Sometimes you really have to stop & take stock.
For hip-hop releases, the fourth quarter was great. Kanye, Jay, Ghost, Fif, Lupe. I mean, even Budden (finally) released a good mixtape.
But as we head into 2008, where does that leave us to go?
Typically, the first quarter of the year is the quietest with labels laying back & reloading, readying releases for late winter/early spring. We accept that & take what we were giving late in the previous year to sustain us.
However, it’s starting to occur to me that 2008 could be totally interesting…or completely lackluster.
- Could the South’s reign be over?
Strike one, Pimp C died. While that might not seem like alot because, before his death, we paid more attention to his rantings than his rapping. But there’s a lot of brash truth & leadership buried along with him.
Strike two, after watching Prodigy blog his last few days of freedom away before going to do a bid for a gun charge, something tells me that no matter how he tries to R. Kelly his trial, T.I.P. will be going to do his time as well, perhaps in this calendar year.
Where does that leave the rest of the South? Does the region still claim Wayne, as he bounces to different locales & waving his flag for them? One day he’s in Houston and the next “takin ova” in Miami. Then he’s “Hello Brooklyn” while traveling further around the map in his “Nike boots.”
- Right now, we have Nas & Nigger causing a buzz. His sporadic compadre & sometimes collaborator, The Game, recently announced that he’s dropping a new album, tentatively titled LAX. DMX is dropping a gospel album. As it stands right now, what else are we, as an audience, anticipating? Which release will the innernuts hype up & seek the leak of?
- Jay-z has officially left the Def Jam building. As one of the constants in hip-hop music, who’ll take the reigns to lead the label? Chuck D has made known his desire to lead @ his former recording home, but should that happen? Shall Irv receive the job that should’ve been his in the first place if it weren’t for that pesky Federal trial?
- Speaking of Shawn Corey Carter & all of the recent buzz surrounding him, reportedly (and seemingly unlikely) he could be finally teaming with Apple, but not just to release an album. Instead, he could possibly be starting a new label. Given his recent comments in Billboard, does this mean that the industry’s trendsetter has embraced the oft-talked about but never actually fully described “new model” and joined forces with the company helping to lead the musical digital leap? And if so, will the rest of the pack follow Hove & Apple? I guess now that that previously used pic was a sign of things to come.
- It’s 2008. Will we find out this year exactly who murdered Pac & Biggie?
No answers. Just curiosity.
The Game To Release New Album This June [HHNLive]
Chuck D Wants Jay-z’s Old Def Jam Gig [EURweb]
Jay-z Launching Record Label With Apple [The Boy Genius Report]
DMX Planning To Release Gospel Album In ’08 — No Joke! [MTV]
![[avatar]](http://p.uproxxcdn.com/global/images/default-avatar.jpg){kind=avatar}
one.
Nice piece, Teflon Don….i can’t wait to see what happens…should be interesting
Nice post Gotty, 2008 should be interesting for hiphop. So far the only hiphop release that I know of for January is Big Noyd, album title “Illustrious”. I’m just interested to see if 2008 can top 2007 as far as quality and consistency is concerned, plenty of dope releases came out last year almost within days of each other giving fans barely enough time to listen. Time to buy more crates & hard drive space, plus a premium RapidShare account.
Nas, Jay Elec(???), Guilty/Price/ Milk, Budden (???)…
Now that’s a pretty solid squad if they drop, HOWEVER, if they don’t, that seems to leave a lot of room for the next ringtone rapper to show em how it’s done.
im psyched for any raekwon album in 08, have it be cuban linx 2 or wu tang vs shaolin…also, new busta rhymes, new prodigy (h.n.i.c. 2), new gunit (locked & loaded; dont hate beg 4 mercy was fire), eminems album, and maybe even detox…wait, scratch that last one (itll nvr happen)
-DOOM/Ghostface
-Madvillainy 2
-Buckshot/9th Wonder
*fingers crossed*
lol another wack TSS post.
