gentle/rough hip-hop lists tryout
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title: A Personal Intro To Gentle Hip-Hop
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date: 2022-03-17T09:17:00+01:00
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categories:
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- braindump
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tags:
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- music
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---
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What's the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about hip-hop? Obnoxious gangsta rap such as 50 Cent's mind-numbing _In da Club_, accompanied by too much bling and too few clothes? Or perhaps "brag rap" or the controversial east-coast VS west-coast, usually ending in a murder or two? When someone asks me what kind of music I like, I sometimes have difficulties breaking that controversy. If you're into gangsta rap, see my [rough hip-hop intro](/post/2022/03/a-personal-intro-to-rough-hip-hop/).
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My brother in law is really into (death) metal and tried introducing me to the genre (using, among others, [this track](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtf9QH8KhkA), which blew my socks off, wow!). Admittedly, a hard hitting double bass and crazy guitar riffs are difficult to digest if you're not used to it. But his admiring effort made me think, why can't I convince others to get into hip-hop? Then I drew a few taxonomies of rap styles and subgenres, which paled compared to Wikipedia's extensive [list of hip-hop genres](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hip_hop_genres).
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No categories then. Instead, I want to focus on personal highlights in what I call **"gentle" hip-hop**. Hip-hop without the typical explicit themes (sex, murder, drugs, street life, ...) that perhaps keep people from enjoying a good beat. Hip-hop without the penetrating noise of boom rap or hardcore rap, starting with stuff that is easy to to get into, and ending perhaps a bit weirder---but in a happy weird way.
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This is my gentle hip-hop top 11---in no particular order---I recommend people listen to when they know nothing about hip-hop. Note that I prefer to use _hip-hop_ (the "life style") instead of _rap_ (the "rapping"), I found it helps people keep their prejudices at check. Give these a try and then re-evaluate what you think of hip-hop music.
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- [Madlib - Slim's Return](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY0Sap4Q0sg) (from _Shades of Blue_, 2003). A classic track that that seamlessly fuses jazz with turntablism and rap.
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+ Similar: [Yesterday's New Quintet - Sun Godess](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YHzDsDAaCI) (from _Angles Without Edges_, 2001).
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- [Looptroop Rockers - The Struggle Continues](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NukuQ-65tNM) (from _The Struggle Continues_, 2002). Swedish underground rap with a moody flow that hits a sore note.
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- [Deltron 3030 - 3030](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7_jbluF0qo) (from _Deltron 3030_, 2000). I can't say enough about this. Three of my favorite artists (Del The Funky Homosapien, Dan The Automator, Kid Koala) launched an imaginative space journey.
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+ Similar: [Dr. Octagon - Blue Flowers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx-o4b3fCRc) (from _The Instrumentalyst (Octagon Beats)_, 1996). The theme of the album is extremely violent but the instrumental version gets rid of that.
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- [Hieroglyphics - Classic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onvRovuoxXY) (from _Full Circle_, 2003). Classical music (and rap) made fun of, but still respected.
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+ Similar: [Madvillain - All Caps](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2sSx6FNz80) (from _Madvillainy_, 2004)
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- [Handsome Boy Modeling School - The Truth](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCJhTU0KEwY) (from _So... How's Your Girl?_, 1999). Dan The Automator _and_ Prince Paul? The whole album is amazing.
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+ Similar: [Hilltop Hoods - I Love It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgwSGjXwtww) (from _Drinking From The Sun_, 2012).
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- [Swollen Members - Bad Dreams](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS08pLPDOuw) (from _Bad Dreams_, 2001). Hard to decide on a track for this seminal album. A lot less cheerful but still anything but hardcore.
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- [Quantic - The 5th Exotic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq65BySWWoc) (from _The 5th Exotic_, 2001). Quantic manages to fuse jazz, electronic, and rap in this excellent album.
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- [Ancient Astronauts - Anti Pop Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSOH6hvtcDY) (from _Into Bass and Time_, 2016). A German duo that successfully manages to revive quintessential west-coast beats.
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- [Jurassic 5 - A Day At The Races](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39zRf9Z66K8) (from _Power In Numbers_, 2002). Arguably the most energetic one on the album, but I love them all.
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+ Similar: [The Roots - 1000% Dundee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZPKN9Ml-Ac) (from _Things Fall Apart_, 1999).
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- [Soul Position - Hand-Me-Downs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfbGLdTVj_M) (from _Things Go Better With Rj And Al_, 2006). I love RJD2's left-field series, but his collaborations are sometimes even better.
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+ Similar: [RJD2 - 1976](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtA-I_Lpz_M) (from _Since We Last Spoke_, 2004).
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- [Professor Elemental - Cup of Brown Joy (Tea Bag Remix)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMn3qV_8ax0) (from _The Indifference Engine_, 2012). This is crazy British rap called _chap-hop_, a sub-genre of _nerd-core_. I dig it. Earl Grey? Yes please! Assam? Lovely!
