblings.
And the hybrid in question is in fact a melange of the aforementioned rap and metal, along with alternative, pop and electronic tweakery. But perhaps it’s the vocal blend of singer Chester Bennington and MC/vocalist Mike Shinoda that makes this record stand out from the rest, coupled with fine melodies. They’ve even got a DJ who gives an old skool vibe now and then, with his mighty fine scratching (check out ‘Cure For The Itch’). Highlights include opener ‘Papercut’, the funky ‘With You’, the pop-tinged ‘Points Of Authority’ (also on the ‘Little Nicky’ soundtrack) and closer ‘Pushing Me Away’, but there’s really not a dud track on the album.
So for some entertaining yet intelligent rapcore, check out Linkin Park. They’re going to get bigger and bigger in the coming months.
My First five were.
5-Blink 182-Enema of the State
4-Offspring-Conspiracy of One
3-Green Day-Dookie
2-Red Hot Chilli Peppers-Californication
1-Nirvana-Nevermind.
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