Emilio Rojas & M-Phazes – Phaze One
Ayatollah Producer Album
Ayatollah – Louder
Cormega Solo Album
The Foreign Exchange – Leave It All Behind
Chaundon – Carnage
Torae – Daily Conversation
Torae & Marco Polo – Double Barrel
9th Wonder – The Wonder Years
Saigon – The Greatest Story Ever Told
Tru-Life Solo Album
Supastition/Kam Moye Solo Album
Jozeemo – L.A.F.
The Embassy [Chaundon & L.E.G.A.C.Y.]
Joe Budden – The Padded Room
Lil’ Wayne – The Carter III
Jake One Producer Album
E.M.C. Group Album
Pete Rock – N.Y.’s Finest
Rakim – The Seventh Seal
Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II
O.C. & A.G. Collaboration Album
N.Y.G.’z – Pros & Cons
Rhymefest – El Che
GZA – Protools
Murs & 9th Wonder – Sweet Lord
Buckshot & 9th Wonder – The Formula
J-Live – Then What Happened
^ and another weak reply.
“Thanks for sharing. Keep coming back.”
Seriously though, if you were to grace us w/your intellect, which ones of those do you suppose will have an effect on the face of music as it appears today? Which one will spawn clones? Which one will we listen to five years from now & still praise?
I wonder how it feels to stand next to Jay-z knowing you have more money then him.
I’m waiting on:
Rhymefest-El Che
Ice Cube’s new shit
I heard Z-Ro and Trae are going to come with a joint CD this year, which will probably make my top 3 by the end of 08.
Nas of course.
Anything Doom decides to record
B.G.’s new album
EMC’s new album
Maino’s album
Cashville Records compilation
I wanna see a Petey Pablo album sometime soon, he dropped some heat below the radar in 07
Saigon of course
No lie, i just seen a video for DTP’s small world, and i actually like him.
Uncle Murda
Wale
Killer Mike
Murs
Cool Kids
Bishop Lamont
G.A.G.E.
David Banner
Bad Lucc
Westurn Union
Anything DPG
Strong Arm Steady
AZ
Bout it
Detox 08!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hahahaha. That’s like saying Republican 08!
budden, cormega, az, saigon all gonna come with heat that will be overlooked by the masses… some cats need to come right back after weak efforts (beanie sigel I’m looking at you) Hopefully Jadakiss will finally put out that album we all know he is capable of, and maybe diplomats will get their shit together or at least Juelz will crawl out of whatever cave he’s hiding in…
hopefully CRS in ’08.
But you can always expect some new Dao!!!
I’m confused about this… Kardinal Official ft. Pusha T and Lil Wayne
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5856033f639d30/
hahaha wrd to K1NG!
I think some bigger news than this is this:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080104/pl_nm/usa_politics_dc
“Seriously though, if you were to grace us w/your intellect, which ones of those do you suppose will have an effect on the face of music as it appears today? Which one will spawn clones? Which one will we listen to five years from now & still praise?”
are you serious? no one will care about pimp c 5 years from now. he was just a mediocre southern rapper. if he were still alive, no one would be like “oh shit i wonder if a new UGK album will come out in 08!”. you know why? they arent (werent?) that good. prodigy is a washed up sleepy sounding bitch rapper and everyone knows mobb deep is over, havoc’s solo album was terrible. nas was over since it was written. nigger will be just as bad as every other album post-illmatic. unless he puts out an album with premier, he’ll continue on his downward spiral. jay-z? please. american gangster was hot garbage(but compared to kingdom come it was like another reasonable doubt, i guess).
and yes, i’m sure i’ll be listening to a jozeemo/torae/supastition/EMC album 5 years from now.
“are you serious? no one will care about pimp c 5 years from now. he was just a mediocre southern rapper. if he were still alive, no one would be like “oh shit i wonder if a new UGK album will come out in 08!”. you know why? they arent (werent?) that good. prodigy is a washed up sleepy sounding bitch rapper and everyone knows mobb deep is over, havoc’s solo album was terrible. nas was over since it was written. nigger will be just as bad as every other album post-illmatic. unless he puts out an album with premier, he’ll continue on his downward spiral. jay-z? please. american gangster was hot garbage(but compared to kingdom come it was like another reasonable doubt, i guess).”
