American Gangster...

[huuud]

"LET THAT #$*#% BREATHE"

AG may be a classic, I just think people need more time with it. The thing is to compare AG to "classic" albums like Illmatic, RD, 36 Chamberes, Etcisn't going to fly with alot of people right now because it is simply to recent. We have all had 10+ years with the above albums I mentioned, and evenmore time with other older "classics" to realize the genius and the classic nature of the material. As far as my personal thoughts, the album isbutter, and will continue to get spins from me for years to come, as far as how history will define AG only time will tell.

One thing though, if you dont think AG is classic thats fine, but please god dont let me hear anyone say that The Carter III or Graduation is even debatablyclassic. Those albums dont even deserve to be mentioned with AG imo, two different levels.

 

[jmoneybaggz]

Originally Posted by CROSSISOM

Originally Posted by DaGreatJ

Album is brilliant... totally made up for the pure garbage of Kingdom Come

I still say KG wasn't pure garbage. Just unexpected.

Folks in the biz were talkin like this was gonna be a historic piece of musical work months before it came out. The hype killed it plain and simple. It was probably his weakest effort, but it still wasn't that bad.

Folks are too quick to drop strong +%% labels.

Why can't it just be garbage? Hunh?....It was garbage

 

[passback]

Yo, American Blackout: The remix is GARBAGE

Are yall serious with those beats? The tempo is all off

 

[crossisom]

Originally Posted by jmoneybaggz

Originally Posted by CROSSISOM

Originally Posted by DaGreatJ

Album is brilliant... totally made up for the pure garbage of Kingdom Come

I still say KG wasn't pure garbage. Just unexpected.

Folks in the biz were talkin like this was gonna be a historic piece of musical work months before it came out. The hype killed it plain and simple. It was probably his weakest effort, but it still wasn't that bad.

Folks are too quick to drop strong +%% labels.

Why can't it just be garbage? Hunh?....It was garbage

If that's your opinion, so be it, but don't make it seem as that's the universal consensus. Some folks do give *+*% a second chance. Besides,The Prelude, Oh My God, Kingdom Come, Show Me What You Got, Lost Ones, Do U Wanna Ride, Minority Report, Beach Chair... all good/ very good tracks in myopinion. That's over half the album right there. Throw in some mediocre/decent tracks and probably a couple you don't like and you got Kingdom Come.

Jay-Z probably holds the most expectations out of any rapper, maybe ever. It's because people, including myself, expect greatness in every album, everysong, every verse, every line.

 

[whipeurmouthmaimdone]

Im willing to risk my nike talk career on this one. Kingdom come was by far one of Jay-z best work and is better than american gangster. Allow me to explain mylogic, Kingdom Come shows progression in his music, it shows how far he came from the dope game to the roc chain to the corporate world. It shows what levelJay z is on, and its far beyond the level of any rapper out. On American Gangster it was just a more advanced lp about sex, drugs, money, and cars. He did goodin upgrading the way we talk about these things basically. American Gangster is appreciated, but not a classic. On Kingdom Come he put a lot of rappers inthier place.

 

[jmoneybaggz]

Aye, everyone has an opinion...

 

[devildog1776]

I just cant bump AG like that.. I really get sick when I try to put this on... Its far from classic to me... I heard this all B4 from JAY... I been rockingwith HOV since 96 and I gave up on him after the BLACK ALBUM... if an artist cannot bring versatility anymore then its time to hang it up

 

[flatbushfiyah23]

I wouldn't call it a classic but its close 4.5/5 rating in my book. It is definitely one of Jays best albums.

 

[mez 0ne]

Are yall serious with those beats? The tempo is all off


You don't know what you're talkin' about.

 

[s0lefunk]

Originally Posted by abeautifulhaze

Joint is a classic.

It has passed the test of time.

At the time of your post, it hasn't even been out a year. It STILL hasn't even been out a year.

Test of Time = 10 years... in Rap standards, I'll say 5 years minimum..

 

[ValarMorghulis]

I bump this CD daily while on CoD4!!! i think its a classic.... Party life

 

[216time216]

Originally Posted by PeterJamesThe3rd

SMH, american gangster was a poor excuse for music,

i wish bullet wounds would stop hovs baffonery

how u from NY but hate jay? this is the %%%@ i dont get... and on top of that YOU think YOU can rap...

