Music: Run the Jewels 3

[TheCanasianfrasian]

The album just dropped outta nowhere.

Currently giving it a 1st listen

Click to read more...

 

[BonMorrison]

It's soooooo good.

 

[TheCanasianfrasian]

The track Legend Has It is amazing and the transition into Call Ticketron is pretty slick

 

[Thucydides]

When Danny brown shows up on "hey kids" - so so good .

 

[kmad]

Currently on my fourth listen

I'd like to hear someone argue against El-P being the best producer in hip hop history

 

[Alex Jones]

Yeezy is a better producer.

Rtj3 isn't as good as rtj2, but it's up there. One of the best albums all year.

 

[Mikeaveli]

Yeezy is a better producer.

Rtj3 isn't as good as rtj2, but it's up there. One of the best albums all year.

I really don't think anything Ye has done production-wise tops The Cold Vein or Fantastic Damage.

As for the album, it's awesome. Gotta love that Danny Brown verse lol

 

[Alex Jones]

I really don't think anything Ye has done production-wise tops The Cold Vein or Fantastic Damage.

As for the album, it's awesome. Gotta love that Danny Brown verse lol

I would probably agree that Kanye doesn't have a project that's up with EL-P's best. I think the Cold Vein is the best work by EL-P, and there are very few projects out there that can match it.

The reason that I think Kanye is the best producer of all time is because he is so versatile. When Kanye first came into the game he singlehandedly revived the gospel/soul sound with his production for Jay, Talib and himself on College Dropout. In many ways Kanye created the modern soul sound, he is a HOF level producer just for that.

What makes him the greatest to me is the way that he continually builds and creates new sounds, most producers master one sound and never really move past it. Almost every Kanye album tells a story not only lyrically, but in terms of Ye's sonic evolution.

College Dropout was Kanye establishing his credentials as a 90's style gospel/soul producer.

Late Registration was about Kanye taking this soul sound and going as ornate and layered as it could possibly go, adding in sounds such as classical and R&B.

Graduation was about Kanye leaving his traditional soul sound and going to stadium rock and electronica.

808 was about Kanye abandoning the stadium rock and just going pure electronica.

MBDTF is Kanye taking all of these influences and mixing them together. Watch the Throne is him doing this again, except with a bit more grandiosity.

Yeezus is Kanye abandoning big and going as trap-minimalist as possible.

The Life of Pablo is Kanye giving a trap/minimalist interpretation of his older work. It's all of his previous sounds, but put into the strange blender of modern production.

Very few producers, in fact none that I can think of are so experimental and so ambitious with their sound. Furthermore, not only is Kanye west always changing his sound, every single one of his albums sounds amazing. Kanye is one of the greats at the gospel sound, he is a great trap producer, he is a really good electronic producer, ect ect...Dude just kills every sound he goes for. I don't really think Kanye is really that good at rapping, but he is an absolute visionary in terms of production and without a doubt the best ever in my mind.

 

[K Fleur]

MBDTF is the best produced album I've ever heard of any genre.



RTG3 is amazing. Might have it over RTG2 for me.

 

[vdB]

MBDTF is the best produced album I've ever heard of any genre.

100% Agreed!

 

[Alex Jones]

MBDTF is the best produced album I've ever heard of any genre.



RTG3 is amazing. Might have it over RTG2 for me.

Some of the compositions on MBDTF such as Runaway and Gorgeous are amazing, but there are a few tracks I find annoying. Blame Game is paced way too slow and boring, and I find the music on Hell Of a Life downright grating.

Rtj3 doesn't have the concise political focus that RTJ2 did. Its a lot closer to a really really good version of their first album.

 

[Alex Jones]

Also just bought tickets to see Rtj in Feb. Nice.

 

[Stylizer1]

I would probably agree that Kanye doesn't have a project that's up with EL-P's best. I think the Cold Vein is the best work by EL-P, and there are very few projects out there that can match it.

The reason that I think Kanye is the best producer of all time is because he is so versatile. When Kanye first came into the game he singlehandedly revived the gospel/soul sound with his production for Jay, Talib and himself on College Dropout. In many ways Kanye created the modern soul sound, he is a HOF level producer just for that.

What makes him the greatest to me is the way that he continually builds and creates new sounds, most producers master one sound and never really move past it. Almost every Kanye album tells a story not only lyrically, but in terms of Ye's sonic evolution.

College Dropout was Kanye establishing his credentials as a 90's style gospel/soul producer.

Late Registration was about Kanye taking this soul sound and going as ornate and layered as it could possibly go, adding in sounds such as classical and R&B.

Graduation was about Kanye leaving his traditional soul sound and going to stadium rock and electronica.

808 was about Kanye abandoning the stadium rock and just going pure electronica.

MBDTF is Kanye taking all of these influences and mixing them together. Watch the Throne is him doing this again, except with a bit more grandiosity.