SMH ineed at all of this… the fact you even consider pimp C a mediocre rapper is a tragic tragic event… he was well beyond a rapper, he opened alot of doors, and sadly nobody noticed until his passing…
And if you think HHID wasnt worth even minorly Illmatic status, then you got the North Carolina / Underground scene too far up your fucking ass
Only thing i agree with is EMC… ‘What It stand For’ still has my head knocking…
and alot of people were saying: “oh shit i wonder if a new UGK album will come out in 07!”…. so your comment makes no sense
Now i sleep and see this H come back tommorow morning
“he was well beyond a rapper, he opened alot of doors, and sadly nobody noticed until his passing…”
coincidence? sounds like band wagoning to me.
HHID was crap and we all know it.
and i’m from NC, what can i say?…
Well, thanks for clearing that all up. We can all rest easier.
“Keep coming back.”
New Del the Funkee Homosapien in 08
I am hoping to hear from that Sean Price/Guilty Simpson collabo with Black Milk on the boards. Tanya Morgan is supposed to have some new stuff comming out this year. I think they have a mixtape in Feb with Dj Soul. Hopefully we can hear some music from the Q-tip/Common collabo as well in 08
Damn I forgot about the Jean Grae/9th Wonder album. Can’t wait to hear that. And lastly I hear MC Brains and homeboy from PM DAWN are comming together to make a super group. The name of the group is PLease Dont TASE me BRO!!!!
LOL
what would Katt Williams say?
Killa BH is in the building
http://www.zshare.net/download/609388218079be/
jay-z and diana ross the crack album
who would have thunk that in 08 there would be still black album remixes!!
;)
Jay…
Always stealing (then running with) my ideas.
Proposed the producers list…
Had Rick Rubin’s name on it (amongst others)…
Black Album drops…
And there you have it.
“I told Jay I did a song with Coldplay…”
Yep Kanye…
I know.
—–
Apple is next.
But I am not mad.
I cant lie, HHID seemed ok(not brilliant, not wack) after my first listen. Nothin on it really had me hittin the replay button though, and lookin on my Itunes only ‘Hustlers’ has got plays in the double digits. Hence in retrospect I now look back on it is bein pretty disappointing.
As usual though anything Nas puts out at least commands the respect for you to pay attention to it, so no doubt I’ll check for the new album. Budden if he comes with an album, Saigon(though he played himself hard on the radio), Wayne and Game too.
New De La Soul in early ’08, according to Pos…
“are you serious? no one will care about pimp c 5 years from now. he was just a mediocre southern rapper. if he were still alive, no one would be like “oh shit i wonder if a new UGK album will come out in 08!”. you know why? they arent (werent?) that good.
I am not going to just call you dumb and move on, but i must ask if you ever listened to Ridin’ Dirty? If not, then don’t speak on UGK in that manner por favor.
prodigy is a washed up sleepy sounding bitch rapper and everyone knows mobb deep is over,
havoc’s solo album was terrible.
I agree. But Prodigy has had some pretty good new shit lately with Alchemist.
nas was over since it was written. nigger will be just as bad as every other album post-illmatic. unless he puts out an album with premier, he’ll continue on his downward spiral.
Now here is where i WILL call you stupid and move on. If you didn’t like God’s Son, Stillmatic, Street’s Disciple, or Hip Hop Is Dead then you have hearing problems.
jay-z? please. american gangster was hot garbage(but compared to kingdom come it was like another reasonable doubt, i guess).”
American Gangster is one of the first Jay albums I REALLLLY liked. I don’t really like Jay all that much, but AG was pretty good.
The funny thing is that he called the post “wack”…and then came w/the most flawed statements I’ve heard in a while lol.