 

[abeautifulhaze]

Just listened to this joint again after a 3 week break and it is without question a classic...if this album ain't classic ain't no classics in Hip-Hop.

Everytime I hear its its fresh, flows beautifully...it feels almost perfect to me. Everytime I bump it I enjoy it like the first time I put it on.

And I don't buy that time argument AT ALL...how the f_ can you set a timeframe on brilliance?

When MJ dropped a double nickel on the Knicks in #45...did we have to wait 5-10 years before knowing that it was a classic game?

When you saw Malcolm X or The Matrix....you couldn't tell that it was a classic flick form the jump?

When you heard Illmatic/Makaveli/Life After Death/OB4CL/Reasonable Doubt....you didn't know that they were classic albums after the first couple of spins?

Come on now...there is such a thing as an instant classic...and with all the heat on this joint...its an instant classic in my book. Why wait 5 years to giveprops to something thats moving you now? In 10 years half of y'all bangwagon hip-hoppers won't even be into the artform anyway.

 

[22 deuces 22]

This is classic, no question.

 

[illscan]

When you heard Illmatic/Makaveli/Life After Death/OB4CL/Reasonable Doubt....you didn't know that they were classic albums after the first couple of spins?


Ummmmmmm..................... No. I liked them after the first couple of spins, but to fully appreciate any album of worth, you need to knock that joint xamount of times to grasp its fullness.
You rewriting history to prove a point.

 

[abeautifulhaze]

Originally Posted by iLLscan

When you heard Illmatic/Makaveli/Life After Death/OB4CL/Reasonable Doubt....you didn't know that they were classic albums after the first couple of spins?

Ummmmmmm..................... No. I liked them after the first couple of spins, but to fully appreciate any album of worth, you need to knock that joint x amount of times to grasp its fullness.
You rewriting history to prove a point.


Ummmmm....thats you fam. The first time I heard Illmatic I knew it was perfection and an evolution in the artform. I don't know how you could have heardthat type of lyricism and production in 94 and not hear a classic? How could you not feel like Makaveli and LAD were classics after hearing the type of musicput out by those legends and the situation surrounding the releases? A couple of weeks after 36 Chambers dropped...the NYC street culture had literally changeddue to that album...the streets didn't need 5 years to know what they had just heard.

And how the F_ am I re-writting history when I asked an open question?

 

[blackmamba08]

Most underrated album ever. It's pure classic.

 

[illscan]

You should teach music composition at Columbia then duke.
I knew they were good, but you still have to fully grasp why they are good in your mind. What makes this unique?? What makes this progressive?? It takes time.
Good art is never instant gratification.
Only sex & drugs are instant, that's why dudes be wide open off them.


I'm really not trying to argue, but................

 

[eastcoastpapi]

best album since 06', 05 gotta give it to Game with The Doc....

 

[abeautifulhaze]

It takes you 5 years to fully grasp why an album is good, unique or progressive?

Good art is almost always instantly gratifying. The hell are you talking about?

And i'm the one trying to rewrite history?

Damn.

 

[rocyaice]

Originally Posted by abeautifulhaze

It takes you 5 years to fully grasp why an album is good, unique or porgressive?

Good art almost always instant gratification. The hell are you talking about?

And i'm trying to rewrite history?

Damn.

We're talking about music. A completely different art form. No one screamed "classic" when Thriller dropped. No one screamed classic when"The Chronic" dropped. Yet, in 2008 we think everything is classic. Cats say @#@ is classic before the album is even released in stores. Ridiculous.The word "classic" is being tainted by cats who are just excited to hear good albums. Especially since music is heard not seen.

 

[thagreatj]

Originally Posted by abeautifulhaze

Just listened to this joint again after a 3 week break and it is without question a classic...if this album ain't classic ain't no classics in Hip-Hop.

Everytime I hear its its fresh, flows beautifully...it feels almost perfect to me. Everytime I bump it I enjoy it like the first time I put it on.

And I don't buy that time argument AT ALL...how the f_ can you set a timeframe on brilliance?

When MJ dropped a double nickel on the Knicks in #45...did we have to wait 5-10 years before knowing that it was a classic game?

