Vern-Daddy what's good bruh, Don't even get me started on this one. This is a hard question for an MC, trust me (I really want to give you my top 50). Plus artist's ears are the worst, I like shit that went copper in the stores. Too many arguments on this one over the years. Just know, I'm a music head, I've grown to love all genres: rock (alt, Inde, classic, hard), Jazz & jazz fusion (classical & Mod), Electronic, and of course Soul, funk, and R&B from 1960 - 1984 (the basis for most hip-hop samples). Above all was Hip-Hop. The 1st & 2nd shows I'd ever seen were in the 8th grade - Def Jam Tour w/ Whodini (Back In Black LP absurd), LL Cool J (BAD LP - did "I Need Love" grindin a couch on stage women went ape shit. lol), and Public Enemy Opened up for them, we'd never even heard of them. They had FOI with uzi's on stage. We were damn near terrified. Lol! They did "Mega blast" and "My Uzi Weighs a Ton" and we were sold. Show was bananas! My 2nd - Run DMC / Beastie Boys : Raising Hell - Licensed to Ill tour (I don't even have t let you know, how dope that show was). I was born to do it and it's been all downhill ever since.
These are some excerpts from my novel I've been writing since I read that bull$#%t book by Kool Moe Dee "There's a God on the Mic" (a lot of the right MC's totally wrong order). Current title of my book is "Back In The Day When I Was a Teenager". bear with the length of this reply folks:
I know everybody loves the pioneers (Sugarhill, Run-DMC, Kurtis Blow,Cold Krush, Beastie Boys, LL (who will be on my list just for being the only cat from "Krush Groove" still making albums) Whodini etc. but my #1 pick is one of the only MC's from that era, who's flows measured up to what was in my opinion, the best era in hip-hop roughly '90-'98. I say this because of the developments in sampling (SP-12 & 1200, MPC 60) in the late 80's changed how tracks were sounding. it just wasn't the normal 808 kit freaked a million different ways we were used to. Cat's were sampling all of their parents old soul, jazz, rock, and funk albums so beats had texture. There were also major changes in how flows and "delivery" (what's missing from a lot of today's mainstream hip-hop. It wasn't just what you said back then, but how you said it. i.e Redman has said nothing for 17 yrs. but his 4 bar rolls are so hot, you gotta pick him up.) changed right at the close of the pioneer era '86-'87. Between '87and '91 There were definitely groups making heat. EPMD, Eric B & Rakim, Juice Crew (Biz, Kane, Masta Ace, Kool G Rap, shit everyone Marley Marl produced!), NWA, BDP, Native Tounges (De LA Soul, Tribe, Black Sheep), Slick Rick, Dana Dane, Digital Underground, D.O.C, 3rd Bass (Don't hate, Cactus album was bangin') Slick Rick, Ed O.G., MC Lyte, X-Clan/Isis (aka Lin Que), Poor Righteous Teachers, Flavor Unit etc.) but there was also a lot of mainstream hip-hop at that time that was almost a fusion of house music and hip-hop, even greats like Heavy D and Big Daddy Kane started leaning towards 104-110 bpm electronica (I.E. Heavy D's "Now That We Found Love) due to the commercial success of acts like MC Hammer, Chubb Rock (Treat Me Right was house music bruh!), Redhead Kingpin and Wrecks n Effect (New Jack Swing: Teddy Riley's production). Which all had similar production to prevalent house/dance music of the time (Black Box, Soul to Soul, CeCe Penniston etc.). All of the sudden around "90-"91 & '91-'92 semesters. Underground Hip-hop was coming into it's own with albums that were unlike anything you'd ever heard - Brand Nubian, Naughty By Nature, Geto Boys brought hip-Hop from the south with "Mind's Playin' Tricks", Native Tounges brought out Black Sheep, Leaders of the New School and Fu-Schnickens, you first heard Redman and K-Solo on EPMD's 3rd album. DJ Quik, LL revamped himself after 2 lackluster releases since the classic "BAD" LP with "Mama Said Knock You Out", Das Efx, and two of the most influential albums on my own music: A Tribe Called Quest's - Low End Theory (one of the 10 greatest hip hop albums of all time) and Gang Starr's - Step to the Arena. The next year six albums got the majority of airplay in my 1st college apt. first semester: Redman's - 92 Whut Thee Album, Pete Rock & CL Smooth's - Mecca and the Soul Brother, and Mary J Blige's - What's the 411 (don't say it, that is hip-hop, her album was more gully than half of these garbage cats today). Second semester: Black Moon's - Enter da' Stage, Soul's of Mischief's - 93 Till Infinity, and Dre dropped - The Chronic (unreal, changed the game couldn't get a deal in So cal for next 3 yrs without banging, jail time and bullet wounds lol!). The Wu's dropped next year along with the Fugees 1st album "Blunted on Reality"and then there's just too many cats to mention from 94-99, it was the era, cats were just ill.