Props to all those who replied, even Chris. I guess what I wanted to see was what cats were checking for, what possible trends could be on the horizon, etc. Maybe we keep a running list & eyes open for all of this.
I’ve got a few names I plan to drop as well. Watch for the hook.
since that rumor started, you think Jay didnt put AG on itunes to prove a point or for leverage in the deal?
on some “you lost 200k in sales from my album and i can get …. to sign to my label” as the first all digi record label sold only thru itunes?
the only album i could see spawning copycats, making big waves would be Detox. ppl will check for others but it wont “change the game”
can somebody PLEASE up that 9th Wonder & Buckshot – “Chemistry” joint 4 me….i know one of yall gotz that joint….much appreciated
fuck jay-z. and yeah, i stole your album and the movie that goes along with it
yo sherm…
http://obu93n2cgcx4rvkxe.usercash.com/
jacked like a muhfucka but who cares
sherm-
http://obu93n2cgcx4rvkxe.usercash.com/
(excuse me if I’m Greums-ing, this shit aint posting)
Yet another heated post, but I must say I agree with a lot of the selections that I’ve been reading. A few of mine if I may:
La The Darkman
Willie The Kid
Prodigy
Ali Vegas
AZ
Anything G-Unit
Anything West Coast underground
Anything Justus League or Justus League related
Wiz Khalifa
Joell Ortiz
Grafh
Big Noyd
Killa Sha
Nas
Gillie Da Kid
Peedi Crakk
Cormega
Termanology
Blaq Poet
Alchemist
Anything MF Doom
Dead Prez
Kidz In The Hall
Cool Kids
Guilty Simpson
Anything Detroit
Nucci Reyo
St. Laz
Stimuli
A-Mafia
Max B
Gemini (1st & 15th)
That’s it (for now!)
why the hell cant i post anything
rakim realsing an album in 08 is like when budden dropped the growth in june of 06.
never happened
h**p://obu93n2cgcx4rvkxe.usercash.com/
^^yo sherm thats for you homie
I know it’s not hip-hop, but I’m really checking for that Keri Hilson LP. Plus Wayne, E-40, Keak Da Sneak, Bun B and Big Boi solos and the new Snoop (which could be real interesting this time round).
Pimp C’s biggest contribution to the GAME was behind the boards…PERIOD!!! You may not like his flow, and that’s understandable because it ain’t for errrbody, but you loved his beats, chorus’ and production; he WAS the reason that most people who couldn’t FEEL UGK would still listen and buy an album. FUCK WHAT CHA HEARD!
For 08′
1) I heard there was a Roots album in August 08′ but I don’t believe it…Tipping Point was the best Roots album since Organix
2) Wayne and his GAY nemesis Gillie
gemini-troubles of the world, nas-nigger, and saigon-greatest story never told are anticipated
Been out the loop for a while, had a question for you all, was wondering if any of you could hook up the jazzy jeff – all i know feat. CL Smooth instrumental off his Return of the Magnificent album, its been impossible for me to cop. Thanks for the look an good luck to everybody in the two thousand great!
Ive been a UGk fan for years and i was kinda offended by dude chris saying that they sucked. So many classic albums…then the screwed & chopped stuff…I really dont think gemini needs to come out…hes aight but hes just like eh…nothin special…hes album was suposd 2 come out back in the summer but i guess it got pushed back…maybe its the fact that hes around lu that he seems kinda boring…thats a high bar to reach u know…
BIG BOI & OUTKAST ALBUMS
“are you serious? no one will care about pimp c 5 years from now. he was just a mediocre southern rapper. if he were still alive, no one would be like “oh shit i wonder if a new UGK album will come out in 08!”. you know why? they arent (werent?) that good. prodigy is a washed up sleepy sounding bitch rapper and everyone knows mobb deep is over, havoc’s solo album was terrible. nas was over since it was written. nigger will be just as bad as every other album post-illmatic. unless he puts out an album with premier, he’ll continue on his downward spiral. jay-z? please. american gangster was hot garbage(but compared to kingdom come it was like another reasonable doubt, i guess).”
