Kanye. You brought us College Dropout. The CD that made us believe that miracles do happen. A backpack rapper signed to Roc-A-Fella Records AND he was selling mad records. You had a song that was basically about Jesus that straight up make it onto rotation on commercial radio stations all over the country and you shot three fuckin’ videos for it. For God sakes, you even had Stacy Dash in one of your videos.
Kanye. You brought us Late Registration. Your first single was about Blood Diamonds in Africa. The remix to that song even brought Jay-Z out of retirement. You also brought all them Gold Diggaz out of hiding. Shit, you even made a song about your mother (best since Pac’s “Dear Mama”) that made grown ass men cry because they related to that song so much. You told Bush to go fuck himself while promoting this album.
Kanye. You brought us Graduation. Well, I’ll be honest, Graduation was allright. I guess “Big Brother” was cool. But either way, that’s not the point. Point is, you’ve had dope shit in the past that took you beyond any dope emcee could hope to go in this hip-hop game.
Kanye….and now, you give us 808’s And Heartbreak. Dawg, no! Why? Could you be riding T-Pain’s nuts even more harder than you are right now? Maybe I’m wrong, and the album will be considered a classic one year from now, but seriously, why would you play Russian Roulette with such a stable track record of albums. I mean, its great to take artistic risks and shit, but not like this. “Heartless” made me gag when I first heard it. That shit sounded like Rennaissance flute music. “Love Lockdown” is cool, but its definitely not no “I’m In Luv With A Stripper”.
Kanye. Don’t worry, I’ll still be first in line to cop the album later this month, just like I’ve happily and proudly copped the other three. But this shit is looking real real bad right now. However, I put together a little list to help you see what your competition is doing and what they’re doing right when it comes to this whole singing business. So take some notes. As bluntly as I could put it, here are five rappers that have and will still murk you on the singing-tip:
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5. Lil Wayne
This man has done the T-Pain thing as well, but, the only difference is that Weezy ain’t singing his heart out like an Idol contestant. He’s a little sluggish when he tries singing on auto-tune, but the man has swagger. And swagger and confidence is 90% of what makes a good rapper-turn’t-sangah. Listen to “Prostitute” to hear a little of Weezy’s singing steez.
4. Eminem
Eminem’s singing and crooning was never to be taken too seriously. But homie is living comfortably right now. Most of his singing stemmed from topics associated to his daughter Hailey (“Mockingbird”, “Just The Two Of Us”), but it definitely sprung him up even farther into hip-hop and pop royalty and made him richer at the same time.
3. T.I.
“Whatever You Like” came out of left-field for me. I would’ve never thought that I’d see T.I. harmonizing like that on a record and actually make it sound good. Dude is gangsta’ and yet, can make a song like this without even missing a beat. Props to T.I. The most recent example of how it should be done, Mr. West.
2. 50 Cent/ Ja-Rule (Tie)
These two have beefed for years and have more than once tried to embarrass and/or kill each other. But you can’t deny that each of them have made millions off of them little melodic fruity hooks that they sung in their choruses. Yeah, Ja sounds a little raspy, but it proved to be the right formula for about 5 or 6 records in the early part of this decade (see “Me And You” with my homegirl Chrisitna Milian). And 50, he’s basically the richest man in hip-hop right now, so he did something right. It definitely didn’t come from singing, but he’s always stressed that melodies sell the records.
1. Andre 3000 circa “The Love Below”.
If you’re going to take risks, then dammit, this is how you do it. Andre 3000 is literally like my top favorite emcee of all time and yet, he could flip his whole style up and drop a conceptual album by the name of The Love Below. Yeah, he rapped on it once or twice, but the man sang and produced most of it and the shit was dope. He even did some high-pitch voice change stuff on some tracks. But he did it well. I don’t know if it was the song writing, or the album concept or the fact that the hip-hop was very stagnant when The Love Below came out – but, fukwhatchuhurd, Andre 3000 is the poster child when it comes to this rappers-turn’t-singer shit. This is how its ’sposed to be done, Mr. West.
11 Comments so far
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Pingback by November 2008 Wrap-Up 11.29.08 @ 12:07 pmWow. Do you know anything about music?
Comment by Bill Burnham 03.05.09 @ 10:06 amYou said Lil Wayne is a good example of a rapper turned singer yet said KanYe was on T-Pains nuts. I guess the fact that Lil Wayne calls himself “T-Wayne” says nothing right? You even went so far as to compare “Love Lockdown” to “I’m In Luv (With A Stripper).”