This list is going to be way too hard to do anyway, but I'll give it a shot.
(except for #1, not necessarily in this order. Also excluded Biggie and
1. The GOD - Rakim (Dre needs his ass whipped for shelving him for 5
years)
2. Jay-Z (I've tried to hate this cat and you just can't, he's absurd bruh. Don't get me wrong I've always dug Jay since the beg (I got a white faced early release promo of “Reasonable Doubt” from a friend at Priority) but I went through my “all he talks about is money" phase but I vowed to never say another negative word about Hov after the "Black Album". It's probably the most well-produced (at least one of the top 3) album in Hip-Hop history.
3. Nas (Illmatic - need I say more - Jay even tried to take a shot at him, cats bulletproof (only person to ever officially just "get with him" is Kelis, she's beating the hell out of his pocket as we speak).
4. Common - Thank God for someone who still has a significant message in hip-hop.
5. Mos Def - all the non-believers came around after the acapella performance of "The Edge" in the car with Dave Chapelle on “the Chapelle Show"
6. Redman - he's said absolutely nothing for 17 yrs, but says nothing so dope you've gotta pick him up.
7. Method Man - Everyone (except women) wants to claim another member of the Clan as their favorite, but we all know who's the man in the Wu's.
8. Boots Riley (from "The Coup" new band w/ Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine called "Street Sweepers Social Club". Pick it up, Boots is a phenom. An activist who literally runs a grass-roots organization. he also has a delivery like no other, probably one of the most intelligent cats to ever do it.
9. Jadakiss - Line for line, he's just consistently disgusting with his.
Definitely setting himself on another level from his LOX
brethren, and the rest of the world.
10. Busta Rhymes - One of the most creative cats in Hip-Hop, hands
down! 20 yrs and counting.
*honorable mention to Busta Rhymes, The Roots, and Outkast for still being the most creative forces in mainstream Hip-Hop. special shot to E-40 and Tash from the Liks. Not just for being dope, but being the funniest cats in the game, you've got to lighten' up sometimes. Slick Rick and KRS for still being ill to this day. LL Cool J for being the only MC from "Krush Groove" still doin' it. Eminem for being the illest caucasion to ever do it. Alright, alright, and of course....PAC & BIGGS (that's too ez).