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+ Similar: [Mega Ran - Sweet Sorrow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMf3VjLl1gk) (from _Castlevania: The Nocturnal Cantata_, 2013). Nerd-core at its finest, plus, it's Castlevania!
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I kind of cheated, it's still 11, but hey, who's counting! Most tracks are from the early to mid noughties. My hip-hop knowledge is firmly rooted in the nineties (see the [rough hip-hop guide](/post/2022/03/a-personal-intro-to-rough-hip-hop/)) and early 2000s---I hope the experienced reader will help fill the gaps, let me know!
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---
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title: A Personal Intro To Rough Hip-Hop
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date: 2022-03-17T09:17:00+01:00
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categories:
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- braindump
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tags:
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- music
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---
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What's the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about hip-hop? Watered-down versions of R. Kelly's R&B? Puff Daddy's pop-rap-ified beats that as you grinding your teeth? Or perhaps simply the Fugees' _Ready Or Not_ or Coolio's _Gangsta's Paradise_ and then nothing. You're in luck: if you like the hard hitting beats of hardcore rap and the criminal stories infused within many gangsta rap albums, I've got just the list of recommendations for you. If you're more into alternative rap or don't know where to start, see my [gentle hip-hop intro](/post/2022/03/a-personal-intro-to-gentle-hip-hop/).
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As I wrote in the gentle hip-hop introduction, I tried to come up with a blog post that has tracks neatly categorized into different sub-genres, but that didn't really work. Instead, I decided to divide my recommendations into two distinct sets: a _gentle_ set, devoid of noisy beats and explicit lyrics, and a **"rough" hip-hop** set, with more hardcore stuff in it. When trying to get someone into hip-hop, I usually resort to the former, but I equally love tracks from the latter.
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This is my rough hip-hop top 11---in no particular order---I recommend people listen to when they say they like rap but don't know anyone besides Dr. Dre, Eminem, 2Pac, or 50 Cent. Note that I prefer to use _hip-hop_ (the "life style") instead of _rap_ (the "rapping"), I found it helps people keep their prejudices at check. Give these a try and then re-evaluate what you think of hip-hop music.
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- [GZA - Living In The World Today](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV80H9rScSQ) (from _Liquid Swords_, 1995). RZA's production and sampling combined with my favorite Wu member the GZA/Genius.
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+ Similar: [Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-LHFfFKCsY) (from _Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), 1993). It can't get better than this.
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- [Public Enemy - Bring The Noise](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZF4G79OLkk) (from _It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back_, 1988). Classic politically laden boom rap that still is sounds great.
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- [El-P - Deep Space 9MM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kirbuj6s8lg) (from _Fantastic Damage_, 2002). An adventure leaning towards trip-hop with El-P's typical distortion effects.
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+ Similar: [Run The Jewels - Oh My Darling Don't Cry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG4ROzg78Bo) (from _Run The Jewels 2_, 2014). This is just too crazy, both the beat and the lyrics.
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- [Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But a G Thing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqJthdf7tkk) (from _The Chronic_, 1992). The seminal laid-back G-Funk beat you'll recognize in any Dre track, including the obligatory Snoop.
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+ Similar: [2Pac - Can't C Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTFo0VKnNZY) (from _All Eyez On Me_, 1996).
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- [Jedi Mind Tricks - Tibetan Black Magicians](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajNlKelKHCM) (from _Visions of Gandhi_, 2003). Their older stuff is also great but extremely violent.
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+ Similar: [Non Phixion - Futurama](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znccSLyG0cU) (from _The Future Is Now_, 2002). Ill Bill's voice is raw and hard-hitting.
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- [Ghostface Killah - Run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tePnCQF6SI4) (from _The Pretty Toney Album_, 2004). Ghostface's voice is unique and his stories are always great.
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+ Similar: [Wu-Tang Killa Bees - '97 Mentality](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO9Bh6j-vZY) (from _The Swarm Vol. 1_, 1998).
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- [Immortal Technique - Industrial Revolution](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eklu7UjxeA8) (from _Revolutionary Vol. 2_, 2003). Hard-hitting (American) political rap that doesn't lie.
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+ Similar: [Sage Francis - Slow Down Gandhi](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poZz2bKaonM) (from _A Healthy Distrust_, 2005).
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- [The Notorious B.I.G. - Niggas Bleed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mBilft7RiE) (from _Life After Death_, 1997). Brooklyn mafioso rap at its finest, just before it got him killed...
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+ Similar: [Raekwon - Guillotine (Swordz)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB5iikR7aT0) (from _Only Built 4 Cuban Linx_, 1995). Different style, same content.
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- [IAM - Petit Frère](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NonWfgHegDU) (from _L'École du Micro d'Argent_, 1997). French ghetto rap with RZA-like beats that works exceptionally well.