Why is T.I. even on this list? Do you even know what singing is?
You talked about Graduation and said it was alright because “Big brother was cool.” Ignore the fact that it had songs like “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”, “Champion”, “I Wonder”, & “Homecoming.” You wanted to talk about Late Registration yet only spoke about the singles. Its funny cause before naming the five you said that these rappers would “murk him on the singing tip” yet the last time I checked 50’s last two albums went triple plastic and Ja Rule can’t get a single on the charts if his life depended on it. Not to mention “Terminate On Sight” had 4-5 songs with autotune.
Last time I checked “Heartless” peaked at #1 on Billboards Hot Rap Tracks. The album itself was #1 on Billboard 200. You say it wasnt music… evidently there are plenty of other people who say otherwise. 808’s & Heartbreak is 12 songs deep with one track being Live and has more singles reaching #1 then the last 4 albums G-Unit has released. You said it yourself…. “a backpack rapper being signed to roc-a-fella.” He changed Hip-Hop… brought something completely different yet your knocking him for doing the same thing again only this time wearing a suit and using auto-tune?
Most of the things you said were just ignorant and that’s not hate. Shoulda done your homework before writing this.
Comment by Bill Burnham 03.07.09 @ 4:00 pmFirst and foremost, I’m entitled to an opinion, just like you are. And you make valid points, but I disagree on most of what you said.
However you’re right, I straight hated on Kanye cuz you know what, I love him as a rapper and producer, still do, but in my opinion, this cat is wack as heartbroken crooner. Yet, as a fan, I still bought the album that first week like I said I would in the article. Thank God he’s starting to rap again and returning to his roots and what his core audience has loved him for.
Now, you need to keep in mind that this was a quick blog post of random thoughts written in November before his 808’s and Heartbreak came out and at that time, it seemed that “Rappers Turning into Sangaz” was the in thing as autotune was used in nearly every new song coming out. Thus, that craze-of-the-moment was the reason for the list/open letter to Kanye.
In retrospect I kind of dig “Robocop” and “Welcome To Heartbreak”. But I still think its not that great of an album. And most cats I’ve run into, whether normal listener or industry cat that has worked with Kanye, all say the album is mediocre minus a few songs that are okay.
And Lets be real, none of those rappers on that list are even remotely close to singers homie. They are however, falling into the category of “rappers-turnt-sangaz”. And regardless of G-Unit’s or Ja Rule’s recent albums/song that were released in recent years, you can’t deny at their prime, their melodies made them richer, and sold tons more records…and on top of that, were more accepted than Kanye’s 808’s was.
And P.S. – this “list” of mine should’ve been taken about as serious as a Top Ten list by David letterman…but glad it sparked some interest in you to debate lil’ bit…
Comment by DRO 03.07.09 @ 6:39 pmGood argument.
Comment by Bill Burnham 03.07.09 @ 10:06 pmShit, I enjoyed 808s. Even though I know he can’t sing and he did barely no harmonizing whatsoever, it was still different from anything out there. I still think he should just stick to rapping and maybe sing some hooks or something… or the sing-rapping he was doing on songs like “Put On” and “Lollipop remix”. That was tight… Kanye’s talented, no doubt, but his stupid cry-baby antics are what brings him down a couple notches in my eyes… just my 2
Comment by Write Beat 03.18.09 @ 11:55 amhey kanye,
When the pockets are getting bigger it makes you loose the flavour of the G.Style. keep your old style on like ballers do. Sometimes when they dress you up they make you feel gentlemanly. Note, my brother- style for every event on its own. For the fact that you have got it in you show it. Dont you forget jordan’s products and others as well. It makes you feel great . OneLove
Comment by a.p 09.19.09 @ 5:07 pmKanye did well as a rapper and now he’s tryn to prove a point but,i think he’s goin too far.plus,dude is under d influence of too much alcohol
Comment by Deuce 11.13.09 @ 2:21 amCan’t lie, I’d have to agree with Bill on this one. I mean, just as you mentioned Dro, I’m a fan of Kanye West the rapper. So I purchased the album the first day. Popped it in my disc player and I was extremly dissappointed and annoyed! But being the fan that I am, I put up with it. I put up with it so much to the point that I began to like the album then next thing I know I began to love the album. It took some time, some hard moments, and some long road trips for me to do so, but I can honestly say now that it is one of my favorite albums.
Kanye is truely a unique individual and he will go down as a classic in Hip Hop!
Comment by Langston 12.08.09 @ 12:11 pm