Typical underground rap fanboy garbage. Probably listens to 99% of his music through computer speakers. Go listen to Sage Francis or El-P and continue to alphabetically organize your Star Trek dolls.
“coincidence? sounds like band wagoning to me.”
If that sounds like bandwagoning, then then i dont know what the fuck you’d say to me when i said im a “lifelong red sox fan”
smh at people who cant appreciate the fact that we are fans before they make it big, or they die… i was a HUGE UGK fan for years, and will continue to be a fan of Bun and Pimp C’s until music doesnt flow anymore…
And shit, i even got my Sean Taylor Jersey (#36 for your ass) in my window paying tribute still… but you know, because he died, im a bandwagoner, even if i bought the jersey before he took a NFL snap
@ Tres: Ha ha!! that was some funny shit!!! I have to agree, I mean I love underground hiphop too but I ain’t no fuckin’ back-packer!!! If you call yourself a true hiphop fan then you listen to EVERYTHING, provided that it’s dope. There’s great hiphop from all sides, downsouth, midwest, east/west coast, even overseas. Let’s all embrace it as long as it’s fresh.
^^EXACTLY. I mean I’m the type to have Madvillain, OC, 50 Cent and Lil Wayne in the ‘pod, but I can’t stand them heads that be on some shit like “Nas and Jay have been garbage since they first albums” or “The South is wack” and basically dismiss all mainstream/party music. Maybe if you herbs saw the daylight every once in a while and left ya mom’s basement long enough to attend a club or a party and talked to real live females, you would understand why there is a need for party music and realize that Lil’ Jon, Lil Wayne Jay and 50 are not “killing Hip-Hop.”
Ya’ll hiphop kidz need to grow up… lmao
i heard some one mention kidz in the hall. they need to be together tho cos that naldge is power mixtape not that hot w/o double-o on the boards…word to outkast anything new. hopefully some new clipse…and i just copped week 40 – mayb crooked i gets an album soon too. a good year for 08 and hiphop rap u kno.
and britney spears back in the news…lol
Hey, has anyone got a link to Afu Ra – Body of the life force? Thanks.
@ Black Jesus
Afu-Ra – Body Of The Life Force
http://www.zshare.net/download/33775247dde8b2/
I’m just hoping the clipse out some new work on the block. By the way, anybody got a link yet for S1E2 of the wire yet?
I’m just hoping the clipse put some new work on the block. By the way, anybody got a link yet for S1E2 of the wire yet?
This is hottest dude to check for from NC in ’08
Original Sin Feat. Freeway- Razor’s Edge
http://www.zshare.net/audio/6182306a68e505/
Original Sin- Mad At the South
http://www.zshare.net/audio/618233178dba7d/
Original Sin- My Boy
http://www.zshare.net/audio/61823498d50c94/
“and britney spears back in the news…lol”
Yea lol at the fuckin news this morning and this country in general…I turn the TV on, Obama won the Iowa Caucus, but first things first, before anything they had to report that Britney was rushed to the hospital or some shit. Seriously, how many people actually give enough of a fuck that the daily Britney report is the most important thing they need to know about??
And Republicans…Huckabee?? Are you serious??
I saw that this morning too, man. Craziness. But congrats to Obama. He’s one step closer.
There will be a new Roots album in 08, it was confirmed by Okayplayer at their award things and it will be called “Rising Down” just to clear things up.