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+ Similar: [Don Luca - In De cités](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdTYcIQQIR0) (from _C Mij Da_, 2020). A shout-out to Flemish rapper Don Luca.
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- [OutKast - Da Art of Storytellin' Pt. 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMZ5TTDM-Jk) (from _Aquemini_, 1998). Good luck trying to understand the endless stream of words.
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+ Similar: [Nappy Roots - Awnaw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIB_n6LyX5Y) (from _Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz_, 2002). Another great dirty south track.
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- [Gravediggaz - 1-800 Suicide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vLiJIgVlRQ) (from _Six Feet Deep_, 1994). RZA keeps on popping up, this time reviving horror-core rap.
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I kind of cheated (again), it's still 11, but hey, who's counting! The Wu-Tang influence is clearly visible. The collective produced a lot of great albums in the nineties. And then there's the affiliates: Black Market Militia, Sunz of Man, Killarmy, ... After the nineties, the popularity of hardcore and gangsta rap steadily declined. Only Ghostface and Inspectah Deck with the Czarface supergroup are still killing it. Most of the tracks in this list are from the nineties, while most of the tracks from the [gentle hip-hop list](/post/2022/03/a-personal-intro-to-gentle-hip-hop/) are from the 2000s and later.
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@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ But a lot has changed since the early nineties when it comes to computing power,
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Before we dig deeper, though...
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## Why still (lossy) coding?
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## Why still use (lossy) coding?
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The sole reason to encode audio is an economic one. The average file size for a 4 minute long `.wav` file---according to [this calculator](https://www.colincrawley.com/audio-file-size-calculator/)---is `42.3 MB` with a sample rate of `44.1 kHz` and 16-bit depth. That's `546 MB` for 13 songs. Half a gig for only one album! In the nineties, when the first generation iPods were released, a handful of gigabytes was considered large, but instead of carrying two or three albums, when compressing, you can fit tens---or even hundreds---of albums.
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@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ A few simple formulas help in calculating the file size of a compressed file:
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- The bit rate of audio files: sample rate * bit depth * channels (2 for stereo) = `1441.2 kbps` for CDs.
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- The file size: ((bit rate / 8) * track length in minutes * 60) / 1000.
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A (CBR or constant) bit rate of `192 kbps` would result in `5.76 MB`. That's about `13%` of the original size! Amazing what technology can do. The problem with codecs is that in order to get rid of `86%` of the file size, the analog sine wave that is the sound of the track will get distorted. Clever engineers limited this to removing the parts (most) humans can't hear anyway. The article [what data compression does to your music](https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/what-data-compression-does-your-music) explains this much better.
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A (CBR or constant) bit rate of `192 kbps` would result in `5.76 MB`. That's about `13%` of the original size! Amazing what technology can do. The problem with codecs is that in order to get rid of `86%` of the file size, the analog sine wave that is the sound of the track will get distorted. Clever engineers limited this to removing the parts (most) humans can't hear anyway. The article [what data compression does to your music](https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/what-data-compression-does-your-music) explains this much better than I can.
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A common misconception is that newer algorithms further reduce the file size. That is incorrect. The bit rate is the bit rate. However, with Vorbis or AAC, the quality at lower bit rates is much better. Thus, with MP3s, where you'd need 320 for an "excellent" quality, Vorbis files encoded at 200 require less bits (size) for a comparable quality.
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@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ Modern codecs usually support more channels and more flexible sample rates: from
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I'm all but an expert when it comes to the internals of these codecs, but you don't need to be to hear a difference in quality. Again: experiment with this yourself!
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In 2013, Vorbis itself is actually being deprecated in favor of the [Opus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_(audio_format)) format, which has an even higher compression efficiency and a low encode/decode latency. This makes it ideal for VoIP: it's being used by WhatsApp, Discord, PS4, and the like. Yet, for high quality music at high bit rates, it's still not that well-supported.
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In 2013, Vorbis itself is actually being deprecated in favor of the [Opus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_(audio_format)) format, which has an even higher compression efficiency and a low encode/decode latency. This makes it ideal for VoIP: it's currently being used by WhatsApp, Discord, PS4, and the like. Yet, for high quality music at high bit rates, it's still not that well-supported.
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Which codes are currently being used by popular streaming services? [Spotify uses](https://support.spotify.com/us/article/audio-quality/) AAC for their web player (128 kbps free, 256 kbps premium) and OGG/Vorbis for their desktop app (up to 320 kbps as "very high" dependent on your bandwidth). Tidal was conceived to offer the "real" experience with FLAC, but even if you're an audiophile, you won't notice the difference unless you've invested thousands of dollars into high-end equipment... Deezer's [High Fidelity](https://support.deezer.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115003865685-Audio-Quality) stream also uses FLAC, but you'll have to get the Premium subscription for that.
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@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
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<body>
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<outline text="Code" title="Code">
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