Yeezus is Kanye abandoning big and going as trap-minimalist as possible.

The Life of Pablo is Kanye giving a trap/minimalist interpretation of his older work. It's all of his previous sounds, but put into the strange blender of modern production.

Very few producers, in fact none that I can think of are so experimental and so ambitious with their sound. Furthermore, not only is Kanye west always changing his sound, every single one of his albums sounds amazing. Kanye is one of the greats at the gospel sound, he is a great trap producer, he is a really good electronic producer, ect ect...Dude just kills every sound he goes for. I don't really think Kanye is really that good at rapping, but he is an absolute visionary in terms of production and without a doubt the best ever in my mind.

I think the complete opposite. I find Kanye is just trying to stay relevant. What makes a rapper unique is there sound once that changes you might gain more fans but equally alienate the people you got you there. Kanye grew up listening to the same music I did but when he finally made it the sound was changing and he adapted. That's the problem with older rappers, some think they need to change in order to be relevant. Your not going to hear Souls of Mischief making trap music because they have their fan base. They are not as big as they were mid 90's but they stayed true to what got them popular. When 808 came out, for me, it was the end of Kanye West the rapper and emerged Kanye West the entertainer. Kanye was one of my favorite "rappers" at that time. Not now.


Adults still buy music and at some point your music has to appeal to them.

 

[K Fleur]

Some of the compositions on MBDTF such as Runaway and Gorgeous are amazing, but there are a few tracks I find annoying. Blame Game is paced way too slow and boring, and I find the music on Hell Of a Life downright grating.

Rtj3 doesn't have the concise political focus that RTJ2 did. Its a lot closer to a really really good version of their first album.

I like both of those songs, but to each their own. I do agree though that Blame Game is slow paced, but I thought it worked well when listening to the whole album. It's not a song I ever go out of my way to listen to. The only thing I find truly terrible on that album is Fergie's verse(?) on All of the Lights.


Anyways after a second listen through of RTJ3 I think I'm closer to your opinion. RTJ2 is definitely better.

 

[kmad]

Also just bought tickets to see Rtj in Feb. Nice.

how were they still available?

 

[Alex Jones]

how were they still available?

RTJ doesn't really sell out the way some larger acts do.

 

[Alex Jones]

I think the complete opposite. I find Kanye is just trying to stay relevant. What makes a rapper unique is there sound once that changes you might gain more fans but equally alienate the people you got you there. Kanye grew up listening to the same music I did but when he finally made it the sound was changing and he adapted. That's the problem with older rappers, some think they need to change in order to be relevant. Your not going to hear Souls of Mischief making trap music because they have their fan base. They are not as big as they were mid 90's but they stayed true to what got them popular. When 808 came out, for me, it was the end of Kanye West the rapper and emerged Kanye West the entertainer. Kanye was one of my favorite "rappers" at that time. Not now.


Adults still buy music and at some point your music has to appeal to them.

I mean, Kanye isn't married to a single sound the way some artists are, I don't see how the fact that he's multiple is somehow a negative. Most artists that survive a long time adapt or die. What Kanye has done is no different than what guys like Jay or even ATCQ did on their new album, which has a lot of electronic and modern influence and a lot less pure Jazz rap.

 

[Troy McClure]

RTJ doesn't really sell out the way some larger acts do.

And they don't play very big venues. They are awesome, though.

 

[TheCanasianfrasian]

And they don't play very big venues. They are awesome, though.

well they don't play big venues because not enough people will pay big venue gate to go to their shows

 

[zac]

how were they still available?

They are playing some very 'curious' venues in a lot of places. They are playing Crystal ballroom in Portland and that's only a 1500 person venue...pretty much sold out instantly. Definitely could have went bigger there. In KC they are playing at the Midland which is a 3200 person venue; I'm sure it's selling well now that the album has dropped but they aren't quite big enough (yet) to likely sell that out in time.

Basically they are big enough now to sell out the coasts and some of the smaller 1k to 1500 venues elsewhere. I think if the tour was 2 months delayed that might not be the case. With this album they will become a mainstream act. I love these guys and I generally don't get into hip hop. That's telling you something there.

 

[zac]

well they don't play big venues because not enough people will pay big venue gate to go to their shows

And it would be virtually empty in most places. Ergo lose lots of money.

 

[KapG]

Played through once at the gym. Not sure yet...

Need to listen to it a few more times I think

 

[Alex Jones]

well they don't play big venues because not enough people will pay big venue gate to go to their shows

True, although I'm seeing them at a good sized venue down at USC (6500). Not sure how full it will get.

 

[left hand path]

mbdtf is pretty horribly mixed and mastered

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

These two have been around for two decades apiece. Much of their current fanbase seem to be unaware of that.

Another banger. If you guys dig this check out El-P's "Cancer 4 Cure" and Killer Mike's "RAP Music", both released in 2012 and laid the groundwork for this group.