*honorable menton - Favorite hip-hop groups of all time - These may not necessarily be your favorite MC's (there are definitely some of mine) but together these cats made magic on some of your favorite albums (along with MC's in beg paragraph)
- Outkast
- The Fugees
- Native Tounge Family (De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers
Black Sheep,
- The Roots
- EPMD
- Das Efx
- Pete Rock and CL Smooth
- Death Row's Roster - (Snoop, Pac, Tha' Dogg Pound, Nate Dogg,
Crooked-I, Soopafly Kokane)
- Def Squad (Eric Sermon's camp : Redman, Keith Murray, K-Solo, Khairi
- De La Soul
- Mobb Deep
- NWA
- Souls of Mischief /
- The Alkaholiks (Tha Liks) / Likwit Crew (Xzibit, Defari, Phil da Agony)
- Lost Boyz
- Naughty by Nature
- Brand Nubian
- Digital Underground
- Wu-Tang Clan
- DMX
- Camp Lo
- DJ Quik's Camp (The Fixers, AMG, Hi-C, 2nd II None)
- BDP
- The Juice Crew - everyone Marley Marl produced- Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, MC Shan, Heavy D, Masta Ace, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, Craig G)
- Diggin' In The Crates (DITC) Crew - Diamond D, O.C., Big L, Lord Finesse
- Gang Starr
- Large Professor (LP) and Main Source
- Talib Kweli & Hi-Tekk - Reflection Eternal and Talib's solo pieces
- Rawkus Records (early) roster
- The Beatnuts
- The Lox
- Camp Lo
- Outsidaz (Eminem, Pace Won, Young Zee - the 1st group eminem was signed to. check "Cowboys"on the Fugees "The Score". It's not just Eminem (Don't hate, he's by far,the illest caucasian to ever do it) but Pace is a beast too, check Pace Won's solo LP "Won"
- Ludacris
- Goodie Mobb
THIS LIST COULD GO ON ALL NIGHT!!!
* New cats to watch out for - Slaughterhouse : supergroup made up of
Crooked-I, Royce Da 5'9, Joe Budden and
Joell Ortiz - cat's got fire!
- there's plenty of other cats that deserve to be somewhere in here, I just can't think of them right off hand.
My favorite producers -
Producers: DJ Premiere, Pete Rock, Dr. Dre, Marley Marl, Just Blaze,
9th Wonder, alchemist, Timbaland, Kanye West, The Beatnuts
Easy Moe Bee, D-Dot Angelettie (Puff's Hit squad), Organized Noize, DJ Quik
Eric Sermon, No ID, Prince Paul, Rockwilder, I'll throw the
but they are some creative cats), (New cats) Ayatollah & Black
Milk, Scott Storch (yes I know he makes all kinds of tracks R&B
etc. but his Liberace looking ass got heat bruh! I can't hate.
Battlecat, Daz, and Sam Sneed are still highly underrated and
JD's been doing it too long for me to not say something.
I have to give major ups to Tony, Toni, Tone (late 80's) and Mint Condition '91 for making a true hip-hop head understand the power of a live band show, The roots just beat me to it! Lol! P.O.D. for giving me my first major label credits, and Slightly Stoopid for taking us on tour and all the early support. AMG and Shock G for taking a chance on a no-name artist / producer (Good lookin' out fam).
Plenty of others folks PICK UP MY BOOK! I'll keep you posted on release.
for those who want to critique and give me shit about my own music feel free:
www.reverbnation.com/k3dakonjourman - My new album site
www.reverbnation.com/label/rozebowlrecordsdivofrozebowlmusicgroup - my record co. check me and other artists I'm producing.
www.reverbnation.com/konjourmanmusic - Production (instrumentals, production credits
www.myspace.com/thebmcs - official myspace page since in my first group - The BMC's (Blunted Microphone Creations)
www.myspace.com/k3dakonjourman - myspace page for new lp
www.rozebowlrecords.blogspot.com – official blog
sorry it's a bit long winded Vern, but you have no idea how much I live for this man. I was always a fan first. Be ez bruh.
Mik3
Shot to Cash Money and Li'l Wayne, my bad on the miss - K3
His forthcoming LP - Rider's of the Lost Art (Roze Bowl, spr/sum '09) - is by far the Konjourman's best work to date. This phenomenally produced twenty one - song gem features appearances by veteran acts AMG, Crooked-I, Shock-G & 5th Element (of Digital Underground), Skee-Lo and fellow BMC Naturale, leaving no doubt this one is destined for classic status.
For Booking info: Roze Bowl Records (626) 676-0850
www.reverbnation.com/k3dakonjourman
www.myspace.com/k3dakonjourman
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