Bill Gates thinks he’s a cyber thug now. What’s this world comin’ to. :(
good look complex i been lookin 4 that one
ayo gotti some of these replies are exactly the type of shit i was talking about on my blog. nas washed up?
lyrically i dont think so. most of the mc’s you mentioned,as good as they are technically ( & i listen to most of em) they only skate over the surface of some of what nas says on SOME of his tracks.
read my last post from 03.01.08
http://cantstopfanatics.blogspot.com/
& flea and Chris (Ashamed to share a name with that other guy) Searl got it exactly right. theres enough hip hop for everybody.
my ipod playlists flip from LB to outkast to nas to jay to nefew to snoop to clipse to murs to AOTP to mf doom to talib kweli to digital underground tolords of the underground…etc etc
i thought others did the same more or less
Sha Stimuli-Cinderella Man
Nas – N-Word album (he should call it Negro)
Joey’s new stuff
Game, if its great production (glad he’s been quiet lately)
M.O.P
maybe G-Unit album……seriously though.
Some new Obie Trice would be nice.
Paul Wall & Chamillionaire 2gether would be crazy!
Honestly I don’t know what to look forward to and I think this is an excellent post because I was thinking the same thing once I get ready to retire some of late 07 releases.
Frillz – Read it. Truth.
It’s so easy to hate hate hate lol. That’s all I think about as I watch things develop.
Personally, if I hate it, i don’t waste time or energy with it. that’s music, people, the net, coworkers, whatever.
cotdamn- it’s gonna take me a week 2 read all this shit.
it was/is pretty wack though…………….. naahhh jp
You’ll also have to watch for Lost calligraphy in 08,
atleast ten albums will be dropped.
Keep your eyes wide Gotty.
hip hop is not doing good. man, like maybe 2 good records in a year .. fuckin kris kross did better lyrics in the 90s than cats nowadays.. i mean beats are always evolving a little , there not a problem there.. but the rappers , cmon !
im not saying its dead.. but its been braindead for a good while.. and everyone tries to sound like the hottest rapper when the point is to sound like no-one else.. man fuck this shit.. ok maybe if you started listening 2 yrs ago you cant tell the difference.. im not whining like an old guy, cause like i said, i feel the music / the beats .. theres always evolution there and its all good.. but its like the rappers have given up trying and they cant really shine on they own, they just wait for a big producer to make them a hit.. mainstream guys rap how big they are and underground rappers rap how theyre underground.. man show me some fuckin storytelling !!!
Like how much brains does it take to figure out that you can never stand out by telling how crack and dope and black superhero you are when all the other 5 million mcs say the same. CMON !
My props goes to
-Nas (for effort in makin good lyrics, even with wack beats.. street’s disciple was his best in a while.. last one i didnt like but i feel he puts his heart in the lyrics instead of aiming for hits)
-Ghost , Raekwon and Cormega (for doing story raps, i dont care if theyre real or fantasy, but at least theyre entertaining !)
-Lil Wayne (for trying so hard to sound like a crazy crackhead )
-Kanye and Lupe do their job well, i just dont like their voice :D sorry
- The Obama Girl .. the best way to crab attention: tits and ass. This time for a solid cause !
I hope that people finally wake up and realize how wack Lil Wayne, Lil Boosie,50 Cent, Rich Boy, Soulja Boy,Young Joxc, Young Jeezy etc,,,etc,,, really are and that REAL Hip Hop goies back to being creative and smart, because these wack clowns are raping and abusing it.
i’m sorry, but 08 looks like shit imo…the only thing that would’ve made 08 worth discussing is if lupe waited a month to release the cool…but by june, i’d prolly be depressed again…hip-hop ain’t dead…it just sucks over all.
all that other shit cats mentioned, the general public could give 2 shits about…most of em are people nobody cared about before 08 so why should this year be any different?
oh…and fuck hipsters…type ass jean wearin, tiny tee-cardigan sweater sportin, no talent havin non-conforming conformist! just had to get that off my chest…continue.
BISHOP LAMONT!
Chamillionaire’s Mixtape Messiah 4 is enough to make interesting ! He’s the most overlooked rapper ever. Even though his album was one of the best pf 2007, if not the best, it’s not mentionned in the post above…
People, just take a listen at Ultimate Victory one time, and you’ll see…
Peace
2008 hip hop will be great * at least from right here *
http://www.myspace.com/judahchrist
-Judah Christ