When you saw Malcolm X or The Matrix....you couldn't tell that it was a classic flick form the jump?

When you heard Illmatic/Makaveli/Life After /OB4CL/Reasonable Doubt....you didn't know that they were classic albums after the first couple of spins?

Come on now...there is such a thing as an instant classic...and with all the heat on this joint...its an instant classic in my book. Why wait 5 years to give props to something thats moving you now? In 10 years half of y'all bangwagon hip-hoppers won't even be into the artform anyway.

I hear your point and understand what you are saying but i (respectfully) disagree. i dont believe you could know that RD was a classic cause, to thisday, im still discovering new meanings in songs ive 50+ times...

 

[abeautifulhaze]

Originally Posted by rocyaice

Originally Posted by abeautifulhaze

It takes you 5 years to fully grasp why an album is good, unique or porgressive?

Good art almost always instant gratification. The hell are you talking about?

And i'm trying to rewrite history?

Damn.

We're talking about music. A completely different art form. No one screamed "classic" when Thriller dropped. No one screamed classic when "The Chronic" dropped. Yet, in 2008 we think everything is classic. Cats say @#@ is classic before the album is even released in stores. Ridiculous. The word "classic" is being tainted by cats who are just excited to hear good albums. Especially since music is heard not seen.

It doesn't matter if you see or hear an artform...its about how you personally recieve and process the media that defines the art.

The problem is that y'all cats wait for someone to tell you if and when something is worth prasing...Thriller and The Chronic received crazy criticalacclaimed when they dropped...with the the term classic being thrown around within weeks of their release....

The first time I heard The Score....I knew what it was. Ready To Die, The Blueprint, Doggystlye etc the same. some work is so good and ahead of its timethat you should be able to determine that its instant classic from the jump.

If you never heard of Bob Marley....and someone let you hear "Legend"...it would take you 5 years to determine that you just heard a classic entryto Reggae music history?

Stop letting others tell y'all what to think and make up y'all own damn minds. If something moves you to the point that you feel its some of thebest work you have ever heard in that particular category...call it for what it is.

 

[abeautifulhaze]

Originally Posted by thagreatj

Originally Posted by abeautifulhaze

Just listened to this joint again after a 3 week break and it is without question a classic...if this album ain't classic ain't no classics in Hip-Hop.

Everytime I hear its its fresh, flows beautifully...it feels almost perfect to me. Everytime I bump it I enjoy it like the first time I put it on.

And I don't buy that time argument AT ALL...how the f_ can you set a timeframe on brilliance?

When MJ dropped a double nickel on the Knicks in #45...did we have to wait 5-10 years before knowing that it was a classic game?

When you saw Malcolm X or The Matrix....you couldn't tell that it was a classic flick form the jump?

When you heard Illmatic/Makaveli/Life After /OB4CL/Reasonable Doubt....you didn't know that they were classic albums after the first couple of spins?

Come on now...there is such a thing as an instant classic...and with all the heat on this joint...its an instant classic in my book. Why wait 5 years to give props to something thats moving you now? In 10 years half of y'all bangwagon hip-hoppers won't even be into the artform anyway.

I hear your point and understand what you are saying but i (respectfully) disagree. i dont believe you could know that RD was a classic cause, to this day, im still discovering new meanings in songs ive 50+ times...

But aren't you still listening to the same album that you heard in 97?

The album didn't change...its the exact same thing that it was a deacade ago....you were the one who changed.

 

[illscan]

The problem is that y'all cats wait for someone to tell you if and when something is worth prasing...

Stop it.................

The simple & undisputed truth throughout "art" in any form, is that you have to consume, digest & examine it. That takes time. Simple asthat.
You can call whatever you wish a classic upon initial exposure. I , however will take your opinion with a lesser view. Argue with me all you want, my feelingswill still remain.
Patience is a virtue. There is some truth to that.
Black Sheep's "A wolf In sheep's Clothing" was my fav I SH when it dropped (it still is). I was quick to call it a "classic", butthe older I got, the more I realized it was a very good album, one of my favorites, but not a classic.
On the flip side, I disregarded the 2 Digable Planets albums. Now I consider them in a way higher tier than I did when they first dropped.
You have to let I SH linger for a minute to determine its true worth.